Wednesday, April 25, 1990
Letters to the Editor
Writer responds to
previous letter
about Spanos
Dear Editor,
I am appalled by the lack of
thought Mr. Vahey (the second)
put into his rebuttal to Ms.
Spanos' latest column. Mr.
Vahey, you're not even sure if
you're the "friend" referred to by
Ms. Spanos, so how can you
fault Mr. Spanos for her "lack of
class," when you show none
yourself? First, you mention
misinformed, misconstrued
individuals. Mr. Vahey (the
second), if you're not sure you're
the person referred to, then in my
opinion, you are the misinformed
individual, who has misconstrued
the facts.
Next, you mention "lack of
class," then you proceed with
your own vulgar remarks - in the
future, please practice what you
preach - McFly.
Third, the Letters to the Editor
column is a forum for discussion,
not slander. Enlisting in the army
should build a sense of dignity
and self-control - Mr. Vahey (the
second), you have demonstrated a
complete lack of both - in my
opinion, you should check your
own shoe size. Finally, you arc
an accounting major and not an
English professor - again you
show your own ignorance at
subjects you obviously know
nothing about
Chuck Hoffman
sixth semester
Secondary Ed. English
Campus litter
found sickening
by student
Dear Editor,
Sunday of this week was
Earth Day. The purpose of Earth
Day is to remind us how precious
the planet Earth is and that we
need its irreplaceable resources to
survive.
I came home from monthly
drill with the National Guard
Sunday evening to find litter
scattered all over campus. It was
not an unusual sight, since my
attention has been grasped by this
problem numerous times
throughout the year, but seeing
that some Penn State students
could not keep their college clean
for Earth Day was the straw that
broke the camel's back.
All year long I have noticed
pieces of garbage lying on
sidewalks, in the grass, around
residence halls and other
buildings, and outside over
stuffed garbage cans. There
appears to be an attitude of
environmental apathy among too
many students on this college
campus. Such thoughts as, "Oh,
my cigarette butt won't make the
slightest bit of difference if 1 drop
it because it is one of a billion
others," or "My candy wrapper is
just one piece of paper. Who'll
care if 1 drop it or not? Besides,
somebody else will pick it up if
it is that important," seem to
rattle through too many people's
heads too often. What would the
world be like if everyone had this
attitude?
As an Eagle Scout, I led
dozens of service projects back
home to improve the condition of
the environment or to conserve
natural resources. Alpha Phi
Omega Service Fraternity and
Lambda Sigma Society have run
and organized campus clean-ups
to remove trash from the grounds
of the campus and the
Wintergreen Gorge. The reason
we did these things was to not
only clean a mess that was
already made, but to promote and
to exemplify the importance of a
clean and healthy environment,
and our role as humans to keep it
that way.
In general, seeing litter on
this campus makes me sick, and
personally, I have no respect for a
litter bug. I hope that from now
on, we students of the Bchrend
College remember that we are
Penn State and that we should
represent ourselves accordingly,
that is, if we really do have pride
in ourselves, our school, and the
community that we all share -
the Earth.
James H. McFetridge, Jr.
second semester
Engineering
Student goes nuts
over Dobbins
food selection
Dear Editor,
Once again, Dobbins meal
hall has shown its incompetence
in providing healthy food for the
students of Behrend. Everyone
entering Dobbins for dinner on
April 19th was handed a small
packet of honey roasted
macadam ia nuts.
For those of you had your
cholesterol level checked in the
Reed Building, look at the list of
foods to be avoided which was
handed to everyone. Yes, it is
right there in black and while,
macadamia nuts. This may be a
trivial thing, but with it being
health week, you would think
that Dobbins would at least hand
out something healthy. Why
don't they just eliminate the
middleman and pump cholesterol
into our veins intravenously?
John W. Kimmich
second semester
Business Administration
Seniors allowed to
stay in apartments
until graduation
Dear Editor,
An agreement with Housing
and Food Services has been made
concerning seniors wishing to
remain in the apartments the
week before graduation.
In response to a letter I sent
The Collegian
last week, Phil Giewont will
grant an extension to those who
have not yet submitted a letter
explaining reasons for staying. I
strongly encourage you to do this
prior to the end of finals week so
that you will be registered on
campus.
