Spring semester has given way to the first summer session at Penn State; however, a few spring sports teams are still making noise and recent news has emerged regarding a few fall sports teams. Below is a roundup of how our Nittany Lions have performed over the last week:

Softball

The softball team dropped two out of three games in a home weekend series against Ohio State, losing on Friday 5-2, winning on Saturday 6-5, and then losing on Sunday 4-1. They concluded their season with an overall record of 18-32 and a 9-15 record in conference play. Northwestern and Michigan were the only Big Ten teams to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Track and Field

Several individuals had successful weekends at the Big Ten Championships. Aaron Nadolsky, Casimir Loxsom, Brady Gehret, and Brandon Bennett-Green combined to win the program’s first ever conference title in the 4 x 400 meter relay. Joe Kovacs set a school record in the shot put competition en route to gold medal honors.

Baseball

Add baseball to the list of Penn State teams to record big wins against Illinois over the past year. The Nittany Lions swept the Fighting Illini in a three game weekend series at Medlar Field winning by scores of 3-2, 8-6, and 3-2. Senior Jordan Steranka had a monster series with six hits in eleven at bats along with two home runs and three RBIs en route to Big Ten Player of the Week honors.

After a 5-16 start to the season, the Nittany Lions have gone on several winning streaks, including winning seven of their last nine games. With a Tuesday contest against Villanova cancelled due to rain, they carry a 27-24 overall record into East Lansing for a weekend series against Michigan State. Currently tied for second place with Indiana in the Big Ten with a 13-8 conference record, this is a pivotal series with the Spartans, with Nebraska only one game behind.

Women’s Lacrosse

The Women’s Lacrosse team took full advantage of their first postseason birth since 2005, beating Towson last Saturday by a score of 15-8. Molly Fernandez led the way with a game high four goals as the team moves on to the NCAA quarterfinals facing number one seeded Florida this Saturday. The game begins at 12:30, and a full bracket can be found here.

Basketball

Matchups for the Big Ten-ACC Challenge were announced, and for a second year in a row, Penn State has drawn Boston College. This time, the game will take place in the Bryce Jordan Center on November 28 as the Nittany Lions look to follow up on their 62-54 victory at Boston College last fall which saw Tim Frazier and Jermaine Marshall lead the way with twenty two points apiece.

Football

Overall, there is not a ton of immediate football news to report. Bill O’Brien has been traveling up and down the East Coast as the featured person on a Penn State Coaches Caravan that is nearing the end of its scheduled 18 stops. Last week it made its way through New York City and will conclude Wednesday night in Buffalo. O’Brien has talked about his desire to beef up the Nittany Lions’ out of conference schedule when flexibility allows for it beginning in 2015. He also said that he expects to name a starting quarterback by the end of May. Do you buy it?

The Penn State Advanced Vehicle Team will be taking their talents to Los Angeles Friday for the EcoCAR 2 Year One Final Competition. Penn State will be sending twelve students to compete against fifteen other universities for a five day competition that concludes on Wednesday, May 23.

The competition evaluates how well teams improve the fuel efficiency and green standards of a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, while also maintaining retail appeal and aesthetic value. The team will be judged on several categories, including mechanical, electrical, controls, HIL, outreach, business, and a trade show evaluation.

You can keep track of the team’s progress on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Summer at Penn State is a season for many things, from making up the credits you late dropped to townies reclaiming their glory in downtown State College. However, aside from the creeping warm temperatures and Starbucks closing ridiculously early, the summer in Happy Valley is also the season for renovation and construction projects for OPP.

Since this university has been around before the abolition of slavery, bringing our campus infrastructure into modernity sometimes comes with impediments. In the case of the Willard building renovation project that is slated to begin this summer, asbestos in the walls, ceilings, and flooring are causing university workers to take extra steps to ensure the safety of not only OPP workers, but the students and faculty that frequent the on-campus building.

According to Penn State’s Environmental Health and Safety website, the building material contains asbestos — a known carcinogen responsible for lung cancer and those annoying day-time TV commercials about Mesothelioma lawyers — which is still present in almost 60 on-campus buildings.

