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(06/15/95 9:00am)
In a five to four ruling Monday, the Supreme Court cast doubt on the future of affirmative action programs by voting down a federal program which set aside a proportion of construction contracts for minority-owned firms. The ruling agitated earlier decisions made by the Supreme Court to uphold federal affirmative action programs, in particular a decision to uphold preferential treatment of minority businesses seeking broadcast licenses. As a result, the Supreme Court will now strictly scrutinize race-based federal programs to ensure that they are "narrowly tailored" to meet "compelling governmental interests." The decision does not spell the end to all affirmative action programs, however, as Political Science Professor Kerry Haynie said. "I don't think it is necessarily the end of affirmative action, he said, "[though] clearly there will be stricter scrutiny." Haynie said she was concerned not only by the Supreme Court ruling, but also by a decision of the Federal Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in October, which declared the University of Maryland's racially-based scholarships unconstitutional. She said there may have been some unnecessary special treatment given to minorities in the Maryland case, but added that "the misapplication of affirmative action is not new." With regard to Monday's ruling, Haynie said she agrees with the decision, adding that other forces such as differences in the quality of performance of the two companies may have been involved. She added that any court decision involving affirmative action should be made on a "case by case basis [and] should not necessarily apply to another program given comparable circumstances." Haynie was also concerned about how the case might be interpreted in the future. "If you use this one case to apply to all cases," he said, "for affirmative action that may be dangerous." "It may have a chilling impact," he added, "on the number of minorities in higher education ? such as students and faculty." Anita Jenious, the University's Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action, said that the case "has not done away with affirmative action completely." "It's a cause for concern," she said. "Everybody is concerned these days. "I'm convinced the University will always do the right thing," she added. "What anyone discussing Affirmative Action has to recognize," said Legal Studies and Real Estate Professor Kenneth Shropshire, "is that we don't need to eliminate any job that minorities with better qualifications are prevented from obtaining. "We still have to protect people from racism," he continued, adding that "some form of affirmative action is still needed." Eric Tienou, the chairperson of the First Amendment Task Force and member of the Undergraduate Assembly, was unsure about the consequences of the decision. "I can understand some of the the court's arguments, [but] I feel very cautious about the decision" the College senior said. "I would disagree with a program like that from an economic standpoint," he added, explaining that if the bids of two companies are the same, then factors such as diversity could be taken into account. "It's very disturbing if you see the court moving in one way," he said.
(06/15/95 9:00am)
It is lights, camera and action for the movie theater at 39th and Walnut streets. Cinemagic 3 at Penn is opening tomorrow with the blockbuster film Batman Forever on two of its three movie screens, according to Cinemagic Owner Andrew Sheppard. This theater is replacing the AMC Walnut Mall 3, which closed last November because it could not keep up with competition from larger theaters in the area. But Sheppard said Cinemagic will not have the same problem, because it will have a different priority than the AMC. "We will be getting pictures that students and faculty want to see," he said. "In the past that seemed like second or third or fourth priority." As examples of films the theater will be showing, Sheppard said he has reserved Pocahontas starting June 23, and Apollo 13 starting June 30. Sheppard added that extensive renovations were done to the theater during the year. Some of the changes include refurbishing the seats, installing an ultra-stereo sound system and adding television monitors throughout the lobby displaying upcoming previews. There will even be a monitor running 24 hours a day so people walking by can see it, he said. And the ticket box office now has a new indoor location so patrons do not have to purchase their tickets outside in the cold weather, Sheppard added. "Everything was basically ripped out," he said. "At least right now it looks like a brand new theater inside." Associate Treasurer Chris Mason estimated that these renovations cost Sheppard and the University somewhere between $75,000 and $100,000. Sheppard said there are a few differences between Cinemagic and other movie chains. There will be a security guard at the theater every night, Sheppard said. And unlike many other theaters, Cinemagic pops popcorn fresh for every show. He added that like the AMC, the theater will provide a discounted ticket price $4.50 for students. Tickets will cost six dollars for adults and four dollars for children and senior citizens. Mason said the University worked in conjunction with Cinemagic to open the parking lot at 40th and Walnut streets, "in attempt to help the other merchants on 40th Street towards Market." The lot, which opened up six weeks ago, provides parking for only two dollars, Mason said. "We are hoping that with the movie theater there, people will use that instead of parking on the street," he said. Last fall, the University negotiated with the Ritz Theater as a possible replacement for the AMC. But those negotiations fell through and Cinemagic became the company of choice. The Cinemagic theater was slated to open in March, but plans got delayed as a result of the fire at The Convenient Food Store, located at 39th and Walnut streets, in February. Sheppard described the smoke damage as "extensive," adding that "a lot of things needed to be wiped down." The Eric 3 Campus Theater on 40th Street also closed last August when its contract expired. Representatives from the Performing Arts Council and the Undergraduate Assembly submitted a proposal to officials in December, recommending that the site be converted into performing arts space. But Provost Stanley Chodorow rejected the idea in January, on the basis that it was too expensive and that ample performing arts space would be provided in the Perelman Quadrangle. And UA member Eric Tienou said earlier this week that "everything is really up in the air and pending discussions about the Perelman Quad." "Even PAC's priority is the Perelman Quad and this theater is secondary," the College senior said. Tienou added that he is still looking to continue discussions about using the theater for performing arts space.
