5 Balza has adjusted % "“' \ ■■MH|nMi|f^^j|^^P olieybali in America I TS, Page 14. 1& University funding still in limbo The Pa. House of Representatives failed to vote through the appropriations bill. By Katie Sullivan COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER For more than two months, Penn State administrators have waited for the state-related uni versity allocations and LIGHTING THE WAY Chloe Elmer/Coliegian A group of students and community members enter the Sigma Pi fraternity house during the fourth annual Holiday Light Tour on Wednesday. The house, which won the exterior light competition, was one of 15 involved in the event The eventa was hosted by the Intrafraternity Council and the Off-Campus Student Union. All 15 houses were judged on outside decorations. For a full story on the event. | LOCAL, Page 5 Benedict A. Samuel/Collegian Lecturer Jose Texidor discusses legal case studies with students in one of his law courses in Wartik Lab in November. Texidor's contact was not renewed. Students want lecturer to stay By Lexi Belculfine COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Before each class he teaches, Jose Texidor says a prayer. “Just something short and sweet," Texidor said. “ ‘Give me the strength that they learn something today or come out with something different today.’ But as soon as July, his 14-year teaching career at Penn State could come to an end, even as stu dents pull together to help save his job. On Oct. 22, Texidor, a senior lecturer in crime, law and justice, received a letter from John McCarthy, head of the department of sociology and crime, law and justice, informing Texidor that his three-year contract wouldn’t be renewed June 30. The department’s grievance was that Texidor had engaged in more than four days of consulting, a violation of policy. The exact definition of consult ing is open to interpretation and his understanding of the term is a part of his defense, Texidor said. “Anyone teaching an online course not at Penn State is in violation of the consulting order,” See LECTURER, Page 2. Wednesday night was no different. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives failed to vote through the state funding for state-related schools during its session by a vote of 95-97. Penn State, along with the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Lincoln Univers ity, is still waiting to receive fund ing. Penn State is expected to collect $333.8 million from the state, which makes up about 12 percent Frats sent to trial in furnishing case A Centre County judge ruled Wednesday that the actions of a few are a reflection of the whole, as he sent two fra ternities’ criminal charges to trial for their involvement in the events leading up to the death of Penn State freshman Joseph Dado. But Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) attorney Ronald McGlaughlin said the common wealth must now let a jury decide whether the Fiji and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity organizations are guilty of fur nishing alcohol to Dado, 18. and others on Sept. 19. “They are being drug through the mud 7/8 of the affidavit of probable cause talks about them,” McGlaughlin said in Abby Drey/CoHegian Penn State football center Stefen Wisniewski teaches a 10th grade English class at State College Area High School. of the university’s $3.7 billion 2009- 2010 budget. Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R- Centre, said he was “very frustrat ed” with the process, saying he cast a vote in favor of releasing the funds. “It’s an abomination that the floor majority leader thinks gam bling should be a priority over allo cations to state-related universi ties,” Benninghoff said. After the release of university See FUNDING, Page 2. By Kevin Clrilli COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Awaiting approval Penn State has been waiting for state funding since Oct. 9. July 1: Pennsylvania enters the new fiscal year without a budget Source: House of Rei his closing arguments, waving the court documents. "If five brothers go out and buy beer to watch a football game, is the fraternity responsible for that? I would suggest to you that they're not." Before announcing his ruling, Centre County Judge David E. Grine said he changed his mind about whether to drop Fiji's charges after Centre County Assistant District Attorney Carolyn Larrabee questioned Penn State junior Michelle Rotella, 20. "It was a regular college party,” Rotella testified, describing Fiji's apparent Sept. 19 social function, which she said includ ed a bar and beer. In her closing arguments, Alpha Tau Omega attorney Kathleen Yurchak said that ultimately the young adults See CASE. Page 2. Star football player embraces teaching By Matt Fortuna For an audio slideshow COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER . 7. Wisniewski teaching A sophomore student anc * on sauntered into a classroom, ONLINE psucollegian.com taking his seat three rows from the front of the black- T-shirt suggested he probably board. knew the name of the day’s He wore a black Adidas teacher before the school windbreaker unzipped so year. the words “Penn State He may have even paid at Football' on his white T-shirt some point to watch his underneath were available teacher play football at for all to see and he began Beaver Stadium and to go over some lines of cheer his name: Stefen writer William Shakespeare Wisniewski, with classmates seated near- But today, in Room 106 of by. the school’s South building, The words on the student’s See PLAYER, Page 2. Oct. 9: Rendell signs the 2009-2010 state budget of $27.7 billion after it is approved by both the Senate and the House Nov. 6: Graham Spanier announces tuition may increase for the spring semester because of the delayed appropriations iresentatives, Collei ian archives CUMATEGATE Issue may affect funds Some legislators want the state to withhold PSU appropriations until action is taken against professor Michael Mann. The controversy over “Climategate” continues to heighten as some Pennsylvania legislators ques tion the continua tion of Penn State’s current research grants and possibly even the appropri ations the univer sity has been wait ing on since July. Piccola State Sen Jeffrey E. Piccola, R-Halifax, said last week in a letter to Penn State President Graham Spanier that many Pennsylvania legislators have been contacted by con stituents about the ongoing inter national fracas involving meteor ology associate professor Michael Mann. Piccola wrote that some of those in contact with legislators “have requested the Commonwealth further withhold Penn State’s funding until appro priate action is taken by the uni versity against associate profes sor Michael E. Mann.” Climategate surfaced Nov. 21 when hundreds of illegally obtained e-mails were leaked from a private server in the climate research unit at the University of East Anglia in England. Global warming skeptics scruti nized word usage in the e-mails that the scientists said was See ISSUE, Page 2. Nov. 1 7: Tution bills are sent out without an increase in tuition Dee. 9: The House of Representatives votes down the appropriations bill, 95-97 Billy Wellock/Collegian By Laura Nichols COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers