The Daily Collegian
License to complain
Register now to voice concerns
in the Pennsylvania primary
Although the Republican presi
dential nomination should be
wrapped up by the time the Penn
sylvania primary rolls around on
April 23, voters in the common
wealth still have plenty of reasons
to pay attention to the election.
Just because President Clinton’s
Republican opponent will be all
but officially chosen doesn’t mean
you should skip the polls.
If you’re registered to vote in
Centre County, you might be
interested in a seat in the U.S.
House of Representatives that is
up for grabs. Longtime Rep. Bill
Clinger, R-Warren, is retiring his
seat in the sth Congressional Dis
trict, and four Republicans and
one Democrat are hoping to fill
the important vacancy.
Those seeking the nomination
on the Republican ticket are
Patrick Conway, Daniel Gordeuk,
state Sen. John Peterson, R-Pleas
antville, and Bob Shuster. State
Rep. Ruth Rudy, D-Centre, is the
sole Democratic candidate.
With the incumbent out of the
race, the groundwork for an inter
esting election has been laid. If
you have been upset with how
Clinger has been working in
Washington, D.C., then it’s up to
The opinions page is an open forum for discussion for the entire
Penn State community. Diverse viewpoints in columns, reader
forums and letters to the editor are encouraged to promote an ongo
ing intellectual dialogue on issues important to our readers.
daily Collegian
Tuesday, March 12,1996
©1996 Collegian Inc.
Editor in Chief
Courtney Cairns
Business Manager
Randy Abrams
The Daily Collegian's editorial opinion is deter
mined by its Board of Opinion, with the editor
holding final responsibility. Opinions
expressed on the editorial pages are not nec
essarily those of The Daily Collegian, Colle
gian Inc. or The Pennsylvania State University.
Collegian Inc., publishers of The Daily Colle
gian and related publications, is a separate
corporate institution from Penn State.
Board of Editors
Managing Editor
Heidi A. Shubilla
Opinion Editors
Jason Alt, Jon Feinberg
Campus Editor
Naina Narayana
Assistant Campus Editor
Paula Shaki
Metro Editor
Amy E. Oakes
Assistant Metro Editor
Michael S. O'Sullivan
News Editors
James Kwasnik, Scott Perry
Grades are bribery for entrance
College is this place where you
learn. We pretty much knew
that before coming here. But
nobody ever really thought about
exactly how that was supposed to
happen. Do you take everything
your professor says at face value
and record it in a notebook verba
tim? Should you just go to the
library and bury your head in
books? Should you skip all your
classes, head straight for the bars
and wax philosophical with other
drunken idiots?
I don’t know about the first two,
but I’ve tried studying drunk.
Every time I study for a test drunk,
I get an A on the exam.
Hold on there, just kidding. It’s
kind of scary how badly you want
ed to believe that, isn’t it?
But seriously, there is an alarm
ing number of students complain
ing about the subject matter that
they are learning at this university
and the method employed to teach
those things.
Men complain that the only thing
taught in a women’s studies classes
is how to be mean to white males.
Women complain about professors
you to seek out a candidate who
supports your views.
What also makes this year dif
ferent is that Pennsylvania’s pri
mary is taking place while Spring
Semester classes are still in ses
sion. With in-state University
tuition hikes of at least 4.5 per
cent projected for the upcoming
year, issues such as student loans,
grants and work-study programs
are very important. The person
who steps up to be our next mem
ber of Congress must be in touch
with the concerns of Penn State
students people who make up a
large percentage of the sth Dis
trict’s constituency.
And even if you are a Democrat
and there are no contested races
for you in which to vote, exercise
your rights anyhow.
Just one catch: The deadline to
register to vote is March 25. Call
the Centre County voter registra
tion office at 355-6703 or go to
your nearest post office for a reg
istration form.
The bottom line is that it
whether you vote in State College
or by absentee ballot your home
town, it’s important to make your
voice heard.
It’s your license to complain.
Copy/Wire Editors
Rachel Hogan, Thomas A. Murse, Jake Stuiver
Chad Weihrauch, Keightley Wittich
Weekly Editors
Lara Hyde, Michele E. Johnston
Day Sports Editor
Michael Palm
Assistant Day Sports Editor
James Reeser
Night Sports Editor
Hal D. Coffey
Assistant Night Sports Editors
Jonathan Bombulie, Hope Caldwell
Arts Editor
Jessica Tetrault
Assistant Arts Editor
Todd Ritter
Photo Editor
Aaron R. Bandell
Chief Photographer
Laura Chiles
Graphic Editor
Matthew Zitelli
Chief Graphic Artist
Benjamin Scanlon
Board of Managers
Advertising Manager
Allison S. DeKosky
Zone Managers
Dana Dalesio, Kevin C. Foster
Accounting Manager
Karen E. Shontz
Marketing Manager
Carrie Elmer
Office Manager
Kate Crimone
Assistant Office Manager
Kathryn Fulesday
Layout Manager
Lome Yasbin
who strongly encourage them to
submit nude pictures of them
selves for a grade ... or something
like that.
