Colie Freshman battles Swine flu cases Two more University Park students have tested positive for influenza A and now are awaiting test results for HINI, commonly known as swine flu, according to a University Heath Services release. This brings the total number of University Park student HINI cases this summer to 10 confirmed and five pending. The release urges anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms to contact their heath-care provider. Potter Pals Michael Felletter/Collegian Bobby Walter and Taylor Springer, both of State College, wait for the College 9 movie theater’s doors to open for the premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Tuesday nigl*. To read more about local reaction to the Half-Blood Prince | LOCAL, Page 2 Room and board costs could rise By Peter Panepinto COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER } pppsol7@psu.edu In addition to a potential 9.8-per cent hike in tuition for in state stu dents, those living on campus will now likely pay an additional $25 per semester for room and board to con tribute to the university's $2 million monthly electric bill. Penn State spokesman Geoff Rushton said the deregulation of Pennsylvania power companies caused electricity rate caps to be lift ed, which the university is appealing. Since the rate caps were lifted, the university’s electric bill has skyrock eted, said Paul Ruskin, spokesperson for the Office of the Physical Plant. “Higher rates are in effect, and they need to be paid for,” Rushton said. The university appealed the elec tric rate cap lift because the lift was originally set to expire in 2011, but instead expired at the end of 2008. Rushton said the board has approved an additional $25 per semester increase to 2009-10 room and board rates if the appeal is denied or left undecided. AI L Y By Kevin Cirilli COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER j kncso63@psu.edu Even though doctors confirmed he had swine flu Monday, Penn State student Kevin MacDonald said he's facing a bigger battle: boredom. "I'm completely isolated,” he said, sighing with a laugh through the phone. “But everybody’s been really nice about it, and they take it pretty seriously. Penn State is like a big family.” MacDonald (freshman-graphic design) is one of 10 Penn State students to have contracted the HINI virus, or swine flu, and is temporarily living in a single room in Eastview Terrace. To pass the time, MacDonald said he does crunches, push-ups and other exercises and watch es movies on his laptop. “Unless they say the rate cap applies to Penn State until 2011, then these costs apply,” Rushton said, adding the appeal is not likely to be decided “for quite some time.” Ruskin said Penn State was paying $1 million per month for electricity last year at University Park, but “as of January 1, 2009, the rates went up and now we’re paying double that.” Ruskin added about 5 percent of off-campus students’ tuition is related to electricity, and on-campus stu dents' tuition bill is 25 percent related to electricity. He added the university has always been interested in conserving energy, but now Penn State is making more efforts to save energy. OPP has been trying to help ease the university’s power costs while educating students on ways to con serve energy, Ruskin said. He added OPP has “tuned up” West Halls among other buildings by adding insulation and replacing old methods of lighting with energy efficient light bulbs. Rushton said the room and board rate is still less than the previous year’s increase. Harry Holt, of State College, reads magazines in the Schlow Centre Region Library Wednesday afternoon Schlow faces state binding cut Facing a potential 50 percent cut in which the state pays for. We have no state funding, the library is enlisting control. That’s why we’re asking om its card-carrying members to fight. patrons to write to keep these servic- Sitting behind a cluttered desk on “We’ve asked our patrons to write es,” said Griffith, talking about the let the second floor of Schlow Centre letters to legislators,” she said. “It’s ter-writing stations set up around Region Library, Pat Griffith, Head of not just a library. It’s part of our com- Schlow where libraiy patrons can Adult Services, is concerned but munity.” write letters to legislators, upbeat. Griffith said the cut would reduce She added that a lack of funds to By Ashley Gold COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER | argsll6@psu.edu A bright green flyer with the words hours of operation, services and pro “We Need Your Help” printed boldly grams provided by the libraiy and across the top lay on her desk On this new materials purchased by the printout are basic facts about the libraries. pending state budget cut and how it “Already, we’ve cut things like data may affect the library. bases from our online Power Library, JL. Published independently by students at Penn State swine flu boredom But life in Eastview Terrace has its perks, such as air condi tioning and a private bathroom, two advantages MacDonald said he especially likes. MacDonald first felt symp toms of fatigue and stomach ache last week. After a throat test Monday, he was informed he had swine flu. He was told to pack his bags because he was headed for a single room, he said. “When I was at the doctor's, they were like, ‘We’re going to contact Residence Life. Go straight back to your room and pick up everything you need for a week,’ ” MacDonald said. PSU may see federal funds Rendell must reapply for federal funding after he left out state-related universities By Peter Panepinto COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER | pppsol7@psu.edu Penn State might have a shot at receiving federal stimulus funding after the U.S. Department of Education forced the governor to resubmit his application for stimulus funds, which originally left out the four state-related universities. “The governor cannot make up new rules,” said Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa. “The intent of that part of the stim- ulus was for public institutions, and clearly Penn State fits in that catego ry” Last Friday, U.S Representatives Thompson and Tim Holden, D-Pa., sent a letter signed by 14 of 19 mem bers of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, asking the department to reconsider Pennsylvania’s application for federal stimulus funds. Thompson said four days later, he received a call from the U.S. Department of Education, which said Rendell had to resubmit his applica tion. But this time, Thompson said, the govemoer would need to include the four state-related universities. Rendell excluded the four state related universities from the list of ben eficiaries because he said the money A residence life employee brings meals to his door three times'a day, and MacDonald is not supposed to leave his room, a tough task for the self-described runner and ultimate Frisbee play er. When he did venture out of his room to watch TV down the hall, he joked he was “scolded” by build ing officials. While MacDonald battles boredom, his mother, Pam MacDonald, said she’s fighting feeling help less. After her son called to inform her of the situation, she said reality didn’t really set in until she was at the grocery store near their Massachusetts home. While shopping, she bumped into a friend who asked about her son. should go to schools directly under control by the state. Rendell’s spokesman Barry Ciccocioppo said even though the four state-related institutions will be includ ed in the new application for stimulus funds, the governor still has the ability to choose how the funds are allocated. “They’ll be included in the applica tion when it’s resubmitted,” Ciccocioppo said. “We remain committed to using those funds to where they can have the most impact.” Ciccocioppo added that since the governor took office, he has increased funding for higher education by $2OO million and he plans to move in that direction. Penn State spokesman Geoff Rushton said the university is pleased with the legislators who signed the let ter. Rendell “The announcement is a positive development and brings hope for our students and families,” the university spokesman said. “But we need more information to better inform a decision on tuition.” State-related schools the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Penn State and Lincoln University will now be included in the application for feder al stimulus funds when the governor resubmits his application. Thompson said he is hopeful that the four state-related universities will be able to receive funding that they were once denied. “This will be helpful in reigning down high tuition increases and help keep people in jobs as well,” Thompson said. buy new materials would make the libraiy “stagnant” when it should be a “living organism that must be updat ed.” Michael Race, communications See SCHLOW, Page 2. Thursday, July 16. 2009 See SWINE FLU, Page 2. Nathan A. Smith/Collegian
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers