Now appearing in
The Collegian:
Mike Royko -
page 5
The
Wednesday, February 21, 1990
Plastics lab: one
six in the nation
Major has 100 percent placement for grads
by Jennifer Flanagan
Collegian Staff Writer
The plastics engineering
department, one of only six in
the nation, is "Behrend's best
kept secret,” says Paul Koch,
assistant professor of
engineering.
There are only 35 students
enrolled in this major which has
a 100 percent placement rate for
graduating seniors.
It offers the highest starting
salary of all Behiend majors and
is the second highest paid major
in the entire Penn State system.
Last year, each graduating senior
had between five and ten job
offers.
Behrend's plastic engineering
department was made possible
through major contributions from
twenty-four area businesses.
It is the only one in a five
hundred mile radius, and its
advantage over the other five
programs in the nation is its
practicality.
The department gains
Collegian
of only
knowledge and input from Erie
area industry which keeps the
program up to date.
The area's 98 plastic
companies and 50 tool and die
shops offer plenty of
opportunities for internships
which the students complete
between their junior and senior
years.
If they wish to go elsewhere
in the country to serve the
required internship, the
department will place the student
in the area of their choice.
According to Paul Koch,
Colorado has been a popular
choice and a few students have
gone to Virginia Beach.
However, 90 percent of the
students stay in the tri-county
area.
There are several reasons for
the lack of programs in the
nation.
"Its difficult to teach, difficult
to find faculty and money for the
lab, and it's an emerging field
(continued on page 3)
Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame tribute to
Simon & Garfunkel -
page 8
Behrend's Weekly Newspaper
Faculty survey suggests today's
students are more careerist
by Tony Olivito
Collegian News Editor
"...I think it is true that
students are typically more
careerist than they were fifteen
years ago," stated Dr. Diana
Hume George, professor of
English.
A survey in the November 8,
1989 issue of The Chronicle of
Higher Education sponsored by
the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching
supports Dr. George's opinion.
Of the 5;45ff faculty members
surveyed, 84 percent agreed,
"Undergraduates have become
Too many students
Undergraduates are ill-suited for There has been a
not getting as good academic life are widespread lowering
an education as they now enrolling in 0 f standards in
did five years ago colleges American education
This institution
spends too much
time and money
teaching students
what they should
have learned in high
school
H Behrend faculty H Carnegie Foundation survey
more careerist in their concerns
compared with students in the
late 60's and early 70’s."
This perceived trend is also
reflected in a survey conducted by
The Collegian.
Of the 50 questionnaires
distributed randomly to faculty
in the divisions of humanities,
engineering and business, fifty
two percent were relumed.
Of this sampling, 92 percent
agreed that students have become
more interested in careers.
Those surveyed also had the
opportunity to write any
comments about teaching at
Behrend or opinions relating to
There is more drug
abuse among today's
undergraduates than
five years ago
Lions, Lady Lions
play final home
games -
page 10
Volume XXXVIII, No. 1
higher education in America in
general.
"I am surprised and
disappointed each time I confront
students' interests in careerism
and grades over their interest in
learning as an end in itself,"
replied one faculty member.
In the Chronicle of Higher
Education, Dr. Ernest L. Boyer,
president of the Carnegie
Foundation, slated many
professors feel students are
interested in learning only to
achieve their career goals.
"They only want to know the
rules - Tell us the formula,'" said
(continued on page 3)
Undergraduates have
become more
careerist in their
concerns compared
with students in the
late 60's and early
70's
•S'
I