Students seem to be repelled by
professors. They have no problem
grumbling under their breath at
the back of the class, or making
biting professorial attacks as they
leave the classroom.
But directly confronting a pro
fessor is almost unheard of.
My one Econ professor was con
fused, and rightfully so, about why
students were requesting tutors in
class, yet they weren’t showing up
for the professor’s office hours.
Ip*
Getting the job "Dunn"
It is once again campaign season, and it
is time to select new USG leaders. Some
have predicted that this is going to be a
dull campaign, with not many choices; I
can assure you that this is going to be a
USG presidential campaign that has dedi
cated effort that will address the concerns
of all students.
Before I start, I would first like to take
the opportunity to thanks the students of
Penn Tower, Beaver Terrace, Beaver Hill,
North, South, East, West, Pollock/Nittany,
downtown and the fraternity areas for
signing our petition in order for us to get
on the ballot.
This gives us a chance to express our
ideas, concerns and the opportunity to give
the students the USG leadership that is so
desperately needed.
On Monday, March 11,1, Jack Dunn, and
my running mate, Dave Beemer, filed our
petition to get on the ballot to be candi
dates for president and vice president of
USG.
This is NOT a “USG Joke Campaign,”
but a serious effort to provide students of
this campus with USG leadership, trust
and commitment.
Year after year, you hear the same
rhetoric from candidates proposing unre
alistic goals and spending money for pro
grams in which there are no allocated
funds.
You have all heard unrealistic promises
that never materialize. Nothing is accom
plished because of in-fighting and dis
agreements with the campus administra
tors. It’s time to break the cycle of empty
promises and unrealistic demands, and
give the students the voice, control and
leadership they deserve.
We are USG outsiders looking for stu
dent support in our effort to establish a
USG that encompasses the concerns of all
students. Our platform consists of the fol
lowing proposals:
■ (1) USG Restructuring Bridge the
gap between the administration and USG
to establish a more efficient governing
body. Also, create “On-Line” capability
through the World Wide Web for easier
access to representatives, and student
input.
■ (2) Activity Fee Implementation
Proposing that fee money be used solely
for student activity purposes and not
blended into tuition fees.
Why pay some grad student to
tutor you basic course material
when you can ask the professor
directly . . . and for free?
My solution to the problem with
Penn State’s culture of complaint
would be to let your professors
know you disagree with them. Talk
to them in person. Leave anony
mous notes on their desk after
class. You can include messages
like: “Your lecture notes are too
confusing” or “Please wear a
microphone, I can’t hear you in the
back” or “The way you calculate
grades sucks, please feel free to
smoke crack and die.”
Professors are generally around
for two reasons. First, they’ve usu
ally researched the topic better
than you and can more clearly
explain material that is covered in
a book. Second, they present the
viewpoint of the dominant ideolo
gy-
They do not, as some idealistical
ly suppose, prepare you to becomes
the citizens of a new and utopic
world order. That’s your job. Dis
satisfaction with present corrup
tion in the world view is supposed
into
"Some students are concerned that complaining to or
disagreeing with a professor might yield a lower
grade. These students are really stupid. Grades do not
matter."
to lead you toward inevitably
employing change, sometimes with
drastic consequences.
Some students are concerned
that complaining to or disagreeing
with a professor might yield a
lower grade. These students are
really stupid. Grades do not mat
ter. They might argue, I need good
grades to get a job and make
money and support myself. First of
all, getting a C in economics does
not, in the general scheme of
things, mean crap. The world
moves on.
On the other hand, asserting
your individual sense of creativity
and innovation is kind of important
and annihilates the significance of
all the meaningless letter grades
you might acquire throughout your
academic career.
Grades are a form of institution-
■ (3) CAC Lab Improvements Work to
increase lab efficiency by adding more
computers and “leasing” old lab computers
to students for their rooms, and reducing
compute down-time by authorizing certi
fied students to correct software prob
lems.
■ (4) Student Housing and Safety
Actively work with State College officials
on Ratio Enforcement Neighborhood Uni
versity (RENU) and the Rental Permit
Revocation Proposal, to ensure students
are properly represented and informed
about housing ordinances and how these
proposals will affect them.
