Page 2
Penn State Beaver Roar
December 2012
News
Hunting for bins frustrates recyclers Nick Anderegg Staff Writer
naa5179@psu.edu
A year ago, the campus announced new recycling initiatives, offering more options for environmentally conscious students and staff. A headline in the October 2011 edition of The Roar read, “Blue and White goes green on campus,” and the story boasted of a new paper recycling dumpster, as well as the ability to recycle glass and plastic in addition to aluminum cans. But since then, students, faculty and staff have been struggling to find receptacles in which to put their recyclables. “It’s easy to recycle in the Bistro and dorms, but classroom buildings?” said freshman Jordan Main. “Not so much. I need a map.” As a result, garbage cans – especially around the classroom buildings – can be seen overflowing with pop cans, Gatorade bottles and other clearly recyclable materials. For example, in the General Classroom Building – the most heavily used of the classroom buildings – there are vending machines in the hallway for you to buy bottled beverages. But walk all around the main floor, and you won’t find a single container in which to recycle that bottle once you finish it. “It is really difficult to recycle in the classroom buildings,” said sophomore Emily Young. “A lot of the time I bring a drink to class and then have to bring it all the way back to somewhere else if I want to recycle it. I think I’d recycle more if there were more bins around campus.” The garbage can outside the GCB main entrance can often be seen overflowing, and a quick survey of the wastebaskets in individual classrooms provides more evidence of clearly recyclable materials being dumped in the trash. According to Luke Taiclet, director of Finance and Business, the recycling program at Beaver faces three main issues: purchasing the containers, finding space to put them, and getting those things preapproved by officials at the University Park campus. Although the university as a whole is pushing to go green, not every department is able to make it work, Taiclet said. First and foremost, money is always an issue, as recycling receptacles need to be purchased, and there is not money for that in the budget. In addition, space constraints could end up costing more money. If there is not space
THE ROAR/Dan Trzcianka
Jake Roach is among many students who find it easier to recycle in the Boardhead Bistro compared to other campus buildings.
for a recycling receptacle and renovation work needs to be done to create space, it could end up costing a lot, according to Taiclet. “We get these programs handed down to us from University Park,” said Taiclet. “But it’s the responsibility of each unit to find the resources for it.” In the case of Taiclet’s budget, a significant amount of money was recently used to purchase cigarette receptacles in accordance with the new policy that all smokers must remain 30 feet away from buildings. The areas on campus where recycling is easy are inside the Brodhead Bistro and Harmony Hall. There, Housing and Food Services has provided the receptacles to make a recycling program work. Jeremy Lindner, director of Housing and Food Services, said he’s made sure students and others have plenty of places to pitch bottles, cans and paper in the Bistro. He’s also placed a recycling can in each room in the residence hall. That’s not to say that Lindner and his department haven’t faced obstacles of their own. “The set up in Beaver County is that it’s
cheaper and easier to throw garbage away than to recycle it,” said Lindner. “It was difficult to find a company that would come here and be cost-effective for us.” Thus, the problem wasn’t about collecting the recyclables; it was about finding something affordable to do when them once they were collected. Working with Abitibi, the recycling company that provides those ubiquitous green and yellow recycling dumpsters, has made
recycling easy for those living in the residence hall. Students can collect all of their recyclables in the blue can provided in each room or in a clear plastic bag provided in the lobby of Harmony Hall; from there, it’s a quick trip out back to the Abitibi dumpster. Taiclet said last October that the paper recycling actually generates funds for the campus, and those funds were supposed to go toward buying more recycling bins to place around campus.
December 2012
Penn State Beaver Roar
Page 3
News
Students remember Bistro chef, friend JeQa Powe Staff Writer
jdp990@psu.edu
You may not have known Chef Dawn Steele, but if you’ve ever eaten lunch in the Brodhead Bistro, odds are you enjoyed her cooking. From homemade soups to home-style comfort foods, Steele quietly delighted hundreds of students, faculty and staff each week for more than two decades. Steele passed away unexpectedly Nov. 21 at Heritage Valley Medical Center in Beaver with her husband by her side. Students came back from the short Thanksgiving break shocked at the news of Steele’s death. “She always had a smile on her face and a positive attitude every time I got lunch,” said sophomore DaAndre Wagner. “It’s the people like Ms. Dawn that me proud to say ‘We Are Penn State.’” “Dawn was the most genuine person that I have ever met. She always spoke the truth, but she did it in a way that you knew she truly cared about you,” said Kelly Marcello, manager of Housing and Food Services. “She took such pride in her job. Dawn loved to make her customers happy.” Senior Shawna Roknik, a Bistro employee who worked with Steele, said Steele went above and beyond her job.
ROAR FIle Photo
The camera catches Chef Dawn Steele wearing her memorable smile as she prepares food in the Bistro.
“She kept everyone together and took care of everything. She knew when and how to get things done,” Roknik said. “She would bake things for everyone ‘just because’ sometimes. She was a strong person and a friend.” Though she cooked savory dishes on a daily basis, Steele’s real culinary passion was baking. From homemade muffins and pecan bars to her delicious cakes and beloved no-bake cookies, Steele loved to treat your sweet tooth. “She was an excellent baker. I
will miss her coffee cakes,” said Chris Geary, a Bistro coworker. Geary said Steele always had a sense of humor, was always helpful and was a down-to-earth person in the nicest way. “Dawn was someone who loved her job, loved the students and made this place a great place to work.” Steele was a step-mother to two daughters, the youngest in high school and the eldest at Penn State Erie. She graduated from Monaca High School and earned her Culinary Arts degree from the Pitts-
burgh Culinary Institute. Longtime friend Leslie Kelly grew up with Steele. The two graduated high school together and even attended Pittsburgh Culinary Institute together and eventually went on to work alongside each other at Penn State Beaver for the past 18 years. “Her smile just lit up the room and she always had those big blue eyes,” said Kelly. “She was a true friend, a great mother and wife, and was always encouraging.”
