INSIDE
CAL TIMES california university of Pennsylvania
april 12, 2013
SPRING SPORTS RETURN TO CAL U – 6 and 7
CALTIMES.ORG
vol. 34, No. 9
IN THE
NEWS Return of the swarm
One of the many wonders of nature will occur this spring, much to the chagrin of human beings everywhere.
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OPINION experience the evolution The Pittsburgh Penguins’ old slogan applies perfectly to this year’s shortened season.
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THE ARTS cal u professor’s new novel Margo Wilson, English department chair, is set to release her new novel.
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SPORTS Softball earns sweep Cal U softball impresses in Bloomsburg and improves to 19-1
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photo by Laura Zeno
Students voice concerns at Campus Talk event John McGee asks Cal U Interim President Geraldine Jones a question at her Campus Talk event, the first of many.
––––––––––––––––––––––– by Casey Flores contributing editor
––––––––––––––––––––––––––– On Tue., Apr. 9, students convened in California University of Pennsylvania’s Natali Performance Center for the Campus Talk forum with President Geraldine Jones. The talk was a chance for students to ask any question they had about the university. Professors, infrequently offered classes and parking were at the top of the list of student concerns. Jasmin Runner (junior, education) led the questioning with an inquiry about what happens to professors who receive poor evaluations from the students in their class. Provost Barnhart responded, “professors don’t see those evaluation until the next semester. The department chair or dean will see those.” Barnhart went on to explain that poor evaluations could possibly affect professors’ contract renewals and typically the dean or department chair will confront them. Students harboring complaints were encouraged to seek out department chairpersons. Chelsea Getsy (sophomore, business) followed up Runner’s question, asking if the university could provide a more efficient way of notifying students of classes that are only offered once a year or once every other year in their major. President Jones explained that when students come up a class or two short during their
senior years, sometimes they can speak with the department chair and those things can be handled. She also said, “when a student gets to have around ninety credits, students should be doing grad checks.” The next question that was asked dealt with what would happen with parking during the Natali Student Center renovations. Vice President for Administration and Finance Robert Thorn answered, explaining that the Natali project will be done over two years and has two phases. The $28 million renovation will require some parking lots to be closed and no more will be generated to compensate. Thorn said a significant number of spots would still be
available in lot four and others. While several students asked one question, Shelly Marafon (senior, social work) was very vocal during the talk. Along with several questions and comments, Marafon asked if there was anything that could be done about students who smoke. She has asthma and she suggested the college provide students with designated smoking centers so that students with similar health issues would not have to walk through a “big puff of smoke.” President Jones thanked her for the response and said that possible accommodations were on the way. One of the last questions to be asked was by O’Shea Browner
(junior, computer engineering technology). He congratulated President Jones on her recent transition from acting president to interim president and asked her to explain the difference between the two. She explained, “acting is less permanent. Interim is more permanent,” and she stepped into it because “the position was declared vacant. ‘Acting’ is in an emergency.” President Jones explained that her responsibilities remain the same and that she was simply moved into a “more permanent, temporary position.” Encouraged by student participation and response, President Jones plans to hold more Campus Talk sessions in the future.
A number of students attended the Campus Talk and they presented a variety of questions.
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Twitter – @Cal T i mes
photo by Laura Zeno