■ (5) Additional Educational Funding via
Pennsylvania Tax Returns Proposing to
add a box in the Pennsylvania tax return
form that allows taxpayers to contribute
$2 to a fund that can be used when there
are shortfalls in the state appropriations
for public University funding.
If you would like more information on
our platform, how you can help, or request
that we speak to you or your club, visit our
web site at WWW.GOT.NET/BACKJACK.
Also, feel free to E-mail us with your
concerns, comments, questions, or recom
mendations at JPDl26@psu.edu (Jack) or
DLBl72@psu.edu (Dave) anytime. Again,
thanks to everyone who helped get us on
the ballot and we ask you to BACK Jack
and Dave, and let’s get the job DUNN!
Jack Dunn
USG presidential candidate
Dave Bee me r
USG vice presidential candidate
Additional innovation
On Thursday, Feb. 22, an article
appeared on the front page of the Colle
gian featuring the Institute for Innovation
in Learning.
We feel that implementing change in the
classroom is definitely an important goal,
and so it is important to point out that
more than just the Institute is working
toward these aims.
In 1991, the Envisioneers, a group of
engineering students, formed to advocate
a very similar change. They made their
home in Rider II Building. They ques
tioned and challenged, they learned and
grew, and they met with unprecedented
success and continue to do so.
In addition to providing interpersonal
and leadership skills to it members, the
Envisioneers work both within the Univer-
benign corporate world
alized ass kissing. Grades are a
bribe; they are your ticket to the
sterile, soul-crushing environment
of corporate boredom. Get ready
folks, pretty soon you too will jour
ney to the land of the same-suit
people.
Some corporate apologists might
disagree. They might even have
their secretary fax you a memo
that says something like this: This
firm allows for a great deal of cre
ativity and individual innovation.
Why just last Monday, Jennings
came to work with one of those
wacky Jerry Garcia ties. . . . Boy
that Jennings, he sure is one crazy
guy!
It might seem as if I was burned
really bad by the “grade gods” this
semester. But really, it’s nothing.
I’ve been getting burned by the
“grade gods” since I got to Penn
Tuesday, March 12, 1996
sity and the community to enhance engi
neering education. Some of our projects
include:
■ Consulting Just this past week, a
prominent NASA representative from the
Johnson Space Center came to the Envi
sioneers looking for ideas concerning the
future of the space station.
■ Course enhancement The Envi
sioneers created a study guide for Physics
201 to aid in student learning and to make
the material more fun and interesting.
They have also had similar endeavors in
other classes.
■ Outreach Envisioneers have been
invited to give presentations at the Lead
ers of the Future conference for the past
several years.
As the main energy source of the Leon
hard Center for the Enhancement of Engi
neering Education, the Envisioneers hpve
worked with faculty and industryfQjre
sentatives in a unique partnership. Also,
the Envisioneers have been instrumental
in the development of the Engineering
Leadership Development minor.
We applaud the Institute for Innovation
in Learning for their bold efforts to make
education at Penn State across all colleges
more meaningful by means of collabora
tive and active learning.
The College of Engineering seems to
have been headed in this direction for
many years. Perhaps that is why the
Schreyer Institute was loosely based upon
the structure of the Leonhard Center.
Wendy Rentz
senior-chemical engineering and French
Nora Siewiorek
sophomore-engineering
Redneck discrimination
Regarding the letter written by Nathan
Kaleta (Feb. 21) about the students on cam
pus not receiving The Nashville Network
so that they can watch the recently
revived “Dukes of Hazzard,” the answer is
very simple.
On our ultra-sensitive, culturally diverse
campus it would not be politically correct
to discriminate against Arabic, French or
Spanish students.
It is still completely fine, if not even
fashionable, to discriminate against the
redneck minority group
State, and I’ve actually done OK
this semester.
In fact, after taking my first
exam of the semester, I received a
notice from my professor’s TA that
informed me of the following:
Your total score was 80 out of 100
The class average 75.71
Of the 1,030 other students taking
the test, 398 scored higher than you
did, 37 had a score equal to yours,
and 595 scored lower than you.
Translation: You are better than
X number of students, but Y num
ber of students are better than you.
In order to be more like everybody
else, you should have scored closer
to (X-Y)/2. That’s kind of a rough
translation. The formula might be a
little off.
Earlier in this article I might
have accidentally called college a
place where you learn and stuff. I
apologize if this sounds depressing,
but Penn State is not an intellectual
battleground, it’s a drill field for
40,000 drunken under-achievers. !
Rustam Kasad is a junior majoring
in English and economics and a
Collegian columnist. '
Ik
j : s#
Matt Young
senior-film