The Daily Collegian Courtesy of mountnittany.org Mount Nittany Medical Center will open a new wing next week. Hospital set open new wing By Mike Hricik FOR IHE COLLET-’ Mount Nittany Medical Center's newest expansion a state-of-the-art $3B million East Wing is slated to open next week to patients. When the wing opens, the hos pital will be able to administer care to GO more patients. About 20 jobs will be created with the wing's opening, said Janet Schachtner, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of patient services. The Commitment to Distinction Foundation, a charita ble fund committed to supporting the East Wing facilities, has raised more than $12.5 million, hospital communications manag er Nichoie Cook Monica said. Joe and Sue Paterno donated SI million to the foundation in June 2009. Cook Monica said. The 65.000 square foot addition was built to ease room problems, Schachtner said. "We needed the additional space. We actually had multiple days at full capacity." she said. "The East Wing satisfies our capacity needs and expands our critical care." Construction began above standing floors in May 2009. Construction ended in June 2010, but workers are still completing last-minute preparations for opening ceremonies. Interim Vice President and Plant Services Supervisor Lou Brungard said. Following cleaning next week, the East Wing will receive patients during the first week of August. Brungard said. Pennsylvania students lead the fight for gay rights By Julia Terruso it PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER ARDMORE Jason Goodman didn't set out last year to be the face of gay rights in Lower Merion. He was just a college student looking for a summer job. But as he flipped through employment manuals, the openly gay resident made a discovery he deemed "shocking." Basically, he had no equal employment rights. And state and federal legislators weren't about to give him any. Anyone could deny Goodman a job because of his sexual orienta tion. with no law to stand in the way. Nothing federal, nothing statewide nothing even, the University of Pennsylvania senior said, "in the community that I love and have grown up in." Fast-forward one year, and Goodman. 21. who lives in Bala Cynvvyd in the township, finds himself at the fore of a small but grow ing trend in Pennsylvania. He is prodding Lower Merion to join 16 other municipal and county governments in Pennsylvania that have enacted laws protecting members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community from discrim ination. College 2lll -yJI You know you want to. gglffnfD The expansion also serves as an outlet of innovation for the hospital. Several advanced features were included in the addition. Oxygen outlets were added to every bathroom to prevent staff members from stretching exten sion tubes from room walls, and patient flow concerns we re addressed through design. Cabinet space has expanded to aid nurses. Schachtner said. Patient lifts were included in all rooms and a computerized pharmaceutical system will be implemented to provide stream lined patient access to medica tions. Mount Nittany Medical Center is the first hospital in the state to initiate such a program. Brungard said. Existing facilities were also improved during building. Additional parking was added to accommodate new patients. Storm water management sys tems and lighting was also updat ed, Brungard said. The East Wing design process was receptive to ideas, Brungard said. "It included employees and staff. We constructed model rooms and bussed folks down to our warehouse for their feedback and evaluation," Brungard said. Emphasis was placed on com fort. Schachtner said. "Based on patient and slab needs, it was very obvious that we needed to improve noise, pri vacy and comfort," she said. "We wanted to try as much as possible to give our patients opportunities for single rooms to the extent that we can." On July 7, Goodman and mem bers of his group. Equality Lower Merion, watched as 13 township commissioners voted without dis sent to draft an ordinance he pro posed. Next month in Doyles town, the Borough Council is poised to pass an LGBT anti-discrimination ordi nance. And in Radnor, another college student Pennsylvania State University sophomore Taj Magruder is trying to replicate Goodman's success in his home town. “We're ready to change the world, and we're not afraid to go out and to start doing it,” Goodman said of this youth-driven activism. In 21 states New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Maryland among them his ardor could have been spared for other causes. But Pennsylvania legislators have been loath to con sider adding an LGBT clause to the state's anti-discrimination statute. “The whole world is inexorably headed in the direction of recog nizing civil rights for these folks," said State Rep. Dan Frankel (D.. Allegheny), who has introduced such legislation for the last 10 years. “As usual, Pennsylvania is late g Delivery Drivers & all other staff positions "rtt Benefits will change ! Rising costs have PSU | changing health plans to fit the 2011 budget. By Casey McDermott COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Penn State officials said univer sity employees can expect changes to the university's health benefits plan in 2011 as an effort to "control rising costs." Expected changes include added "cost-sharing" measures, bui university spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz said the exact changes have yet to be finalized and that Penn State isn’t sure when more details will be made available. The necessary changes will affect all of the university's employees. Mountz said, because the current rate of health care costs at the university was on track to become more than the university could handle. Without changes, she said, costs are expected to reach more than $2OO million by 2011 up from the more than $lBO million the university currently budgets. "It's the old formula: What goes out has to be balanced by what comes in you can t spend what you don't have." she said. "Health care benefits are one of the quick- UPUA holds safety session Freshmen learn about potential dangers By Kathleen Loughran GGi. FGIAN SFAFF WRITER The University Park l 'ndergraduale Association >l Id ; A> held a sexual assault and underage drinking information session geared towards freshmen students at T p.m. Thursday in 173 Willard. •\tulra Hixson from the Center Women Students spoke to a group of students first sexual assault awareness. Hixson said the center sees at ,ea>i ino students a year who seek belt). !