6 I MONDAY, AUG. 30, 2010 Penn State NAACP prepares for new president By Alexa Agugliaro COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Penn State student Travis Salters is determined. Growing up biracial, he said he knows the hardships of racial dis crimination and plans to use his life experiences as motivation for his position as the new president of Penn State's chapter of the NAACP Salters (junior-broadcast jour nalism and African and African- American studies) said he's proud of what the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) stands for and University changes health care benefits By Micah Wintner COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER To help reduce university spending, Penn State officials have doubled the cost of the emergency room co-payment one of several changes to its 2011 health care plan. The emergency room co-pay is increasing from $5O to $lOO, but will be waived if the patient is admitted to the hospital, Penn State spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz said. lb see a specialist, co-payment will increase from $l5 to $2O. Penn State provides complete health coverage to its employees, an expensive necessity Mountz said. "We have employees in virtual ly every county of [Pennsylvania]." Mountz said. "There is no commercial health care plan that covers all those areas." Penn State's budget for 2010 health care costs is $lB3 million. Without the changes for 2011, health care costs could have reached up to $206 million, Mountz said. Mountz said some aspects of the plan that will remain the same include: the $lO primary care doctor co-payment, 100 per cent coverage of preventive health services, expanded eligi bility for adult dependents to the age of 26, the lifetime maximum for in-network services and pre scription drug coverage. Turkish group greets students By Mike Hricik COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER As Savas Yavuzkurt paused before play ing Turkish folk song selections on his saz -- a traditional eight-stringed instrument similar to the lute —he talked about his first experiences as a Turkish citizen at Penn State. What is different about Penn State is that it's in America the language is dif ferent," Yavuzkurt said. "The first time you hear [Americans' tell a joke, they laugh. The first time you tell a joke, they laugh at you and not the joke." Yavuzkurt a mechanical engineering professor has acted as an adviser for the Penn State Turkish Student Association (TSA) since 1984. His comments were well received by about 40 student members Sunday at a TSA picnic in Sunset Park to welcome new members and bid old ones farewell. Anil Senturk, a new international stu dent from Edirne, Turkey, said the picnic helped him find like-minded people. was feeling very homesick. This is a way to erase that feeling, hearing people speaking your language," Senturk (fresh man-mechanical engineering) said. "It feels really good." TSAs goals are to provide a sense of community for Turks attending Penn State how it is living up to its reputation as being "a group facing truth and reality" He's already scheduled events for this year, including the Image Awards a formal event where various faculty members and stu dents will be honored for their dedication to the organization. Other events include the annual Showtime at the Apollo, where students mimic the popular televi sion show and perform for of a live audience, and the sixth annual Freedom Fluid Dinner, where stu dents gather together, listen to guest speakers and enjoy live entertainment. One of the changes, all of which were formulated by the Office of Human Resources, includes the addition of a deductible to the health plan. There is no deductible for serv ices with a co-payment like office or emergency room visits, Mountz said. "Having a deductible in there now keeps the premiums at as low a rate as possible for every body," she said. In-network co-insurance also is another new feature of the plan. Co-insurance is the "splitting of costs" between the employee and employer, Mountz said. The employer pays a certain percentage of the costs and the employee pays the rest. The amount of co-insurance an individual can pay is limited by out-of-pocket maximums. These maximums help protect an individual from high additional costs. Mountz said these changes are a must for the university "These changes have to be made to keep health care costs down in the face of these rising external costs," she said. Mountz did not know the pro jected savings from these changes. University Park Undergraduate Association President (UPUA) Christian Ragland said he is looking for ward to getting involved in the health care discussions. To e-mail reporter: maws43B@psu.edu and to spread awareness of the culture, Vice President Ezgi Arsland said. The picnic celebrated the 88th anniver sary of Victory Day, a national holiday com memorated in Turkey every Aug. 30. In 1922, the Turks gained the status of secular state after winning the final battle of the Turkish War of Independence that day, Yavuskurt said. Arsland (graduate-electrical engineer ing) participated in a two-part perform ance of folk dances from a variety of Turkish regions. Dancers dressed in elaborate ethnic costumes typical of those worn in Turkey, Arsland said. TSA President Safakcan Tuncdemir said the organization is seeking funding for newer costumes to help the folk dancers attend more events in the future. Activities at the picnic included volley ball, Ultimate Frisbee, tug-of-war and bas ketball. Pizza and drinks were served. Tuncdemir (graduate-electrical engi neering) said TSA is already preparing for Turkish Night on Oct. 29 in the Paul Robeson Cultural Center's Heritage Hall. The event will include a disc jockey and two Turkish bands. TSA will host its first official meeting of the year at 6 tonight in 21A HUB. To e-mail reporter: mjhsso7@psu.edu LOCAL & NATION Salters is also planning to organize a new adult chapter of the NAACP in the State College area, as well as a NAACP youth center. With any fun activity, there is always a serious point to it, Salters said. "We try to have fun with what we do, but at the same time under stand• the need for it," he said. "The group is now 101 years old. We have a legacy to live up to." While the NAACP has already attracted hundreds of new recruits, Salters is still encourag ing students from all walks of life join the organization and the FIVE YEARS LATER From left, President Barack Obama, and daughters Malia and Sasha and first lady Michelle Obama, deplane in Andrews Air Force Base, Md., as they return from New Orleans on Sunday. THE NORTH% FACEN appoutdoors.com 123 South Allen Street t ppalachian State College, PA i6Boi outdoors ''''l 974 814.234.3000 . 800.690.5220 PUCA 107326 TaxT ax taxi By Handy Delivery 814-355-5555 PUT THIS NUMBER IN YOUR PHONE NOW! 1 2-87 BOREALIS fight for student equality "When people hear NAACP they often think it's strictly for the African American community but that couldn't be further from the truth," he said. "It doesn't matter what racial background you have. Everyone can find a place." Denise Hinds-Zaami, the orga nization's adviser, said she's very confident the organization is in good hands. She said Salters is passionate about social justice, not afraid of change and willing to embrace collaborative efforts with other student organizations. believe this will be the organi zation's best year in terms of the THE DAILY COLLEGIAN enthusiastic mindset the students are exhibiting," Hinds-Zaami said. With leadership as a strong theme for the NAACP Vice President Jasmine Rushum (jun ior-broadcast journalism and soci ology) said the organization is a great way to develop leadership skills and grow as individuals. She said Salters is someone who's leading the group in the right direction. "Travis is someone with a very unique vision and we've been stronger than ever as an organiza tion," Rushum said. To e-mail reporter: amas4s3@psu.edu
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