4 I THURSDAY, DEC. 2, 2010
UPUA moves forward with test prep program
By Kathleen Loughran
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
University Park Undergraduate
Association members received
approval from the university to
move forward with the process of
acquiring subsidized test prepara
tory programs, student body pres
ident Christian Ragland said.
Though the proposal from The
Princeton Review has been
received, Ragland (senior-political
science) said UPUA members are
still waiting to hear back from
Kaplan lest Prep and Admissions.
UPUA Academic Affairs
Chairwoman Courtney Lennartz
FRESH CUTZZZ
Christie Orso of Rinaldo's Barber Shop works on Jim Isajewicz's
(senior-history) hair. isajewicz came to Centre County to enjoy hunt
ing season but was forced to forego his trip due to the rain.
Group raises money
with record attempt
By Megan Rogers
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Atlas THON organizers were
disappointed they did not break
the world record for the most
people doing crossword puzzles,
though they did raise some
money for the Interfraternity
Council/ Panhellenic Dance
Marathon.
Only about 100 people attended
the event, organizer Pete Farjo
said 400 people short of the
goal.
"It was pretty disappointing,"
Farjo (senior-biological engineer
ing) said. "Sadly we only had 104
people there."
The current record for the
most people doing a crossword
puzzle is 443 people, Farjo said.
Those who did attend paid $2
and were required to work for at
least ten minutes on the THON
themed crossword, Atlas
Executive Director Meg
O'Rourke said.
Participants had to correctly
complete at least five answers,
O'Rourke (senior-life sciences
and psychology) said. She said
she thought the idea of using a
world record as a lure to raise
money for THON was creative.
"It's a pretty unique way to
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dlYrYrc •
said if UPUA does not receive a
proposal from Kaplan soon, UPUA
will use The Princeton Review.
Lennartz (sophomore-health
policy and administration) said
she is pleased with The Princeton
Review's proposal, which would
provide cheaper preparatory
classes for all of the major tests.
Such tests are required for
entrance to graduate programs
such as medical school, law school
dental school and optometry
school.
"It seems like a great deal,"
Lennartz said. "It's really going to
cut the cost for students and is
really good for UPUA because
raise money for THON and a lot
of fun." O'Rourke said.
Event attendee Emily Banach
said she was disappointed by the
small crowd.
"It sounded like more people
said they would be at the event
than actually attended," she said.
But a small crowd didn't deter
Banach, who heard of the event
from friends who are Atlas mem
bers, from enjoying herself.
Banach (sophomore-kinesology)
said she managed to get every
one of the puzzle answers cor
rect. She said she has high hopes
that if repeated, the event will
have more success.
Some students who attended
said they thought the event was
worthwhile, despite not meeting
the record-breaking goal. Hank
Bushong (sophomore-econom
ics) and Katy Adolfo (sophomore
education) said the event was
pretty unique but they were
hoping to break the record.
The event did turn a profit,
which will be donated to THON.
Farjo said he does not plan to
send in the event to the Guinness
World Record headquarters. but
said he may look and see if the
event broke another record.
To e-mail reporter: mers2oo@psu.edu
LOCAL
really all we'll have to do is get the
tests and reserve the rooms."
Ragland who ran on estab
lishing subsidized test preparato
ry programs said he knew the
idea was possible and would be
beneficial for students because it
has had success at Ohio State
University
"These tests and classes are
pretty expensive," Ragland said.
"Understanding the plight of
tuition, I want to make sure that
anything else in regards to aca
demics can be as cheap as possi
ble."
Ragland said more students are
going directly to graduate schools
Student quickly catches PSU spirit
Series note: This is the sec
ond in a five-part series profil
ing international students.
By Christina Gallagher
and Jessica Tully
FOR THE COLLEGIAN
Unlike most 18-year-old inter
national students, Hong Kong
native Darren Ng began his
assimilation into American life
two years ago with the potential
to become a
championship
college tennis
player.
Ng was recruit
ed to play tennis
at
Cornell
University, but
the coach was
fired. Upon his Ng
termination, the
Cornell coach referred Ng to play
tennis at Binghamton University
because he would not be accepted
to Cornell without a high school
graduation certificate.
After he arrived at
Binghamton, Ng's tennis career
quickly ended because of a stress
fracture in his ankle.
"It was from over-training for
three years," Ng said. "It didn't
hurt at first, and by the time it did
start to hurt, it was too late."
Commissioners set budget increase
By Anita Modi
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
The Centre County Board of
Commissioners passed its 2011
budget Tuesday by a 3-0 vote.
This year, the county worked
under a $7B million budget. $26
million of which was raised in real
estate tax revenue. The rest of
the money was obtained through
federal funds, Board of
Commissioners Chairman .Jon
Eich said.
