It may be uncomfortable to think about after the holidays, but currently two-thirds of Americans are overweight and about five percent are actually clinically severely obese. New Year's resolutions are great, but they probably won't do much to solve this growing epidemic. Very few people are able to lose significant weight through diet and exercise, and even fewer are able to keep the weight off long term.
Colleges and universities are facing difficult financial decisions stemming from the widening global economic crisis. In a discussion this week at Faculty Senate, Penn State President Graham Spanier reassured community members that the University is on solid financial ground, but will face serious challenges because of a $21.2 million recission from the state.
We are entering that wonderful time of year when we can experience some of the many benefits of living in a climate with four seasons. Those who enjoy skiing and snowboarding are anxiously looking at hilltops in the expectation of seeing some beautiful white powder. However, to fully enjoy our participation, we should remain mindful of injury prevention, advises the latest edition of The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Rising costs for fuel, fertilizers and other agricultural supplies are leading farmers to rethink their energy choices. To help them assess their energy options, the Lancaster County Center of Excellence in Production Agriculture is offering Energy on the Farm, a one-day seminar for Lancaster County and Capital and Northeast Regions farmers, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, at the Lancaster Farm and Home Center. The seminar will provide participants with basic information about alternative and renewable energy and ways to reduce costs and generate revenue.
Many areas of Pennsylvania already have seen the first significant snowfall of this winter season, and others saw a preview of what is to come. Soon winter will officially be here and bad weather will be playing havoc with schedules. Other situations may arise that affect the ability of the campus -- students, faculty and staff -- to function normally. In those situations, it is critical that the University be able to reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. The PSUTXT text-messaging system is a key tool by which Penn State can communicate directly with the University community in these situations. Don't be caught uninformed. Sign up for PSUTXT, and have messages sent directly to a cell phone when bad weather delays or cancels classes, or if another emergency situation arises. To register, visit http://live.psu.edu/psutxt online. For information, contact Annemarie Mountz at [email protected].
In his 2008 State of the University Address, Penn State President Graham B. Spanier provides an overview of the major themes that have shaped Penn State over the past year.
Over the past year, the look and feel of Penn State Live has undergone some subtle changes. Now, the site has experienced its first major facelift since it was launched in April 2003. The first major difference in the site is a large, horizontal image at the top of the page. There will be a variety of images in this space, and visitors to the site can click through to see everything that's there. Clicking on these images will link the user to additional content -- photos, stories or videos about the topic in the original image. A key new feature to the site is the ability for readers to easily access additional stories related to the one they just read. Please take our site survey by clicking on http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=1016512 online.
All Penn State students, faculty and staff are encouraged to enroll in PSUTXT, an easy and accessible system that lets them know via cell phone when classes are canceled due to weather conditions or if the campus has an emergency situation. Sign up now for PSUTXT and, when necessary, Penn State will send a text message alert directly to your cell phone and/or e-mail account. To register, visit http://newswires.psu.edu/ and click on the PSUTXT REGISTER button at the bottom of the page to sign up. For information, contact Annemarie Mountz at [email protected].
Penn State will receive a 1.2 percent increase in state appropriation for the 2008-09 fiscal year as a result of the new budget approved by the Senate and the House and signed by Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell over the holiday weekend. The total appropriation for Penn State for this fiscal year is $338.4 million, an increase of $4.1 million over last year.
In a historic move, the Penn State Alumni Association has pledged a gift of $2.1 million to support students across the University. In support of the University's new fundraising drive, For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students, the gift will establish 35 Penn State Alumni Association Trustee Scholarships, each endowed at $50,000 in 12 colleges, at 20 campuses, and three additional undergraduate units. Trustee Scholarships are based on financial need and awarded to students who are Pell Grant eligible, typically coming from families whose household income is below $40,000.