Although nothing was officially decided regarding whether to eliminate the health and physical activity requirement (GHA) at yesterday's Faculty Senate meeting, the consensus was overwhelmingly opposed to removing it.

The half-hour debate focused on the advantages of keeping or eliminating the GHA requirement from the general education curriculum.

"It is no secret. I've been saying it for 10 years that I'm very supportive of Penn State having in its curriculum some sort of requirement that finds a way to prolong health," Penn State President Graham Spanier said.

Spanier said the university hosts a "fitness-oriented youth culture" indicated by the number of fitness passes purchased every year. "We have unbelievable facilities, but they are recreational in nature," Bob Ricketts, senior lecturer of kinesiology, said. "The GHA is educational in nature."

Spanier said he would like to see GHA courses as electives instead of being a requirement for students.

"It's an area where maybe it's time for a change," he said.

Most faculty senators, however, emphasized the nationwide trend of obesity and inactivity, and discussed how the GHA requirement promotes a healthier lifestyle.

"One in four children have not participated in any team sports," said Joanna Floros, professor of cellular and molecular physiology, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology. "It seems like college may be the last station that will help them develop activities that will help them [be healthier]."

Cara Schengrund, professor of biochemistry, said a lot of the problems begin earlier, with many high schools eliminating the requirement from their curriculum. "I think we owe it to the students to show them what it means to have a healthy lifestyle," she said.

"The university should be promoting wellness," Schengrund added.

Jean Landa Pytel, assistant dean for student services and associate professor of engineering science and mechanics, asked why technology is not considered to be part of general education requirements, since it is also an integral part of everyday life. She said with general education, "We do our best with it, but it can't be everything."

Tramble Turner, associate professor of English at Penn State Abington and chair of committee of faculty affairs, said an important question to ask is what the outcome has been for those students who had the GHA requirement as part of their general education curriculum. Faculty Senate Chair Kim Steiner could not say if the undergraduate education committee would issue another report on the GHA requirement. "I'm sure that their discussion would conform to what they heard today, which was overwhelming opposition," Steiner said.

Arthur Miller, undergraduate education committee chair, was unavailable for comment about what will follow the meeting's discussion.