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Now and later |
University House, above, will be expanded and transformed into
the University's new alumni center, as seen in the conceptual model shown
to the right.
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By Karen I. Wagner
Public Information
The Board of Trustees approved the appointment of architects for an alumni center and a child care facility at University Park, in addition to giving the go-ahead to Penn State Worthington Scranton for a classroom/conference center and Penn State Harrisburg for a science and technology building expansion.
The existing University House building will become the alumni center and additional facilities will be constructed for staff offices, meeting rooms and recognition of outstanding alumni. The center will serve as a gathering point for returning alumni, an information center, a starting point for campus tours and location for special events. Linda O'Gwynn Architects of Philadelphia has been selected to design the $7 million project. Although Penn State has the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 140,000 members, it's one of the few major universities that has no dedicated center.
The alumni center will be financed entirely by private funds. Penn State alumni Edward R. and Helen Skade Hintz pledged $5 million to the University earlier this spring, part of which will go toward the new center.
The board also approved the appointment of the architectural firm of Kieran, Timberlake & Harris of Philadelphia to design a new central campus child care facility. The building will accommodate approximately 150 children and will help alleviate the existing demand for child care.
The new building will supplement the child care facility currently under construction at the Penn State Research Park. Last June, President Graham B. Spanier approved the University Child Care Action Plan that reinforced the University's commitment to providing access to quality child care for faculty, staff and students and made recommendations for both facilities.
Penn State Harrisburg, Capital College, will be the beneficiary of a $1.2 million, 8,820-square-foot addition to its existing science and technology building. The board-approved project will provide pilot research labs, offices and a multimedia classroom. The addition is being constructed with funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which will share in the use of the pilot labs for research.
The Whitaker Foundation, AMP Foundation, GPU Energy and other corporate sponsors also are helping to fund the project.
Penn State Worthington Scranton won board support for its plans to construct a 9,100-square-foot classroom-conference center to support its continuing and general education programs.
In other business, the board approved University plans to acquire property at several locations, including:
* a Council Crest Colony property to the east of interstate 81 and route 93, Hazleton, which contains 18.7 acres of woodland, for $250,000;
* the Hawbecker property at Fox Hill Road, Benner Township, adjacent to the University Park Airport, which contains 203.5 acres of farmland, for $1.7 million;
* the Kline property at 1687 Barn's Lane, adjacent to the University Park Airport, which contains five acres and a one-story, 2,524-square-foot home, for $325,000; and
* the Frantz property at 1725 Barn's Lane, adjacent to the University Park Airport, which contains slightly more than one acre and a two-story, 2,561-square-foot home, for $202,875.
Consistent with Federal Aviation Administration requirements and with funding provided by the FAA, the Kline and Frantz properties are being acquired due to their location in relation to the proposed flight plan of a new runway for the University Park Airport.
Penn State received gifts totaling $94.9 million from alumni and friends during the fiscal year ending June 30, a 14 percent increase over gift totals from the previous year. The number of donors also increased to nearly 109,000, up from 106,900 in 1995-96.
This is the seventh consecutive year that private giving to the University has increased.
"These gifts will significantly strengthen the quality of our academic programs," said President Graham B. Spanier. "Our donors have designated their support for a variety of areas that have a critical need for more funds -- scholarship endowments and graduate fellowships, new lab equipment, library acquisitions and faculty research, to name just a few. We are very grateful to our alumni and friends for their extraordinary generosity."
Giving was up in all categories. Nearly 63,000 alumni made gifts totaling $29.7 million, compared with $26.9 million in 1995-96. Nearly 5,000 corporations made gifts totaling $30.9 million, compared with $24.8 million the previous year. About 1,600 foundations and other organizations made gifts totaling $19.5 million, compared with $17.3 million from this source in 1995-96. Gifts from 39,000 nonalumni individuals totaled $14.9 million, up from $14.2 million the year before.
Spanier also noted that these gifts would be counted as part of the advance phase of the University-wide capital campaign that Penn State expects to launch at a later date.
"While we have not yet determined the dollar goal for the campaign, this year's record giving certainly gives our fund-raising efforts strong momentum," he said. "The fact that so many individuals and organizations want to help Penn State is a tremendous source of inspiration as we continue to set the strategic direction of the campaign."
By Alan Janesch
Public Information
The Board of Trustees approved a land lease agreement, with options for
future lease or purchase, for an 80-acre University-owned 
parcel of land.
The agreement will allow developers to move ahead with a proposed University-related
retirement community project known as "The Village at Penn State."
The parcel, known as the "Farm 8" site, is bounded by the Mount Nittany Expressway and Fox Hollow Road near University Park. Initially, up to 50 acres of the parcel will be leased to the Village at Penn State Retirement Community -- a group that will have non-profit status but will still pay local property taxes.
Penn State is interested in the development of a retirement community because it believes that the State College area is highly attractive to retirees with Penn State ties, that the University's involvement will help ensure the success of such a community and that the educational and volunteer relationships it makes possible would be beneficial to the retirees and to Penn State.
William H. McKinnon, senior associate vice president for finance and business, said the site is well suited to the project. "It provides University-owned land that can be leased to the development team, and adjacent to the University-owned parcel is privately owned land that can be sold for individual condominium ownership," McKinnon said. "Also, the view from the site to Mount Nittany and the University provides a desired visual relationship between Penn State and the Village."
Under the terms of the agreement, there will be a base lease payment of $50,000 a year, plus an additional annual lease payment per unit per year. The term of the lease, starting with the closing of financing to build the initial phase of the project, will be 35 years, with the option for two consecutive 15-year renewal periods.
There also are options to lease or purchase the remaining portions of the 80-acre site for a period of 10 years from the effective date of the initial lease agreement.
"I'm very pleased that the project is moving ahead," said President Graham B. Spanier. "The idea of a retirement community at Penn State engages me from almost every perspective."
Spanier said that a properly designed and operated retirement community related to the University could provide valuable services to its residents, enhance the already close relationship between Penn State and its alumni and promote increased educational opportunities for Penn State students and faculty. "Retirement community residents could get involved in virtually every part of Penn State," Spanier said, "including teaching, volunteering at artistic and cultural events, volunteering in our day care centers or the libraries, or helping at athletic events."
To develop the retirement community, the University has been working with a project team consisting of Cooperative Retirement Services of America Inc. (CRSA) of Memphis, Tenn., and Pinnacle Development Inc. of State College.
Peter B. Weiler, associate vice president for development and alumni relations, told the board that a marketing survey done earlier this year had high response rates and significantly positive results.
In general, retirement communities of this kind provide several levels of services for retirees: independent living, for those who can care for themselves; assisted care, for retirees who need some help with personal needs, but are largely self-sufficient; and skilled care, which usually provides high-level care in a nursing-home environment.
As it is currently envisioned, the Village at Penn State would consist of a planned unit development (PUD) for persons 55 and older and a continuous care retirement community (CCRC) for those who want to ensure the availability of long-term care.
Penn State will not use any University funds to develop the project, and will not own or operate the facility. But the retirement village would have access to University programs, services and facilities that would benefit the Village and its residents as well as the University and its students. As a whole, the Village will involve:
* the Penn State Geisinger Health System, in providing medical care;
* the College of Health and Human Development, the College of Medicine and other colleges in doing research and providing services;
* the Penn State Alumni Association; and
* a volunteer program.
In addition, a retirement community associated with Penn State would be able to provide internships and work opportunities to students in health planning and administration, recreation and leisure activities, hotel and restaurant management, human development and family studies, nursing, nutrition, kinesiology, gerontology and other related disciplines. It also will be tied into classes, athletics and cultural events.
Stories in national, regional and area newspapers have described the State College area as a community highly attractive to retirees.
The Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal
College of Business Administration
New major announced in management science information systems, and international business.
This major is expected to provide a greater degree of internationalization to the curriculum in management science and information systems. In modern business, the problems that require quantitative analysis and information systems skills increasingly cross international boundaries; and hence, an augmentation of these studies is called for in the international dimension. Emphasis also will encourage students to study abroad and, through possible internship arrangements, to encourage student involvement in foreign institutions other than universities. For this major, 145 credits are required.
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
New minor in Industrial Health and Safety
This minor, which will offer a specialized program for students in other broad-based majors, will enable the program to broaden its appeal and, at the same time, satisfy a need for graduates who are trained in the principles of occupational health and safety. Current employment opportunities exist for individuals with this background and, thus, will provide additional career options as well. For this minor, 18 credits are required.
College of Engineering
Addition of new option to the major in chemical engineering
-- Option in bioprocessing engineering
This option is designed to acquaint the chemical engineering student with the bioprocessing world while building on a strong chemical engineering curriculum. Bioprocessing companies, including biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, have a pressing need for chemical engineers with a background in bioprocess engineering capable of addressing government regulation concerns in bioprocess validation and current good manufacturing practices. It also has been estimated that between 15 percent and 20 percent of new chemical engineering graduates will be employed in the biotechnology and related fields by the year 2000; 27 credits are required for this option.
College of Health and Human Development
Change in option in the recreation and park management major
a) Change in name from option in commercial recreation and tourism to option in commercial and community recreation;
b) Change in name from option in outdoor recreation and environmental interpretation to option in park management and environmental interpretation;
c) Drop the option in recreation and park management.
The changes will make the curriculum more efficient by bringing course offerings up-to-date with contemporary professional standards and will reflect changes within the recreation and park profession. Specific course changes within options have been made to provide students with up-to-date competencies in option-related specializations.
New major in electrical engineering
This major will educate its graduates to develop capabilities to analyze and design a variety of electrical and electronic systems found in many industrial and government settings, as well as provide a foundation for further graduate studies. A strong background in the fundamentals is built through a broad-based core in basic sciences (physics and chemistry) and mathematics, as well as engineering sciences; 128 credits are required.
College of Arts and Architecture
Change in name from Master of Arts Degree Program in Music to Master of Arts Degree Program in Musicology.
A proposal to change the Master of Arts Degree Program in Music to the Master of Arts Degree Program in Musicology was approved by the Graduate Council at its meeting on May 7. The name change brings the program's central emphasis in line with similar programs offered in the United States. The addition of an interdisciplinary, cognate area of study addresses the need for interrelationships of music with other arts, the social sciences and philosophy which have become increasingly relevant to modern historical method. This gives the M.A. degree in musicology a uniqueness which will attract students to the program.
College of Engineering
Change in the program: Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Industrial Engineering
A proposal to change the requirements for the doctor of philosophy degree in industrial engineering in the College of Engineering was approved by the Graduate Council at its meeting on May 7. The change will require the addition of 18 course credits to the Ph.D. program. This will require doctoral students in the industrial engineering program to continue to take academic courses as opposed to 600-level (research) credits. In practice, students currently often satisfy all Ph.D. course work requirements within their master's degree program in industrial engineering. This change will strengthen the requirements of the industrial engineering program to satisfy faculty desires and establish requirements on par with those of peer institutions.
College of the Liberal Arts
-- New program: Master of Arts Degree in Russian and Comparative Literature
Approved by the Graduate Council at its meeting on May 7, this new program enables students to concentrate in Russian literature at the graduate level while having the advantages of a comparative context. Students completing the master of arts will acquire an in-depth understanding of Russian literature and culture and will be proficient in Russian, as well as a second foreign language. Graduates of the program should be prepared for service with the United State government, an international corporation or to continue graduate study in Russian or comparative literature.
-- Change in program: Master of Arts Degree program in Speech Communication
A proposal to change requirements for the master of arts degree program in speech communication was approved by the Graduate Council at its meeting on May 7. The Department of Speech Communication proposed the addition of a non-thesis option to the master of arts degree program. The master of arts degree is likely a terminal degree for some students in the program who are preparing for careers that do not require extensive ability in original research. These students would profit from exposure to relevant coursework. For such students, the requirement of a comprehensive examination and a master's paper will enable them to be more intelligent consumers of research in their professional lives.
Newspaper reading may become a more common habit at University
Park and other campuses with residence halls. This fall, the University
will deliver newspapers to residence halls.
Photo: Greg Grieco
The University will launch a newspaper delivery program in the University Park residence halls when classes resume on Aug. 27, and also at nine additional campuses that have residence halls.
Students at University Park will have their choice of four daily newspapers when they return to their residence halls. They are The New York Times, USA Today, the Centre Daily Times and The Daily Collegian.
An experiment to deliver newspapers to 550 residence hall doors this past spring proved successful enough that the University is expanding the program for the 1997-98 school year. Approximately 17,000 students live in residence halls at the University's residential campuses.
The follow-up survey of the students involved in the 15-week experiment indicated that students who received The New York Times and the local newspaper, the Centre Daily Times, had a better understanding of local events and a better knowledge of national and international events. The students who took part in the survey also said that access to the daily papers contributed to their overall general education at Penn State and reported that reading a newspaper contributed to their ability to comprehend a debate on a critical issue.
The University also surveyed a group of students in a residence hall where the free newspapers were not delivered to their doors. This group reported they were more likely to get news through World Wide Web connections.
"It is clear to us through this experiment that newspaper readership can have a positive impact on the lives of our students and we want to now expand this service," said President Graham B. Spanier, who first suggested bringing newspapers into the residence halls last winter.
Starting with the fall semester in late August, Penn State will purchase several thousand copies of The New York Times, Centre Daily Times and USA Today and place them in common areas of residence halls. Penn State already contributes $20,000 a year toward The Daily Collegian, the student newspaper, which is offered free at numerous locations around campus.
"We will closely monitor which newspapers are most popular and change the mix of available newspapers accordingly," Spanier said. "We are prepared to make as many copies of the newspapers available as students want, as reading habits and newspaper preferences become more predictable."
"As part of this initiative we also will put in place more convenient distribution of the student newspaper, The Daily Collegian," said William Asbury, vice president for student affairs.
The program will be funded by adding only $5 a semester to student room and board rates. An increase this small was possible due to extremely favorable rates being offered by the cooperating newspapers.
"It is critical that college students have an understanding of the world, both local and international, where they will soon go out to live, have jobs and raise families," Spanier said. "Reading a daily newspaper is a perfect way to gain a better understanding of that world."
Survey results from the experiment indicate the students who received the papers felt they were more likely to want to continue to read the papers in the future.
The University is going to reap some additional benefits as a result of the innovative program. Some of the participating newspapers have indicated they will help establish scholarships for students.
One aspect of the program which a number of students have raised concerns about -- recycling of all these newspapers -- also has been worked out. The PennMulch company, which implemented research by George Hamilton, senior lecturer in agronomy, to create mulch from shredded newsprint and other recycled paper, will help recycle these newspapers. It also has indicated an interest in funding a student scholarship as part of the program.
Pennsylvanians believe additional tax dollars should be allocated to support public higher education, according to a recently completed study.
The telephone survey of 818 residents of the state was conducted as part of an annual poll of Pennsylvania citizens toward particular issues impacting the state by the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg.
The majority of adult Pennsylvanians felt that the state should place high priority on funding its colleges and universities.
The results of the study are consistent with results of previous larger studies by the Gallup Organization.
When asked to consider all the major issues facing Pennsylvania today, and then rate the level of priority that should be placed on funding the state's colleges and universities, 62 percent of the respondents said it should be a "high priority" and 32 percent said it should be a "moderate priority." Only 3 percent of the survey respondents said funding of the state's colleges and universities should rate a low priority.
The majority of Pennsylvania adults believe that the state's funding distribution for higher education is unsatisfactory, favoring more funding for public universities.
Pennsylvania ranks 47th in the nation in support of public higher education and second nationally in the support of private colleges with tax dollars.
