Penn State

This article is about the nation, for the university itself see Pennsylvania State University.

Penn State, officially the Republic of the Pennsylvania State University, is a country in North America located in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the former United States of America. It is entirely located in what was once the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Although completely landlocked, Penn State does not officially border any other recognized nation, being surrounded by unincorporated and ruined former counties. Penn State has been a member of the Big Ten Union since 13 March 2007 and of the NADC since 5 February 2007. Penn State is significantly tied into the administration and operations of the Pennsylvania State University. Following the Great Collapse, the University survived and began to rebuild the surrounding areas, and subsequently founded the nation of Penn State.

Early Political and Economic Foundations
In the 1970s, The Pennsylvania State University became a state-related institution. In doing so, it became a part of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, and no longer part of the fully public Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Though still considered a public university, it was now under independent control rather than that of the state.

Entering the new millenium, Penn State's role as a leader in education in Pennsylvania became well-defined. In 1989, the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport joined ranks with the University, and in 1997, so did the Dickinson School of Law. The University was the largest in Pennsylvania, and in 2003, it was credited with having the largest impact on the state economy of any organization, generating an economic effect of over $6 billion on a budget of US$2.5 billion. To offset the lack of funding due to the limited growth in state appropriations to Penn State, the University turned to seeking philanthropy. 2003 marked the end of the Grand Destiny campaign—a seven-year effort which raised over US$1.3 billion for the University.

The Great Collapse and Aftermath
During the worldwide chaos that collapsed all the established national governments, the University managed to maintain itself and remain operational even as the commonwealth of Pennsylvania itself failed. Penn State provided a relatively safe haven from the riots that were consuming Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg. When the national powergrid broke down Penn State was able to provide enough power to itself and the State College area with a combination of its coal power plant, steam generation facilities, and small nuclear reactor. As the chaos spread out from Pittsburgh into neighboring counties, Allegheny Energy abandoned its Greensburg, PA headquarters and relocated to State College, forming a partnership with the University for reestablishing power transmission to the nearby communities and maintaining power generation and infrastructure.

As the Pennsylvania state government ceased to exist, so did its services such as PennDOT. With the lack of any type of maintenance, roads and highways across Pennsylvania quickly became unusable. Additionally, the breakdown of FAA control and the chaos within the major cities crippling the airports created a major transportation crisis. The University, greatly entwined in the politics and operations of the State College area before the Collapse, expanded and reformed its Office of the Physical Plant to take over the operations of clearing and maintaining roadways and bridges in the State College general area. Additionally, OPP was expanded and given operational control over the University Park airport. Contact and trade was established with other smaller regional airports.

As OPP crews from Penn State worked to restore sections of Routes 80, 322, and 220 which had been severely damaged, the University Park Airport served as the primary lifeline for the State College area. Capacity issues at the airport began to arrise, so a large-scale renovation and expansion project was put into place in May 2006. Employing a great deal of local out-of-work laborers, the expansion was completed in only 5 months. The newly christened Joe Paterno International Airport was opened on October 16, 2006 with flights to various places in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Statehood
By December 2006, the University had taken over pretty much all operations of the State College Burough, College Township, Patton Township, and Ferguson Township. Problems began to arrise over the legality of the University's control, but with no one else to take over the need for the University to have that control was apparent. In January 2007, with crime growing in State College, the University Police were asked by the State College council to take over operations of the State College police. In doing so, a massive response by the residents of State College erupted over the question of Penn State's authority to control the law system and the rights of the general populace. The University organised a large town forum in Beaver Stadium on January 22, 2007. There the State College council, the Penn State Board of Directors, and the Undergraduate Student Government met with the State College populace to decide their futures. After hours of debate and discussion, a plan for statehood was decided upon, with the Penn State administration evolving into a national government. Penn State Legal Affairs and the Faculty Senate were commissioned to draft a constitution. On January 29, 2007, the Constitution of the Republic of Penn State was adopted, establishing the nation of Penn State.

