Monday, May 5, 1997
Spring Semester in Review
By KELLY RUOFFand NICOLE RADZIEVICH
Collegian Magazine Writers
Gown . . .
Just as the Spring Semester brings its annual weather change, it also brings new leaders and ideas to the University. Although this spring did not bring as drastic of a weather change as many hoped, it did bring showers of new ideas. And just like the weather, when it rains, it pours.
In January, University President Graham Spanier kicked off the
year by announcing two major additions to the University -- a
law school and a health system.
University President Graham Spanier (Collegian Photo)
"This has been a semester of unprecedented change at Penn
State," Spanier said in an E-mail. "Our mergers with
The Dickinson School of Law and the Geisinger Health System will
provide substantially increased opportunity for our faculty, students
and the people we serve."
But the University's expanding and merging didn't end there. In
January, a large part of the University's plan to redesign the
Commonwealth Educational System was approved by state Secretary
of Education Eugene Hickok. Under the plan, the Altoona and Abington-Ogontz
Campuses will become four-year institutions. Penn State Harrisburg
and the Schuylkill Campus will form the Capital College, while
the Berks and Allentown Campuses will merge under a single administration.
The remaining campuses will be under one administration and will
provide additional four-year programs.
"Our reorganizations of the Commonwealth Education System
and the Cooperative Extension Service will allow Penn State to
better serve the needs of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,"
Spanier said.
Additions occurred on the University Park campus as well. Early
stages of construction cleared out many trees for the Paterno
Library expansion of Pattee. The addition is set to be completed
in Fall 1999 with a cost of $24.8 million.
Darin Loccarini, president of STRAIGHT (Collegian Photo)
"Basically I've written off this semester as the charter semester," STRAIGHT President Darin Loccarini said. "I'm satisfied and content with the accomplishments of the semester. Now we're just looking forward to August. I've got a lot planned."
Jaime Desmond, newly elected USG president (Collegian Photo)
And change came again in USG, as Jaime Desmond (junior-Spanish) and John Polk (junior-finance) captured the presidency and vice presidency with 1,807 out of the 5,150 votes cast.
Early spring weather may have chilled some to the bone, but the
270 couples dancing in the 1997 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic
Dance Marathon kept warm during their 48 consecutive hours of
dancing. The couples raised a record-high $1,528,425 for the Four
Diamonds Fund.
Garth Brooks, country music singer (Collegian Photo)
While showers of concerts hit The Bryce Jordan Center, including rockers KISS, Phil Collins and five sold-out shows of Garth Brooks, showers of attention were drawn to one of the sports programs housed at the center. The women's basketball team made headlines after several team members announced they were leaving the team. Tom Hall, father of Shauntai Hall said his daughter had been unhappy in the program for two years. Joe Jarosz, father of former team member Julie Jarosz, said his daughter was put through a situation that was "mentally challenging." Lady Lion basketball coach Rene Portland denied any mistreatment and said she was angered over comments about her program.
Shauntai Hall, former Lady Lion basketball player (Collegian Photo)
Controversy hit the University's visual arts department when a student artwork became the center of attention in the state legislature. State Rep. John Lawless, R-Montgomery threatened to withhold the University's state subsidy because of a quilt hanging in a University gallery. The quilt, titled 25 Years of Virginity: A Self Portrait, displayed 25 pairs of underwear, each with a cross stitched onto the crotch. The artist, Christine Enedy (senior-visual arts), drew much criticism for the quilt and an earlier exhibit depicting the Virgin Mary emerging from a bloody vagina. The idea of censorship became a hot topic and resulted with a new paragraph being added to the School's guidelines that encourages members to be aware of cultural differences when displaying art outside the classroom.
"In a university like ours, it is important to build on tradition,"
Spanier said, "but at the same time, we must make changes
that allow us to remain a leading institution of higher education."
and Town . . .
On the other side of College Avenue, the semester consisted of
town-gown conflict, legal disputes and local business activities.
Student housing surfaced again as the State College Borough Planning
Commission brainstormed to solve a depleting tax base and "disruptive"
student behavior in residential neighborhoods.
Tom Daubert, president of the State College Borough Council (Collegian Photo)
The commission suggested the State College Borough Council limit the number of student rental homes in residential neighborhoods, require each house to have two parking spaces and impose maintenance codes on the homes. The commission considered the idea of townhouses being limited to no more than three unrelated people. But members nixed the idea because it might encourage contractors to build more apartment buildings instead of the more aesthetically pleasing townhouses.
The Penn State American Civil Liberties Union and USG countered
the proposal by packing students into the council room during
two hearings. Before the second hearing, the PSU-ACLU marched
around campus, recruiting students to attend, resulting in about
250 spectators being stuffed into the meeting. In the end, the
students pressured the council to change their vote from May 5
to no later than May 1 so students could attend.
Jon Feinberg, co-coordinator of Penn State ACLU (Collegian Photo)
But housing was not the only local government conflict this year.
The College Heights diverters topped agendas at municipal meetings.
The diagnol obstacles were placed at intersections to divert people
from driving through the residential neighborhoods.
College Heights residents are divided on the diverters issue,
some say they have revitalized the area while others claim the
diverters are dangers and the Council should look for other solutions.
However, there were more serious problems in the borough than
local political conflict.
In an alcohol-related incident, University junior Leigh Anne Prevatte
fell to her death from a sixth-floor Alexander Court apartment
window in February. Police discovered Prevatte was legally drunk.
Three students who live in the apartment were charged with serving
alcohol to minors. Also in an alcohol-related incident in February,
Kevin Thomas Nigut, 24, fell from an open third-story window at
Carlton Apartments.
Douglas Grove, acquitted of manslaughter (Collegian Photo)
Grove shot Sampson when Sampson broke into his trailer. Sampson
had broken in twice during the two days before the shooting, in
an attempt to retrieve some items his wife had taken there after
a domestic dispute.
Sampson's father, the Rev. Shellie Sampson, is planning a civil
trial against certain parties, including Centre County District
Attorney Ray Gricar, he said.
On the business front, the Calder Indoor Farmer's Market, 209
W. Calder Way, had its grand opening Jan. 17. The market sells
antiques, crafts and produce, with most of the items being shipped
in.
In College Township, business may get a jump start as contractors
plan to build a shopping center at 2268 E. College Ave.
