Amid cheers and cries from students responding to President George W. Bush's victory yesterday, Penn State faculty members also expressed strong reactions to the election results.

"They rode this wave of homophobia and anti-gay marriage initiatives," sociology lecturer Sam Richards said of Bush's administration. "They rode that wave right to the victory line."

Mary Rohrer-Dann, senior English lecturer, said the re-election of Bush caused her to fear for the future of the United States. "I'm still really distressed, and a lot of students are too. ... I really, really hoped that the results would have been different," she said.

English and philosophy lecturer Michael Svoboda said he was disappointed with the election results, and added that he did not think Bush would be re-elected.

"I never thought he would gain any majority," he said. "These people cannot see the writing on the wall."

Andy Banducci, College Republicans chairman, said educators at the university level tend to vote for the Democratic Party.

"Most professors, especially politically active ones here at Penn State, are generally very liberal," Banducci said.

Political science professor Bob Harkavy, however, said he was pleased with the election results, but added that as a Republican, he is in the minority at Penn State.

"I've been alienated and marginalized," Harkavy said of his treatment by other faculty members.

Despite their political ideologies, some professors said they tried to leave their political bias out of the classroom during the election season.

Svoboda, also the Centre County Democrats' headquarters manager, said he made a conscious effort to avoid discussing the election in class.

"I never walked in with a Kerry button," he said. "People knew I was affiliated with Kerry, but I never attempted to address the campaign in my class at all."

However, Harkavy said students can often detect a professor's political beliefs. "I try not to be highly partisan in the classroom, but the kids sense where you are," he said.

Many educators said they were impressed with the droves of students who voted in this election.

"I'm profoundly moved by the student voter initiative and the turnout on the part of students," Richards said. "I never thought I would live to see so many students at Penn State vote in an election."

Rohrer-Dann said she applauded the students who participated in this election.

"It was absolutely wonderful regardless of how they voted," she said.

Marketing instructor Andrew Bergstein said he would give a special lecture to his two Business Administration 303 (Marketing) classes today to discuss the market tactics and strategies used throughout this election.

"Never before has so many modern marketing tactics used," he said. "It's a whole kind of industry."