Kelly said it was a pleasure working all those years alongside her friend. “She had a big heart and she never held a grudge against anybody,” said Kelly. “Her mother died when she was young, so one thing she always said was ‘life’s too short.’ Keep her spirit alive with a smile.” It’s Steele’s smile that people remember first, and miss the most. Coworker Lois Jacobs, a Bistro cashier, said Steele always greeted everyone with a smile. “Every morning, I would always yell ‘good morning,’ and no matter where she was, she’d always yell it back,” said Jacobs. “When my mom was sick, she just came over, gave me a hug and consoled me.’’ Jacobs said everytime she and Steele saw a butterfly, they would think of their mothers’ passings. “She told me that she wanted to get wings to make the world a more beautiful place,” said Jacobs. “I know she wants us to move on. But to this day, I don’t say good morning to anyone anymore, just hello.” There will be a student-run memorial for Steele Dec. 14, where students will be able to donate a dollar for the Eastern Stars of Aliquippa, a fraternal organization she belonged to, in order to receive a butterfly to decorate and put on a tree in the Bistro.
Coming this summer: more campus renovations B.Keeler
Senior Staff Writer
bak5266@psu.edu
When you return to campus next fall, you should notice some changes to the campus. Penn State Beaver is planning several projects to be completed over the summer that should offer improvements for students. The project that should impact students the most is the expansion of the patio outside of the Brodhead Bistro. “We don’t have a lot of outdoor
space for students to use during the nicer weather,” said Director of Housing and Food Services Jeremy Lindner. With renovations, that will change. The vision for the Bistro patio is to expand the patio to stretch around the windows of the Special Events Dining Room. To accommodate this expansion, a terraced wall will be constructed similar to the wall outside of the Penn State Bookstore between the Student Union and Ross Administration buildings.
Increasing the size of the patio will provide the needed space to accommodate more use by students, a vision shared by both Lindner and Luke Taiclet, director of finance and business. Currently there are two tables on the Bistro patio; the plan is to add four to six more, Lindner said. Another change you will notice is that the main entrance of the SUB where the concrete “bridge” is located will gain handicappedaccessible doors. The current handicapped-accessible entrance near
the Lodge is no longer adequate because of drainage issues. “Inside the entry doors, the concrete pad under the louvers is chipping away,” said Taiclet. He said this is caused by an accumulation of water and that the original plans for the building called for a drain, but it was probably not installed. The grade of the lawn outside of the SUB will also be changed to help with the drainage issues. Another big project is a renovation to the parking lot adjacent to
the Nittany Lion Shrine. In addition to improvements to the lot, the entrance to the parking lot will be moved closer to the Laboratory Classroom Building. However, students should not expect additional parking spaces. In fact, it may be a struggle to keep the current number of parking spaces in the lot, Taiclet said. The cost for these projects is expected to be about $1.5 million. The money will come from capital funding provided by the university and at no cost to students.
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Penn State Beaver Roar
December 2012
News
Enrollment numbers drop Lindsay Bangor Staff Writer
lmb5793@psu.edu
Enrollment is down 111 students compared to last fall at Penn State Beaver, and the drop is likely to affect budgets on campus. Dan Pinchot, director of enrollment, said there are three reasons why enrollment is down. “The economy, demographics, and, of course, the Sandusky scandal all play into why enrollment is down this year,” said Pinchot. While a lot of public attention has been focused on the sex scandal involving former Penn State Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky, Pinchot said other factors, such as fewer Pennsylvania high school graduates and a continuing weak economy, are having a significant impact on campus enrollment at Beaver campus and most other Penn State branch campuses. Low enrollment affects every area of the campus, and possibly the hardest hit is the money allocated for campus operations. “Overall we have cut $245,000 from our operating budget, although we are still spending more than we are bringing in,” Chancellor Gary Keefer said. The campus predicts what it can spend each year with a precise model that is based on predicted enrollment numbers. According to Luke Taiclet,
fall Enrollment by campus CAMPUS
FA12 FA11 CHANGE
Abington 3,516 3,425 91 Altoona 3,863 4,105 (242) Beaver 759 870 (111) Berks 2,747 2,873 (126) Brandywine 1,581 1,630 (49) DuBois 705 795 (90) Erie 4,149 4,226 (77) Fayette 867 957 (90) Greater Allegheny 635 701 (66) Harrisburg 4,376 4,269 107 Hazleton 1,060 1,172 (112) Lehigh Valley 945 942 3 Mont Alto 1,107 1,217 (110) New Kensington 715 801 (86) Schuylkill 867 1,012 (145) Shenango 578 651 (73) University Park 44,679 44,485 194 Wilkes-Barre 647 683 (36) Worthington Scranton 1,234 1,270 (36) York 1,208 1,329 (121)
director of business and finance, the model must be accurate. “For the 2011-2012 school year, I will know how much I have to spend in the summer of 2012, after the year has already passed,” said Taiclet. “If enrollment is down that year, we as a campus must make up for the loss of money in other ways.” This naturally leads to class cuts, something most noticeable to stu-
dents on campus. It is one of the easiest ways to save money, especially if there are fewer students taking courses on campus, said Donna Kuga, director of academic affairs. “I have offered about five less classes this spring semester due to low enrollment,” Kuga said. As to which classes get cut, “All courses are evaluated to see where cuts can be made. It is obviously
Beaver campus enrollment, 2008-2012
easier to reduce the general education classes,” Kuga said. Sophomore Emily Young said she is feeling the effects of the cuts. “My major is supposed to finish here, but this fall I was unable to take some courses I needed because they either did not offer them, or there was only one section of the class which was offered at the same time as another class I needed to take,” said Young. The campus is doing all it can to get past the low enrollments. “Some of the easiest things to cut were planning cycles,” said Keefer. “This includes things like the tree service company, marketing strategies that weren’t working, and asking the staff to cut back on their budget needs.” Taiclet added, “Teachers are being asked to teach more courses in order to save money from bringing more people in. They also are
teaching smaller classes and teaching more intro classes with more students.” With enrollment at University Park steady, Pinchot said he believes there will be a light at the end of the tunnel, but is uncertain as to when it will appear. “It is hard to look into the future and predict what enrollment will be in the next few years,” said Pinchot. “As for now, we need to do everything we can to keep enrollment from dropping lower.” Keefer reassured students that there won’t be many differences this year compared to last year. “As a campus we are in a better situation than other branch campuses, and that is because of our reserves from years past and cuts we made this year,” said Keefer. “We still need to stabilize enrollment because that is the only way for our campus to thrive.”
Police beat
Student faces charges on credit card theft Campus police charged freshman Thayshai Miller with stealing another student’s credit card and using it. On Nov. 2 an unnamed resident student told campus police that someone had stolen from her credit card. The student told police she had two transactions that completed and one that failed that she did not make between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2.
Police filed charges of access device fraud Nov. 7 against Miller, a Harmony Hall resident, in regards to the credit card transactions.
Materials disappear from Lot C
A maintenance worker contacted police on Nov. 16 about a storm grate and manhole cover missing from where they were being kept
near Lot C. Police arrived at 11:10 a.m. to check the area for the missing items but could not find them. The next day, a police officer was checking the area at 2:45 pm when he noticed that pieces of guard rail being kept in the same area near Lot C were then missing since the previous day. No charges have been filed and police are still investigating.
Student charged with disorderly conduct
Resident student Nathaniel Jewell of Cranberry Township agreed to plead guilty to disorderly conduct and pay $150 plus costs on Nov. 27 for having drug paraphernalia in his Harmony Hall room. Police found drug paraphernalia in Jewell’s room during a consented search on Sept. 21 after a residence life coordinator detected
an odor of marijuana on the first floor of Harmony Hall.
Gym used as jungle gym
A campus employee contacted police on Nov. 7 about students climbing on top of the gymnasium rooftop at 10:30 pm. When police arrived they found four male students on top of the roof, according to a report. No charges have been filed.
December 2012
Penn State Beaver Roar
Page 5
News
Students split over presidential election Nikola Mussi Staff Writer
nhm5031@psu.edu
Now that the 2012 Presidential Election has passed, President Barack Obama’s victory has been received with a wide range of reactions across campus. Students’ attitudes toward the election varied from relieved to worried to indifferent. There has rarely been an election that has split the American people as evenly as this, and the political pundits predicted a close race. “It wasn’t as close as everyone expected it to be,” said sophomore Erin Burnsworth. The polls showed that Obama won in many of the key states such as Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania. “I knew all along he would win the election,” said Head Liberian Marty Goldberg. Others were not as confident as Goldberg — like sophomore Justin Shearer, who hopes that “progress can be made” now that Obama has won. While many are satisfied with
the results, others are less than content. “In the words of my father, ‘kiss this country goodbye!’” said sophomore Caitlyn Arroyo-Myers. No matter how the conclusion of the vote struck the individual, the truth still remains: Obama has control over the future of America, and Penn State students and faculty are just as divided as the nation in their feelings. “I think he’ll do his best to keep his promises to the country,” said undergrad junior Kathline Wherry. Others are not so optimistic. “Obama has gained approval of the majority of America; therefore he’s going to continue to do whatever he wants regardless of the people’s opinion,” said sophomore Abigail Horter. As the listless scramble to find new topics to deliberate in order to escape the past months of presidential party quarreling, the interested and the attentive continue to ponder the results of this historic election and look to the future as Obama retains the role of President of the United States of America.
Person in the bistro
What do you think of the presidential election results?
“He’s not who I voted for and I think the country is going to have some sketchy years. I think the economy is going to get worse before it gets better.”
“It really showed how polarized we are politically as a nation.”
Cody Zanaglio Freshman
“I didn’t really like either candidate much, but I thought the better candidate won...perhaps.”
Adrijana Vukelic Sophomore
Andrew Frentz Sophomore
Two students selected to dance for THON Dan Trzcianka Managing Editor
dvt5050@psu.edu
Sophomore Danielle Roethlein and freshman Nikki Nuske had all eyes on them Nov. 28 in the Harmony Hall lobby at a THON meeting to announce the 2013 dancers. That’s when the two learned that they had been selected to represent Penn State Beaver as THON dancers. “As embarrassing as it was, I reacted initially by crying. I guess all of my nerves from the preceding months just came out all at once,” Roethlein said. “I think I jumped seven feet in the air,” Nuske said. “My mind didn’t even process it until I came back down and hit my elbow off the table.” Sophomore Erica De Luca, who
THE ROAR/Dan Trzcianka
From right, Rachel Borrell, Erica DeLuca, Nikki Nuske and Danielle Roethlein try out to become dancers for THON.
is the chair for the Beaver chapter of THON, explained the process for selecting this year’s dancers. “Those interested in becoming a dancer were asked to can for 12 hours at a minimum, and we also
had them do a kind of tryout at Mini-Thon,” De Luca said. In addition, De Luca said candidates had to fill out an application and be interviewed for the position. The selection of the two dancers
could not be done unless the decision with the THON captains was unanimous. Roethlein and Nuske are going through a rigorous workout with THON Activities Captain Amanda Palombo to get them into shape for the 46-hour marathon. “The dancers and I work out once a week, and it’s pretty intense. I make them do work,” Palombo said. “Come February, they’ll have no trouble standing for 46 hours.” Both of the dancers admitted that the workout was challenging, but credited Palombo with being an excellent trainer. “I won’t lie. I actually threw up during the first workout session. But with every day I feel more and more prepared,” Nuske said. DeLuca said she hopes the campus shows its support for Roeth-
lein and Nuske, especially with the THON event called “Dancer Mail Call.” “Students, faculty and staff can send mail to the dancers to give them some encouragement,” De Luca said. The mail isn’t limited to just letters. It can be cards, survival baskets or anything that shows support for Roethlein and Nuske. Both dancers agreed, however, that the best way to show support is to continue to spread the word about THON and to donate. “Seeing the lives that I change is enough motivation for me to continue through these workouts and the 46 hours,” Roethlein said. “People should know how amazing it truly is and what a difference we can make when we come together as one,” Nuske added.
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Penn State Beaver Roar
December 2012
Viewpoint LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Managing Editor Dan Trzcianka
dvt5050@psu.edu
Editor emeritus
TTHE ROAR/Nick Anderegg
Brandon Perino bjp5053@psu.edu
Copy Editor Jennifer Durbin jad500@psu.edu
Photo editor Corey Wright
cjw5372@psu.edu
Business Manager Steven Dusicsko sjd5181@psu.edu
EDITORIAL Editor Nancy Paoletti
nlp5099@psu.edu
Page Designers Nick Anderegg
naa5179@psu.edu
Caitlin Vodenichar cav5119@psu.edu
senior staff writers Ben Keeler
bak5266@psu.edu
Monica Pitcher
mmp5317@psu.edu
Zak Taylor
zwt100@psu.edu
Advisers Terrie Baumgardner tbm2@psu.edu
Cathy Benscoter cub15@psu.edu
Daniel Pinchot djp114@psu.edu
Skip class, pay the price There are a variety of reasons why students cut classes. The class is too early in the morning and we just can’t get out of bed. We didn’t do our assignment and figure “why bother?” Or, perhaps we think the class is just too boring. Whatever the excuse, there are better reasons to attend class than to cut class. And as the semester grinds to a halt and finals quickly approach, the consequences for cutting those classes may finally catch up to us. Cutting class is a bad habit, and as with all habits, it’s much easier to start one than to break one. Once you start skipping classes you’ll find it easier to come up with excuses to continue skipping. It’s better to find
ways around the excuses so you don’t start the habit to begin with. Don’t make more work for yourself and others. By cutting, you miss out on information you need: lecture notes, assignment deadlines or possibly extra credit opportunities. This means you have to get the notes or assignments from your professor or another student, causing more work for them. Generally, this scenario means more work for you in tracking down someone who is willing to give you those notes. It might also mean missing out on an opportunity that ultimately costs you points toward your grade. At the least, many professors have an attendance policy, and not attending the minimum required classes could
cost you a letter grade per day missed. Finally, cutting classes makes a bad impression. Consider how your attendance will look when you’re asking a professor for a recommendation. Remember: professors usually take note of those who participate and put forth effort for getting the grade. Need another reason to attend class? Simply put, you’re paying for it. At $504 a credit, you’re paying nearly $34 per class hour, whether or not you choose to attend. That’s a lot of money to spend on a nap, playing video games or nursing a hangover. You pay to go to college and get an education. Get your money’s worth and go to class.
Shortage of recycling bins is total garbage
More than a year ago, Penn State Beaver announced a push to go green by taking a few initiatives to make the campus more sustainable. One of those initiatives was signing a contract with Abitibi Recycling, which could take away recyclable materials like cans and plastic. Abitibi also provided a paper-recycling dumpster that would generate funds the campus planned to use to add recycling bins to all buildings on campus. More than a year later, some are still asking where those recycling bins are. The bins used prior to the initiative had signs that said “aluminum cans only.” This changed last year when it
became OK to toss plastic and glass bottles in with those aluminum cans. However, knowing where the bins are is a different story. In the Ross Administration Building, there is one on the second floor, just to the right of the elevator, and one in the basement near the vending machine, but there isn’t one on the main floor. There’s one on the upper floor of the Student Union Building just outside the Student Activity Suite. But if you want to recycle a bottle or can while in one of the classroom buildings, good luck. In all three of the classroom buildings there are no bins Why? Campus officials said last year they
wanted to get these bins as soon as possible. The Brodhead Bistro and Harmony Hall have them, but the rest of the campus remains waiting. One would think that as soon as possible would be sooner than a year later. What exactly are the costs of getting these recycling bins? There seems to be a desire on the part of the student body to help in keeping the campus more sustainable. However, the campus’s inability to follow through is hampering the recycling effort of the student body. The wait needs to end. If students are going to do their part to save the planet, the campus needs to do its part to make recycling possible here.
The Roar is published several times each semester. Letters to the Editor are encouraged and can be emailed to: roar-editor@ psu.edu by the 20th day of each month. Please include your full name, address, email address and cell phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published.
FREE ADS FOR CLUBS Because The Roar receives funding from the Student Activity Fee, free advertising space is offered to any universityrecognized organization or club to promote upcoming events. The space is limited to one advertisement, one-eighth of a page in size, per organization or club per month. To reserve space, email The Roar business manager at: roar-business@ psu.edu by the 20th of each month.
December 2012
Penn State Beaver Roar
Page 7
Opinion
U.S. education system fails to make the grade Schools are more focused on test scores than actually teaching students U.S. education was recently ranked 17th in the International Student Assessments (ISA), which tests reading, mathematics and science among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. ISA has been used as the global standard student assessment since 1997. U.S. education has always been slightly above or below the average scores among OECD countries. The gloomy fact is the U.S. government seems not to recognize the fundamental problems of its system. For example, strengthening the mandate for state exams and tying each public school’s funding to those test scores is not the solution,
in my own words
Kyung Min Kim since less funding doesn’t increase scores, according to Immanuel Wallerstein, a sociologist at Yale, and Noam Chomsky, a philosopher at MIT. What U.S. society has lost in the 21st century is humanism; the loss of moral values is the critical problem in the U.S. educational system. As a consequence, the U.S. educational system has solely focused on making monetary profits. In other words, schools are focused on raising test scores sim-
ply to protect or enhance their funding. Should education really be about making a financial profit? Is this the right focus for the nation’s schools? Martha Nussbaum, a legal philosopher at the University of Chicago, has, through her books and public journals, criticized the current problems of “Education for Profits” in the current education system. She further warns that the current trend of reducing courses in humanities will eventually demolish democratic or civic values as students lose the the need for engaging in civic activities. I recently had an opportunity
to talk to some high school teachers, and they brought up similar problems. Since they asked me not to use their names, I will just refer them as “they.” “A lot of classroom time is lost preparing for and taking all of the state-mandated tests rather than just teaching the curriculum,” these teachers said. “Also, students are often unprepared for class — they don’t bring books, pencils or even notebooks, which reflects the poor work ethic, irresponsibility and a poor attitude toward learning,” they added. “We have to struggle with competing with smart or iPhones as we have to constantly be on the
lookout for students using phones underneath the desks.” Whichever school I’ve been to, I’ve found teachers complaining about students, parents complaining about the school and students complaining about teachers. But we must know that there isn’t much that teachers, students and parents can do to fix the current problem. The basic purpose of education is defined by the government. For the government to recognize what’s going wrong, the teachers, students and parents must realize that their constant attention and collective voice is needed to alert the government to the need for educational change in America.
December 2012
Penn State Beaver Roar
Page 9
Features
Profs bring ‘real world’ into best classes B.Keeler
Senior Staff Writer
bak5266@psu.edu
As students hammer out their schedules for spring, everyone has an opinion about which instructors teach the best courses. Senior business majors Steven Dusicsko and Marrisa Halstead said they loved Business Administration Instructor Daniel Smith’s classes this semester. Dusicsko said he enjoyed Smith’s Project Management course so much that he considers it his favorite class of his entire college career because it applies to real life and business. Halstead said her favorite Smith class was Negotiations because it was interactive and more discussion-based as opposed to a bookbased class. Both Dusicsko and Halstead praised Smith’s teaching style. Smith’s teaching method is that he teaches you the material, shows you how to use it and then lets you try it yourself. “It’s a good way of driving it into your long-term memory,” Dusicsko said. Halstead said she liked the fact that Smith gives you notes but teaches you real life. Smith said he tries to make his classes more interesting by offering a different school of thought for approaching and solving a problem, as well as by incorporating current events into each of his classes.
THE ROAR/Corey Wright
Senior Instructor in Business Administration Karen Barr speaks with senior Marissa Halstead after class.
Another instructor Dusicsko and Halstead both favored was Senior Instructor in Business Administration Karen Barr. Dusicko said he enjoyed Barr’s classes because of her energy. “She gives examples…I love her as a professor,” Halstead said. Halstead said her favorite class with Barr was Business Law because you find out how real life works and why you have to do things a certain way. Barr said she tries to give realworld examples and create a classroom environment where students can express their views freely. She also admits that she tries to be energetic and make her class
as interesting as possible, which is why she thinks so many students like her classes. “Hopefully they like my classes because I am able to break down difficult subject matter to make it more understandable,” Barr said. Sophomore communications major Taylor Braxton’s favorite instructor is Professor of Communications John Chapin. He is the best teacher because he is down to earth and tells you how it is, she said. Braxton also said she really likes the relaxed atmosphere of Chapin’s classes. The relaxed atmosphere is the most positive comment he gets on the Student Rating of Teach-
ing Effectiveness (SRTEs), Chapin said. “They (also) say I’m funny, but my wife disagrees,” he added. Many of the classes Chapin teaches are about cinema and understanding what you are seeing. Chapin said everyone likes movies, so his classes are not only open to discussion but lend themselves to participation. Associate Professor of English Kristen Olson also runs her classes in a discussion-based format. Only she refers to it as “discovery-based.” “Whatever we’re reading or discussing, students are responsible for raising questions and articulat-
ing observations,” Olson said. Olson’s classes are small, limited to about 18 people, because that limit forces everyone to be responsible for contributing to the class discussion. Olson’s small discussion-based format landed her Shakespeare class at the top of sophomore Emily Young’s must-take list. “I was able to enjoy the class more because I wasn’t stressing over written assignments,” Young said. According to Young, a psychology major, Olson was very accommodating to her students. When they would begin to struggle she would slow the discussion down. When they grew bored she would move to a more interesting topic. “I would recommend this class; it opens your eyes to Shakespeare. She has a completely different approach to how you learned it in high school,” Young said. Economics major Joshua Nussbaum, a sophomore, said he enjoyed his required macroeconomics class. He said the class makes sense to him, especially when all of his other classes are going wrong. He also said he feels intelligent in that class. The class is taught by Professor of Economics Rajen Mookerjee. “I like how Mookerjee relates things to current day as well as other countries,” Nussbaum said. Given the opportunity, he would absolutely take another class with Mookerjee, he said.
International student wins photography contest From staff reports
Kyung Min Kim, a senior psychology major and a Roar columnist, was a double winner in the International Students section of the recent Penn State Global Perspectives Photography Contest. The contest was sponsored by the University Office of Global Programs.
Kim, a native of Seoul, South Korea, was the winner in the “Places” category for his work entitled “Abandoned.” He also won the “Me Abroad” category with his photo, “Looking Back…” Three faculty members from the College of Arts and Architecture and a photojournalism faculty member from the College of
Communications, all located at the University Park campus, judged the contest. Kim will receive a custom calendar featuring the twelve winning photographs in his section, a framed print of each winning photograph, and a certificate. The winning photographs will be on display in the Global Pro-
grams Lounge through December and will be featured in the next issue of “The Global Lion” news magazine published by Global Programs. Kim’s photography has been displayed frequently throughout Beaver campus for several years, and he currently has an exhibit of photographs in the lower lobby of
the Student Union Building. Some of his work has been done as part of an integrative arts independent study course that allows students to participate in creative projects. Such projects include research and design, are supervised on an individual basis and fall outside the scope of formal classes.
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Penn State Beaver Roar
December 2012
Features
Campus has rich history Monica M. Pitcher Senior Staff Writer
mmp5317@psu.edu
Even though fall 2015 is more than two years away, the campus is already planning its 50th anniversary celebration. Penn State Beaver opened its doors in 1965 on the grounds of a former tuburculosis sanatorium and family farm. In the early 1880s the Hartenbach farmhouse, recently demolished, was located at the front of Penn State Beaver across the street from Monaca Turners and Chapel Road and the barn stood where the Giusti amphitheater is today. The land connected with the farmhouse occupied the entire left side of the campus, from the entrance with the two pillars continuing up the path all the way to the baseball field located next to the Wellness Center. “At the edge of what is now the parking lot for the Brodhead Cultural Center, the Hartenbachs would set up a stand filled with vegetables, eggs, milk and other goods that were to be sold to the public,” said Dave Hunt, supervisor of Physical Plant. The farm also had ponds that flowed from one end of the property to the other that the Hartenbach’s would not only use to harvest ice blocks, but to also float them up and down the property. The farmhouse had been residence to three generations of Hartenbachs, including Ralph and Margaret Hartenbach and their two children, who were the last to live there. Margaret Hartenbach passed away in December of 1998 but shortly before she died, she donated the entire property to the campus. In the early 1900s, a small hotel sat on what is now the lawn area between the Library and the large concrete slab in the center of campus. The hotel was visited by many guests who wished to engulf their bodies in curative spring waters
PENN STATE PHOTO
Penn State Beaver was housed in the former Beaver County Tuberculosis Sanatorium when it opened in 1965. That building, which stood over what is now the concrete slab, was replaced in 2004 with the Ross Administration Building.