(06/15/95 9:00am)
The University's BoBarbara Stion, the character of a Penn education and the organizational context within a Penn education takes place," she said. She added that this discussion is going to be based on the Provost's Committee on Undergraduate Education report which was issued earlier this spring. Following this meeting, there will be a luncheon for faculty and students with the trustees, she said. At lunch there will be a presentation by William Kissick, the Chair of this year's faculty senate, on "Medicine's Dilemmas: Infinite Needs versus Finite Resources." Stevens added that the Budget and Finance Committee is going to acting on the University and the Health System Budget for the upcoming fiscal year, as well as their capital budgets. And the External Affairs Committee will deal with "the ENIAC celebration and the opportunity this provides Penn to be recognized as a leader in technology going into the 21st Century." The Facilities and Campus Planning Committee are going to be discussing the Perelman Quadrangle. Stevens added that there will be a briefing on the Biological Research Building, the Institute for Advanced Science and Cevens, the trustees will meet with Provost Stanley Chodorow and the undergraduate deans to "talk about the 21st Century Undergraduate Experience." "They will really focus on the goals a Penard of Trustees are on campus for their stated meeting. According to University Secretary n educatharles Addams Hall. The Internationalization Committee is going to hear a report on the first annual Provost Conference on Information Education and Research, followed by the priorities and goals for international education at the University, she said. And tonight there will be a dinner and reception held in honor of University alumnus Walter Annenberg and his wife and the inauguration of the Annenberg Center for Public Policy at the University.
(06/15/95 9:00am)
After seven years at 3401 Walnut Street, the offices of the University's Hospitality Services moved to the second floor of the 40th Street shopping mall last week. Hospitality Services -- which includes the University's Dining Service, PennCard offices, as well as the catering and vending services -- changed location to accommodate renovations to College Hall. The renovations also made it necessary for President Judith Rodin to move her office upstairs to the third floor of College Hall, where the History Department of the College of Arts and Sciences is currently located. The History Department will take over the offices at 3401 Walnut. "We're an auxiliary enterprise, moving at the behest of the University," said Don Jacobs, the Executive Director of Hospitality Services. But he added that he was not dissatisfied with the move, and that the new location will contain approximately the same amount of office space as the 3401 location. The new offices, situated directly above the Burger King Restaurant at the corner of 40th and Walnut, will cost Hospitality Services about $50,000 less rent a year. And this move helped students, too, because the savings was a major factor in the decision to keep the cost of next year's meal contracts at the same level as this year. "The rent is considerably cheaper, and part of my job description is to not cost the University a nickel," said Jacobs, whose operation is financially independent of the University. But unlike the 3401 location, which would have cost about $200,000 a year in rent, Hospitality Services will have to pay for utilities at the new location, Jacobs said. Jacobs said that the new location will probably have both a positive and negative effect on the number of students who will sign up for meal plans. "We're farther from the center of campus, but we're also closer to a lot more of the dorms," Jacobs said. He added that the Dining Service offices of almost all the other Ivy League schools are on the outskirts of campus. Dining Services Director Bill Canney said he hoped the new location would encourage more students living off-campus to sign a meal contract. "When we moved seven years ago from 1920 Commons to 3401 Walnut, I thought it might hurt us, but in fact the number of students on meal plan went up." said Canney. "Hopefully this move will have the same effect." However, Jacobs said he was surprised by the different atmosphere surrounding the new location at 40th and Walnut. "I was shocked at first by the seediness of the area," said Jacobs. "But I think having more offices and people here will make the area safer." This move is the fourth for Dining Services since 1975, and neither Canney nor Jacobs knew how permanent their new location would be. "How long will we stay -- it doesn't enter my thoughts, nor should it," Jacobs said.
