From the Trustee Docket
Penn State Intercom......May 24, 2001

Undergraduate research
is on the increase

By Amy Neil

Public Information

Research is a significant element in undergraduate education at Penn State, with more than 5,000 undergraduates participating in some form of research this past year.

"Undergraduate research introduces students to the joy of discovery and makes the process of learning active, rather than passive -- a process that engages students in new and different ways," Rodney Erickson, executive vice president and provost, told the Board of Trustees.

Erickson said that involvement in research often can help students decide on a career path or rule out certain careers. It also can help them decide if graduate school is the right choice for them and, it can help position them for added success in their future work or studies.

"With the cooperation of the academic deans at Penn State, we have been able to increase the number of students who are engaged in undergraduate research opportunities," he said at the May 11 meeting of the board. "And, our experience indicates that this is an educational activity that
doesn't cost large sums of money."

Erickson said the President's Fund for Research, administered from his office, gives funds to the colleges for the exclusive use of supporting undergraduates in the research enterprise. Each college is required to match the central funding provided.

"Our data from the 1999-2000 academic year show that $241,000 in total funding supported at least 295 projects involving 200 faculty and more than 470 undergraduates," he said.

Erickson said the University also benefits when undergraduates are involved in research. "Undergraduate students ask questions that can be very insightful, and can change the ways in which we as faculty approach research questions," he said. "They force us to respond to questions in different ways and on different terms than we often do with graduate student and other faculty members."

Research also helps students understand the relevance of their studies and sparks their intellectual curiosity. Erickson said offering strong programs supporting undergraduate research also is a valuable recruiting tool.

"Universities increasingly feature undergraduate research as a selling point in their recruiting messages," he said. "After all, the potential involvement of undergraduates is one of the most important assets that research universities such as ours have to offer prospective students."

Erickson cited several examples of undergraduate research at Penn State, including:

* CAUSE, the Center for Advanced Undergraduate Study and Experience, located in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. CAUSE funds seminars that allow students to do theme-based research both in the classroom and out in the field;

* Archeology fieldwork in southern Egypt. Students from geosciences, art history, arts and landscape architecture regularly participate under the direction of several faculty; and

* Rethinking Urban Poverty, an annual service-learning project led by Lakshman Yapa, associate professor of geology, which researches urban poverty in Philadelphia. Undergraduates from a variety of disciplines undertake research-based thesis projects looking at different aspects of urban life.

"Research universities are showing once again that research and undergraduate education are not in conflict, but strongly complement each other," said Erickson. "Through research, we are able to offer personal attention and hands-on experiences to our undergraduate students. Students tell us that these experiences are making a real difference in their lives."

Also appearing before the board were three students who participated in research as undergraduates. Ryan Newman, a recent graduate in The Smeal College of Business Administration, received one of the first international research grants sponsored by the Schreyer Honors College. His research in Cameroon was presented at an international demography conference in Washington, D.C. Kelly Walkovich, who just graduated with a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, received the Gerard Houser award for the top entry at this year's Undergraduate Research Exhibition. Ndidi Moses, a McNair Scholar, graduated in May 2000 and is currently a graduate student in the College of Communications. She was last year's overall winner in the Undergraduate Exhibition.

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Board adopts interim budget of $2.16 billion

The Board of Trustees adopted an interim maintenance and operating budget of $2.16 billion during its recent meeting.

Each year, the University adopts an interim budget so that it has an approved fiscal operating plan from the end of its fiscal year, July 1, until the next year's budget is approved by the board.

The 2001-2002 budget will be presented to the board for approval at its next meeting, July 17, at Penn State Abington.

The board's May 11 action approved the interim maintenance and operating budget at the level of the 2000-2001 total operating budget for the total University.

The board will take no action on changes in tuition, salaries and wages, employee benefits or other necessary expense increases until after the 2001-2002 state appropriation has been approved.

IST making strides

In their first two years of activity, the faculty, staff and students of the School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) affected improvements in information technology across the state that will continue at an even greater pace in the next year, IST's Dean James Thomas told the Board of Trustees.

As of May, IST had 72 faculty members at 19 campuses teaching a total of 2,572 students. In addition to these individuals were 400 "virtual students" enrolled in IST's online certificate programs, the most popular of which prepares students to become Webmasters through the World Campus.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01ist.html.

Sanctions fair, students say

An informational report to the Board of Trustees by Joseph Puzycki, director of Judicial Affairs, outlined trends in the student misconduct cases at University Park and other Penn State locations brought before the office. Student response to the sanctions leveled by the University in recent years is supportive.

