Academics can be a mundane world, until a juicy scandal excites it.
The president of the University of Chicago recently come under fire for romantic involvement with a member of faculty. An entire ethical debate has subsequently risen over whether this presented potential for a conflict of interest.
The board has stated it sees absolutely no problems with the romantic involvement between the president and the professor. According to the Chicago Tribune
The university has taken steps to ensure that Zimmer will not be involved in decisions about her salary or promotions, spokesman Steve Kloehn said. If there are questions that typically would go to the president, they will instead go to Alper [the chairman of the university's board of trustees].
Spanier's wife, Sandra Spanier, is a Penn State employee. The question arises: Does President Spanier come into direct contact with questions related to his wife? Does it give her an unfair advantage compared to the rest of the faculty? Should the board let someone as qualified a professor as Sandra Spanier go, just so we it can avoid a potential conflict of interest? In all cases, the answer is: probably not.
Nothing beats waking up on a Saturday morning to fight off people to get what you really want. You would know what I am talking about if you went to this yesterday. Trash to Treasure is a great way for the Penn State community to recycle and share what they no longer need. All proceeds made from these sales (one in the Winter and one in the Summer) go to local charities which are supported by the Centre County United Way. The sale itself started at 9 am (people tend to line up in advance) and then the madness ensued. As a good friend of mine put it, "It's like a flea market in here!".
I bet you're wondering what kinds of things were available there. You'll have to read on to find out!
Well the time has finally come for good ol' G-Span to head out there and show his alma mater all that he has learned from us here at PSU. The Des Moines Register had an interview with President Graham Spanier, which is actually a good look into his life as a president. In the interview he talks about the time he spends in the dorms (at the beginning of the year in East), the changes university life has seen since his time as a student, and how he spends his free time. The title of the speech he will be giving is "What I Can Learn Sleeping in the Residence Halls."
One of the better questions in the article related to the speech's title:
So what's with sleeping in the dorms?
I've been doing that at the beginning of the fall semester for years. It helps me put a finger on the pulse of students. The speech has a catchy title but it's about keeping up with what is happening with students.
I can say that I have personally seen G-Span spend some time in the dorms over here at East and he does get to know the incoming class. In fact, he actually goes around and talks to every student and tries to get feedback from them straight off the bat. He also advertises various important events that first-years should attend so they may become attuned to the Penn State culture. Also, he performs magic (he still can't make the CATA buses appear on time, though)!
Read on for some more good stuff from the interview.
Greg Gabbard ran City Lights Records on College Ave for 25 years. The record store closed on Saturday to the disappointment of State College music lovers past and present. Hasan stopped by to talk with Greg last week to pick the mind of a man who has done so much for our community's musical inclinations.
What does the future hold for you?
Well that's an interesting question. I am going to have a lot of stock left so for a period of time I will still be selling music. Probably utilizing the internet, the technology I struggled against for the past several years. I do not believe it shouldn't exist, I just like a little variety so I will be utilizing that to sell records, CDs, and everything else I have for sale.
What inspired you to first start City Lights Records?
I was a record collector and loved music and had purchased thousands of records over time. I was about to become an English teacher in high school and a friend of mine says "I will pay you more than that to open up a record store for me". He already had one and wanted another one in another city. I said "I will do that for a little while" and well...its been a little while.
What is a typical day in City Lights Records?
A typical day here is pricing records, pricing CDs, selling records, selling CDs, answering questions about music, about new releases. It involves a lot of speaking so by the end of the day I go home and am very quiet.
If you were a musician in a band, what instrument would you play and why?
I actually was in a band in college and was the singer.
What do you like most about music?
I think my favorite part of the listening experience is the ability of the music to move you emotionally. It is a wonder to me about how much it can move me.
What are your top five albums of all time?
I have never been able to do that. I can say what some of my favorite albums are but it would be difficult for me to rank them because I would end up saying "that's in the top ten, not the top five." I don't think I could live without the Beatles albums, John Coltrane albums, Miles Davis albums, Clash albums, The Jam, The Replacements. Some of the more aggressive music I like. Soul, Reggae....I need something from all genres.
What is City Lights Records relationship with institutions that promote local music?
Help in any way we can. I have always loved to tell people who the best bands in State College are, who they should go to see. They ask me "do you have an alternative band in State College, do you have an alt. country band in State College". I always try to point them in the right direction for that. When clubs have shows I try to advertise as much as I can for the local shows. That is what keeps our community musical so I'll do anything.
Do you have a favorite local hotspot for music?
I was just in one of my favorites last night. I saw our own Dawn Kinnard, a woman who used to live here in town and moved to Nashville and went to London and recorded an album. She is going to record another one in England. We are pretty proud of her and she stopped by last night and played at Zeno's. It was great!
Do you have any advice for upcoming musicians in State College?
Be the best you can be at whatever you do and use your imagination.
If you were a dinosaur, what kind would you be? And why?
A pterodactyl, just to stay out of everybody's way.
Hey readers! Are you creative? Are you talented with a camera? Do you want an opportunity to win $500?! Then do I have just the thing for you!!!!
The Rock Ethics Institute is holding a competition open to ALL (yes that includes you too, grad student) Penn State students at ANY Penn State campus who are or have been enrolled full-time in the 2009/2010 academic year. The competition itself, you ask? Why, it is to create a short film about ethics. The Rock Ethics Institute attempts to promote ethical awareness across the University (in public and professional sectors) through teaching, research and outreach. More information can be found here.
Find out more about the contest after the jump.
Update 11:30: Well what do you know! Both we and the Collegian had this one wrong. No new policy was passed at Tuesday's meeting. Rather, a resolution was passed that was meant to put on record the Senate's "opposition to the early dismissal of classes by teaching staff for anything besides legitimate professional reasons," according to Annemarie Mountz.
The original column is below in italics.
A new policy was passed on Tuesday by the University Faculty Senate which is now being moved to President Graham Spanier for approval. What is this new policy? To stop professors from canceling classes before break begins.
College of Liberal Arts Senator Dennis Gouran put it best when he said, "It is unprofessional behavior on the faculty's behalf to cancel classes because they are simply giving themselves and students an early start home."