The hazardous material was a staple construction material for its insulating, noise-proofing, and fire-proofing qualities from the 1940s to the 1980s, when a large number of Penn State buildings were remodeled and constructed. Asbestos is contained in thermal insulation, piping, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, and soapstone lab workstations in buildings varying from residence halls like Sproul and Tener to educational spaces like Osmond lab and Kern building. Even the Pattee Library and Rec Hall are known locations for asbestos.

But don’t start compiling a class-action lawsuit just yet. If there is anyone who knows how to properly deal with a huge issue where a lot of people’s health and reputations are at stake, it’s Penn State (no, for real this time).

When scheduled construction projects are undertaken in one of the buildings known to house asbestos, EHS works closely with EPA, DEP, and various other regulators to ensure the removal of the hazardous material is done responsibly. Tactics range from vacuum sealing work locations to contracting asbestos specialists to appoint an “industrial hygienist” to each project, ensuring all proper procedures are taken in the name of safety. And according to University Relations, asbestos is only dangerous to human health when one is exposed to it in airborne form.

So no, you don’t have Mesothelioma. Yet.

United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will deliver his presentation, “How Agriculture Education and Research Help Create Job Opportunities: The 150th Anniversary of the USDA and the Land Grant University System — Looking Back and Looking Forward,” today at 11 a.m. in Berg Auditorium of the Life Sciences Building.

According to Penn State Live, the university receives over 60 grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture each year, amounting to over $30 million (imagine that Governor Corbett). Of course, Penn State has a deep history in agricultural research and development, as it was founded under the name Farmers High School in 1855 and later acted under the name Agricultural College of Pennsylvania.

While on campus, Vilsack will tour some of our state-of-the-art agriculture research facilities and meet with faculty to discuss Penn State’s role in agricultural education.

Yesterday’s THON Newsletter announced the important dates for the THON 2013 season. There will only be three canning weekends, and they all will take place during the fall semester. This major change is most likely in response to last year’s occurrence and the dangers of traveling in the winter weather. Here are the dates:

• Canning Weekend #1: September 28-30, 2012
• Canning Weekend #2: October 19-21, 2012
• Canning Weekend #3: November 9-11, 2012
• THON 5K: October 13, 2012
• THON Weekend: February 15-17, 2013

Do you agree with the changes made to the canning weekends? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Every year, the Center for the Performing Arts brings some of the best acts in theatre, dance, and music to State College, for relatively affordable prices. Now, their 2012-2013 season has been announced. Here are some of the highlights:

Have It All

The season kicks off with a joint concert from New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Appalachian-based Del McCoury Band, playing American classics from across the country. It’ll be interesting to see the mix between the two styles, and the concert promises soul, New Orleans standards, and bluegrass.

What the Folk

A sequel to a highlight from 2006, “The Banjo Summit 2” brings friend of the Center Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, and four other banjo masters to explore the instrument, both through conventional and unexpected ways. “A Leahy Family Christmas” will take the stage in November, and American folk singer Kathy Mattea will come to Eisenhower in February.

For Broadway Fans

It’s always great to get a taste of New York in Central Pennsylvania, and this season’s touring Broadway shows are definitely a good reason to start getting excited for next year. The Addams Family, Hair, and Tap Dogs will take to the stage, with February’s performance being The Addams Family’s Centre County premiere.

A Classical Season

This season, the Center is giving special attention to its classical music concerts. Among the eight performances are a Penn State residency and performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute by Canadian ensemble Opera Atelier, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio performing a new André Previn composition, and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

Some Cool Jazz

If classical isn’t your thing, the Center’s jazz programming spans many countries and styles. Bassist Ron Carter, who has performed with artists from Miles Davis to A Tribe Called Quest, brings his ensemble The Ron Carter Trio in November. In February, Live at Birdland features the Birdland Big Band, directed by Tommy Igoe. In April, jazz musicians Stefon Harris (vibraphone), David Sanchez (saxophone), and Nicholas Payton (trumpet) will tour playing songs from their album Ninety Miles. As a former vibraphonist, I’m excited.

Tap, Ballet, and More

The Pilobolus Dance Theatre returns to Penn State for the first time in 22 years to show off its inventive and athletic choreography. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal will present Italian Evening, and award-winning choreographer Doug Varone brings his dance troupe in October. Donka: A Letter to Chekov by Company Finzi Pasca will interpret the author’s works through clowning, juggling, and acrobatics.

Creative Theatre

This season’s theater offerings include Shakespearean company Actors From The London Stage performing a minimalist production of comedy The Merchant of Venice, with a small cast and few props. Based on a web project, It Gets Better shows LGBT youth how to respond to bullying, involving the audience, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, and Speak Theater Arts.

Penn State’s own College of Arts and Architecture celebrates its 50^th anniversary with a collaboration of its own. The schools of Music and Theatre, in collaboration with the Center, will put on a production of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, a “provocative exploration of faith in an increasingly secular and noisy world.” In addition, the season will showcase the annual School of Music Mosaic concert and the year-ending Penn State Glee Club’s “Blue and White” Concert.

No matter what your tastes are in the arts, there’s something to look forward to in next year’s schedule. You can view the full line-up at the Center for the Performing Arts’ website here.

With Jerry Sandusky’s trial set to begin in less than a month on June 5th, the amount of legal filings and case tidbits have been breaking at an alarming rate over the last several days. Here’s a brief recap on some of the important stuff, assuming you haven’t had time to comb through hundreds of pages of documents on the Centre County website.

Motions to Quash Subpoenas

Many organizations were issued subpoenas to turn over sensitive documents and information relating to the alleged victimes by the Sandusky defense team over the recent months. Several of those organizations are now filing to quash the subpoenas, citing the fact that much of the information requested is confidential and that the defense is going on a “fishing expedition” for information. The agencies that have filed to quash their subpoenas include: The PA Department of Labor Industries, the PA Department of Public Welfare, the PA Department of Corrections, Keystone Central School District, Mifflin County School District, Juanita College, The Second Mile, Clinton County Children and Youth Services, Centre County Children and Youth Services, Bald Eagle Area School District, and psychologist Alycia Chambers.

A hearing has been scheduled for today at 1:30 to discuss some of these motions related to subpoenas.

Over 17 Victims Referenced in Court Documents

In a pretrial motion by the Sandusky defense team, the phrase ”possible accusers who have been identified as Nos. 11 through 17 as well as those whose identification are numbered from 18 and beyond,” is used. This indicates that additional victims have come forward, as Sandusky is currently charged with 52 counts of various child abuse charges against 10 alleged victims. However, the prosecution says that no information will be given regarding these additional cases, citing a pending investigation.

Lasch Shower Incident Date Change

The prosecution motioned to amend the date of the now infamous shower incident witnessed by former assistant coach Mike McQueary. Previously, McQueary had stated without objection that the incident happened sometime before spring break in 2002. Now, the prosecution is claiming that the incident actually happened on February 9, 2001. The information relating to “Victim 2″ has been crucial for this case, as it is the incident that McQueary alleges to have seen and reported to Joe Paterno. This date change also means that the statute of limitations has passed in the Tim Curley and Gary Schultz perjury case, according to their attorneys.

Mike McQueary to File Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Penn State

Penn State was informed yesterday in a writ of summons that former Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary plans to file a lawsuit against the university. McQueary was put on administrative leave after he became a key figure in the Sandusky case for allegedly witnessing the incident in the Lasch Football Building lockerroom shower. No additional details about the lawsuit are available yet.

Prosecution Inadvertently Releases Names of Alleged Victims

In a motion filed Tuesday, the prosecution inadvertently published the names of some of the alleged victims. Judge John Cleland quickly ruled to seal this attachment and remove the document from the Centre County website.

We’ll have updates from today’s court proceedings as they occur.

The results of the alumni Board of Trustees election, announced last Friday at the monthly meeting in the Nittany Lion Inn, were anything but surprising.

Former Penn State football player Adam Taliaferro, widely seen as the front-runner throughout the campaign, predictably garnered 15,629 votes, appearing on just under 42% of the ballots. The always-outspoken Anthony Lubrano wasn’t far behind with 10,096 votes, and the third and final winner, retired Navy SEAL Ryan McCombie, finished with 4,806 votes.

So what does this mean for Penn State?

As the esteemed Davis Shaver discussed last week, a Penn State education could be “so much more.” The living-learning community of large universities like Penn State is eroding, as costs continue to increase. Professor and staff wages are frozen, faculty loads are increasing, and majors are being cut. All of this on top of a governor who just doesn’t seem to understand the role of a land grant institution.

But if the recent Board of Trustees election tells me anything, it’s that Penn State’s priorities still aren’t in the right place.

