A committee of Penn State student leaders, campus representatives and State College community leaders including Mayor Elizabeth Goreham has united against State Patty's Day, an excessive drinking event that has taken place since 2007 in downtown State College. The committee is asking local businesses to curtail their participation and instead join in promoting a weekend of community-friendly volunteer activities. (more)
College student clubs and organizations range from academic and professional to social and service, special interest and performing arts. However, it can be rare for organizations to break the barrier of social norms. The Clown Nose Club (often referred to as the CNC) encourages Penn State students to take positive social risks. Club members, recognized by their signature red clown noses, abide by the philosophy that people matter and interaction that is genuine and positive is wildly contagious and worth spreading. (more)
The fall 2010 semester marks the renewal of a sustained, broad-based campaign to reduce the negative consequences of alcohol in the Penn State community, according to Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs, during a presentation today (Sept. 17) to the University's Board of Trustees. "The challenge of dangerous alcohol misuse among college students reaches nationwide and is far from new," said Sims, who also co-chairs The Partnership - Campus and Community United Against Dangerous Drinking with Borough of State College Manager Tom Fountaine. Sims and panelists Fountaine; Linda LaSalle, University Health Services' associate director for educational services; Joe Puzycki, Student Affairs assistant vice president; and Max Wendkos, Interfraternity Council president, outlined the campaign's efforts during their presentation. (more)
Penn State will open its new Office of Student Legal Services on Monday, March 29, under the direction of attorney Carolyn M. Larrabee. A unit in the Division of Student Affairs housed at 135 Boucke Building and supported by the Student Activity Fee Board's allocations, the office will provide advice, counsel and representation to University Park students regarding personal legal concerns, such as landlord-tenant issues and minor criminal offenses, as well as referral services for other legal issues. (more)
Within the first year of his arrival at University Park, Pa., and after more than 30 years in leadership positions in higher education, Penn State President Graham Spanier said he believed that excessive alcohol consumption was the most pressing issue in higher education. Since that time, Penn State has added considerably to student-centered initiatives that aim to educate students about the risks and impact of dangerous drinking behaviors, and remains focused on those efforts. (more)
Damon Sims, Penn State's vice president for Student Affairs, led a panel discussion for the University's Board of Trustees Friday (Jan. 23) that detailed Penn State's participation in the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and some of the survey's initial findings. Penn State, along with 700 other colleges and universities, participated in the annual survey to help identify its strengths and weaknesses in educational programs. The study -- which focused on how students spend their time, the level in which institutions produced valuable educational practices, and the ability of campuses to channel student energy toward these activities -- helped the University look holistically at the undergraduate experience. The presentation also focused on Penn State's use of the NSSE data. (more)
Penn State is dedicated to using the most innovative tools and programs to address students' emotional and academic needs. In an informational report to the University's Board of Trustees Friday, Nov. 21, Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs, led a panel discussion on new initiatives in the areas of emotional wellness and academic expectations.
The panel discussion focused on "Worrisome Student Behaviors: Minimizing Risk," a video series addressing concerns about potentially violent or disturbing behaviors. Panelists also tackled the topic of Penn State's long-standing student advising and registration program, the First-Year Testing, Counseling and Advising Program (FTCAP). (more)
Penn State President Graham Spanier, who has often articulated his student-centered vision for the University, has found a consummate student advocate in Damon Sims, the new Vice President for Student Affairs. Sims, who assumed his new post on August 1 after serving in various administrative and teaching roles at Indiana University, is defining his plans for more ways to engage students. (more)
The annual fall Convocation was held Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State's University Park campus. Members of the freshman class of 2012 were greeted by President Graham B. Spanier and others. Damon Sims, Penn State vice president for Student Affairs, also welcomed the new freshmen class to the University. For more, check Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/1794 (more)
Penn State's Board of Trustees today (May 16) approved the appointment of Damon R. Sims as the University's new vice president for Student Affairs, beginning August 1. Sims, currently associate vice provost for Student Affairs at Indiana University at Bloomington, brings a wealth of experience to the Penn State post. As associate vice provost at Indiana, he is involved in the oversight of a division of 200 staff members who support 39,000 students. Sims also holds academic appointments in both the School of Law and the School of Education. (more)
