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Looking back more than a year after tragedy befell our great University, we have seen many attempts to restore Penn State's name after our University's darkest hour.
   
One proposed action, in the spirit of the University's convalescence, was to rename The Paterno Liberal Arts Undergraduate Fellows Program in the wake of the Freeh Report's allegations against Joseph Vincent Paterno. As part of the discussions surrounding the program's now-controversial name, the Paterno Fellows Student Advisory Board was consulted for a student view on the issue. While on the surface level this issue was black-and-white--rename the program and be consistent with such efforts as the NCAA's stripping of Paterno's record 409 wins, or keep the name just as the University Libraries did--the Student Advisory Board perceived many larger questions.
   
Ultimately, the students advised the administration of the College of the Liberal Arts to defer judgment on the program's name, citing their belief in due process and the need for more information regarding Paterno's role in the case against Gerald Sandusky.
   
The Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council, on behalf of the students of the College of the Liberal Arts, would like to commend the Student Advisory Board for their embodiment of many liberal arts virtues that make the students of the College great: holistic thinking, long-range planning, and judiciousness all played a huge role in the Student Advisory Board's decision.
   
Although this statement is emerging well after-the-fact, given that the legal process has yet to take its full course, we perceive that the future holds further judgments of the Paterno Fellows Program's name. It is for this reason that we would like to commend the Student Advisory Board for its ability to convey the strength of the College of the Liberal Arts in these difficult times and teach us all a powerful lesson about critical thinking. WE ARE in good hands.

Sincerely,
The Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council

LAUSDeanLong: Kasey, one of the things we talk about as a core value of the liberal arts is being open to diversity. This is different from tolerance, which is merely to put up with something that might otherwise be unpleasant. The liberal arts ideal involves more than that, it means to embrace diversity as an enriching part of our lives, as what gives human life texture and depth.

That is why the images we have seen of the Penn State students playing on the most insensitive and demeaning caricature of Mexicans is so disheartening. It reflects poorly on all of us and demonstrates that we are doing a poor job cultivating one of the central ideals of a liberal arts education. How are you and your fellow students thinking about and responding to this incident?

KaseyOK: I think that students are generally disappointed by this situation. While a divide seems to exist as to exactly how out of line the students' actions were, I think we have all acknowledged that the stereotypes that were highlighted were extremely offensive to us and to Mexicans. We simply wish the students had thought about the consequences of representing people of this culture in a degrading manner.

As you mentioned, in Liberal Arts we strongly value diversity and encourage all students to be open to and embrace people of other cultures. Personally, I do not believe this incident stemmed from hate; however I believe it did come out of a lack of these values which we have distinguished as being central to a liberal arts education. Looking ahead, I think we as individuals need to re-examine the way we incorporate diversity into our lives, and learn to do more than tolerate others, but to seek actively opportunities for growth through exposure to diversity.

LAUSDeanLong: You are probably right that the incident did not stem from overt hatred, but it did emerge from a culture of ignorance and xenophobia. It is probably easier to address overt hatred than it is to address more subtle and therefore perhaps more pernicious forms of racism and cultural ignorance. It is our responsibility as an institution of education to respond in ways that enable us to honestly examine and redress our own prejudices, even and especially when they are embedded in the institutional and cultural structures in which we live.

Another important dimension of this episode is the role social media played in exposing the incident. One aspect of social media that I find compelling is the way it can reveal something about ourselves to us as a community; often it reveals aspects of ourselves it is difficult to face. The public nature of social media is critical in this regard. Do you have the sense that students appreciate the extent to which their social media presence is, at heart, a way of appearing in public, with all the power and implications that involves?

KaseyOK: At this point in our lives (being in college, applying for jobs and other opportunities), I believe students are developing an awareness of this public face that social media provides. Students take steps such as altering Facebook names, creating multiple Twitter accounts, and blocking certain people from their social media platforms in order to maintain "privacy." 

In the midst of this turbulent year for all of us at Penn State, one of the most prominent questions was how this terrible scandal would affect THON 2012. Not surprisingly, Penn State students worked harder than ever For The Kids. The record breaking total of $10,686,924.83 was beyond anyone's expectations. A similar story is true for the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council. An organization consisting of no more than thirty students, LAUC could not be more proud of the dedicated members who put in time and effort toward reaching our THON goals.

Thanks to the success of LAUC's THON 2011 efforts, the Council was rewarded with two guaranteed dancers for THON 2012. We were honored to have Rob Turchick and John Zang represent us for 46 hours on the floor of the BJC. They did an incredible job!

