As reported earlier, the Penn State Board of Trustees has given Graham Spanier a three-year extension on his contract; he will be Penn State president through 2015. When the new contract takes effect July 1, President Spanier will also be receiving a raise on his annual salary from $620,000 to an even $700,000. The increase itself ($80,000) and the new salary are a significant pile of change, but considering Spanier's accomplishments and the advances Penn State has accrued under him, it seems warranted.
The agreement will increase Spanier's tenure to 20 years, making it one of the longest terms for a university president in the country—few extend back beyond the 21st century. In the context of Penn State itself, these 20 years from 1995-2015 will be the second-longest term in Penn State history to George Atherton's 26; Spanier will share his spot on the leaderboard with Ralph Hetzel (1927-1947, and he has a street named after him). We generally don't think of history in our own time; we think it as part of the past. However, here and now, Spanier's reign is a historic one that has shaped and continues to shape the University; a formative period 150 years after its founding.
Read on to learn more about Spanier's career at Penn State so far and what the future holds.
The Spaniers will be living in Schreyer House until at least 2015.
The new contract, agreed upon between the Board of Trustees and Dr. Spanier, amounts to a three-year extension for the man who, according to Penn State Live, has been called "one of the most influential college presidents of our time."
Come 2015, only President George Atherton will have held the position longer.
Read on past the jump to learn more.
Recent Penn State graduate Kylie Nellis made this great video discussing the future of journalism as her senior thesis project for the Schreyer Honors College. The video features interviews with journalism professors Curt Chandler and Tony Barbieri, as well as our own Davis Shaver and other student journalists. They touch on topics ranging from the nature and ethics of journalism to changing definitions of who journalists are.
You can find the video embedded after the jump.
For Penn State faculty, skies may seem a bit more blue. Last year, in an attempt to keep student tuition down, faculty were denied salary raises. With the 2010-2011 proposed budget, the university plans to end the freeze.
This year, the university is hoping to get a 3.9% increase, or around $360.9 million, in state funding. StateCollege.com cites the fact that this is one of the lowest increase requests in 50 years. While nothing is official until the board convenes in July, President Spanier believes the raises are likely.
Proposed raises are not all encompassing, rather they are based on individual merit. Assistant Director of Public Information Annemarie Mountz explains, “There is no set amount given to all employees. Some people may get a very small raise -- or even no raise at all -- while others may get a larger than average raise."
Update (6:01): An earlier version of this post mistakenly lacked proper quote attribution.
Over Memorial Day weekend the Hooters on 538 E.College Ave. unexpectedly closed its doors, leaving employees a little less perky. The once delightfully tacky restaurant will be replaced with “a very kid-friendly” Kildare’s Irish pub.
According to StateCollege.com, the Hooters staff was let go with little notice over the weekend. Renovations will begin almost immediately in order to have the new restaurant ready to open by next fall.
This move to State College is part of a larger effort by the Kildare's brand to establish itself in college towns throughout the country. Dave Magrogan, CEO of the West Chester-based Kildare's group told StateCollege.com that other locations are being developed near Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan State.
This weekend, the Penn State rugby team will be taking to the pitch in Columbus, Ohio. But they will be playing a totally different game than ever before.
The Lions will be competing in the Collegiate 7's Championship Invitational this weekend along with 15 other top rugby teams in the nation. This is also the first American rugby event to be televised nationally in the States. In doing this, the sport may gain a whole new audience. Many people (myself included) got interested in rugby at the end of last year and this should only add to the curiosity about the game.
Read on to learn more about the broadcast, and the new rules being used for this invitational.