News Sports PliVic''‘nre 'A I II ‘J Protecting children . 7 ,: 1 t,„* Report card ~ r l4 -4-1411 Clinton address high school • Nittany Lions evaluated 1 41411ilir 1 I students at safety conference , after first seven games..„, \',.•.• Page 4 / • t Page 13 55/39 the • daily Collegian www.collegian.psu.edu Vol. 100, No. 70 22 Pages g 1999 Collegian Inc Even though Pennsylvania's drought began this spring and officially ended this fall, the effects will likely be felt for the rest of the year Drought coming to slow end Most of Pennsylvania remains under drought warnings By ALLISON KESSLER Collegian Staff Writer A long, hot bath may be just what the doctor ordered after a long, stressful day of classes. However, the environment may not appreciate this therapeutic nerve relaxer. The drought emergency is offi cially over, but all of Pennsylva nia remains under at least a drought watch or a drought warn ing, according to a press release from the Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline. The public is suggested to voluntarily conserve about 10 percent of their water because of the watch or warning. In the fall, groundwater levels are usually at their lowest, said Bryan Swistock, extension associ- USG adds By NICK FALSONE and CINDY KOONS Collegian Staff Writers In last night's Undergraduate Student Government Senate meet ing, senators debated allocating funds to send an additional repre sentative to their tri-annual Big Ten student government confer ence. Although funding was approved last night, the Senate argued exten sively about their financial respon sibilities for the trip. The additional spot will allow Mul ticultural Affairs Director Melissa Young to attend the conference, USG President Desha Girod said. Cary Hughes, a visiting professor of management and information systems, holds a freshman seminar Monday afternoon. The seminar is designed to help incoming freshman ate in the school of forest I=l "When the leaves fall, the trees are not actively growing so water can actually get past the roots (of the trees)," Swistock said. "The system goes through a natural seasonal cycle. We have a reduction of groundwater in the summertime and reach a low in October. Once we start getting snow the soil freezes and it levels off." Susan Rickens, associate press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, said the slow melting trickle of snow in the spring is the key to recharging groundwa ter levels. "Think of a giant underground tank that is low in October and representative to conference list Traditionally, USG sends four members on the trip, Girod said, this year six representatives will go. Two Commonwealth Campus Student Government leaders will also attend the conference. USG Vice President Garrett Fitzgerald, who attended the con ference last summer, said the weekend will involve 12 different workshops dealing with issues such as recycling on campus and stu dent safety. Along with the workshops, there is one special focus session at each conference that is mandatory for all representatives to attend. This conference's session will deal with diversity, Fitzgerald said. Collegian Photo/Tara Liddell fills up in the spring. It gets you through the summer," Pickens said. "This year, the tank didn't get filled up in the spring. The wells literally went dry." Underground water wells go down in the summer because both people and vegetation are tapping the groundwater supply. Compe tition for water is high between people and nature, Rick-ens said. The solution to the low ground water level is not entirely up to the natural cycle. There are mea sures citizens can take to help out. "We need to do the common sense things to conserve," Rick ens said. "Don't let the water run while you're brushing your teeth." Garrett Fitzgerald, student Town Senator James Hornick said it is important for the Senate to send Young. - It would be wrong to say only senators could go, it's not our (Sen ate's) money, it's USG's money," Town Senator Man Roan said. "I think it's despicable that USG isn't willing to fund another person to go." USG also debated postponing the bill to look into another way to fund the additional representative to the conference. However, not all senators agreed this was the appropriate course of action. "If this bill doesn't pass, the rnes sage USG is sending to its adviser First-year seminars facilitate freshman adjustment By KATE DAVIS Collegian Staff Writer Navigating a big campus and being surrounded by new faces can be a challenge for freshmen, especially since they also have to deal with choosing some sort of career path. To make the transition easier, Penn State has made first-year seminars a requirement this year. All freshmen are required to take at least one freshman seminar within their college or another college. Each seminar has only 20 students. The seminars vary in content from college to college, but most address basic study skills, campus resources available to students and different Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1999 coordinator of the Penn State Indicators Report and member of Eco-Action, said the study done last year found that students on campus use 60 gallons of water per person per day. The figure includes water used during show ers and toilet flushings. "We are pulling water out at a rate faster than it is being replen ished," Fitzgerald said. The Penn State Indicators Report was conducted by a team of 30 students and several faculty mentors. The report, however, is not commissioned by Penn State. Penn State has taken measures toward conserving its water. In the dorms, there are restrictions on supply lines feeding into the showerheads behind the walls to conserve water on campus. is that we aren't willing to pay foi ourselves," Roan said. USG President Christian ,Jones, who is attending the conference, said it would reflect well on USG if its own money is used for the fund ing. East Halls Senator Brian McKin ney opposed the funding because he said he thought six representa tives from each branch of USG should attend the conference two from each of the