This year, the Council was able to organize a trip to Pittsburgh for the first canning weekend. Never before had we started out on such a strong note with over $1000 raised. Throughout the year LAUCers were enthusiastic to attend and participate in events such as the THON 5K, THON Dodgeball, and various THON sponsored fundraisers. Additionally, one of our initial goals was to improve upon our alternative fundraising. No Shave November was a hairy competition that provided entertainment and funds to add to our THON total. As a new idea, LAUC decided to plan a late-night bake sale where we sold everything from cupcakes to Oreo truffles. The sale was such a fun and successful night, with rehearsed slogans and dancing members, we decided to hold another one a few weeks later. Together the sales brought in $736.80. Our final canning trip to Philadelphia was a weekend full of Cranium battles, Bananagrams, generous donors and a grand total of $2,005.25.

With these extraordinary efforts, combined with THONvelopes and THONline fundraising, LAUC surpassed any goal we could have possibly imagined. We couldn't be more excited to announce that the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council's total for THON 2012 is... $9205.92!!!

Thanks for everything LAUC!

Your THON Chairs,


Katie Klonicki & Sarina Katz

LAUSDeanLong: Over the past two years, I have been engaged in an ongoing dialogue about the culture of drinking at Penn State with the presidents of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council. 

The Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council raised a whopping $5,600 this year for THON. Like the overall total for THON, this is a new record for LAUC. They bested their previous record by over $2,000.

What accounts for this overwhelming success? THON Chair Lauren Perrotti says that canning was definitely the group's most effective fund-raising tactic. Both new LAUC members and seasoned leaders carpooled together and braved the cold on each canning weekend. In addition to helping LAUC meet its THON goals, these experiences "really brought the group together," says Lauren.

In other years, LAUC was selected in the THON lottery system and was able to choose two students to dance on behalf of the group.  Although they didn't have that kind of luck this year, the LAUC members maintained their enthusiasm for the event. As a group they attended the Pep Rally and collectively supported the dancers and the Four Diamonds families from 6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, the final day of THON.

LAUC member Gabby Rosemblum, who also served on the Rules and Regulations Committee, estimates that she spent a total of 40 hours at the Bryce Jordan Center during THON. She says that serving on her committee and joining LAUC  "were two of the best decisions that I've made so far at Penn State. The people that I met in both of these organizations are all incredible and I have grown very close to them. It felt amazing when LAUC raised so much money for THON, especially since we are a smaller organization. It truly shows how dedicated people are and it was wonderful to know that we each helped to make a difference."

Kudos to all of the members of LAUC!  We're proud of you and your very impressive efforts this year. If this upward trend in your fund-raising abilities continues, who knows what next year will bring!

Robert Turchick, Amanda Craig, Lauren Perrotti, Matt Jewitt, and John Zang also contributed to this post.

How many mornings do you wake up at a top notch university, and get to see and hear the President of the United States?

Yesterday morning, members of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council witnessed President Obama's remarks in Rec Hall. President Obama came to University Park to tour labs and speak on innovative sciences and the economy. We'd like to thank the College of the Liberal Arts for this tremendous experience; one that won't soon be forgotten.

The theme for President Obama's address was "winning the future." He challenged students to work hard and pursue big dreams, adding that "the future will be won" in places like State College. The President spoke about the long term goals of the nation, and the projects and initiatives that will lead to America's success in the 21st century.

President Obama highlighted the ground breaking work being done at Penn State regarding energy efficiency. This work is extremely important in a country where 40% of all energy is consumed by buildings in the form of daily utilities. The President remarked that "while this innovation may not be sexy," it is essential to the preservation of the well being of the planet and to curb the effects of climate change. It will also save businesses money, allowing them to grow and create new jobs.

Strongly believing that the younger generations will the "lead the American idea," President Obama finished his speech with a challenge to young people: "out innovate, out educate, and out build" the rest of the world. If we do this, the President has no doubt that "America will win the 21st century, just like we won the last century."

How do you think the College of the Liberal Arts is out innovating and out educating other institutions?

You can find more photos of the event on LAUSatPSU's Flickr page. Also, make sure to check out the video of LAUC's live coverage of President Obama's speech: 

Our first round of Eco-Rep programs was a success! For the month of September, our theme was reducing energy use for entertainment. All twenty of us Eco-Reps were divided into groups according to our residence halls and split up to do activities involving our halls. The Eco-Rep program is designed for Freshman students so it applies to East Halls only. My group included Pinchot and Sproul halls and we held 'Eco-Rep Hangman'. This involved drawing polar bears on a noose, winning prizes, and best of all, Free Pizza! Our next program for the month of October focuses on this month's theme of reducing lighting by 25%. The program is...(drumroll please)...Pumpkin Decorating Contest! A prize will be awarded for the pumpkin with the best message about reducing electricity consumption. The decorating will take place in the Johnston and Findlay commons on Saturday, October 23 from 3PM-5PM. All of the different Eco-Rep groups are going to come together to help make it a success and we will be equipped with costumes! 

