Correction appended
Penn State President Graham Spanier addressed the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG) Friday evening and discussed problems, concerns and improvements to each respective campus while touting Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses.
"Penn State is so unique and works so well," Spanier said. "Our Commonwealth Campuses evolved over 100 years, all with a different story. ... Each region wanted to have a Penn State presence."
Spanier addressed commonwealth campus representatives, first complimenting the work CCSG has done, saying it is a "strong voice for students."
Spanier then focused on the major problems University Park is dealing with and how they will affect each campus.
The high rate of enrollment at Penn State did not worry Spanier, but instead excited him.
"We are the most popular university in the United States," he said.
Spanier did note, however, that even though enrollment and admission numbers are high now, they will take a hit in the future because of dropping numbers of college-bound high school students in Pennsylvania.
"You folks can be very helpful to make this school even more appealing and keep the enrollment up," Spanier said.
Financial issues raised concerns for Spanier.
He said the economy would affect money being donated through scholarships and create tuition burdens.
"We're looking at a double-digit tuition increase ... but we can't do that. It wouldn't be right," Spanier said, adding other areas would be affected in turn.
Spanier spent the rest of his time in an open forum with the students.
A Penn State Altoona student said at his campus the student government was looking to increase library hours but could not because of budget cuts. Spanier advised the students to look at all the services being provided on campus and see if a service that is not widely used could be cut for increased funding to the library.
"Just don't get me in any trouble," Spanier added jokingly.
Mike Wademan, from Penn State Worthington Scranton, brought up a more personal issue he felt could be of concern to other students. Wademan was having problems with the registrar at his Commonwealth Campus, and said he had to come to University Park to deal with it because "the registrar here is more effective than my own."
Spanier said he felt the issue could be easily solved and was more than willing to work with the proper people to adjust the problem.
CCSG President George Khoury appreciated the way Spanier handled the students' concerns.
"He answered the macroscopic questions, but he also dealt with the microscopic ones, which was great," Khoury (senior- chemical engineering) said.
CCSG met throughout the rest of the weekend to work on other campus-wide issues.
The group elected two students to the advisory committee for Information Technology Services.
CCSG also passed a resolution to approach the University Faculty Senate about Rally in the Rotunda.
The Rally is held to get higher state appropriations so tuition increases can be minimized.
The resolution is a way to "get a blessing from the faculty to attend the rally so students who want to attend can be excused to do so," Khoury said.
Faculty have been receptive to this resolution in the past Khoury said, adding, "It's important for students from all 20 campuses to stand together."
Correction: This article incorrectly attributes a quote to Mike Wademan. The statement was not a direct quote.