executive, judicial and legislative branches. "One of the problems of the USG would be the animosity towards other branches, there's no team work, I think this would help bring things together," McKinney said. "The seminars help the students to become acclimated to university life ..." disciplines offered within the col leges. John Lowe, professor of chemistry, began teaching a freshman seminar before it became a university-wide requirement. As a result of the classes, Lowe said more students have become involved with undergraduate research and are more acquainted with faculty because AP and Collegian File Photos assistant professor of communication and law Weather Board allows observers at vote count By STEPHENIE STEITZER Collegian Staff Writer It was unofficially announced yesterday that the Centre County Board of Elections will allow the Libertarian Party to watch the vote count on Election Day. Until now, only vote counters usually Republicans or Democrats were allowed to be present as the votes were tallied. Julian Heicklen, Libertarian party candidate for county com missioner and Patton Township supervisor, said the reason he is pushing this issue is because he is afraid of voter fraud. "They are never going to let us win this election fairly," he said After the hoard denied a request of the party to have watchers pre sent for the vote count several months ago, the libertarians filed a petition with the Centre Count% Court of Common Pleas. A public hearing for the case is set for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at the ( en tre County Courthouse. County tiolicitor ,James Ravilad: said the hoard recent;v decided permit one representative from each party Democratic, Republi can and Libertarian to he sent when all of the final votes are Grand Destiny plan accumulates funds By TRACY WILSON Collegian Staff Writer Scholarship relief is already on the \vav for an increased number of students as a result of Penn State's Grand Destiny Campaign, a seven-year fund-raising effort. Launched in July 1996, the cam paign reaches the mid-point of its timeline this January. More than 5600 million in gifts has been raised toward the Sl bil lion goal of the campaign, which has already created 62S new schol arship funds, said Michael Rezilla, University Relations spokesman. We're not in the home stretch yet; it's sort of a given, or a maxim. that the earliest gifts are the easi est to get," Bezilla said. "It doesn't mean we're over the hump. We're in a phase where we really have to work hard to secure gifts." Before the campaign, S-127 mil lion was available in student endowments. As of .July 1999, that number jumped to 51725 million, Bezilla said. University invest ments are also responsible for the jump, he added. Depending on the amount, the funds can benefit multiple stu dents. Recipients are already bene fiting from the scholarships already activated, said Peter Weil er, associate vice president for development and alumni relations. "We're about right on track Clay Calvert they have been working with them "It is a motivational course," Lowe said. One of his assignments involved freshmen observing past upperclass men's resumes and then creating their own The College of Communications started offering a freshman seminar when it became a requirement. Morning showers ' Partly cloudy tonight Extended forecast: Page 2 Published independently by students at Penn State \\ here we thought we'd be with the money raised," Weiler said. "Deci sions are being made quicker by donors. The economy has helped tremendously." Private individuals have made up more than 50 percent of the donors to the Grand Destiny cause, Weiler said. Corporations comprise anoth er large portion of the donors and foundations account for the bal ance, he added. Seventy-five percent of the dona tions so far are in the form of cash, Weiler said. Future donations are accounted for through estate plans and wills. "It's not all cash-in-hand. There are pledges and multi-year com mitments," Bezilla said. "It's not 5600 to take to the bank today. Some is not spendable for years to come." "The seminars help the students to become acclimated to university life; it tries to expose students to the library, LIAS system and academic advising," said Clay Calvert, assistant professor of communications and law and director of the first-year Col lege of Communications seminar pro gram. Barbara Welshofer, director of the undergraduate advising center in the College of the Liberal Arts, said the college has been offering a freshman seminar since 1994 and has found that many students either stay in the same discipline as their freshman seminar or minor in it. received, sorted and counted - Nothing has been finalized yet because we have to go in front of the judge," Rayback said. "The election hoard wants the process to be as open as possible. We will con tact the court and have them issue an order that parties will be allowed to have a representative in the room." Heicklen, when contacted, was unaware of the decision to allow a party member to be present during the vote count, but said he was very delighted to hear the news. "This is a big first step," he said. Lhat's terrific." Rayback said in the past it has been policy that candidates and representatives were not allowed to watch the count simply because of the lack of space available in the counting rooms. However, because Heicklen has raised the issue, the Board of Elections will change its puhcy. "He ••11 - nply pushed the issue and i:, correct," Rayback said. To cut down on confusion and to e space. Rayback said three chairs will he put in the room and representatives will be asked to sit, watch, listen and - stay out of the Please see BOARD, Page 2 Anticipated distribution of Grand Destiny Campaign MlPrograms S5lO million Undergraduate SUPPO 1 1 II $250 million NFaculty Support 5177 million IGraduate Support $63 million Source - Penn State Development and Alumni Relations Collegian Graphic Ryan Naragon We encourage students to take any Please see SEMINAR, Page 2.
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