Most of the protesters, who had come wearing "death masks" of black-and-white makeup, danced and hugged each other after the University Board of Trustees voted in 1987 to divest all University holdings from South Africa.

But among the jubilant students stood one man more somber than the rest.

"Everybody was really giddy," said Travis Parchman, who was the vice president of the Committee for Justice in South Africa. "I was more of a damp blanket that day than others were."

Parchman was upset because the University failed to divest from IBM, Coke and General Motors, companies that he says own subsidiaries or hold special contracts with companies in South Africa.

Idealists seldom like to compromise.

Some of his opponents, whom he battled vehemently in his years here, said Parchman was never one to give in on any of his goals.

"He was definitely bright, but he sometimes wasn't rational. He didn't listen at times to both sides and he was very headstrong," said Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Steve Garban, who dealt with Parchman on issues relating to divestment and open budget.

Parchman's credentials are lengthy and read like a who's who of young American radicals. But one thing missing from his resume is a Penn State degree.

He was dismissed from the University on May 9, 1989, for his involvement in protests against CIA recruitment on campus in the fall of 1988. The University, which forbade him to record the hearing and denied him an appeal, found him guilty of physical abuse of a police officer and disorderly conduct.

The dismissal lasted one year, after which he was allowed to reapply. He has not done so.

"I have to write a letter saying what a good boy I've been since then and get references from the people in the community" to be accepted, Parchman said in a phone interview late last month.

"I find it extremely difficult to do that after being dismissed in such an utterly unconstitutional manner," he said. "I probably will do it but I find it difficult."

While Parchman may be putting off reapplying for admission to the University, he doesn't procrastinate with his political goals.

He holds a seat on the 12-member national committee of the Student Action Union, a volunteer group that coordinates activist efforts at colleges and universities.

Parchman was recently quoted in USA Today and The Village Voice because of his work in organizing SAU's anti-war efforts.

He also works as a computer programmer for Data Based Security in Camden, N.J.

Although his main opponent has changed from Penn State University to the United States government, Parchman said he has not forgotten his alma mater. And his alma mater has not forgotten him. But just how fond the memories are depends on who you talk to.

"Probably more than any one, he brought a spirit to the University," said Kendall Houk (graduate-economics), a former president of the Undergraduate Student Government Senate.

"Students have no power, no status at this University other than being a kind of product," Houk said. "Travis brought a sense to the students that they should have a say in how the University operates."

William Asbury, the vice president for student services, gave a different view of Parchman, who was noted for his long, straight, blond hair.

"I don't know that anyone paid any attention to Travis in the first place, other than the fact that he dressed like a '60s radical" Asbury said.

Travis said his hair is much shorter now than when he was then USG President Seth Williams' executive assistant in 1988 and 1989. Williams' administration often conflicted with the University, most notably when it released administrators' salaries in an attempt to achieve a more open budget.

Parchman was also a member of the Coalition for Human Equality and participated in the student takeover of the Telecommunications Building in 1988.

While he had many run-ins with University officials and police, the CIA protests and subsequent hearings still leave a bitter taste.

"I am the only student in the entire country who was dismissed for protesting the CIA. That's a very sad testament to Penn State's ability to deal with political dissent," he said. "It's unfortunate that Penn State has to take the lead in being a repressive University."

But he adds that the University's action has not hindered his career.

"Here I am 1½ years out of school without a degree, and I'm making 33K a year," he said.

Parchman said he will continue working with the SAU to organize protests against U.S. involvement in the Middle East despite the quick ending of the Iraqi War.

Administrators and students here disagree on how effective he'll be in fighting for his cause.

"He was written off by most people that dealt with him," Garban said. "People saw Travis and looked the other way."

"The only time the University was forced to respond in recent years was during the Seth Williams administration," said Andrew McInerney (graduate-math), an activist who also protested the CIA recruitment in 1988. "The University administration was forced to change their position, and that doesn't happen with the behind-the-scenes meetings that other people now are so fond of doing."