HI ---- a e 1 S P 9 9 t . • 'r , r t ve. Nst Warm 4 Ardetmex 49k404"- e , See p the c ollegian daily www.collegian.psu.edu Vol. 99, No. 85 16 Pages ©1998 Collegian Inc USG Senate president resigns position Jason Covener resigned as USG Senate president Court name in USG case By TIM SWIFT Collegian Staff Writer Former Undergraduate Student Government Senate President Jason vener was not the only USG member named in court docu ments from the investigation regarding computer tampering in the USG office. Covener allegedly obtained USG members and other students' e mail messages and then distributed the information to USG members, including fraternity Senator James Hornick. town Senator Rick Soll - former CSG Communications Director Jeff Schlanger and USG Supreme Court Justice Bryan Weis, according to the documents. The complaint states Covener asked Sollman to intercept elec tronic communications that had been captured by a keystroke mon itoring program. Interviewed on two separate occasions by police, Sollman first denied any involvement with Covener. Later, he said he retrieved information for Covener in March 1998 that was logged by the monitoring programs on USG office computers. Yet Sollman said last night he was unaware of the exact informa tion he provided Covener and assumed it included Covener's own documents from his former USG post as political and international affairs director. Only after obtain ing the information for Covener did Sollman say he was made aware of the keystroke monitoring programs. Sollman said he has cooperated with the police investigation and has been subpoenaed in the case. Keystroke monitoring is a process by which a person can view or record the commands ACLU holds rally to increase group awareness By STEVE DANA Collegian Staff Writer The Penn State chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union carried satirical signs during a rally Friday afternoon on the corner of College Avenue and Short lidge Road. The ACLU sponsored the rally in an effort to raise awareness among stu dents and police of its presence on cam pus. The main issue the rally addressed was the ticketing of students driving on cam pus without registering their cars with the university. "The rally is in response to driving tick ets. We feel they are against civil rights," ACLU member Heather Keegan (graduate industrial relations and human resources) said. Only students registered at Penn State are required to pay the registration fee in order to drive on campus, ACLU members said. But Penn State Police Services said this is untrue. By TIM SWIFT and TRACY WILSON Collegian Staff Writers Following his arrest Friday and facing possible expulsion from the Undergradu ate Student Government, Jason Covener resigned from his position as USG Senate president and East Halls senator at an emergency senate meeting last night. Charged Friday with three counts of unlawful use of a computer, three counts of interception of electronic or oral com munications and one count of criminal con spiracy, Covener allegedly obtained USG members and other students' e-mail mes sages, then distributed the information, according to a Penn State Police Services press release. Collegian File Photo Covener announced his resignation papers others entered and the computer's response, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technol ogy. By recording characters as users type them, keystroke moni toring programs allow viewing of e-mail and other information. The programs were found on three of the six functioning com puters in the USG office, according to the documents. Covener was charged with three counts of unlawful use of a comput er, three counts of interception of electronic or oral communications and one count of criminal conspira cy, according to a Penn State Police Services press release. The Penn State Network Security Office determined the retrieved information also was sent electron ically from a USG office computer to Sollman's personal computer. Sollman said after he provided Covener with the files, he deleted them from his computer, adding Covener never told him that he used the information to read any one's e-mail. However, Schlanger said Coven er had "bragged" to him about being able to obtain passwords and e-mail messages. Skeptical, Schlanger asked for proof. Covener then gave him a disk containing e mail messages. Schlanger turned over the disk to the Network Security Office dur ing Spring Semester 1998, which later notified Penn State police. The information on the disk includ ed e-mail messages from USG President Caroline Casagrande to former USG President and current town Senator Jaime Desmond, Schlanger said. Desmond, former USG Vice President John Polk, former USG Treasurer Travis Freehauf, former Please see USG, Page 2. "(The ACLU is) not reading the regula tion right. They misinterpreted the rule," Penn State police supervisor Clifford Lutz said. "We don't give tickets for driving on campus." Lutz added Penn State police give tickets to people parking in parking decks and who have not registered their vehicles with the university. "The ACLU could be confused. Parking enforcement stopped