News of a student-run event with a $50 budget in the Pollock Rec Room reached a national audience, thanks to a mention this month on Dr. Laura Schlessinger's radio show.

This week, Penn State President Graham Spanier became the latest person to weigh into the debate over Sex Faire, when he sent a letter to state legislators about the Feb. 3 program sponsored by Womyn's Concerns.

Spanier said he supports students' freedom of expression, but found some of the evening's activities objectionable, said Steve MacCarthy, Penn State spokesman.

"I found components of this event offensive and embarrassing to Penn State," Spanier wrote to the state senators and representatives.

"I want to apologize to you, as I have to others, for any discomfort or confusion caused by actions of some of our students who, while presenting what they felt was an educational program, exceeded the bounds of good taste expected by most Pennsylvanians."

Spanier's letter comes in response to another memo sent Feb. 8 to Gov. Ridge and fellow Harrisburg lawmakers by state Rep. John Lawless, R-Montgomery.

"It was a pretty graphic letter," MacCarthy said of Lawless's report.

Lawless and a cameraman spent more than an hour at the Faire, questioning students — both organizers and attendees — and asserting his own opinions for a video tape he plans to show to the House Appropriations Committee next Tuesday.

At that meeting, Spanier will explain the university's use of taxpayer money and lobby for increased state appropriations.

Spanier and other Penn State administrators have received dozens of phone calls, e-mail messages and letters voicing mostly negative attitudes about the Sex Faire. Many of the correspondence came from parents and other people who heard about the five-hour event on Dr. Laura's program.

Lynn Thompson, co-director of Womyn's Concerns, had not heard about Spanier's statement prior to yesterday.

"Spanier is entitled to his opinion, but I don't think what we did was all that shocking or that bad," Thompson said. "Everyone has a different sense of propriety. We did let people know that they entered by their own choice."

A press release detailing Spanier's written remarks and a description of Sex Faire was released yesterday to e-mail subscribers of the Penn State Newswire. The release aims to clarify some of the misinformation that has surrounded recent publicity.

"Residence hall buildings such as Pollock are paid for by students through their room and board fees, not through taxpayer funds as indicated in some news reports, and the upkeep . . . is also funded entirely by the students living there."

The funding for the student-funded program used neither state appropriation money nor aid from the Student Activity Fee, event organizers said.

However, during his visit to the Rec Room, Lawless frequently suggested that taxpayers needed to know how such a space in residence halls was being used.

Thompson said she suspected that Dr. Laura was not telling the whole story.

"She's known not to be concerned so much with the facts, shall we say. I wouldn't take Dr. Laura all that seriously," Thompson said.

MacCarthy said the administration was making an effort to ensure that people understand the issue.

He added that Spanier will defend students' right to free speech at the appropriations meetings next week with the state Senate and state House.

"It's going to be a point of contention," he said. "It was unfortunate that the students tried to be so provocative. It's something we are required to address."

Collegian Staff Writer Daryl Lang contributed to this article.