What’s the deal with the concrete slab?
Penn State Beaver photo
The Hartenbach’s dairy wagon stands outside the family farm house at the front of what is now the Penn State Beaver campus. The house was torn down last summer after years of standing empty.
running nearby to help rid them of diseases and to restore their health. Unfortunately, the hotel could no longer meet the needs of the diseased due to the coal mines con-
taminating the curative springs. In 1923-24 the hotel’s property came under the ownership of Dr. Fred and Ruth Wilson, who together established the Beaver
Anyone who’s come to the campus after 2004 probably doesn’t remember when the Administration Building was located in the center of campus. It was the old sanatorium hospital building — deemed one of the worst in the entire Penn State system — and was ultimately replaced with the Ross Administration Building, which opened in 2004. Shortly after, the old Administration Building was demolished. But the campus was left with a costly problem to solve: what to do with the information technology
hub that had been located in the basement of the old Administration Building. The cost to move the IT hub was prohibitive, so instead the campus decided to keep it where it was and essentially seal it with the concrete slab. The hub is affectionately called “the bunker,” because entering it feels an awful lot like entering a bomb shelter. As for the slab itself, it’s turned into a nice place to host an outdoor activity, and classes have been known to occupy the picnic benches on it during good weather, from time to time.
County Tuberculosis Sanatorium which was located on what is now the quad in the middle of the campus. The sanatorium occupied 43 acres.
“When the TB patients would pass away, their bodies would first be taken to the lab, which was Campus history See Page 11
December 2012
Penn State Beaver Roar
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Features The lady in white? Some say spirits still roam campus grounds Monica M. Pitcher Senior Staff Writer
mmp5317@psu.edu
PENN STATE PHOTO
The Michael Baker Building takes shape in front of the Penn State Beaver Administration Building in 1967.
History: From hospital to campus Continued from Page 10
located where the old maintenance building used to be,” said Director of Finance and Business Luke Taiclet. According to Taiclet, their pulmonary systems would be extracted and autopsied for further analysis and, afterwards, their organs would be thrown into the incinerator in order to not spread the disease. The bodies would be taken to be embalmed, which used to be done in the underground building below the concrete slab, what was then the basement to the sanatorium.
The work of the Wilsons helped rid Beaver County of TB, which resulted in the discontinuation of the sanatorium in the mid-1950s. After the closing of the sanatorium, the building housed wounded veterans and was known to the public as the “old vet’s hospital,” according to Taiclet. Taiclet also said that the hospital was viewed more as a “half-way house,” meaning wounded veterans with missing limbs that returned home from war would go there. It was a place where families could stay while they figured out what to do next and ease into the
idea of their loved ones being disabled. At the time, the county was populated with mills, so if you couldn’t see or walk, or couldn’t operate machinery with your hands, you couldn’t work. The last patients were transferred to the Beaver County Geriatric Center in 1963. Two years later, Penn State Beaver opened its doors to 97 students. They began classes in the fall in the old Administration Building, which used to be located where the TB hospital once stood at the center of the quad.
On a site where wounded war veterans and tuberculosis patients once were, it would be no surprise that there is believed to be some paranormal activity taking place. For years, students have spoken of a ghost, known as “the lady in white,” being spotted in the quad and in the hallway of the old Administration Building, which used to be located at the center of the quad. It is rumored the ghost is a young girl who died while being treated within the sanatorium. Her last sighting was half a decade ago, according to Luke Taiclet, director of finance and business. Taiclet also recalled a spirit that was never seen but felt within the old maintenance building, formerly located between the Ross Administration Building parking lot and the Laboratory Classroom Building. “Anyone that would stand close to the area where the fireplace
was located would have this feeling of sadness and malicious dread washed over them,” said Taiclet. No occurrence was ever reported after the building was torn down. Meanwhile, on the other side of campus in Harmony Hall, students said that they have taken part in some personal paranormal encounters. “It was midnight, and I could hear something rustling through my roommate’s stuff,” said freshman Emily Winters. “I was so scared because my roommate wasn’t there that night.” Winters also said that she has a lamp in her room that can only be turned on and off if you turn the switch, and it mysteriously turned on and off by itself one night. Sophomore Danielle Joyner has had a similar experience. “I’ve heard voices on a few occasions,” said Joyner. “One night I was walking back to my room and I thought I had heard a man’s voice say ‘oh my gosh,’ but when I turned around to look there was nobody there.”
Students deal with the pressures of finals week Cameron Boggs Staff Writer
cgb5148@psu.edu
When people think of finals, they think of it as a “do-or-die” situation. Like game 7 of the World Series, the NBA Finals or the Super Bowl. Finals, which begin Dec. 17, can be either a big boost for the grade or a big slump. Freshman Taylor Larson said she expects her psychology final will be the hardest. “It’s a complex class. I’ll probably do OK. It’s hard, but I like it,” she said. Freshman Dennis Habrle said he thinks his geology final will be the most challenging. “It’s going
to be really hard because everyone is failing that class. It also might drop my grade, which is a worry,” he said. Not only are finals hard, but they can be very stressful. People can suffer anxiety from taking finals. National Health Ministries shows that stress can affect a person’s emotional and physical well-being. Drug and alcohol usage could increase as well. Jill Tress, Learning Center and Disabilities Services Coordinator, said that stress can cause test anxiety. “Test anxiety can cause a whiteout feeling where your mind goes completely blank,” she said. Tress said they’re things students
can do to combat test anxiety. “To relieve stress, do anti-stress exercises before you go to bed. Get enough sleep the night before the test and eat something with protein,” she added. Another way to reduce stress is to find an activity that can be positive, like working out. When you work out, it counterbalances stress. Freshman Tyler Tracy said finals might make him stressful. “If I procrastinate, finals will be stressful. If I start studying a few weeks prior to finals, I won’t be too worried; however, if I wait until the night before each final, I will be in panic mode,” he said Freshman Marissa Fitzpatrick
said that she works really hard. “Since my math final is optional, I work extra hard to get good grades so I don’t have to take it,” she said Freshman Eva Delt doesn’t feel she will be stressed out for finals. “I’ll do my part in studying. You have to be confident. If you do your part in studying, you shouldn’t have a problem.” Students have a lot of ways of studying. Sophomore Nick Polio is prepared for finals. “If I have the right mindset and plan, finals can be quite manageable,” he said. To reduce stress, Tress offered test-taking tips that may help you to overcome test anxiety and do
better on your finals. Among her tips is to study in an organized space, make a schedule and stick with it, make and use note cards and get friends to join or create a study group. Last but not least, re-read notes and highlight key terms, Tress said. Freshman Katie Dennis said that she always remembers what her dad told her. “He tells me to stick my nose to the grindstone,” she said. Assistant Professor of Earth and Mineral Science Matthew Grunstra said that students should study for finals like it’s a regular test. “It’s longer than a normal test, but do whatever you do to study for a regular exam.
