4 FRIDAY, April 28, 2000 Graduates have alumni opportunities available By Jill Leonard COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER :Though thousands of students will be graduating in two weeks and leaving Happy Valley, they have the chance to keep in tojich with the university by becoming members of the Penn State Alumni Associ gtion. • Penn State's Alumni Association ranks first in the nation with 143,000 dues-paying members, said April Scimio, director of communications for the association. : "It says a lot about the loyalty of Penn Staters," Scimio said. Following a year of free membership in the association after graduation, yearly dues will cost a new graduate $25 for five years after graduation, a discount of $5 off the standard fee of $3O, Scimio said. "We just realize how difficult it is for grad uates getting right out of school," Scimio said. "Sometimes you have a little bit of financial difficulties, and we've done this for a number of years to give new graduates a price break." To entice graduating students, the Alum ni Association offers a number of benefits for them to take advantage of during their introductory year of membership. Each graduating student will receive a resource guide and can design his own elec tronic graduation announcements to send to family members and friends, Scimio said. She added the Alumni Association also pro vides free e-mail forwarding. "It's a nice way to keep connected once they leave," Scimio said. Many new graduates opt to purchase a yearly membership to the association for several years after college, Scimio said. However, she added the organization offers electronic funds transfer, where "I plan on joining the Alumni Association after I earn some money in the real world." about $25 will be automatically taken out of a person's checking account for two years to pay for a lifetime membership in install ments. A lifetime membership costs $5OO. "We've started to see people become life time members sooner," Scimio said. "Peo ple are really latching onto that." Several Penn State students said after graduation, they plan to join the Alumni Association to stay abreast of university events. "I plan on joining the Alumni Association after I earn some money in the real world," Saskia van de Gevel (senior-forestry) said. "I would do it for $25 a year." The membership benefits of joining the Alumni Association also attract some stu dents. "It sounds sort of cool I thought about it," Dustin Moore (senior-forestry) said. "I think the benefits you get out of it would be worth the $25 membership fee." The benefits and the networking potential remain the two most important assets of the association, Scimio said. "(The association) is a really good net working tool and we encourage new gradu ates to get involved with them to help them get assimilated into a new environment," Scimio said. "It is amazing how many alum ni are out there and are willing to help other Penn Staters." Saskia van de Gevel senior-forestry LOCAL Faculty salaries low, report says By Alison Kepner COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Although Penn State's lower salaries might affect the university's recruitment and retention of faculty, money is only a small part of a much bigger picture, faculty mem bers say. According to an external comparison of Penn State's faculty salaries to other large universities, Penn State's faculty salaries are lagging behind those at other Big Ten schools and universities across the country. The report, presented at Tuesday's Facul ty Senate meeting, coAlpared Penn State's salaries with those at 2c other public institu tions that participate in the Association of American Universities Data Exchange. Although Penn State's salaries appear to be falling behind its peer universities, some Penn State officials caution not to be blinded by numbers. "It's important for us to have very compet itive salaries," said David Wormley, dean of the College of Engineering. He added although money is important, it is not the only factor to examine. "When you add everything up, salary is only one side of the issue, - Wormley said. Potential faculty members also look at the local community, school districts, cost of liv ing and teaching environment, he said. J. Randall Woolridge, finance professor, sits on the Senate Committee on Faculty Benefit's subcommittee, which produced the comparative report. "Small differences aren't going to cause somebody to move," Woolridge said. Faculty must be given a large incentive to leave their current positions at Penn State or for new faculty to accept positions here, said Woolridge, adding Penn State must be proactive in both its hiring and retention efforts. Wayne Curtis, chemical engineering pro fessor, said his department had three recent failed job searches, but salary differences are not the only factor to blame. r 1 1 .00 OFF!' i ... il i ICE CREAM CAKES 1 1 1 li I De a im Naar Queen - 358 East College Ave I ede Equal or ble only Downtown DO ` Coupon C expires 05105/00 . 235-8026 I il r- m I I sil 50 OFF i 10 i 1 111 I'p a in, w' e e irt • : .1 i c que'"`"tlyvVioct. 1311 358 East Callegoaried ".• dillie A 26 Lc-wm ..... 2354=1; I "Someone who is good is going to have a not help sway candidates to come to Penn series of offers," Curtis said. "Jobs are pret- State. "Any chink in your armor in a compet ty prolific." Job candidates weigh a number itive world means you are potentially at a of factors when considering new positions, disadvantage," he said. he said. Lower salaries also can make it more dif- However, Curtis added lower salaries do ficult to retain quality faculty members. Penn State faculty salaries vs. Association of American Universities Data Exchange College Agricultural Sciences Arts and Architecture Business Administration Communications Earth and Mineral Sciences Education Engineering Health and Human Development Liberal Arts Science Source: University Faculty Senate Committee o Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Associate , n Faculty Benefits Value Meals Every Day r 1 ,,,, et 0..4,,,cf„ i I t I By ~ I 4‘k fAv II I at regular price at half pace 1 I ,„,,, , c''' II 0 ° palm 1 Equal or lesser value. Redeemable only at Downtown DO QUee n • I Ice Cream Cakes excluded 358 East College Ave 1 Voupon expires 05/05/00 235-80261 ANY ROYAL TREAT THE DAILY COLLEGIAN 1998-99 Average salary University Pot AAUDE 87,222 87,750 64,112 65,772 66,644 66,314 48,474 50,127 114,289 113,190 86,504 81,317 73,829 75,698 52,805 57,500 77,773 85 095 60,950 73,200 73,640 54,406 52,223 93,534 89,687 68,590 78,714 75,934 56,074 84,357 77,244 52,400 53,455 88,860 81,052 56,946 58,566 Benjamin Loim/Collefan
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