■«) percent of whom are also said that 90 per toi !Jie time people are victim '•ed lav aon-si rangers, and about v> |«Tcrnt of the time alcohol or are involved. Those two topics definitely v.e;*\ o together pretty tightly,” -h*> said. -Oftentimes a person passes out and then tries to piece ' i i _ > back together. Unfortunately one of the most vulnerable groups on campus are freshmen.” to the table on anything with even a semblance of progressive- ()ii one hand, Frankel said, most Fortune 500 companies pro vide employment protections for LGRT people. On the other, “I have colleagues who insist that they've never met (an LGBT) per son." In increasing numbers, local governments have begun to fill that void. Arts, municipalities that have passed iaws include Philadelphia, Lansdowne. Swarthmore. West Chester, and New Hope. ?> pit-ally the laws forbid dis crimination in housing, employ ment. and public accommodations based on sexual preference or gender identity. Most set up human relations commissions to investigate and adjudicate com plaints. and to assess civil dam ages if necessary’. Many include a public education component as well Federal and state laws have long banned discrimination based on race, age, religion, ethnicity, and disability. it you fire someone and say, I fired you because you’re black,’ you've got three laws that apply,” said lawyer Katie Evers, who drafted several of the ordinances. "It you say, 1 fired you because of ■emeu. est rising costs from the universi ty with the appropriation as it is, and with the financial difficulty the state has because of the recession.” Reducing the rate of health care cost increases was also one of the goals listed in Penn State’s most recent Strategic Plan, implemented from August 2009 through 2014. “This is one of the important actions that is to be added in first year of strategic plan,” Mountz said. “So that’s why this is hap pening now.” According to the plan, consider ations for future health care changes might include additional wellness education and incen tives, different rates for employ ees who engage in high-risk behavior and changes to employ ee deductible and co-pays. Penn State’s insurance is administered through Highmark Blue Shield, but the university is self-insured. This is an important distinction to make, Mountz said. “If you have a doctor’s visit, you have a co-pay, and Penn State pays the rest of it," she said. “Every penny that’s paid to cover healthcare costs comes from either the employee or Penn State.” Highmark spokesperson Phil Hixson said the main reason freshmen are particularly vulner able is because they commonly experience a “false sense of secu rity" Overall, Hixson stressed the importance of knowing what sex ual assault is and being able to be a resource for someone if it is needed. “It's important as a friend to not be judgmental,” she said. “It’s important to remember that you’re not the detective. You need to be supportive.” Hixson said the university offers many resources for those who have been victimized, such as free counseling and medical care. After Hixson finished talking. Penn State-Police Officer Aaron Ciambotti spoke mainly about the problems with underage drink ing. "I have a job because of alcohol. In almost everything we deal with alcohol is a problem” Ciambotti said. “We’re not bloodthirsty guys that can't wait to give citations. If Jason Goodman, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, gives a speech about t(ie importance of equal rights. your sexual orientation,’ there's seem more public statement than no claim that can be brought.” public necessity. As municipalities consider "Preventing cases and address these laws, the questions are usu- ing them sends the message that ally the same, said Stephen we value you, you’re a part of this Glassman, chairman of the community, we will stand with you. Pennsylvania Human Relations we will not tolerate homophobia," Commission. “Is it necessary? Is it Goodman said, “just like we will legal? And how much will it cost?” not tolerate racism or any other To be sure, some of the laws form of discrimination.” Friday, July 30, 2010 I 3 Neubauer said the company pro vides insurance for multiple uni versities, and larger organiza tions tend to operate through the company’s “Administrative Services Only” plan. Neubauer also said it’s becom ing more common to see health care plans that are set up similar to a savings account where employees pay into a fund and take out as needed. "Especially as there are so many changes in the health care industry, more and more employ ees are being asked to shoulder more of the load. ” Neubauer said. Employers, he said, will often match the contributions their employees make to these accounts. Penn State isn’t exempt from these changes, Mountz said, and the university' is making efforts to avoid hurting employees' bene fits. "Health care costs are one of the biggest expenses that employers have, not just at Penn State and not just in higher edu cation, but across the nation,” Mountz said. “Penn State works hard to provide the quality bene fits that Penn State wants to pro vide in a way that won’t bankrupt the university. ” To e-mail reporter: cmms773@psu.edu we stop you. there’s a reason. Ciambotti said he doesn't want to stop people from having fun, but he said his concern is when people drink too much and create scary situations. "When you cross the line when you become a danger to yourself it becomes an issue.” he said. Karen Hetrick said she was glad that she she took the time to come to the special information session. "They gave very good advice to look for yourself and your friends,” Hetrick (freshman - divi sion of undergraduate studies) said. 'lt all comes down to vour deci- UPUA Executive Director of Freshmen Outreach Rebecca .Ait (sophomore- communication arts and sciences) said UPUA is plan ning on having more safety events in the fall because she said it’s important to continue the edu cation. To e-mail reporter: krlslo6@psu.edu
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