The Board of Commissioners.
comprised of Eich, Rich Rogers
and Steven G. Ders hem.
approved an increased 2011 budg
et of $82.1 million, along with a tax
cut of about $125,000. As a result.
taxpayers throughout the county
will pay an average of $l5 less
next year as compared to this
year.
Money paid to the county is
divided among more than 35
departments including human
services, children and youth serv
ices, transportation and courts
and prison -related offices.
Of the different departments,
Eich said human services,
responsible for drug and alcohol
rehabilitation services and men
tal health services, receive the
largest portion of the budget.
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because of the economy, which
means having less expensive pro
grams is particularly important.
He said he hopes to have the
classes ready for next semester.
UPUA is not the only student
government working on this initia-
tive the Council of
Commonwealth Student
Governments also wants to offer
subsidized programs at
Commonwealth Campuses, CCSG
President Mohamed Raouda said.
Raouda (senior-history and
international politics) said he
plans to bring up the proposal at
Council Weekend, which begins
Friday.
World
campus
But what seemed tragic at first
was a blessing in disguise, Ng
said, adding that he was unhappy
with Binghamton, as he wanted to
attend a college with a better aca
demic and social atmosphere
"There was no school pride,"
he said. "It was not the college I
was looking for"
With advice from friends. Ng
applied and was accepted to Penn
State as a junior for the fall 2010
semester. He quickly began to
bleed blue and white.
Ng (junior-economics) said his
roommate at Binghamton helped
him assimilate into the American
culture by introducing him to
sports.
I go to all of the Penn State
football games and I love them,"
he said. "My favorite professional
team is the Philadelphia Eagles."
Ng said the people he hangs out
with also helped Americanized
him.
Dan Galante (freshman-mete
orology) said he's thanklul for his
friendship with Ng.
"My friendship with Darren
has given me a whole different
Eich said the commissioners
could afford to enact a tax cut
despite approving a larger budget
because the county increased its
reserve fund by more than $2 mil
lion over the past year.
The elimination of vacated
positions and decrease in nursing
home operating costs and
employee health insurance
claims contributed to the deci-
Denise Elbell, Centre County
deputy administrator and direc
tor of financial management, is
responsible for working with each
department head in addition to
the Board of Commissioners to
draft the county budget every
year.
She said the process starts in
July when the commissioners'
financial staff mails a budget
package out to each department
about past expenditures and rev
enue.
After a month, the departments
send back their copies of the
budget including projected
expenditure and revenue values.
as well as lists of grants and
requests for review. Elbell moth
fies certain areas of the budgets
as necessary and offers a tenta
tive copy to the Board of
Commissioners.
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THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
Since the Commonwealth
Campuses currently do not offer
test preparatory programs on
campus, Raouda said it is impor
tant for the initiative to come to
fruition, especially considering
many of the campuses now offer
four-year degree programs.
"A lot of them will want to take
prep classes, but if you don't have
a car, it's a hassle to get to," he
said. "I think that if we can offer
these classes to them on Penn
State campuses, they will be
encouraged to take these class
because they're cheaper"
To e-mail reporter: krlslo6@psu.edu
perspective on international stu
dents who I see around campus,"
he said. - I no longer stereotype
anyone because I know that we
are all just people no matter
where we come from."
Many Asian students feel more
comfortable around other Asian
students, but Ng said he prefers
to socialize with mostly American
students.
"I don't feel like it's a waste for
Asian students to come here, but
they're not benefiting from any
thing by only talking to each other.
If you're going to stick with your
own people. you might as well go
to school in 'our own country." he
said.
Ng said he doesn't understand
how Asian students wind up
meeting each other at Penn State.
"I always notice when Asian
kids only hang out with each
other. I believe it is a part of Asian
culture for them to stay together
even when away from Asia:* he
said.
Ng said he returns to Hong
Kong twice per year for winter
and summer break.
The biggest change that his
parents noticed in him when he
returned home from America was
that he acted more lively, Ng said.
He isn't sure if it's the American
culture that made him more live
ly or just college in general.
Centre County budget
The Board of Commissioners approved
a budget increase and tax cut for 2011
2010 BUDGET
$7B MILLION
► $26 million raised from
real estate tax revenue
2011 BUDGET
$B2 MILLION
► 5125,00 tax cut, or
$l5 lessiyear for each
Centre County resident
So , ,rcP Centre County Board of Commissioners
Heather Schmelzlen/Coilegrar
The commissioners approve a
tentative budget to present to the
public for opinions and sugges
tions.
After 20 days, feedback is incor
porated into a final budget, Elbell
said.
This year, there were hardly
any changes regarding programs,
she said, but a number of issues
discussed last year were consid
ered when drafting the budget.
"Travel was really watched for
the 2010 budget, and we looked at
that again this year," she said.
To e-mail reporter: arms373@psu.edu
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