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Editorial
Casey
up
spending
"I touch the future, I teach."
That statement was made by Christa McAuliffc before
her fateful Space Shuttle Challenger mission. If McAuliffc
saw the state of education funding of Pennsylvania today,
she’d be disappointed.
Gov. Casey just trimmed almost $llB million from
state-owned and related universities. The Pennsylvania
State Univensity is going to hand over almost $9 million
dollars. Behrend is going to lose about $lOO thousand.
These budget cuts are obviously going to effect
University students directly, through increased tuition and
fees.
But let's take a second and look at the how this will
affect local students.
The Penn State Educational Partnership Program
(PEPP) hires college students to tutor local middle school
students. These middle school students possess the desire
and ability to continue on to a college education, but lack
the catalyst and encouragement to further themselves.
To be a PEPP tutor, the guidelines are quite simple. "Be
a strong influence on the students, show them the positive
affects of a good education, and become their friend."
However, the PEPP tutors were warned that after a few
sessions, these middle school students will become
attached to them, because they view them as mentors...so
"don't let the students down, because they'll think that
you don't care."
Thanks to Gov. Casey’s budget cuts, some PEPP
tutors were put on hold (not "fired," that's a negative
word) because their services could no longer be afforded.
Gov. Casey and his whole educational budget cutting
staff should personally explain to these young, hopeful
students as to why they no longer have any tutors to look
up to, respect, and follow. They should do all of the
explaining...because they are the Ones who let them
down.
The Collegian
Published weekly by the students of Behrend College, Erie, PA
Editor
Todd J. Irwin
Business Manager
Adrienne Shrawder
The Collegian's editorial
opinion is determined by the
editorial staff, with the editor
holding final responsibility.
Opinions expressed in The
Collegian are not necessarily
those of The Collegian or The
Pennsylvania State University.
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Dr. Mike Simmons
Letter Policy: The Collegian
encourages letters on news
coverage, editorial content and
university affairs. Letters should
be typewritten, double-spaced
and signed by no more than two
persons. Letters should be no
longer than 400 words. Letters
should include the semester
standing and major of the writer.
All letters should provide the
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letter. The Collegian reserves the
right to edit letters for length and
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olfice no later than noon on the
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during the academic year.
Editor
Postal Information: The
Collegian (814 898-6488) is
published weekly by the students
of The Pennsylvania Stale
University at Erie, The Behrend
College; First Floor, The J.
Elmer Reed Union Building,
Station Road, Erie, Pa 16563.
Rob Pfendler
Opinion
IfondiVe
Letters to the Editor
Buy
American...
Today we have much finger
pointing as to who is die cause
of our economic plight. Cities
blame states, and states blame the
federal government
However, one merely has to
go into any department store or
the many stores in our malls to
see the real problem. As you
look at the merchandise such as
clothing, appliances, housewares,
and electronic products, look at
the labels or the back of the
carton for where it was
manufactured. What you will find
are goods made in: Japan, Korea,
China, Malaysia, Hong Kong,
Sri Lanka, Mexico, Taiwan, etc.
If you think of these products
in terms of American jobs it is
clear as to why we have the
amount of unemployment at this
time. The number of
manufacturing jobs lost is
enormous.
No one can deny that we are
part of a global economy and
should allow a certain percentage
of foreign products but there are
limitations as to the amount of
external manufacturing we can
absorb and still have a viable
economy. If we are to help many
foreign countries economically,
we must first be able to help
ourselves. The manufacturing
jobs we have lost affect all
economic groups and especially
those in the lower brackets trying
to make ends meet.
Our local, state and federal
governments must work together
to help our industries compete by
changing restrictive regulations,
taxation and trade policies.
As students and Americans we
have to work together to protect
our economy, jobs, land and
people from a flood of foreign
products that are damaging us and
our economy. Foreign
manufacturers are literally
dumping their products into our
markets at below cost, in an
effort to drive the American
companies out of business and
into bankruptcy.
An effort we can make from
our standpoint is to begin to
purchase products that are Made
In the U.S.A. This effort may be
a small one, but the future of the
United States' economy needs
this support to sustain life into
the twenty-first century and keep
the American prosperity alive and
well.
Thank you students of
America.
Donald T. Krause Jr.
Seventh semester
Management
...but not at
local K-Mart
I recently contacted local area
merchants to ask permission to
solicit donations in front of their
stores. The donations are for the
ODK "Mile of pennies” fund
raising campaign. The proceeds
of this campaign will benefit the
construction of a playground at
Emerson elementary school.
I must say, I was somewhat
confused by the lack of
cooperation on the part of one
local merchant (K-Mart). The
community has always benefitted
from this campaign, and I find
the one-way attitude of this
merchant (K-Mart) disappointing.
What's the problem? Will a
few coins disable the spending
power of customers? How often
do K-Mart customers turn around
and go home because they
dropped the twenty cents that
they had to spend in a donation
can?
"Customers have
Thursday, February 20, 1992
X,
j-lron
.arceny .bbutttp
\o gets top bunK~
complained," was the reason I
was given. Can you picture the
angry K-Mart customer saying,
"Those damn kids are asking for
money to build a playground!"?. I
can’t see it.
If ODK was comprised of
wandering bands of finger cymbal
players, who chant their devotion
to nbn-stick cook-ware, and plead
for your posey-buying dollars, I
could see their point. I don't
think two students standing to
the side of the entrance holding
coffee cans constitutes an
obstruction to customers.
Perhaps with less customer
traffic, namely the hundreds of
Behrend students who shop there,
more space will become available
in front of their store for future
fund-raising events.
Eighth semester
Electrical Engineering
Technology
Ed. Note: If you would like
to voice your views on an issue,
write a Letter to the Editor.
The Collegian encourages
letters on news coverage, editorial
content or University affairs.
Letters should be typewritten,
double-spaced and signed by no
more than two persons.
Letters should be no longer
than 400 words. Letters should
include the semester and major of
the writer. All letters should
provide the address and phone
number of the writer for
verification of the letter. 1
The Collegian reserves the
right to edit letters for length and
to reject letters if they are
libelous or do not conform to
standards of good taste.
Letters should be submitted to
The Collegian office, first floor
of the Reed Union Building or
The Collegian mailbox located in
the SGA suite also on the first
floor of the Reed Building no
later than noon on the Tuesday
prior to the desired publication
date.
Martin Jackson