people using decks to show affiliation with the university. If they are students and their vehicle is unregis tered, they are ticketed," Lutz said. Despite the denial from the University Police, ACLU members still consider it a problem. "Anybody else can drive on campus as long as they're not registered at PSU," ACLU member Brian Ecker (senior-elec trical engineering) said. The driving tickets are a breach of the 14th Amendment which guarantees equal protection under the law, Ecker said. "I think it's ridiculous that you pay so "A lot of people in USG do not feel secure in using USG computers. By removing Jason Covener from office, people will feel more secure." before the senate, adding his innocence will come to light in court. "I can't fight this battle in USG while fighting my battle in court and fulfill my duties as a USG senator," said Covener. "My resignation will be effective at the end of the meeting." USG President Caroline Casagrande called the meeting in order to resolve the Perfecting the picture Steven Boothe (junior-arts and architecture) works on a homework project for a class yesterday in the Visual Arts Building. Boothe is taking ART 250 (beginning oil painting). A broken window is boarded up at Phi Kappa Theta fraternity, 338 E. Fairmount Ave., after an occurrence of vandalism there last weekend. much money to come here and you can't even drive without registering (your car)," Aaron Swerling (senior-agriculture busi ness management) said. Another issue the ACLU focused on was restrictions on sending undercover offi cers or students into parties. "It's very suspicious what they're doing," Ecker said. "In some cases it's not illegal, but it's definitely improper." Many students and residents showed their support for the rally by honking in response to the "Honk while it's still legal" sign the members of the rally held. "We definitely feel like we're being sup ported by students and even residents," Keegan said. "The honking never stops." Instead of beeping, Swerling showed his support by joining the rally and holding a sign. "It's a good organization," Swerling said. "It looks after the rights of Americans and the quality of life. Though it tends to slant to the liberal side, it doesn't exclusively defend liberal points of view." Tuesday, Nov. 10, 1998 Collegian Photo/Dan Saelinger matter as soon as possible in hopes that USG can return to its normal agenda. Even after Covener announced his resig nation, the senate took action. The senate, with police reports in hand, banned Covener from entering the USG office and issued its official opinion disap proving of Covener's alleged actions. "A lot of people in USG do not feel Fraternity victim of crime Phi Kappa Theta fraternity recently reported a theft and vandalism at their house, marking a rise in fraternity crime. By CARRIE DZWIL Collegian Staff Writer Fraternity pranks have taken on a more seri ous nature lately as at least one fraternity house has found itself the victim of costly bur glary and vandalism in recent weeks. Members of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity, 338 E. Fairmount Ave., reported a case of theft and vandalism at their house Oct. 25. Chantal Almonord (senior -biochemistry and molecular biology) and Joya Dortch (Junior-broadcast journalism) stop by the 2nd Annual Student Rights Rally Friday afternoon. Julian Catchen (Junior-computer science) participated in the event. gh Low 0 411411111 45 ier with periods of rain. age 2 for the extended forecast. Campus Weather Service Published independently by students at Penn State John Wood USG town senator Fraternity member Jeff Tranell (junior-ele mentary education) said the incident occurred between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. when most members were on a retreat at Stone Valley Recreation Center. Only about six people were in the house at the time of the theft, he said. Thousands of dollars worth of stereo and video game equipment and cash were stolen, Tranell said. Someone smashed a living room window with a cinder block, he said, and van dalized the kitchen area. About $1,700 worth of small electronic appli ances were stolen from fraternity member Jonathan Schreiter's room during the incident. Schreiter was not in the house at the time of the Please see FRATERNITY, Page 2. secure in using USG computers. By removing Jason Covener from office, peo ple will feel more secure," Town Senator John Wood said. Covener objected to the ban. "I won't be in the office anyway. My con cern is this is a trial in progress. These are not offenses, they are alleged. It is wrong to pass a censure without evidence of whether I'm guilty or not, that is for the court to decide," Covener said. The 16-1-5 vote in favor of the ban reflected the majority of the senate's opin ion about Covener's activities. "(The resignation) was a responsible decision on (Covener's) part. The writing was on the wall," Fraternity Senator James Hornick said. "He made a good decision that will save him a lot of embarrassment and USG a lot of time." Collegian Photo/Andrea E. Kohler Collegian Photo/J.M. Boyer
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