Volume 29, No. 22
February 20, 1998
Scott A. Miller
Contact: MU PR Office 662-4844
NEWS
"Good Neighbor" policy announced
MU announced Wednesday that it will cut tuition by more than 40 percent for residents of 16 neighboring New York counties beginning with the Fall 1998 semester.
The cut will save New York undergraduate students who attend Mansfield more than $3,600 off regular non-resident tuition. Currently non-Pennsylvania residents pay $8,824 per year for tuition. Under the new plan, that amount would fall to $5,202 for residents of Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Livingston, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Tioga, Wayne and Yates counties.
"New York residents have been an important part of our student population throughout the school's history. In addition thousands of our alumni work in the Southern Tier in many professions," says President Rod C. Kelchner. "This new policy recognizes the traditional educational and economic ties that have existed in the Twin Tiers region."
"A March 1993 study of workforce commuting patterns in the Twin Tiers by Mansfield's Rural Services Institute showed that workers flow between Pennsylvania and New York with little regard for the state border," says MU Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Joseph Moore, the primary architect of the policy. "The study, commissioned by the Appalachian Regional Commission, demonstrated the strength of the ties between communities on either side of the state border and made a strong case for a regional approach to workforce planning and economic issues.
"Providing more affordable access to higher education is Mansfield's way of contributing to those goals."
The State System of Higher Education, which oversees Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities, including Mansfield, made the tuition cut possible when it announced a policy on Jan. 15 allowing universities to propose alternative out-of-state tuition rates.
Rates could be set anywhere from 150 percent to 250 percent of the in-state tuition rate, which is set annually by the State System Board of Governors. Tuition plans had to win the approval of the State System Chancellor's Office before they could be implemented. Mansfield's plan -- which set the rate as low as the policy allows -- is the first in the State System to win approval.
"Out-of-state tuition was originally set higher as a way to ensure that space was available in Pennsylvania's state-owned universities for qualified Pennsylvania residents," Moore says. "However, Mansfield has always been able to accommodate students from neighboring New York counties without incurring additional costs and without taking space away from qualified Pennsylvanians. We now have an opportunity to provide a significant service to residents of the Southern Tier."
In addition, the policy guarantees that tuition for residents of those 16 counties will at no time be more than 150 percent of in-state tuition through the Spring 2002 semester.
MU theatre and music departments to present "Godspell"
MU's theatre and music departments will present the rock musical "Godspell," one of the most popular religious musicals of all time Feb. 26-March 1 in Steadman Theatre.
In 1968, two teams of songwriters began tackling the idea of developing a rock musical, based on religious themes, that could speak to a younger generation in terms it could understand. In Britain, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber produced "Jesus Christ Superstar." Americans John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz created "Godspell." The two musicals helped usher in a whole new style of musical theater and both shows are still enormously popular.
"Nine or 10 years ago, former theatre professor James Cali directed a Mansfield Community Players production here," said Michael Crum, associate professor of theatre at MU and the show's director. "I had the great privilege of playing the role of Jesus. It was a great show to act in and now I'm finding it is a fun show to direct as well, especially when you have such a talented cast."
The ensemble cast of 10 features two relative veterans of the MU stage: Andrew Brown as "Jesus" and Joel Shade as "John the Baptist" and "Judas." Both players appeared in last year's musical, "Phantom."
Other cast members returning to the Straughn Hall stage include Laurie Toole, Valerie Eisenhour, Natalie Sabo and Nathan Miller. Stage newcomers include Christopher Hill, Eric Rutledge, Roxanne Brindle and Erin Owens.
Showtimes are 8 p.m. Feb. 26-28 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. Tickets are $5 general, $4 for senior citizens and children under 12, and $2 for MU students.
National eating disorders program coming to campus
Binge eating, strict calorie counting, compulsive exercise: all are ways food, weight and exercise take control of a life. Beginning Feb. 23, Mansfield University and Laurel Health Systems will help area residents suffering from these symptoms take the first step back towards health through the National Eating Disorders Screening Program (NEDSP).
The NEDSP, Feb. 23-28, is a free and anonymous public outreach and education program offering attendees the chance to get information on anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Those who attend can take a written self-test, meet one-on-one with a health professional and get a referral for further evaluation if necessary.
MU will host a free screening and education session Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 1-4 p.m. in North Hall's Traditional Reading Room. Soldiers & Sailor's Memorial Hospital, Wellsboro, will also host a free screening and education session Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 4-8 p.m. in its first floor conference room.
National sponsors of NEDSP include Academy for Eating Disorders, American Anorexia/Bulimia Association, Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, National Eating Disorders Organization and the National Mental Health Association. NEDSP is made possible by a grant from the McKnight Foundation with additional funding from Remuda Ranch, a specialized treatment center in Arizona for women and adolescent girls.
Saturday, Feb. 28, 1 p.m., Steadman. Brian Bankovich will perform a senior saxophone recital of works by Koechlin, Creston, Gershwin, Bach, Whitney, Bozza and others. Linda Pearsall, Mollie Bealer, Christina Simonis and Matt Stein will provide accompaniment.
Have an Updater announcement? Send it to Scott A. Miller
Former Horseheads High School baseball coach Jim Keenan has joined the MU baseball staff as an assistant coach. Keenan, a 1971 graduate, is one of the most successful coaches in New York state history compiling a 368-122 record in his 22 seasons at Horseheads. "We're very excited about having someone as successful as Jim join our staff," Head Coach Harry Hillson said. "Coach Keenan is an excellent judge of talent and has proven to be an outstanding instructor of baseball fundamentals. He's always been a strong supporter of Mountie baseball and is considered one of the top coaches in the country for player development." The Mountaineers open their season Mar. 6 in Ft. Myers, FL, against Missouri-St. Louis University.
The men's basketball team blew a 21-point second half lead, but rallied on a Tommy Harvey 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Binghamton University 85-83 Saturday night. Behind Harvey, who scored 16 of his 22 points in the first half, Mansfield built a 48-22 halftime lead and increase it to 59-38 on a 3-pointer by Shaud Broyles with 17:20 to play. But Binghamton would rally to take a 83-81 lead on a 3-pointer by Andre Verkey with 1:36 remaining. A made free by Harvey and two missed free throws by Binghamton's Brian McCulley gave Binghamton a 83-82 lead with :14 to play. After denying Mansfield a shot for the final 10 seconds, Harvey launched a 21 footer as the clock struck :01 to give Mansfield the victory. Broyles led the Mountaineers with a game high 24 points while Rich Miller added 15. Harvey also had a double-double with 10 assists.
The women's basketball team outshot and outrebounded Binghamton but could not overcome 34 turnovers in dropping an 81-64 decision to the Colonials. The Mountaineers hit a season high 53.7 percent of their shots from the field and pulled down 32 rebounds, 11 of them by junior Tracy Moser. Junior Lauren Martin led the Mountaineers with 13 points with Colleen Doherty and Marisa Davis each adding 11.
The wrestling team failed to win a match in a 52-0 loss to the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Friday night. Pitt-Johnstown, ranked first in the nation in the latest NCAA Division II poll, used four pins and a technical fall along with two forfeits to hand the Mountaineers their 14th loss in 16 matches. The Mountaineers host Gannon University Saturday at 2 p.m.
This page is maintained by Scott A. Miller.