I am a Penn State grad and a former member of the University's alumni council.

Therefore, I think I truly have a right to say that I am shocked at the heavy-handed approach Penn State's athletic director Jim Tarman has taken toward other Eastern universities -- namely, Temple, Rutgers University, and Syracuse.

For those who don't know, Penn State has demanded -- and received agreement from Temple and Rutgers -- that in the 1990s they will play six home football games at University Park, Pennsylvania, and four away at Temple and Rutgers. What chutzpah!

Only Syracuse had the courage to tell State that it was not going to be intimidated. And for that, Penn State has announced it will not play Syracuse after the 1990 season. It's Penn State's loss, not Syracuse's. A great series is coming to an end because of Tarman's continued insistence on having the upper hand in dealings with other universities.

One day when the Penn State football program slips, and happiness leaves Happy Valley, payback day will come.

Penn State ought to wise up. We'll take a Syracuse game any day over a date with Southern California.

And perhaps Mr. Tarman ought to concentrate on how to fix his basketball program and become competitive with Syracuse and other schools in the East.