The office conducted a survey of each student sanctioned for code violations between 1997 and 2000. According to Puzycki, more than 94 percent of respondents felt that they were treated respectfully, given fair opportunity to explain their behavior and offered sufficient options for resolving the situation. In addition, 96 percent felt the decisions of the office were fair, and 97 percent believed the University's punishment was fair and appropriate.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01judicial.html

Campus projects approved

The Board of Trustees approved action on a number of campus projects, including preliminary plans for an administration building at Penn State Beaver and final plans for a new student union building at Penn State McKeesport, an extramural research facility at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and an indoor swimming pool addition to the Capital Union Building at Penn State Harrisburg.

The board also approved the appointment of an architect for the addition to the Franco Building at the Berks campus and the purchase of an 18-acre parcel for Penn State Erie.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01opp.html

Goal raised to $1.3 billion

Responding to the need for more resources to support students, faculty and programs, the Board of Trustees approved a recommendation to raise the goal of the University's seven-year fund-raising campaign to $1.3 billion. The original goal of the Grand Destiny Campaign, which began July 1, 1996, was to secure
$1 billion in private gifts.

According to a report to the trustees by Rod Kirsch, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, the campaign had reached $957 million in gifts and pledges as of April 30. The recommendation came from the Campaign Executive Committee, a group of about 50 alumni and friends that provides volunteer leadership for the campaign.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01campaign.html

Three join medical center board

The Board of Trustees approved the appointments of Steve A. Garban, L.J. Rowell Jr. and Gary C. Schultz to the board of directors of The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Each appointment is for a three-year term ending June 30, 2004.

Garban is a member of the Board of Trustees and senior vice president of finance and operations/treasurer emeritus of the University. Rowell also is a member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer (retired) of Provident Mutual Life. Schultz currently serves as the University's senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01hmcboard.html

Alumni Association updates board

In an informational report to the Board of Trustees, Penn State Alumni Association President James Carnes discussed the organizational structure of the association, recent initiatives and its support of the mission of the University.

"New this year, as part of the association's mission to keep alumni connected to the University and each other, an effort to expand online services was initiated," Carnes said.

New electronic services include an online alumni directory, an e-mail forwarding service and creation of an Alumni Association portal, or entrance page to the Internet, which can include user-customized information about the University, local, national and world news.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01alumni.html

Hazleton master plan OK'd

The Board of Trustees approved a master plan for the Penn State Hazleton campus.

"Hazleton is a vibrant, growing campus that now has an opportunities plan (that) will provide a blueprint for logical development of the campus, as needed," said William J. Anderson Jr., assistant vice president for physical plant.

The community, faculty, staff and students were actively involved in the development of the plan and it has been presented and endorsed by the campus advisory board and local municipal officials.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01hazleton.html

New trustees elected

Alumni, delegates of agricultural societies and delegates of industrial societies elected two new members and re-elected five incumbents to serve on the University's Board of Trustees.

For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot11may01elections.html

Information on Undergraduate Programs

Berks-Lehigh Valley College

Major in interdisciplinary liberal arts: Change in name from major in culture studies

The single action is the change of the name of the major in culture studies to the major in interdisciplinary liberal arts. The major provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to "culture," a key concept in the liberal arts. This program provides students with a foundation for work in a variety of fields, as well as preparation for law school or for graduate study in English, American Studies and Culture Studies.

Eberly College of Science/
School of Information Sciences and Technology

Information sciences and technology for mathematics minor: New minor

The new minor will combine traditional departmental strengths in areas of number theory, computational and applied areas, and logic with topics in the field of information sciences. It also will help in connecting emerging issues in information science and technology with fundamental areas of mathematics.

Penn State Erie

Major in computer science: New major

This major builds on a firm foundation of computer science, mathematics and natural science courses. The computer science major is designed to complement other computer majors at the campus and the University as a whole by offering a computer-intensive major within the School of Science.

Major in software engineering: New major

This major provides students with a strong foundation in software engineering through a combination of classroom study, software development experience and design projects. Design, analysis, verification and maintenance of software systems are stressed.

College of Liberal Arts

Ancient Mediterranean archaeology option: New option

This option is designed for students interested in the physical evidence for ancient Mediterranean cultures, including the rise and development of settlements and cities; ceramics, metals, stone and organic remains; and population changes over time.

College of Agricultural Sciences

Proposed change in name from the Department of Agronomy to the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
The College of Agricultural Sciences proposes to change the name of the Department of Agronomy to the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. This change is required because the name "agronomy" has ceased to have "brand recognition" within the University, state and nation, and it is believed that this has become a liability for graduate student recruiting, faculty recognition and successful grantsmanship. Crop and soil sciences is more descriptive of the educational and research activities, which range from traditional agricultural production to sophisticated technologies associated with soils and land use in urban and suburban environments. For the same reason, several agronomy departments nationwide have made similar changes in name, and this move would bring this department into better alignment with its peers. The proposal has been favorably reviewed by the University Faculty Senate Council.

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