The Rebuilding PA Initiative
At the first meeting of the 1st Penn State Congress on February 3, 2007, the Rebuilding PA Initiative was put into effect. This large-scale program was implemented to restore basic services throughout the former commonwealth and rebuild ruined towns and municipalities. Uniquely funded through a combination of philanthropy, fundraising events, taxation, tuition revenues, and corporate deals, the Initiative began restoring power, water, and roadways to surrounding townships. In March, its purview was expanded to begin reinstating local governments, reestablishing police and fire services, and building local industrial and commercial sectors. In April it was expanded yet again with a paramilitary national police force to remove small dictatorships and rogue militias which had taken control of small towns in the region. Officially an arm of the University itself, the Rebuilding PA Initiative has grown to such a size that Penn State University has become the largest single employer in the region, if not the continent. As of June 16th the Initiative has just restored services in Punxsutawney, Reynoldsville, Williamsport, and has begun a siege on Carlisle, where a rogue militia group had seized control of the former US Army War College there.

Government and Politics
See also: Organization of the Pennsylvania State University

Penn State is a unitary semi-presidential republic with strong democratic traditions. The constitution of Penn State was approved by referendum on 29 January 2007. It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to parliament. The executive branch itself has two leaders: the President of the University, who is appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania State University and is the Head of University, and the King, who is the Head of State and Government.

The national government comprises three branches:

Legislative: The Congress, made up of the Board of Trustees (Senate) and the National Assembly (House), which makes national law, approves treaties and has powers of impeachment and the purse.

Executive: The King, who appoints, with the Board of Trustees' approval, the Cabinet and other officers, who administers and enforces national law, can veto bills, and is Commander in Chief of the military. And the University President, who is appointed by the Board of Trustees, who administers control of the university and its day-to-day operations, and who maintains the branch campus locations outside of the national area.

Judiciary: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the King with the Board of Trustees' approval, which interpret laws and their validity under the Constitution and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional.

Congress
The Penn State Congress is a bicameral legislature comprising a National Assembly and a Board of Trustees. The National Assembly representatives represent local constituencies as well as the undergraduate and graduate student governements of the Pennsylvania State University and are directly elected for 1-year terms. The Assembly has the power to dismiss the cabinet, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government.

The 32-member Board of Trustees includes the President of the University, the Head of the Faculty Senate, the Mayor of State College, the Centre County Commissioner, and the Director of the Penn State Alumni Organization. The other members include six trustees appointed by the Undergraduate Student Government, nine elected by the alumni, three elected by the Graduate Student Government, and three appointed by the State College city council. Lastly, six additional trustees are elected by the Board representing business and industry endeavors.

Constitution
The Penn State Constitution is based upon the former United States Constitution, the supreme legal document in the American system, and serves as a social contract for the people of Penn State. All laws and procedures of the national government are subject to review, and any law ruled by the judicial branch to be in violation of the Constitution is overturned. The Constitution is a living document as it can be amended by a variety of methods, all of which require the approval of an overwhelming majority of the Board of Trustees and National Assembly. The Constitution has been amended 4 times, the last time on March 26, 2007.

The Constitution contains a dedication to "preserve liberty" with a "Bill of Rights" and other amendments, which guarantee freedom of speech, religion, and the press; the right to a fair trial; the right to keep and bear arms; universal suffrage for citizens; and property rights. The Constitution also defines the legal statuses of civilians and citizens.

Geography
Penn State is a small, but growing nation centered around the Pennsylvania State University campus at University Park, PA and the surrounding town of State College, PA. Its influence and control radiants outerward, covering Blair, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Huntington, Juniata, Mifflin, and Snyder Counties - as well as parts of Cameron, Perry, and Union Counties.

Much of its territory is contained within what is known as the Ridge and Valley Province of the Pennsylvanian Appalachians. As such, it has a good mix of large-scale mining operations in the mountains, and fertile farming areas in the large valleys where most of the populations are centered (the most populated of which being Nittany Valley - also known as Happy Valley, which contains the University, as well as State College and Bellefonte, the two largest cities.

Though many of the small waterways running through its territory are unnavigable or impractical for trade pruposes, access to the West Branch Susquehanna River gives it remote access to the Atlantic for shipping. Still, the primary means of trade are accomplished via air.

