Penn State and the Law

Good morning Penn Staters! Looks like are nice weather is gone for the now and it has been replaced by the wind and cold but I am sure it will be back soon since it is almost April. This week in my blog I will discuss the law school that is present here on campus. As a future lawyer and Penn State lawyer, I found it appropriate to talk about this important institution that Penn State offers to its graduates as well as other graduates from other colleges. Penn State Law can be found in the new Lewis Katz law building that was built in December 2008 which is located by Park Avenue and right across from the East Halls dormitory complex. Penn State Law also operates out of Carlisle, PA in the Dickinson Law School.

The Lewis Katz building is not only a new, modern building but it also offers an exceptional law program that graduates outstanding lawyers every year. When I had free time last semester, I visited the Lewis Katz law building and was impressed by the resources that the building has to offer. A really interesting fact is that not only can you be taught in person by a law professor here at State College but you can also have video conference class with a law professor from the Dickinson Carlisle law school.

It is exciting to know that Penn State not only offers an exceptional under graduate program but it also offers great opportunities like the Penn State Law program. The Dickinson School of Law is high on the list of American Law School rankings list and currently outranks law programs like that of Villanova, another Pennsylvania based law school. Dickinson makes outstanding attorneys and provides exceptional attorneys to Pennsylvania as well as the rest of the country. One day I hope to attend Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law just like my father and many of my other family members.

American Law School Standings: http://www.top-law-schools.com/rankings.html

Information and Image Obtained from: http://law.psu.edu/the_penn_state_law_experience

CATA Buses and Being Friendly to the enviroment

Penn State has been improving its image as a “green” university in the past few years. Penn State has been collecting compost from various cafeterias and other eating establishment, we can all associate the brown napkins with Penn State’s new green approach. Penn State’s most recent step to reduce pollution and environmental hazards has been the purchase of a number of new, red and white CATA buses. The CATA buses are a quintessential part of getting around this large campus but do we really know what they are all about.

CATA is short for the Centre Area Transportation Authority which was established in 1974. CATA provides transportation in five different municipalities:  the Borough of State College and the four surrounding townships of State College: Patton, Ferguson, Harris and College. CATA provides nearly seven million rides per year to Centre County residents and Penn State students. In 1993 CATA replaced its diesel fuel powered buses with clean burning natural gas powered buses. In 2005 CATA’s buses were the first transportation department to use natural compressed gas to power a fleet of passenger buses. Natural gas burns more efficiently than regular unleaded gasoline as well as diesel and puts out less emissions and pollution.

Natural gas is not only more efficient but it is cheaper than other mean of fuel and compressed national gas is produced locally. CATA has introduced new buses recently as many of you have probably seen. Personally I find the new buses rather comfortable compared to the older buses and they are also cleaner but I am sure that will not be the case in a few months after heavy use by the student populace.

                It is nice to see that Penn State and CATA are working together to try to make the environment healthier through the use of compressed national gas powered buses.

Video Found at:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBYU7KbSbzY&feature=player_embedded

Information Obtained from:

http://www.catabus.com/AboutCATA/index.html

How about that weather!?

Well it looks like spring is finally here, in March. This post is going to talk about, yes, the weather and spring. The weather for the last week has been fantastic and it looks to stay that way for a while yet. With this great weather myself as well as many other Penn State students have been soaking up the sun, playing outside, and generally looking forward to the end of the semester and a nice long summer. It was extremely refreshing to see people tanning this week and playing sports. Spring a Penn State is certainly an outstanding time of the year.

There are many outdoor activities to participate in at Penn State to make the best of this phenomenal weather.  After the dreary weather of the fall and winter, it is very refreshing to be able to go outside in shorts and tee shirts. One can utilize the various basketball, tennis courts, and many other sports fields for outdoor recreation. These facilities can be found all around campus. One of my favorite things to do outside on campus during nice weather is to throw football or Frisbee with my friends on my dorm floor. I am not sure how other students feel about the early arrival of spring, but as for me I love the nice weather and I am also ecstatic for my nice long summer break that will be here in a few weeks.

I hear people complain all the time about how dark, dreary, and cold the campus at Penn State always is. But they are wrong obviously, Penn State has had some outstanding weather in the past few weeks and it seems it is lightening the mood here. It is very interesting how a little sun and warmth can brighten the moods of thousands of students as well as their professors. Nice weather on a college campus certainly does work wonders.

President Bard will not run for reelection and New Board Members expected

Good morning Penn Staters, Spring Break is finally upon us! We made it through forty eight hours of dancing and the infamous State Patty’s Day drinking and partying holiday. It is about time for a nice, long break from our studies and work. But before I sign off for spring break week I have important news to talk about. This important news has to do with the resignation of T.J. Bard, the UPUA president as well as the three board of trustee positions that are going to be filled by three of eighty six candidates.

First up, President TJ Bard. President Bard has effectively resigned his office of student body president. Earlier this week, President Bard announced that he would not seek reelection for student body president. Bard is a Greencastle, Pennsylvania native and first took office as a sophomore in the year 2011. President Bard did not want to talk about his decision of not running for reelection, instead he proclaimed that he still had three weeks of work left. The Penn State Student government meeting was extremely short at less than half an hour. President Bard had been at the helm of the student government through one of the toughest years in Penn State history.

In addition to President Bard resigning his office and reelection hopes, three board of trustees members are to be replaced with three new officials. For the three positions there are eighty six candidates, which is a huge number compared to the six candidates that ran for three board seats in 2011. This just goes to show that the alumni are not exactly happy with the boards decisions in the Sandusky scandal. Although such a dark event brought out all the candidates for the board, it is refreshing to see that the alumni candidates do actually want to make a change and restore confidence in Penn State. The voting for board members is set to begin April 10^th, 2012.

UPUA Meeting

Information and Pictures Obtained from:

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2012/03/01/bot_candidate_list_released.aspx

http://onwardstate.com/2012/03/01/upua-finishes-prematurely/