In general, the omnibus study conducted by the Center for Survey Research found:
* Access to an affordable college education is important to most Pennsylvanians. In fact, 86 percent of those surveyed said it was very important to them personally or someone in their household or family.
* The majority (62 percent) of adult Pennsylvanians feel that the state should place high priority (in relation to other issues) on funding its colleges and universities.
* The majority (74 percent) of Pennsylvania adults believe that the state's current funding distribution for higher education is unsatisfactory. Of the respondents, 70 percent said they favor more funding for public universities.
* In general, citizens think that Penn State makes an important contribution to the economic vitality of Pennsylvania.
And finally, the poll asked which Penn State activities they considered important to the welfare of the state.
"Programs to help children in grades K-12," "providing a high quality undergraduate education," "retraining workers," "education programs for school teachers," "providing research and service to the agricultural industry," "helping small business owners" and "stimulating start-up companies" all received broad support from Pennsylvanians who were questioned in the poll.
In addition to being consistent with previous statewide studies, the findings reflect a national trend recently reported on by the Council for Aid to Education, and sponsored by the RAND Corp.
The good news outlined in that report is that demand for a college degree is increasing. This is perhaps not a surprising trend since over the last 20 years the average earnings of males with less than a bachelor's degree have declined while average earnings for those with a bachelor's degree or more have increased. The trend is even more pronounced for women.
However, at the same time demand is growing, escalating costs and decreasing public financing are expected to culminate in a national crisis. In fact, the council warns that if these trends continue at their current rates, by the year 2015 higher education will fall $38 billion short of what is needed to serve the student population in that year.
The study of Pennsylvania adults was conducted between May 5 and June 1. Publicly supported colleges and universities include Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, Temple, Lincoln, the 14 colleges of the State System of Higher Education and the state's 15 community colleges.
Melissa Chaney, instructor in the School of Visual Arts,
left, assists student Ryan Deemer
during an outdoor session of an art class. Faculty received good news with
the Board of Trustees' approval of the 1997-98 operating budget: the University
has budgeted for an additional 100 faculty positions.
Photo: Greg Grieco
The Board of Trustees approved a 1997-98 total operating budget of approximately $1.4 billion that includes several significant changes.
"The budget we are presenting to you today differs from those in recent University history in a number of ways," said President Graham B. Spanier in his report to the Board of Trustees. "Happily, it includes a 3.1 percent increase in our state appropriation, in contrast to the more modest increase received last year." The state appropriation increase for 1997-98 is $8.7 million, for a total appropriation of $289.7 million.
The budget also contains the largest increase for program allocations in many years, including the addition of more than 100 new faculty positions, about 60 of which will be filled this year, and internal budget reductions of about $3.5 million. It implements for the first time a President's Excellence Fund to provide additional support for each unit's highest priorities; incorporates differential tuition as a new pricing approach; and reflects The Dickinson School of Law and Penn State Geisinger Health system mergers that became effective July 1.
The Dickinson School of Law budget, which was approved by its board on May 30, is now part of Penn State's total operating budget and adds approximately $11 million to the total. Budget changes at The Hershey Medical Center include an increase of $35.7 million for the College of Medicine general funds budget and a $7 million increase for its restricted funds.
The budget also includes a reduction of $265 million for the University Hospital and a reduction of $109 million for auxiliary enterprises at Hershey, reflecting the transfer of much of the operations of the hospital to the new entity, the Penn State Geisinger Health System.
"Putting these two pieces together, the total University budget for next year is $1.4 billion, including $56.4 million increase in all areas except Hershey and a net reduction of $331.8 million at the medical center, reflecting the shift to the Penn State Geisinger Health System," Spanier said.
Penn State will have an active role in and provide oversight for the Penn State Geisinger Health System, whose initial annual budget is estimated to be $1.1 billion. In addition, the Corporation for Penn State -- an umbrella for the development of the research park, the Ben Franklin Technology Center of Central and Northern Pennsylvania, the Bioprocessing Resource Center and other areas -- has an annual budget of $11 million.