Significant Lakes and Waterways

 * Bald Eagle Creak
 * Glendale Lake
 * Juniata River
 * Penns Creak
 * Raystown Lake
 * West Branch Susquehanna River

Significant Topographic Features

 * Bald Eagle Mountain
 * Bald Eagle Valley
 * Brush Mountain
 * Logan Valley
 * Morrison Cove
 * Mount Nittany
 * Nittany Valley
 * Tussey Mountain

Demographics
According to the last census, Penn State has an estimated official citizen population of 10,772 - with 7,041 of those having citizenship status and 3,731 holding a special status as members of the armed forces. However, the total inhabitants of Penn State's lands number 538,647 people. The non-citizen population figures take into account 'temporary residents' which includes students and professors of the Pennsylvania State University (and various other colleges) who retain their home nation citizenships, and 'civilians' which include children, prisoners, and those inhabitants who have not yet gained citizenship status.

Citizenship
Penn State separates its resident population into four distinct categories:
 * Civilian (Class 1 and 2)
 * Citizen
 * Serviceman
 * Temporary Resident

All inhabitants (except temporary residents) start out as civilians in Penn State. Civilians have all the same basic rights as civilians and servicemen, but may not participate in the political process and do not receive many of the same priviledges as citizens (depending on what class of civilian they are).

Civilians

Class 1 Civilians are those civilians who are able to take the citizenship test but have not yet done so, those who have failed the test through their own fault, convicted felons, and legal immigrants within the first two years of entering the nation. Class 1 civilians may not vote in elections or hold public office, and are not eligible for free healthcare or free education.

Class 2 Civilians are those who have not obtained citizenship status because they are physically or mentally unable to through no fault of their own. They include all children of the age of 18, developmentally handicapped persons who are unable to pass a citizenship test based upon their handicap, and medically incapitated persons. Class 2 civilians may not vote in elections or hold public office, but do receive free healthcare and free education (as well as some other priviledges afforded to citizens).

Although generally having less rights and priviledges than their Citizen counterparts, civilians do have one particular advantage which keeps many from attempting to obtain Citizenship. Civilians do not pay income taxes (although they do still pay local property and municipality taxes). With many out of work or holding low wage jobs following the economic collapse, the number people who retain the Civilian status is quite high.

Citizens

Citizens are those who have passed the Penn State Citizenship Test. All civilians who have reached 18 years of age, have been living in the country for at least two years, and who are not convicted felons (although they may try to apply for a reformed exception) are eligible to take the citizenship test. Upon successful completion of the citizenship test, one is immediately granted the status of Citizen. Citizens are able to vote in all national elections and are eligible to hold public office. Citizens are also covered under the free Penn State Universal Healthcare System and the Penn State National Education Initiative which allows each citizen to attend any school of secondary education for free up to a total of 8 years. Additionally, only Citizens are eligible to enlist in the military.

Servicemen

Servicemen are those citizens who have joined one of the branches of the Penn State Armed Forces. Servicemen afford all the same rights and benefits of Citizens, but do not have to pay taxes. Veterans who served with the Armed Forces for at least ten years of peacetime or those who served four years and partipated in a major armed conflict may retain their Serviceman status after being discharged (meaning they never have to pay taxes again).

Temporary Residents

Temporary Residents are those living in Penn State who retain the citizenship of another nation. They include students and professors of the Pennsylvania State University, and refugees from other war-torn countries. Temporary Residents may not vote or hold office, are only eligible for partially subsidized healthcare, and must pay tuition to attend school. Temporary Residents who wish to become Citizens must first apply for Civilian status (applicants are rarely rejected, but reasons for rejection normally include a criminal past).

State Parks

 * Bald Eagle State Park
 * Big Spring State Park
 * Black Moshannon State Park
 * Bucktail State Park
 * Canoe Creek State Park
 * Colonel Denning State Park
 * Fowlers Hollow State Park
 * Greenwood Furnace State Park
 * Hyner Run State Park
 * Hyner View State Park
 * Kettle Creek State Park
 * Little Buffalo State Park
 * McCalls Dam State Park
 * Parker Dam State Park
 * Penn-Roosevelt State Park
 * Poe Paddy State Park
 * Poe Valley State Park
 * Prince Gallitzin State Park
 * Ravensburg State Park
 * Reeds Gap State Park
 * R.B. Winter State Park
 * S.B. Elliott State Park
 * Sand Bridge State Park
 * Parker Dam State Park
 * Whipple Dam State Park