Hello all, my name is AnneLiese Nachman and I wanted to take the time to introduce myself to this blogging community before I started contributing to it.

First thing's first; I have never blogged before, so I am very new to this. However, I am a Freshman, and trying new things is all part of the experience right? After I learned of this opportunity, I thought it would be a good way to contribute to this growing technological way of communicating.

So if you follow my blogs, you will be peering through a window into the life of a Freshman here at PSU. I will discuss some of the activities here on campus that I take part in such as the Eco-Rep program,the Blue and White Society, and the Paterno Fellows program. I hope to give you a sense of how some Freshmen perceive this Penn State community and all that comes with it.

I look forward to sharing!

What is Penn State? We are Penn State.
That's more than a catchy phrase to shout at prospective students and to intimidate visiting sports teams. It's a statement of fact.

I'm about to graduate with a degree in Political Science and two minor certificates, all from the College of the Liberal Arts, and I've really spent some time lately thinking about the essence of Penn State and my experience here.

I once thought Penn State was a campus. I figured that the open lawn in front of Old Main, the dorm in which I lived up in East Halls, the classroom I had in Thomas, and the fountain outside the forum were Penn State. What did I know? I was new. I was out of state. I was a first generation college student. I learned throughout my first few months that Penn State wasn't simply those parts of its physical presence. I realized that Penn State was an idea (or maybe a collection of ideas): its classes, its professors, it's the fun we have at Football games, it's more than I could ever mention.

That notion of Penn State stuck with me for quite some time. It lasted me through a few years. Recently, though, I've been thinking about my time after Penn State. And I can't think about my time after Penn State without thinking about the place itself. I thought Penn State was ideas. I thought I knew Penn State. I've finally concluded - and I'm very confident about this, now - that Penn State is people.

Indeed: WE. ARE. Penn State. It's the "we," that is critical. I'm Penn State and you're Penn State. I should have noticed this a long time ago, of course, but I'm glad I know now. I know that the place I've grown to love isn't a bunch of lawns and buildings. And it's more than classes and fun. One thing connects all of those pieces: people. My friends, my enemies, and everyone in between make this place worth attending. If I look at my Penn State experience, the people I've met and known here are what have shaped it. I wouldn't enjoy those football games and that lawn in front of Old Main and that fountain outside the forum if it weren't for the people who make it special.

Some people insist that Penn State is tradition. Or that Penn State is a place to grow intellectually, not personally. I disagree with both those notions. Penn State, I contend, is more its present and its future than it can ever be its past.

I've served the students of the university for two years in their student government, and I've served the College of the Liberal Arts students by acting as their undergraduate student president. Now that I'm about to leave both roles, I want to explain why I put so much of my time into them. I did it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat, because I love Penn State. And I didn't realize it at the time, but by Penn State, I mean its people. My constituents. Perhaps I can share some of my more interesting stories from those experiences in a separate entry here.

I led both the student government and the college's council because I wanted to. If I have advice for those that remain after me, it's this: do what you want. You should want to do well in classes, to contribute to campus, and to help those you care about. Set goals, and then achieve them. I loved giving back to the school I loved in my own unique way, and I encourage everyone to do something similar.

As I leave Penn State, I'll certainly look back fondly. And I'll remember that I learned what Penn State really is and why that made me want to contribute. Thanks, Penn State.

For those of you who don't recall my name, I'm the outgoing Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council president. I'm writing now because I want to put up a congratulatory note to all the new and returning officers for the 2010-2011 academic year.

We held our elections last week, and as the new officers fill the roles that we are leaving, I have nothing but confidence in their ability to take the Council to better places and to use their voice as the student representatives to improve our college.

For 2010 - 2011, the officers will be:

President: Geoff Halberstadt
Vice President: Amanda Craig
Secretary: Nicole Zinni
Treasurer: Jarryd McManus

Geoff was elected to retain his seat in the Faculty Senate and will continue to represent students in our college to that body.

I believe that any student who wants to be able to be involved in something should be able to: and that's what I strove to create in the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council during my watch. It's gratifying to see eager faces sitting around a meeting table and waiting to become more invested in their college and university through something like LAUC. It's always nice to receive an email about how excited someone is to become a part of LAUC because they heard about us in the newspaper or on the LAUSatPSU blog.

I trust the next executive board to maintain these experiences for students throughout the college. I hope you'll consider attending LAUC meetings in the Fall and beyond! You can always reach us at lauc@psu.edu.

