Letters: Come together to fight common enemy; Vote to move Penn State forward

Come together to fight common enemy

President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have come together in an extraordinary way to fight a common enemy. They are doing this at the cost of their homes, their livelihoods, and tragically, their lives.

We in the United States are also facing a common enemy, COVID-19, but we are not “united.” We’re not required to do any of the extreme measures forced on the Ukranians. They don’t have an easy, preventative measure to alter the course of their enemy’s actions. We do, and it’s free.

We are in the third year of this pandemic. More than 989,000 Americans have died. Let’s learn from last year. We had a period of some relief starting at the end of April 2021, but then delta emerged and cases and deaths started increasing in July. We don’t know the full effects of new variants and we don’t know if this fall we’ll experience another surge, but we do have a way to minimize unwanted possibilities — by getting the series of vaccinations recommended by the CDC. Currently, only 70% of Americans over age 5 are “fully vaccinated.” Less than 50% have gotten the critical first booster shot. This is not a united front against a common enemy. It shows neither patriotism to our country nor consideration for fellow citizens.

Please, let’s come together as a country and get vaccinated. We have the key. Data shows vaccination can prevent serious illness and hospitalization. Let’s come together and stop further needless suffering and death.

Vote to move Penn State forward

It is time for Penn State to be governed by a board of trustees who embody inclusivity, optimism and the gumption to take on climate change. Vote for Penn State Forward: Drs. Farnaz Farhi, Edward Smith and Christa Hosenkopf.

I often visit Henry Varnum Poor’s Old Main frescoes depicting the spirit of the 1862 Morrill Act and Penn State’s early Land Grant mission.

At their center, Abraham Lincoln stands with a young man who no doubt aspires to be a farmer. They are flanked by many optimistic people. The scene predates the Emancipation Proclamation, the Civil Rights and President Barron’s commitment to building community.

Up the stairs, Poor painted a gathering of nine white men and one white woman. Her role predates the 19th Amendment, women sitting on the Supreme Court or heading the Department of State, much less Penn State’s next president.

In two other panels, miners work anthracite seams. In another, a blasting furnace bellows fire skyward. This is before Penn State’s elite faculty — and thousands of researchers from around the world — came to understand how coal forces climate change and how we can work with our food-water-energy systems to draw down carbon emissions. This is before our youth demanded we take climate action.

Imagine these frescos — our traditions — painted new with fresh ideas, diverse faces and the assurance of a bright sustainable future. Learn more about Drs. Farhi, Smith and Hosenkopf at psuforward.org/vote and vote for the slate by May 5 at 9 a.m.

Pay PSU coaches by performance

Lately, the local news has been filled with stories about the upcoming Penn State football season, and all the potential problems the team seems to be facing. Wouldn’t it be great if Penn State could restructure Coach Franklin’s $7 million per year salary to reflect performance? How about reducing each year’s $7 million starting salary by $500,000 for each team loss? Even if he lost all the season’s games, he’d still have a salary higher than any Penn State regular faculty member and/or administrator. They could also reduce the offensive coordinator’s salary by $25,000 for each game in which Penn State scores less than 25 points, and the defensive coordinator’s salary by $25,000 for each game in which Penn State allows more than 25 points. Most Penn State faculty members/administrators are paid on the basis of their performance and success. Why not treat the sports’ coaches similarly? Gee, maybe Penn State could work out a similar approach to men’s and women’s basketball? And maybe they could boost Coach Sanderson’s salary to reflect his status as the most outstanding college wrestling coach in the United States?