After more than 46 years, the Pitt-Greensburg community will welcome back alumni for what some are calling the campus’s inaugural homecoming weekend. Depending on who you ask, though, this may not be the first time the campus has hosted a homecoming event.

Jana Valentine, Director of Campus Activities and a Pitt-Greensburg alumna, said that she remembers the school having homecoming events in the fall when she was a student, but they didn’t stand out as particularly memorable events.

“We did have homecoming a couple of the years that I was a student,” Valentine said. “It rolled into my mind as another event that happened here.”

With Pitt-Greensburg’s first homecoming fast approaching, now is a good time to look back at the university’s history and see just how far it has come.

As one of the school’s first faculty members, Dr. Guy Nicoletti, an associate professor of math and engineering, has seen firsthand the progress the university has made.

“I’ve been here since day one. Since 1963,” he said. “The university has changed tremendously.”

Today at 4 in the Lyceum, professor Michael Lucci will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using computers in high stakes testing. The seminar also will cover useful test-taking strategies and test-development methods.

“I wanted to do this because it will help both me in research for a graduate course and any interested students who might take a computer-based test,” Lucci said.

Schools and testing organizations used computer administered tests (CATs) for convenience — “because it is an efficient way to give tests and to provide similar but different questions,” he said.

Students who live at the YMCA will have access to the building’s fitness facilities.

Both private and double-occupancy rooms are available at the YMCA.

Greensburg YMCA: Both private and double-occupancy rooms are available at the YMCA.In the 1970s, the Village People sang that “it’s fun to stay at the YMCA.” Now, students of Greensburg-area colleges can find out if they were right.

The downtown Greensburg YMCA started housing students on its top two floors last month.

“With the neighboring universities we feel there will be a niche for student housing for years to come,” said Rick Nedley, the YMCA’s chief executive officer.

Last fall, a resident assistant discovered pictures on Facebook of Pitt-Greensburg students drinking in what was clearly a campus residence. The students were punished with alcohol violations.

Although Facebook has a mostly positive reputation, users who aren’t careful with their private information could find themselves regretting which “friends” they share their information with. Which leads some to ask: To “friend” or not to “friend?”

Blood drive: Several Pitt-Greensburg students helped save lives by donating blood Nov. 18.

Every time there’s a blood drive on campus like the one yesterday, Pitt-Greensburg students help save about 120 lives.

On average, 40 students donate a pint of blood during each blood drive. Each pint of blood can help save three lives by separating it into components of red blood cells, platelets and plasma. The red blood cells are used in trauma and surgery, platelets are used in coagulation and plasma is used to treat burn victims.

As January approaches, campus President Sharon Smith and others prepare for the first batch of students to begin the Katz Immersion MBA program at Pitt-Greensburg. Editor-in-Chief Ashleigh Chicko stepped into Smith’s office last week to see what all of the buzz is about.

AC: Dr. Smith, tell me a bit about the basics of the new Katz MBA Immersion program and how the immersion program will work.

SS: This is a general management MBA, so all but one of the electives are chosen for you. Classes will begin in the Spring of 2010. They will be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each month. The first cohort will begin Jan. 22, 23 and 24 and go on from there. A cohort approach means that the classes will be held no matter what. The classes will run from 8 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. all three days and Chartwells will provide breakfast and lunch for the students on those days. It is roughly a two-year program but you will start in January of 2010 and by December of 2011, you’ve got your MBA. The classes will be held on campus in either Powers Hall or in the library. The immersion format means that you can complete your MBA in just one weekend a month.

The total number of criminal incidents on campus dropped from 110 in 2007 to 69 last year, a decline of more than 37 percent. According to the annual report filed by campus police, most of the criminal activity that takes place at Pitt Greensburg falls into one of five categories — burglary, theft, criminal mischief, drug violations and liquor law violations.

Last year, the number of incidents for each category dropped significantly, with the exception of burglary and criminal mischief. The biggest increase reported was in criminal mischief incidents, which more than doubled from nine incidents in 2007 to 19 last year. Burglary increased from three incidents in 2007 to six last year.