After seeing the headlines from the Collegian about PSU Deans "warning" students about Saturday's State Patty's Day, I thought that it might be a good idea to tweet Sam Loewner, President of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council and an officer from University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), so we might engage in a discussion about the celebration.  Below is the beginning of our discussion, which we hope will continue in the comments here and elsewhere in the Penn State online and in-person community.

Dean Long: How are students responding to the comments reported in the Collegian and on Onward State in which Deans and other officials are attempting to address the issues around State Patty's Day?

Sam: I think the students are responding in a defensive manner.  The messages from the University range from "Don't drink" to "if you do drink, there will be serious consequences."

Dean Long: How could we enter into a discussion about the important concerns regarding responsible drinking in a productive way?  Specifically, I am interested in the possibility of a deeper dialogue about undergraduate drinking without falling into a paternalistic mode that often provokes the sort of defensiveness you mention.

Sam: Students are already taking a proactive and responsible approach. The UPUA sponsored a full page ad reminding students to make responsible decisions. The Greek governing bodies took actions that limit the roles that sororities and fraternities will play over the weekend. But let's not forget that State Patty's Day was established as a way to bring the Penn State community together.

Dean Long: I think that is an important reminder.  In talking to Meghan White, a 2006 CLA graduate working now at Allegheny College, I was struck by her suggestion that "the event attracts alums as well and it should be noted that it is up to alums to set a positive example to undergraduates about how to celebrate the spirit of Penn State in a responsible way." I think it is important to emphasize the role alums play in this and the fact that it is in some degree a celebration of the Penn State community.

The issue is, can the community respond in a thoughtful and mature way to the real problems that the event can generate?

Sam: The kind of discussion we are having here might serve as a way to begin such a response. Since this is an event based around the Penn State community, I think we can mitigate some of the problems by making sure we are looking out for one another, as I think many of the concerns center around the question of safety.

Dean Long and Sam: How will you look out for your fellow community members this weekend?  What should the University response to State Patty's Day be? How can faculty, students, administrators, and alums work together to address the complex set of issues that stem from the State Patty's Day phenomenon?

This seems to us to be a good opportunity to open a deeper dialogue about these issues and we hope that you will join in the discussion here. 

For those Twitterers, let's use the #StatePatty hash tag.

This year the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council (LAUC) took a leadership role in THON 2010. To see the students at Penn State so actively involved in philanthropy is extremely heartening.

Anyone concerned about "the apathy of today's undergraduate students" need only venture into the Bryce Jordan Center on THON weekend to learn about dedication, ethical leadership and compassion.

THON is the largest student run philanthropic initiative in the world, having raised $61 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Children's Hospital to fight pediatric cancer.  This year they raised over 7.8 million dollars.

The LAUC had two dancers, Lauren Perrotti and Chrissy Boggs.  To hear them talk about THON, how they prepared, and what it means to them to participate, listen to them on LAUSRadio episode 3.

The LAUC covered the event on their blog with updates about THON from the Bryce Jordan Center this weekend.

Also, you can read the account Chrissy Boggs gives of the LAUC canning efforts to raise money for THON in Scranton, PA earlier this year.

Visit THON.org to learn more about this very special event.

LAUC spent the past canning weekend raising money FTK in Scranton, PA (home of Dunder Mifflin Paper Co.). Lauren Perrotti (webmaster!) and her family graciously hosted seven members Friday through Sunday. The council was able to raise $1,200 between canning in a local grocery store as well as bagging at another store across town. The people of the greater Scranton area proved to be extremely generous and supportive of our efforts to raise money to combat pediatric cancer. In addition to making great totals while canning, we ate a TON of fantastic food - one of the number one perks of going canning at a friend's house! We managed to fit in some quality time on the Wii, also, and we discovered our companions' hidden video game talents (or lack thereof!).

I had the opportunity to can in both of our locations. I have a completely new respect for grocery bagging technicians. Standing at the end of the cashier aisles was a great chance to talk to customers and explain to them the story behind THON, why we stand outside in the cold For The Kids, and all the good Penn State students do. Scranton is totally full of Penn State alumni, so a lot of people I talked with had a personal connection with THON. One of my donors was a three-time cancer survivor and thanked me for what THON does (easily the most satisfying part of my day - these stories are always so important). Even if I had the temptation to throw heavy groceries on top of bread and eggs when people refrained from donating, I bagged to the best of my ability to raise money For The Kids.

There is one more canning weekend left before THON 2010! While Lauren Perrotti and I cannot go because we'll be dancing, anyone interested can get in touch with me (chrissyboggs@psu.edu) if they'd like to plan a trip for that weekend. Thanks so much for everything you've all done to help our fight against cancer FTK!

-Chrissy Boggs, Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council THON Chair