I Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010 Feral cats threaten univers By Colleen Boyle COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER A small population of feral cats has been spotted on Penn State's campus and they're more dan gerous than most people might think, university officials said Wednesday. The pack of cats, which has been seen near the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, descended from domestic cats released into the wild generations ago, university spokeswoman Lisa Powers said. “Feral cats have been born in UP ON THE s* Bn-an Wade v 'e: , Mxe C' : >^3n Office of Physical Plant workers remove snow from the light shelves on the Stuckeman Family Building on Wednesday morning. Workers said clearing snow from the shelves is a routine they prepare for annually to keep stu dents safe around the building. Many residence halls around campus have doorways and walkways closed as a way to keep students safe from snow falling from the buildings. Hillel receives international recognition By Leah Gillen COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Penn State Hillel beat out more than 500 universities internationally to win HillePs “Best Place to Work Award” last week, in part because of the efforts of the organization's four person staff. Every year, the national Hillel organization awards the Vision and Values Awards in four categories, and this year Penn State Hillel was sin gled out for its strong work atmos phere. Penn State Hillel cultivates a close working environment, serving as a model in the field of outstanding work relationships, said Aaron Kaufman, executive director of Penn State Hillel. Penn State Hillel is a student run organization and students organ ize the semester’s events but staff members do serve as mentors. the wild, live in the wild and have never been domesticated." Powers said. “They can be aggres sive. adverse to human contact arid are much more likely to scratch and bite than domesticat ed cats." Feral cats are easily confused with house cats but can be antag onistic when approached, poten tially spreading diseases. ‘They are a cause for concern for the health and safety of employees, visitors and the chil dren at the daycare center in that area." Powers said. Risks include the spread of Cat Kaufman said, motivating the stu dent leaders to create opportunities for all Hillel members. Other employers said they agreed. “The purpose is to create an envi ronment for Jewish life on campus we work for the students," said Lauren Schuchart, Penn State Hillers director of engagement. "The staff is there to support the students. I try and create new opportunities for what would be a meaningful experi ence for them.” Penn State Hillel staff members work together to benefit the students and each other, Schuchart said each member works to foster creativ ity and opportunity in the student body. Their dedication to each other and the students, she said, is evident in their willingness to collaborate for the greatest good. “There is a big emphasis based in personal as well as professional Scratch Disease (CSD), a bacteri al infection. Most people with CSD were recently scratched or bitten by a cat and develop a mild infec tion at the point of injury, accord ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But encounters can be more dangerous. Those who are bitten or scratched by the feral cats may be at risk for tetanus and rabies, and the feces of feral cats may carry parasites, including round worms, hookworms and ring worm. After receiving word of the cats, the university's Office of development. We’re each recognized as individuals," Schuchart said. "We're a small staff and we re grow ing at such a pace that it's hard to keep up. We're all willing to cross over duties and help each other out." Staff members at Penn State Hillel work closely with the student body, especially Hillel’s Student Board, serving either formally or informally as advisers to the students. "The commitment that they have towards the students means a lot to us. We see that and we want to give back because of the dedication we see here," said Hillel President Michal Berns (sophomore-media studies). “I want to give back to the Jewish community because it’s part of my beliefs, but the commitment of the staff makes me want to give back even more.” To e-mail reporter: lags2s7@psu.edu Environmental Health and Safety and members of an Animal Response Team worked to solve the problem. They plan to relocate the pack with the help of the local Humane Society, dispatching a pest company to snare the feral felines. The university is also removing food sources that may be attract ing the cats. "We discovered that some indi viduals may have been feeding these feral cats," Powers said. "We have now asked them to stop feed ing them for the safety of our cam pus community." Peace corps rankings Below are rankings of Big Ten undergraduate alumni volunteers, according to the Peace Corps list of top colleges. Number of undergraduate alumni volunteers 4th 7th Bth 12th 13th 17th 19th Sourceywww.peacecorps.gov PSU alumni rank high in Peace Corps Penn State ranks 17th in the nation in the number of Peace Corps volunteers, according to a recent study a four-place jump from last year. Nearing its 50th anniversary, the international service organization released its ranking of colleges and universi ties with alumni volunteer involvement for 2009. To compile the data, current Peace Corps volunteers reported their alma mater. Penn State currently has 57 undergraduate alumni volunteers. Penn State Director of Career Services Jack Rayman who spent three years in Malaysia with the Peace Corps said the university is pleased to be on the list, continuing a more than quarter-century tradition at Penn State. The rankings were split into three groups: large univer sities with more than 15,000 undergraduates, medium col leges and universities with between 5,000 and 15,000 and small colleges with under 5.000. The University of Washington took the top spot for the fourth" consecutive year with 101 current volunteers, according to the survey. Other high-ranking universities included George Washington University, topping the medium section with 52, and St. Olaf College, as first in the small portion with 26. "I am proud of our historic relationship with over 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States and look for ward to recruiting and training the next generation of Peace Corps volunteers," Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams said in a statement released with the rankings. On the list, Penn State was joined by fellow Big Ten members Michigan State University, which checked in at No. 4 with 86 members, and University of Wisconsin- Madison, which was 7th with 77 volunteers. The University of Michigan also cracked the top 10 with 73 volunteers in Bth place, and Ohio State University tied for 13th with University of Califomia-Davis, boasting 61 undergraduate alumni volunteers, according to the study. Presents The Collegian Chronicles: Hundreds of pages of fun, sports, history and photos of Penn State. Looking for a truly unique gift? Check out The Collegian Chronicles! The Chronicles is a lively look back at the history of Penn State as seen through the pages of The Daily Collegian from 1887 on. We cover national championships, the Heisman Trophy, panty raids, campus unrest and everything in between. Come along for the ride and help support Collegian scholarships! Find The Collegian Chronicles at Only $19.99 All proceeds go to the Collegian Alumni Interest Group Scholarship Fund. tot E. Beaver Ave. 814-234-1415 The Daily Collegian students Powers said those in State College should refrain from releasing pets into the wild because of the threat these ani mals may cause to the community in the future. "Cats are able to breed when they are six months old, and a pair of breeding cats, which can have two or more litters per year, can exponentially produce 420,000 off spring over a seven-year period,’’ Powers said. "People who have pets are not doing them any favors by ‘freeing’ them." To e-mall reporter: cabs3s6@psu.edu National ranking By Nick Manella FOR THE COLLEGIAN W The Daily Collegian Old State Clothing Co. OLDSTATE.COM OLD STATE CLOTHING CO Tiffanie Liaw/Collegian
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