Since apartment contracts end
on May 6, permission to remain
on campus is a service and is not
guaranteed to all requesters. If
you are here during this extra
week, remember that all policies
and rules will be in affect. Please
be responsible in your conduct and
set an example so that seniors
who follow will be extended this
service as well
Brent K. Vernon
eighth semester
Political Science
University’s
Quality Control
survey questioned
Dear Editor,
After reading the article in
your April 11 issue entitled
"Bchrend Student sues
University", I reviewed my
encounter with this alleged
survey called the Quality Control
Pilot Project. The University
explained to me last fall that this
survey was to "...determine the
accuracy of the information used
to award student financial aid."
The University also indicated, in
a threatening manner, that if I did
not comply my financial aid for
the spring semester would be
placed on hold.
The University's great power
to withhold my financial aid left
me with no choice but to
comply. I sent the requested
materials and also a letter of
protest. The University's reply
seemed to be a standard form
letter customized to answer my
objection. However, I am again
questioning the legitimacy of this
program and the University’s
power to withhold government
student aid. I am also inquiring to
see if rights under the Privacy
Act of have been violated.
If there are any students who
were also "randomly selected” for
this survey, I would greatly
appreciate if they or their parents
would contact me at 898-6951 or
Box 962 Behrend College.
Cooperation from others who
were forced to participate will
help in identifying the
University's intentions and
authority.
Brent K. Vernon
eighth semester
Political Science
Ed. note: The Letters to the
Editor section of the The
Collegian allows our readers
a chance to voice their
opinions to our readership.
This format has been
very successful this
semester thanks to you, our
readers. I hope that you will
continue to send us letters in
the future and let us know
what you think.
On the right track
Spanos
says:
for a
by Christine Spanos
It was a beautiful day and I was out supporting the Behrend
baseball team when my friend Kate asked me to go up to the gorge
for a quick bite to eat before her class. I got into my car and drove
from the first parking lot up to the Reed parking lot. I got out and
headed toward the front doors of Reed. It all seems really innocent
doesn't it? Guess again.
It was just my luck; Manager
of Police and Safety, Randy
Hoffman was patrolling the Reed
parking lot. Kate looked at me
and said, "Great. Now what are
you going to do?" I felt the need
to stand my ground. I wasn't
about to let Randy Hoffman boss
me around.
I explained to Mr. Hoffman
that I would only be in the gorge
for 20 minutes and there was no
reason to give me a parking
ticket because there were at least
a dozen empty spaces left. Who
was I hurting?
To make a long story short,
Randy Hoffman did boss me
around and I had to turn around,
unlock my door, and drive back
down to the first parking lot But
not before I made my opinion of
parking on the Behrend campus
an issue not to be forgotten.
This parking thing is something that has always bothered me. I
don't understand why people like myself are given secondary parking
to the faculty.
Every semester, students pay their tuition and every semester there
is less parking than the previous semester. I don’t want to sound
pompous but it bothers me that I can't park in the same parking lot
as the people who receive my tuition.
While my argument basically focused around being considered a
second class citizen when it comes to parking, Mr. Hoffman pointed
out a few other considerations revolving around the parking issue. He
explained that, while I may be complaining about having to walk
from the Hammermill parking lot to the Reed building for my class,
someone else is cursing under their breath at the fact that they had to
walk from the Reed parking lot to Hammermill for their class.
Point well taken, Mr. Hoffman. However, prompted by this
exceptional display of campus knowledge, I have devised a very
effective plan to eliminate all the trauma that parking brings to each
and every one of us.
My plan is really so simple that it almost seems ludicrous to
print it in a college newspaper. It goes like this: first come, first
served. Pretty simple isn't it? If you think for a minute it makes a
good deal of sense.
Here’s how. By implementing the first come, first serve method,
it is no one's fault but your own if you get screwed out of good
parking.
Everyone would be informed, on the first day of classes next
semester, of the new parking regulations (basically, there are none).
On top of getting a good space in your desired lot, this extra effort to
be one of the "first come" allows you to get to wherever your going
on time, if not early. Beyond arriving on time and getting a good
parking space, this first come, first served method also lightens up
the massive work load that has been imposed upon the Police ant
Safety officers since I don't know when. Now, how can anyone argue
with that?
I found my conversation with Randy Hoffman so enlightening
that I felt compelled to bring it out, into the public eye. I can only
hope that the minds behind the parking problem see my obvious
solution and put it to work.
think
minute
Christine Spanos
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