I will not be partaking in State Patty's Day festivities this weekend. This choice has been influenced by the dismantling I've seen done to the downtown area over the past three years. Although I won't be covered in shamrocks or chugging green beer this weekend, I encourage anyone who wants to to do so. Let me explain.
Toward the end of last night's University Park Undergraduate Association meeting, Director of Finance Steven Hitchan revealed that the UPUA budget still has $86,000 left, minus money to be spent on Movin' On and the S-Book. So there's a ton of money left to be spent (it doesn't carry over to next year) and somehow the Student Activity Fee is still going up in the fall. Go figure. All legislation except one policy was approved unanimously. The most interesting piece was a resolution that will put in place a shuttle from State College to the Lewistown Amtrak station through Nittany Express, Inc.
In between the awe-inspiring chaos of THON and the looming headaches in the leadup to and fallout from State Patty's Day, the Greek community is very busy this time of year. Luckily, Panhellenic Council President Paige Rothaus answers our questions about the current state of the Greeks at Penn State and moving forward.
THON is an incredible event. For 46 hours, we forget the differences between us Penn State students that divide us for 362 days a year, and come together for a cause that's just about as noble as it gets. It's inspiring enough before you even consider what actually goes on over the course of the weekend--the dancers refusing to sit or sleep, the BJC packed with supporters, and families and children getting one weekend to either just be a kid or to celebrate life. But that doesn't mean it's perfect, because, frankly, nothing is. THON as a charity might be above reproach, but the event can certainly be improved. We posed that task to the Onward State staff, who responded with a variety of suggested changes.
If you were one of the may students who were NOT at the March Against Raising Tuition yesterday, you're not alone. With roughly 100 participants, the rally could be seen as a total flop. But how? What went wrong? Aren't we all angry about the out of control debt the administration is forcing upon students? I'm sure no one wants to pay even more to attend Penn State, but why then was a march to address the issue poorly received? The answer is clear. We just really don't care.
As it becomes more and more likely that the University will see decreased state appropriations this year, as it has in years past, the University has set out to reduce costs. As part of Priorities of Excellence: the Penn State Strategic Plan, the University has begun taking a closer look at all of its academic colleges and campuses, looking to determine underutilized resources, as well as redundancies in the system. Most of this work centers on Strategic Plan Strategy 2.4: Consolidate Academic and Administrative Programs through Targeted Reviews. Strategy 2.4 outlines Targeted Review by stating that "rigorous program review provides a vehicle for elevating the strongest academic programs and most effective administrative units of the University, an opportunity to redirect resources from weaker programs, and a way to reduce redundancies and create greater efficiencies." To put it simply, the University is looking to reallocate resources in a cheaper, more efficient manner.