The Daily
C o ll egian
Published independently by students at Penn State
Developers work with Webster's
By Paul Osolnick
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
The Downtown State College
Improvement District (DSCID) is
partnering with Webster's
Bookstore Cafe owner Elaine
Meder-Wilgus to help find the
store a new location.
Meder-Wilgus announced last
week that her 128 S. Allen St. loca
tion will close because she fell
behind on rent payments. Meder-
Wilgus also runs another location
at 434 W. Aaron Drive.
Downtown business developers
are working to ensure the book-
A student walks past the Monet sculpture outside Willard Building on Tuesday night. The sculpure remains on campus after this past week
end's Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, a celebration of art, music and dance.
UPUA President Christian Ragland speaks to freshmen
UPUA draws
new students
By Zach Geiger
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
About 20 freshmen students attended the
University Park Undergraduate Assembly (UPUA)
meeting Tuesday night in the Willard building, but
the small turnout belied the nature of the group in
attendance.
The group, a mix of former high school student
government leaders and out-of-state students,
were in attendance to learn more about the role of
UPUA and also how to get involved in student
government during their freshmen year at Penn
State.
"We want to take the initiative to get students
involved before the rest of the campus arrives,"
said UPUA Student Body President Christian
Ragland.
Ragland (senior-political science) and the other
student leaders, including Director of Freshman
Outreach Rebecca Alt and Chair of the Assembly
Jess Pelliciotta, began by giving brief introductions
about themselves and then asked the students how
they were enjoying Penn State.
Ragland joked about the fake UPUA President
Twitter account and also about his past presiden
tial experience in middle school and high school
during his introduction, but also wanted to hear
from the students about their concerns.
A meeting with Penn State President Graham
Spanier on Friday in regards to tuition increases
See FRESHMEN, Page 2.
store's closing is only temporary
and Meder-Wilgus said she is look
ing to reopen the store at a new
location.
DSCID Director Jody
Alessandrine said the "biggest
problem" facing Webster's is find
ing a new location as quickly as
possible.
"The important thing is that
IMeder-Wilgusl continues without
missing a beat, - Alessandrine
said. "I think everyone who is
involved is committed to helping
her as much as they can, as soon
as they can."
Even though he could not be
Y •liwfyB _ '9a
..
:4-
~:....
Class gift uncertain
Gift proposals for the Class of
2011 are currently being
accepted by committee.
The senior class gift committee is now
accepting gift proposals and they
expect to see anything from a slip and
slide to a live Nittany Lion.
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and
State College residents or anyone with
an idea that will benefit the community
are welcome to share their ideas, said
Jordan Ford, senior class gift adviser.
It's important that the gift is symbolic of
the graduating class's time on campus
and has longevity Ford said. Last year,
the Class of 2010 gave the university the
Marsh Meadow Boardwalk and Overlook
for the Arboretum.
So far, the committee has only received
about eight proposals, but Ford said that's
standard for this time of the year when
most seniors are not on campus for the
summer. He expects to see as many as 70
proposals by September, with the majori-
Comic Seth Meyers to perform at BJC
At 8 p.m. on September 17, the Bryce
Jordan Center will transform into an
intimate theater.
Curtains will close off unwanted area
to create a space large enough for a cou
ple thousand people to see. comedian
and "Saturday Night Live" head writer
Seth Meyers perform.
"Whenever you have comedy you
want an intimate setting, so we'll be
configuring our building into an inti
mate theater," said Bernie Punt, direc
tor of sales and marketing for the BJC.
"Comedians like to be closer to the audi
ence, so it's going to be a very intimate
specific, Alessandrine said Meder-
Wilgus has been looking at loca
tions that are currently available
See WEBSTER'S, Page 2.
If you go
What: Friends of Webster's
meeting
When: 6 tonight
Where: Webster's Bookstore
Cagfe, 128 S. Allen St.
Detail: Meeting for Webster's
supporters
• • lak
. '.":•• - •::•.ft'. •
. • • • ~.,.. •.. , ,;• •
. .
t f..
~:;~:4 ,
..-... .
y, ...
~..,,} }:,.,,. y . ..,
,~ ~ ~ :~
By Megan Rogers and Jena Lucas
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
By Kathleen Loughran
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
A crowd of supporters gathers at Webster's Bookstore Café, 128 S.
s-1
ty of the ideas coming from students, he
said.
Ford said class gifts are a strong tradi
tion at Penn State the first class gift
was a portrait of the university's first
president Evan Pugh, donated by the
Class of 1861.
The picture still hangs in Old Main
Building, he said.
Once all the proposals are submitted, a
committee comprised of students, faculty
and administration will evaluate the ideas
for their appropriateness, benefits to the
university and affordability.
They will choose the top three gift
ideas, which students can vote on from
Oct. 25 through Oct. 29. The final decision
for the gift will be announced on
November 2.
The committee enjoys seeing the cre
ative ideas students come up with, Ford
See GIFT. Page 2.
Submit your idea
Proposals can be submitted online at
seniorclassgift.psu.edu until
September 17.
environment. He'll be able to se
audience] and interact with them
Because of the University
Allocation Committee's (UPAC) ins
ment, a student-ticket pre-sale will
at noon on July 28. With a valid
State University Park ID, disco!
tickets will cost $9.99.
Student Body
President Christian
Ragland said it's good
that UPAC is involved in
the event, adding that
Meyers will provide a good show.
"After serving one year on UPAk
definitely had the opportunity to sl
why a wide variety of activity is
important to students, and
r hl~,,
•4 e.~•
"fteigib.
Noollll
psucollegian.com
gdailycollegian
New law
assists
students
with cost
Congress passed a hill
that may help lower
student textbook costc,
by allowing them to
access ISBN numbers
By Brendan McNally
and Megan Rogers
COLLEGIAN STAFF WPII
In what campus leaders arc
calling a "huge victory for stu
dents," Congress has passed
federal legislation that In:ty
make saving money on
books easier for colle
dents.
Last year, Congress pits•f•!
the Higher Education .\
Reauthorization, which oinn
dates that universities and tiltir
book stores provide student:
with the International Book
Standard Number (ISBN , -- the
unique number that idenl
the book, author and edition
number.
The bill is a "big win nom
academic standpmm,
University Park Under.grlduate
Association (LUTA) Ptly,ll
Christian Ragland said
With the ISBN ntinibei s
dents can sho
around oniiiw
with ease at sites ilk('
Amazon.com or eßayconi
their books, which are often
cheaper online than in the book
stores, Ragland (senior-politica!
science) said.
UPUA worked to bring the ini
tiative to Penn State last yean
Ragland said.
But the Barnes & Nobk. at Tilt.
Penn State University Booksti)re
was hesitant to get on board wit II
the new regulations. said
Courtney Lennartz. 1 - PL'
chairwoman of the Academic
Affairs Committee.
The bookstore delayed relea-:
ing the numbers for so long
the university was almost in (1:11-,
ger of losing federal tundin‘ 4 .
Lennartz (sophomore-immtlilol_
ogy and infectious disease;)
said.
Barnes & Noble is the only
bookstore in State College thlt
will have to release the ISBN
numbers because it is the only
bookstore owned by the UniVerS i
ty
John Lindo, general manager
at the Student Book Store. 330 E.
College Ave., said he doesn't see
the new law affecting businel,s
for private bookstores.
See LAW. Page 3