Let’s look at Anthony Lubrano, one of the more outspoken critics in recent months of the Board of Trustees. Lubrano has donated millions of dollars to Penn State, and by all accounts wants nothing but the best for this university. But to me, good intentions aren’t enough.

Lubrano created a five minute pathos-filled Joe Paterno tribute video that acted as a campaign stunt. He ran on a platform with the first point, “Secure a public apology to the Paterno family for the disgraceful manner in which Coach Paterno was treated.” This is a man who has called for the entire Board of Trustees to resign, the same board on which he will sit in two months.

As I look over his website, there is no shortage of Joe Paterno photographs. What there is a shortage of, however, are tangible ideas to help steer Penn State through this new educational landscape that we’ve been dealt.

Adam Taliaferro is a Penn State icon, known for his perseverance and philanthropy. This name recognition was, in no uncertain terms, the main reason he received over 5,000 more votes than the second-highest vote getter. But like Lubrano, I look at his platform, filled with jargon about “fresh ideas” without actually listing any such initiatives, and question if it would stand alone without Taliaferro’s miraculous story attached to it.

Don’t get me wrong; I believe these men and the people that elected them, like all of us, only want the best for Penn State. But that sentiment alone is not merit enough to have the honor of serving on the Board of Trustees. I fear that these new members are fueled chiefly by the emotional ire that came with the Sandusky scandal. Believe me, I feel it too. We all do. However, that impassioned drive is not a substitute for intellectualism when it comes to decisions in higher education.

What Penn State needs now, perhaps more than ever, are acute thinkers who understand academia and the pressing issues that the university faces. Emotional vendettas stemming from how the board treated Joe Paterno will only delay our healing. Cursory attempts to fix the past — hollow apologies, stadium rededications, or radical BOT restructuring demands — only serve to delay and convolute the real task at hand.

That task — above all else — is providing the best education possible for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the world. I think Coach Paterno would agree with that.

Ah, graduation. A time for pomp, circumstance, and reverence. I had the opportunity to attend two ceremonies this weekend to wish friends farewell. There, I encountered deliberate efforts to kill the solemnity of commencement. Even though the announcers asked for the audience to be silent so that all the parents could hear their children’s names called, the requests were duly ignored.

Hootin’ and Hollerin’

Eisenhower Auditorium and the Bryce Jordan Center broke down into anarchy. People clapped, hooted, and hollered when their student’s name was announced, thus drowning out the names of the following students.

Bells and Whistles

At the Liberal Arts ceremony, one thought pervaded my mind. Disrespect. Disrespect everywhere. Relatives and friends brought whistles and cowbells. I counted six blow horns. (Of note, the fifth blow horn was blown five times.) To my chagrin, the dreaded vuvuzelas from the World Cup made a surprise appearance.

Fraternities

To the fraternities at the Liberal Arts commencement: Shut up! This isn’t a house party. This isn’t initiation. You don’t matter at graduation. This is an event for the students and their loved ones. This is not the time for your chants that last for the names of three students.

At my high school, students whose families cheered and applauded during graduation were denied diplomas at the end of the ceremony. They had to go to the high school repeatedly the following week to beg for their diplomas. I don’t want Penn State to turn to this model of dictatorship, but the behavior exhibited this weekend was unacceptable.

Remember CollegeACB, the Anonymous Confession Board that once tried to guide you through the tiers of frats and multitudes of frat stars and slam pieces?

The site tweets at @PSUACB too.

Well, the idea came back recently as PSUACB.com. But just as everything was falling back into place, the site’s creator pulled a fast one and revealed many of the identities of commenters on the site. JOKES ON YOU BITCHES. Hats off to the guy/girl who made it, because this is awesome.

The site reads:

Fooled you. 90% of this website was me having bullshit conversations with myself. Still, thousands of people read it. Almost every thread on this site received at least 1000 views and I’ve been raking in advertising money.

Even better, PSUacb was not anonymous. I tracked the user behind every post. Here is the list of people identified so far, as well as the search history for the site. More to come

Please address all questions, comments, and hate mail to psuacb@gmail.com

Moral of the story: Grow the fuck up and stop talking shit on the Internet.

I’m eager to see what else this genius has up his or her sleeve.

Do you have thoughts on the Anonymous Confession Board trend? Let us know in the comments!