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December 2012
December 2012
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Sports
Lions take control of season early Dante Massey Staff Writer
dwm5299@psu.edu
Even with a crippled roster, the Nittany Lions men’s basketball team is off to a strong 7-2 record start, including a season-opening win at Washington and Jefferson College and a win over crosstown rival Geneva College at home. “For the most part, we’ve played well,” said Coach Marcess Williams, noting that his team has struggled with a range of injuries this season. One key player out since the opening game is Christopher Weathers, a junior and team captain. He sustained a fracture in his hip this season that is preventing him from playing, but he has hope. “Right now, I’m hopeful there might be a possibility of avoiding surgery,” Weathers said. “If that’s the case, I will be able to rehab my injury after I see the doctor over Christmas break. This will allow me to play the second half of the season.” Freshman Rob Agurs, sophomore Pat Horton, junior Nick Miller and, most recently, senior Marcus Allen have all been hit with injuries this fall. Agurs, Horton and Miller are all currently in play, while Allen just injured his ankle and is still being evaluated, Williams said. Williams said beating Geneva was good, “but the win at W&J was even bigger. It was the first game of the year, and it gave us the confidence we needed.” Beaver toppled Washington and Jefferson 80-69 on the road after leading the entire game. Agurs led offensively, with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Miller added 23 points and 4 assists, while Lamont Wright, a sophomore transfer student, had 10 points. Williams said these three players have been key all season. “Rob Agurs is having an unbelievable year. He’s leading the nation in scoring (in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association) with 24 points a game. Nick
THE ROAR /Dante Massey
Rob Agurs goes to rebound a missed shot by a fellow teammate during the showdown against Penn State Schuylkill on Dec. 7.
Miller’s not far behind him at 20 a game, and Lamont Wright is right behind him at 17,” Williams said. With Weathers absent from the Geneva game Nov. 20, several other players – Agurs, Miller, Wright and Horton – stepped up and carried the team to a win. Agurs led with 29 points in a fast-paced game that stacked up against the two teams’ previous match ups. Miller scored 23 points
and 3 assists. The Tornadoes consistently kept the game close, but they couldn’t defeat the Lion’s defense, giving the Lions an 88-81 win. The Lions won five of the six games after Geneva, boasting a 5-0 record in the Penn State University Athletic Conference. Most recently, they pulled off a tight overtime win at home Dec. 7 against Penn State Schuylkill 106-
To the far left, the Lions show their combined team efforts to out rebound Schuylkill during their game at home. To the immediate left, Pat Horton and Nick Miller combine their efforts on the offensive borders during the game against Schuylkill. THE ROAR/ Dante Massey
100, followed by a 79-62 win over Penn College Dec. 8. Miller said he feels that the team is on pace with where they should be and that the continued wins are a good sign they are steadily getting better.
“We are all key players on this team. We are a family, and we all put in the time and work,” Miller said. “We might not have the talent or athleticism as previous teams, but we have the drive to win.”
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December 2012
Sports
Lady Lions leading in PSUAC Corey Wright Staff Writer
cjw5372@psu.edu
Despite two losses, the Penn State Beaver Lady Lions have managed to stay atop the rankings in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, along with being tied for No. 3 in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The Lady Lions hold an 8-2 record (.800), with an impressive 6-1 (.857) road record. The team has won the first five of its PSUAC conference matchups, most recently defeating Penn State Schuylkill 72-32 at home Dec. 7 and Penn College 78-55 at home Dec. 8. Senior guard Brooke Mulneix said she is happy with the team’s performance this season, especially with how young the team is with eight freshmen on the roster. Mulneix, alongside Coach Tim Moore, looks forward to continued success. The team started its season Nov. 9 with a 93-42 loss at Montreat College. Despite this sizable-deficit loss, the Lady Lions returned to action the following day against the Montreat College Junior Varsity team, where they recorded their first win of the season 91-65. With 10 games under their belt, the Lady Lions have tallied up some impressive numbers. They are averaging 73.3 points per game, with 733 total points scored this season. Standing next to these stats, the Lady Lions have forced their opponents to turn the ball over on average 20.1 times a game and have out-rebounded the other team with a margin of 7.9 more rebounds per game. Like any team, they need to improve on some little things. According to Moore, their weakness has been on the defensive side of the ball. They have allowed their opponents to put up an average 60.1 points per game. However, Moore relates some of their struggles in past games to
“
By having this positive attitude, it allows them to constantly have threats on the floor while maintaining the team’s stamina on the floor.”
Tim Moore
Women’s Basketball Coach
the fact that the coaching staff has introduced a new defensive system to his team and is in the process of cleaning it up. “When we clean up the defensive end, I feel we will be tough to beat,” Moore said. This season the Lady Lions have something they haven’t had the pleasure of having in the past few years: depth on the bench. “We have 13 girls that can contribute and be the star any given night,” Moore said. “They are playing together well offensively and don’t care who scores the points.” Moore added, “By having this positive attitude, it allows them to constantly have threats on the floor
while maintaining the team’s stamina on the floor.” The Lady Lions have started gearing up to accomplish one of their main goals, which is to bring the PSUAC title trophy back home. The team missed out on this goal last year by losing to Penn State Brandywine in the PSUAC Final Four 63-49. According to Mulneix, to be in the best position to bring home the trophy, they must beat their rival Penn State Fayette. The first game of the two-game showdown this season will take place Dec. 13 at Fayette. Talk of a USCAA title is in the equation every year for the Lady Lions. Moore said he believes that with the strength of their schedule this season and where they stand now early in the season, they could really make a run at nationals this year. The keys to the team’s success will be continued improvement as a team, staying healthy and winning some of the key games down the road.