Giving further detail on the budget, Spanier told the board that the state appropriation will represent 35 percent of the Educational and General Funds Budget -- the portion of Penn State's total budget that is supported by state appropriations and tuition and fees for the teaching and service missions of the University. Student tuition and fees will contribute 57 percent and other income from investments, recovery of indirect costs and departmental services will contribute 8 percent.
Cost increases for 1997-98 of $26.6 million include a net increase of $1.2 million in employee benefit costs, including increases in health care, social security and changes in employer contributions to TIAA/CREF and the state retirement system, and an increase of $14.4 million in salary adjustments and related benefits to bring these more in line with other Big Ten public universities.
"To maintain the competitiveness of Penn State's salaries and to recognize the strong performance that is characteristic of our faculty and staff, we gave as much priority as possible to salary increases," Spanier said. "This budget plan is based on a 2 percent increase for all employees whose performance has exceeded expectations, and another 1 percent of the total salary base for additional merit, market, equity and compression considerations."
John Brighton, executive vice president and provost, outlined a number of program adjustments totaling $7.4 million of the Educational and General Funds Budget which are allocated to the 31 budget units for program needs. These allocations were recommended by the University Planning Council based on its review of unit strategic plans and requests. They focus on supporting the University's core academic functions and meeting critical needs.
"One of the things that came across repeatedly as the University Planning Council reviewed the college strategic plans is the need for more faculty members," Brighton said. "By nearly any benchmarking measure that looks at the size of the faculty, we are behind other comparable institutions."
Data from the Joint State Government Commission for Pennsylvania's state-related universities show that Penn State's student/faculty ratio of 18.4 to 1 is higher than those for Pitt at 14.5 to 1 and Temple at 16.9 to 1. It would take about 650 additional faculty positions to bring Penn State's ratio in line with the others.
"Through internal budget reallocations and the proposed new funding for academic programs, Penn State will add more than 100 new faculty positions in the 1997-98 budget year. About 60 of these positions will be filled this year and national searches are in progress to fill the rest for the following academic year," he said. "In addition, the equivalent of 21 additional faculty positions will result from shifting academic personnel with administrative assignments back to the classroom."
A total of $1.3 million through internal reallocations is included to fund 25 of those new faculty positions; $1 million is allocated to add faculty positions and enhance academic programs in the Life Sciences Consortium, including the Eberly College of Science, the College of Health and Human Development, the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Medicine, the College of the Liberal Arts and the College of Engineering; and $4.6 million will support faculty positions and other high priority academic programs.
In addition, more than $1.4 million, reflecting the changes in tuition, will go to colleges and campuses based on the enrollment in each unit. About $827,000 for instructional workload adjustments will go to nine of the 10 colleges based on changing enrollment patterns.
Libraries and information technology that support every part of the University will receive a total of $2.1 million, and $1 million is allocated for major maintenance of buildings and facilities in addition to the $7.3 million annually budget for major maintenance. Maintenance funds will need to be increased significantly over the next several years to reduce the growing backlog of projects currently estimated to total more than $170 million. About $605,000 will go to academic support and administrative support units, and $250,000 will enhance undergraduate student aid.
On the income side of the Educational and General Funds Budget new funds include about $1.1 million in grants-in-aid; $6.5 million in the state appropriation; $15.5 million from tuition rate changes; $390,000 from new laboratory and clinical surcharge; $606,000 from a small increase in the computer fee, $500,000 from Summer Session tuition increase; $1.2 million in investment income and indirect cost recovery; and other changes for a total of approximately $26.6 million in income changes.
Before concluding, Spanier announced that he had established the President's Excellence Fund of $1.6 million to provide additional support for the highest priority needs within each college and administrative unit.
"The proposed salary increase is clearly short of where we'd ideally like to be, and the program allocations are never enough to meet even the most critical needs. This fund will help to ease these concerns to some extent," he said.
"The use of these funds is to be determined by each unit and may be used to reward unusually meritorious faculty and staff, add faculty positions, support graduate assistantships, meet special departmental allotment requirements or other high priority needs."
