In regards to Dan Hausmann's comments ("Big money is needed to hire next Paterno," Feb. 2) about a successful football program at Penn State, I have to ask; so what? Before Dan and most of the current crop of students at the university were even born, the sports powers at Penn State were busy alienating the students and faculty alike.

The Penn State football program had the original ice skating rink converted to an indoor practice facility.

Soon after, the football program built a larger practice facility.

The men's basketball program had the entire main gym at Rec Hall closed during its practice sessions. Anyone using the jogging track during this time was escorted by campus security off the premises. This included full-tenured professors.

The Rec Hall weight room, which had been open around the clock, was partially converted to a varsity sports training facility and the new operating hours were drastically curtailed.

Citing the results of a secret study, the then "strength training coach" decided he should supervise the facility. There are other instances of empire building that can easily be found in the Collegian archives.

So, given the arrogance with which the Penn State sports powers have operated in the past, I say let those students who want the expensive big-time coaches at the university pay for them -- with their own money.