(06/15/95 9:00am)
When the University solar car team heads out on Tuesday for Indianapolis, they hope to be basking in the sun for the next few weeks. If the team qualifies for Sunrayce 95 -- a 1,200 mile trek from Indianapolis to Golden, Colorado -- they will be one of 40 teams competing in a race designed solely for solar-powered cars designed and constructed by students. The race to Golden will take nine days, with the competition culminating on June 29 with a celebration. Last year the team competed in a considerably shorter race -- the Tour De Sol -- which went from New York to Philadelphia. The team finished third in the competition. Engineering sophomore Aaron Vernon said the team believes it has a decent shot this year, possibly finishing in the top 20. But the solar car, aptly named the Liberty Belle, will be facing some stiff competition from local rival Drexel and also former 1990 and 1993 national champion University of Michigan. Vernon attributed Michigan's racing prowess to the fact that Michigan has a $1.5 million budget, due in large part to corporate sponsorship from Detroit automakers. The University's solar car team has a budget of approximately $80,000, and Vernon estimated that the organization has spent $125,000 in the last two years. One difference that separate the University's team from other competitors is that the project is almost completely run by students, according to Engineering junior Ryan Crowell, who has been working on the car's electrical system. The team is so optimistic about this summer's race because some changes have been made on the solar car in the last year, he said. There has been a doubling of the solar cell surface area, a redesign of the rear wheels and suspension and the vehicle's electrical system is being upgraded from 100 to 200 volts. This change in electrical power should increase the speed and efficiency of the car, Crowell added. Another technological advance for the team is a state-of-the-art data acquisition system, which will be used in the chase car to collect 16 different types of data, ranging from the temperature of the car to how long the battery will last. In recent practice runs, the car has gone slightly faster than 40 m.ph., and Crowell said he expects the average speed during the race to be about 45 m.p.h. Although the solar car team is composed of 40 members, only 10 will actually be competing in the race. The 10 were chosen based on who put the most time into the project, Crowell said. He added that the team has recently been "burning the midnight oil," working on the car from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. for the last two week, putting on the finishing touches before race day. "We're the underdog, the cinderella story," Crowell said. "But we like it that way." The competition is not over when the teams finally reach Golden on June 29. The next day is Pike's Peak Challenge, in which the cars try to race up Pike's Peak. But Pike's Peak is not the last challenge of the summer, according to Vernon. In July the team plans to go to Pocono Raceway to attempt to break the world record for speed by a solar car of 83 m.p.h "We thought we could call Guinness and get him out here and see what this baby can do," Vernon said. In addition to receiving a big trophy, the top three finishers in Sunrayce 95 win an all expense paid trip to Australia, courtesy of General Motors, to compete in the 1996 World Solar Car Challenge. Sunrayce 95 is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, in an effort to promote solar energy as an alternative to the consumption of fossil fuels and to reduce pollution.
(06/15/95 9:00am)
Pennsylvania Attorney General Ernie Preate, a University alumnus, agreed to plead guilty to mail fraud and resign from office Tuesday. The attorney general, a 1965 graduate of the University Law School and a 1962 graduate of the Wharton School, could go to jail for as long as five years and be fined as much as $250,000 for the single federal charge. On Tuesday Preate told U.S. Middle District Court Judge Sylvia Rambo that he was pleading guilty. Preate turned control of the Attorney General's Office to top deputy Walter Cohen, and he will officially resign June 23. U.S. Attorney David Barasch said Tuesday that Preate engaged in "a decade-long scheme of repeated violations of state campaign finance law in a pattern of fraud, concealment and deception." Preate, a former president of the Newman Council at the University, had been under investigation for the last five years concerning his campaign finances. He solicited cash contributions for his campaign from illegal video poker operators and hid the funds from election officials, prosecutors said in court papers. The agreement, which was signed last week, says Preate filed false and misleading documents to conceal the cash donations. Throughout the investigation, Preate continually denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he would be vindicated by the federal probe. The investigation found that poker operators contributed about $40,000 to Preate's campaign, half of that in cash donations above the legal limit of $100, to buy relaxed enforcement of gambling laws by the state, prosecutors said in court documents. Preate was district attorney of Lackawanna County from 1977 to 1989 and has been attorney general since 1989. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor last year. Pennsylvania state law requires the governor to nominate a replacement for the vacancy in the attorney general's office. The replacement will serve the remaining 1 1/2 years of Preate's term. The Associated Press contributed to this Article.