THE ROAR/Dante Massey
At top, the Lady Lions show their offensive prowess against Penn State Schuylkill on Dec. 7. Above, freshman Shanese Nelson shoots a lay up with freshman Cassandra Flowers behind her for assistance.
December 2012
Penn State Beaver Roar
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Sports
Wrestling team looking for its first win Zakary Taylor Senior Staff Writer
zwt100@psu.edu
The Penn State Beaver wrestling program has experienced its share of growing pains this season. But much like the team, the season is young. In only its second year of existence, the fledgling squad is off to an 0-4 start, with four matches and a pair of tournaments still remaining. On Nov. 17, rhe team lost 42-0 to Penn College and 38-6 to Penn State Mont Alto. Slippery Rock University defeated Beaver 28-9 on Nov. 29, while Penn State Greater Allegheny beat Beaver 30-12 on Dec. 4. While the team’s record speaks for itself, it doesn’t exactly tell the entire story. The bouts have been hard fought and their outcomes fiercely contested. Those watching closely have noticed a steady improvement from the team’s inaugural year. And nobody has had a closer look than Coach Jeff Winkle.
THE ROAR/Corey Wright
Sophomore Bobby Tempalski crouches to prevent his opponent from getting the upper hand in the match against Penn State Greater Allegheny on Dec. 4.
“The wrestlers have shown more consistency in matches,” he said. “We’ve lost a number of matches by decision that, with
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another move, we might have won. [Freshman] Sean Newkirk (4-3, 2 pins) has led off the dual meets this season. Sean establishes a positive momentum for the team, which shows in the remaining matches.” Despite this being Newkirk’s first season wrestling at the collegiate level, he is considered one of the veterans among the group, along with fellow freshman Ben Barcaskey, sophomore Bobby Tempalski and junior Dylan Winkle. Freshmen Devante Phillip and Joshua Moon are new to the sport but their raw athleticism has hastened their development. “Their ability to learn wrestling moves and improve overall has been great,” praised Winkle. Learning a new sport entirely from scratch has not been easy, however. “Wrestling is one of the hardest sports I’ve done,” admitted Phillip, who played defen-
sive line at Thomas Stone High school in Waldorf, Md. “It’s one of the most difficult sports there is and I’m still learning. But it’s been a good experience.” Winkle gives credit to the team’s veterans for helping their less experienced teammates develop. “The experienced wrestlers – Sean, Bob, Dylan and Ben – are wrestling hard against each other and demonstrating wrestling moves and techniques to Devante and Joshua,” he explained. “Everyone is pushing each other towards improvement,” he added. With only seven names on the roster, the group has formed a tenacious bond. “It’s one big family,” Tempalski said, describing the team’s chemistry. “Everyone’s so close and would do anything for each other.” “Our biggest strength is that we have a lot of teamwork,” added Phillips. “We work hard. We work every day with one another. Everyone is responsible.” Team members are quick to cite their coach as another major source of inspiration. “Coach Winkle is a great coach and awesome motivator,” said Tempalski. “He’s also very understanding and gets real involved with our practices.” With two months left on the schedule and his team continuing to mature, Winkle is looking to end the year on a high note. “I would like to finish strong in the second half of the season, beginning in January. A goal is to have a better finish at the PSUAC conference than last season.” According to Phillips, the team is up to the challenge. “We’re approaching this, basically, as serious as can be. We’re going to come in mentally and physically prepared, whether we win or lose.”
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December 2012
Sports
Fightin’ Beavs optimistic about spring Dan Trzcianka dvt5050@psu.edu
Managing Editor
Despite a rocky start to the season, the Penn State Beaver Fightin’ Beavs are going strong with two wins on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5. The first of the two games was against Geneva College, with the Fightin’ Beavs winning 6 to 2. Sophomore Cliff Bryant acknowledged the team’s slow start to the season. “We were letting up too many shots and not passing the puck enough,” Bryant said. “We definitely started off slow and didn’t play much as a team.” Senior Jacob Szemanski, on the other hand, thinks the team exceeded expectations. “We came into the year with only about half the roster returning, and a new goalie,” Szemanski
THE ROAR/Dan Trzcianka
Freshman Jimmy Bing gives sophomore Nick Coleman some help while defending the Fightin’ Beavs’ net.
said. “We lost our top scorer, but key players have stepped up to fill the void quite well.”
One of those key players, sophomore Brady Sipe, scored a hat trick through the first and second peri-
ods, backing up the expectations of the Fightin’ Beavs’ captain. Even though the Fightin’ Beavs play the occasional late game, the team has a loyal fan section. Senior Ryan Hudacsek, who often brings his vuvuzela, a South African horn, to the game to cause the opposing team to falter, said he also was impressed with how the home team has been performing. “The team doesn’t have as many players as they did in previous years,” Hudacsek said. “They really excelled in the first half of the season, even with a bunch of new players.” In the second win, against Duquesne, the Fightin’ Beavs came through with a close 7-5 score. Freshman Mike Harrington, sophomore Matt Haig, and Szemanski scored two points each, with freshman Steven Smith scor-
ing after a scramble in Duquesne’s zone. Although the Fightin’ Beavs season is over until the spring semester, the team is looking optimistic about their future games. “Hopefully we can just keep this win streak up and keep playing well,” Bryant said. Szemanski echoed Bryant’s words, stating that one of the main things the team will have to do is start off the games strong. “I can’t count how many times we have given up the first goal,” Szemanski said. “This has been a problem in the past, and I think we will correct it in time for the spring season.” Szemanski also said the team plans on practicing more, with scrimmages most likely being set up with either Carnegie Mellon’s team or Slippery Rock’s team.
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