Hold PSU accountable for spending

Top Five Ways to Cut the Budget at Penn State

1. No More Free Football Tickets And Breakfast For Legislators
   

   Pennsylvania's legislators continually do not fulfill Penn State's budget requests. Time and time again they say, "Sorry Penn State -- no more hand-outs." As a member of the Undergraduate Student Government, one Pennsylvania legislator told me that Penn State was a good deal because he paid a lot more for his son to go to an Ivy League college. Maybe next time he comes for his free lunch he can buy dinner for a few Pennsylvanians who are holding down part-time jobs to put themselves through school.
   

2. No More Alcohol At Public Relations Functions in the Nittany Lion Inn
   

   Dr. Spanier is right about one thing. Alcohol does have a debilitating effect on students. It costs too much. If you are one of the lucky alumni, friends or aforementioned legislators who are invited to a meal at Penn State, don't be afraid to belly-up to the open bar available at these functions -- at breakfast, lunch or dinner.
   

3. Sell More Of Penn State's Songs
   

   As I watched Penn State football on TV, I heard our snappy fight song played to a montage of fresh rolling tomatoes, bright green lettuce bursting forth and greasy hamburgers flame-broiling. Hey, if we are going to sell out our fight song to sell hamburgers, why not the alma mater too? Maybe the Nittany Lion could be the Gund poster-boy. Maybe not, after all, I did not buy one Burger King hamburger this season, because their commercials made my stomach turn.
   

4. No More Snacks At Faculty Meetings
   

   BYOF -- bring your own food! Ever been to a faculty meeting? There is often a nice spread of yummy cookies or tasty brie cheese and crackers. Don't forget the wide variety of Pepsi products always available next to the Starbucks coffee. Ironically, these meetings tend to deal with how their departments can get more money.
   

5. Give Alumni Something They Should Be Proud Of
   

   Alumni and friends of the University gave over $80 million to Penn State last year. Although the Bryce Jordan Center and a soon-to-be-built new Sports Hall of Fame are nice, they really aren't dealing with the problems students face every day. I have been told that alumni won't give money to anything but flashy projects. I don't know. Maybe the alumni really feel that way, but in thirty years will you?
   

Top Five Ways for Students to Save Money at Penn State

1. Bend The Law (Until You Hear A Distinct Snap)
   

   The Borough of State College would like to avoid undermining their tax base by discriminating housing based on being a student. One of our esteemed legislators actually once said that she wasn't discriminating against students, but student behavior. Try inserting any racial, ethnic, or religious minority in place of student and see what you get.
   

   I say challenge the law that says no more than three students can live in a house. Just don't get caught.
   

2. Smuggle A Contraband Pizza Into The HUB
   

   University policy says that you can only hold a function on campus using food from Housing and Food Services. Unless you want to pay $7.99 for a 16" pizza, smuggle one in from downtown. I saw one pizzeria advertising an 18" pizza for only $6.50. Of course a 32oz. soda is only $.69 in the HUB after 3p.m. Compare that with two liter bottles from Wal-Mart for $.50.
   

3. Hog The Freebies
   

   Ever get hassled by those credit card people outside the HUB? Maybe it isn't so much of a hassle! A fun thing to do is engage one of those salespersons for an hour. Discuss the benefits of their credit card/class ring/newspaper and appear interested in their product. Then, after you've wasted a good amount of time with him or her, do one of the following: a) Sign up for the credit card, get the free gifts and then immediately cut up your credit card when it comes in the mail or b) just walk away and say you'll be back after your next class. Come back and repeat step one.
   

4. Eat Free Food
   

   I firmly believe that this column will do nothing as far as changing the ways this University operates. In that case take advantage of it! I make it a point anytime I stumble on one of these meetings to help myself to a generous portion and always walk out with at least three sodas. Hey, take what you can get!
   

5. Think!
   

   Actually, the Penn State community isn't so bad. There are a lot of businesses who give to student groups and scholarship funds. Other businesses reward their customers in other ways and really try to be fair. Stand up for each other -- if you see one student getting taken advantage of, don't be afraid to walk out of that store and never come back.
   

If Pennsylvania isn't going to come through for its flagship University, we really have to rethink how we are running things.

There are many valuable services that are at risk of being cut, services we students use every day.

Instead of rolling over and allowing Penn State to sacrifice what's important to the students, I say stand up and make the University accountable for what it is spending money on.