No matter what Penn State location you attend in your college career, you are promised a true "Penn State degree." I wonder how many students will continue to believe this?

When enrolled at a Commonwealth Campus, you can expect a positive learning atmosphere: A small classroom, usually with a tenured professor. In light of the trends we are observing at campuses you will find a shift in priorities toward serving our customer's needs. This experience cannot come from University Park, but maybe we should all re-evaluate this perspective.

The allocation of money to campuses is handled by the office of Robert Dunham, senior vice president and dean of the Commonwealth Educational System. Each year, a formula called the equity model is used to determine the amount of money each campus receives for operation. The model works in such a way as to decrease funding for campuses which are not operating efficiently, while awarding those that have met the formula's criteria.

Unfortunately for students, campus executive officers are free to cut funding for student life to make up for "equity" cuts. Students are punished for lack of balanced management and minimal support from University Park.

Several years ago, the Enhancement Fund was enacted to address the inequities in student life that exist between University Park and CES. Students at the campuses paid slightly less tuition than students at University Park, and when this gap was partially closed, the large sum of money generated became the Enhancement Fund. These funds were earmarked for improvements in student life areas, with very specific guidelines on using the money.

Campuses invested these monies in important programs, which contributed to the college atmosphere. Last year, the funds were folded into the general operating budgets, leaving them susceptible to redirection by CEOs. This increase in our tuition price now gives Penn State about 3 million extra dollars a year to apply in different areas.

Basically what the administration has done is raised CES students' tuition and is currently spending student money for a variety of things the tuition raise was not intended for. This is what I would call a sneaky implementation of an administrative activity fee. Part of my tuition should be spent according to what it was originally designated.

Dealing with enhancement funds, I would expect we take a continuous improvement plan toward providing quality services to students. This does mean an investment or reallocation of money toward CES.

This time I hope we realize Penn State now needs to focus on continuing quality improvement and not just a short remedy to this situation. Our old ways of fixing the pieces and not the whole should not apply to our new change in quality processes.

The bottom line is the University had better change its priorities. We need to do more than just preach quality, we need to produce and excel. We treasure our investment into research and the following prestige, but what about student services and needs?

We look good with 19 locations outside of University Park, but let me remind you that our customers are beginning to realize how much they are getting shortchanged. When will we focus on our management and not our growth? Or should I ask when the University will change in supporting undergraduate education in and outside the classroom because I know many people who probably are leaving for other locations -- not Penn State campuses.