News for 11/19/12

Board of Trustees meeting…11-19-12

Several initiatives were approved by the University Board of Trustees at their regular meeting Friday afternoon.

The Board approved an official code of conduct for athletics. Coaches will also not have any hiring or supervisory role with academic support staff and can’t apply pressure to faculty members on behalf of student-athletes including during the admission process.

The Board did stipulate that the approval of the code of conduct for athletics doesn’t mean formal acceptance of the binding NCAA consent agreement.

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The Board also approved renovation projects for Rec Hall, Old Main and the construction of a new Health and Human Development Building. Rec Hall will have air conditioning installed and is expected to be completed by Fall 2013. The project will cost $5.5 million dollars. All together, the three projections will cost $75 million dollars.

PSU President Search

Board of Trustees Chairwoman Karen Peetz says the search for the next Penn State president will begin soon.

A group of Trustees will serve on the presidential selection council with an intended date of November 2013 to announce a candidate.

President Rodney Erickson has said he plans to retire when his contract expires in June of 2014.

Mcqueary

The request for a stay by Penn State in the lawuit filed by Mike McQueary will be decided by Judge Thomas Gavin in the next two weeks.

The judge heard from both sides on Friday. McQueary was not present. His attorney says his client wants a speedy trial while the attorneys for the university want the criminal trials of former Penn State administrators Graham Spanier, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz to play out first.

Four injured in crash

Members of a Spring Mills family were injured in a one car crash on Route 144 in Potter Township Sunday morning.

According to the Centre Daily times, a family of 7 were in the vehicle when it drifted off the road. The car rolled over according to police. One child was flown from the scene for medical treatment. Three others were treated for minor injuries. The names of the family were not released.

PA State Schools Strike Ballots

The union representing the faculty at Pennsylvania’s 14 state owned universities will count ballots in a vote to authorize a strike.

The Association of State College and University Faculties union is tallying votes cast at campuses last week. The main disagreements include compensation for temporary instructors, health care benefits and incentive pay for online education.

 Another bargaining session is set for December 11. Contingency plans are in place to keep services running at the schools if there is a faculty strike.

Jobs up in Pa

Pennsylvania job numbers were up in October. The State added 75-hundred jobs last month, bringing its job total to the highest level since November 2008. The increases in job were centered on the service industry which increased its job count to a record high.

The state’s unemployment in October was 8.1 percent, down 1/10 of a point from September.

Pennwatch Database to be unveiled

The Pennsylvania Web Accountability and Transparency Act, a key taxpayer protection bill, is set to be unveiled next month.

Also known as the Pennwatch database, it will give Pennsylvanians access to information about how tax dollars are spent. The online database will include information on how much agencies are spending on particular vendors and eventually will include all state contracts.

PSU Accreditation warning lifted

Penn State’s accreditation warning has been lifted.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education says the school is in full compliance with all requirements and reaffirmed its accreditation last week.

Penn State was placed on warning on August 8 from the fall out of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal.

The Middle State Commission is requesting a monitoring report due November of 2013.