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By Andy Elder, Student Affairs Writer
“We are … Penn State!”
“We are … Penn State!”
Anyone who
has spent a fall afternoon on campus has heard that famous cheer
echoing
from Beaver Stadium.
Students at the University Park campus are encountering
a slightly different
version of the classic “We are … Penn State!” chant.
“We are … changing Penn State. Are You?”
That
slogan is the name of a campus-wide, and eventually university-wide,
campaign
to promote social civility.
The seeds of the campaign germinated within the administration
of previous Undergraduate
Student Government (USG) President Ian Rosenberger.
Confronted with the problem
of students from the East Halls Campus Loop stop harassing bus
drivers, the Rosenberger administration met with university administrators
to discuss possible solutions. Out of that meeting sprouted the idea of finding
a solution for the general disrespect among students and members of the Penn
State
community.
“I am very proud of how the campaign has evolved,” said
USG “We
Are” campaign director Melissa Lau. “When the idea was first created
by the Rosenberger administration, it went through several stages of change
until it eventually became what it is now, a social civility campaign. It was
a little
rough last (school) year proposing an idea like this to University Park Allocation
Committee and to some other organizations because it was such a huge concept
to explain. However, once the campaign got going we started to hear some positive
responses.”
Those responses were elicited by a two-prong initial
wave to raise awareness of the campaign.
First, a multi-media advertising
blitz introduced “negative” questions
of “Are you RUDE?”, Are you a COWARD?”, Are you a BIGOT?” and
Are you UGLY?”
Next, the campaign flooded the campus with a “positive” wave
of questions. They included the themes of “Be BOLD”, “Be
GENUINE”, “Be
INSPIRED” and “Be OPEN-MINDED.”
Of course, none of the
posters, banners, radio spots, television commercials, or newspaper advertisements
that advanced the message would have been possible
without the funding to pay for it all.
That’s where Student Affairs
stepped in, pledging almost half of the fledgling campaign’s budget.
But, according to Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Philip
Burlingame, Student Affairs’ support isn’t just about
dollars and cents.
“
Our role in Student Affairs is to support the students' efforts,
to give advice and plug in some how-to knowledge,” he said.
Lau
emphasized just how integral Burlingame and Student Affairs have
been to the origination and continuation of the campaign.
“
Student Affairs has been wonderful throughout the whole campaign,” she
said. “Dr. Philip Burlingame has been our biggest supporter
from Student Affairs and religiously dedicates his time and ideas
to the campaign. Dr. Vicky
Triponey (Vice President for Student Affairs) has once again backed
us financially with $6,000 toward our cause. I don’t know
where this campaign would be with Student Affairs – it has
been there since the beginning and has been one of our biggest
supporters.”
The campaign is following the same path this
fall, with one huge enhancement. Messages questioning behavior
are airing on the Beaver
Stadium video
scoreboards. Lau said this fall’s messages correlate with
the messages from last year, focusing on questioning behavior.
Lau
said that in the future, she hopes the campaign will blossom with
the addition of a speaker series, a day of service and an
effort to
spread the campaign
across the state to every Commonwealth Campus.
“
I think it’s going well. Alumni are very enthusiastic about it,” Burlingame
said. “It's really almost unprecedented. During my whole career in student
affairs, I’ve never worked with such a group of student leaders. It’s
not just a campaign, but rather an ongoing effort to engage students and teach
them the value of what it means to be a Penn Stater. It's a great opportunity
for Student Affairs to be involved in this effort.” [back to top] |
