Legislative hearings keep Penn State's land-grant mission in the news

Throughout May and June legislators in Harrisburg will be hearing from Penn State officials about how Penn State is fulfilling its land grant mission in the 21st century. On May 5, Jim Thomas, dean of Penn State's School of Information Sciences and Technology, presented before the Senate Communications and Technology Committee. On May 12, Dave DeWalle, professor of forest hydrology, and Paul Knight, instructor of meteorology, presented before the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Seven more hearings are planned over the next six weeks. The presentation by DeWalle and Knight is available on Penn State's Land Grant Web site and other presentations will be posted there as they become available. In addition, the site includes an open letter from Rep. Lynn Herman to Penn State employees regarding the General Assembly's actions in support of the University, and full coverage of the March 29 press conference, at which resolutions from the state House and state Senate congratulated the University on the start of its sesquicentennial celebration and its designation as Pennsylvania's land-grant university. To view the presentation, Herman's letter and other land grant news, go to http://live.psu.edu/landgrant/