(06/15/95 9:00am)
Recent University graduate and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Ian Blake was convicted of disorderly conduct at a court hearing at the Philadelphia Police Southwest Detective's station. But Blake contends that he was mistreated by the police officer who arrested him and he plans to mount an appeal. In court, in front of Judge Robert Blasi, Officer David Carroll testified that on May 2 at about 2:50 p.m. he was called to Van Pelt Library to respond to a complaint that a woman's wallet had been stolen. Carroll said the woman believed that Blake was the individual who took the wallet. Carroll explained that he approached Blake and asked to speak with him, but Blake raised his voice and spoke "very nasty" to the officer. Carroll also said that Blake pushed him into the library office. But Blake tells a different story. Blake claims that Carroll told him to go into the stacks, but Blake said he was unwilling because of Carroll's "reputation." "I was very reluctant to go into the stacks with Officer Carroll because of his reputation," Blake said Tuesday. Blake added that Carroll pulled him into the stacks and shoved him 3 or 4 times and told Blake that he was under arrest. He also said in court that he was arrested under false pretense, because a woman, who had been sitting next to him at a computer lab in Van Pelt, claimed he had stolen some items out of her wallet. University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said he couln't comment on the case. University Police Chief George Clisby was unavailable for comment.
(06/15/95 9:00am)
and Jorie Green More students than ever are spending their summers gaining work experience with internships, according to Career Planning and Placement Service counselor Laura Praglin. Communications and marketing career opportunities in particular have expanded, she added. "Given the job market, employers are looking for some practical job experience before a person graduates," Praglin said. "It shows that a person is responsible, that they're ready to hit the ground running." Praglin also reported that last year, 600 of 625 surveyed University students held internships, and 75 percent received salaries of over $500 a month for their work. But the size of the paycheck may not be all that important in the long run. Praglin said unpaid or low-paying internships still contain one essential benefit -- connections. "An unpaid internship can often lead to something that does pay," she said. "These people that you are working for are the people who can write you great recommendations." But students working in the Philadelphia area said there are short term benefits to internships as well -- no homework. Becoming part of the "real world," may mean more time indoors and less freedom with dress. But it also means stress-free evenings filled with sit-com re-runs, long telephone conversations and in some cases, wild nights out on the town. "A lot of people get to roam the city and go out more than during the year," said Engineering senior Marsha Chan Wai Hong, who interns in the Marketing Department. "When I go out drinking, I wake up with a hangover [and go to work]." Edinburgh University exchange student Andrew Lin, who also has an internship on campus, has discovered a whole new perspective to Bennett Hall while conducting research for English Professor Rita Barnard. Instead of the classrooms, Lin said he finds himself spending much of his time in the English department office in 119 Bennett Hall -- photocopying. But not all interns in Philadelphia have managed to escape textbooks for the summer. Along with a research internship and a part time job at the Biomedical Library, Engineering junior Gabriela Gonzalez is also taking Mathematics 312. She said all of her summer activities are keeping her very busy. "I have free time when I sleep," she said.
(06/08/95 9:00am)
Scientist, researchers, company executives and military officials from around the world are meeting throughout the month of June to discuss solid electrolytes. But thanks to School of Engineering and Applied Science Dean Gregory Farrington transportation to the conference is free. That is because the conference is being conducted via the information superhighway from the University. And the "virtual conference" is one of the first of its kind, according to Associate Director of Computing and Educational Technology Services Helen Anderson. Farrington designed the entire worldwide internet forum and a program called Adobe Acrobat allows the magic to happen. Two hundred scientists throughout the world began meeting Monday over the World Wide Web to exchange ideas about solid electrolytes, the material batteries are made from. In this "virtual conference," authors from around the world have electronically submitted papers on the topic. Forty-five papers can be accessed on the Web for those who are part of the conference. Some of the countries participating include Sweden, India, Australia, Great Britain, Japan, Denmark, Brazil, Germany, and Spain. And Anderson said language is not a communication barrier, even though all the articles are written in English. She added that English has become the language of international science because most of the scientific journals are published in English. The purpose of the internet meeting is twofold, Anderson said, serving both scientific needs and experimenting with the new information technology. Batteries are a "hot topic" because of electric cars and the push to make more powerful, longer-lasting batteries, she explained. "Maybe there is a paper in their that revolutionizes batteries," Anderson said. From the Universities viewpoint, the real benefit of the "virtual conference" is the chance to experiment with new technology, cutting edge tools that might be the wave of future. "We have never tried to exchange information in this way before," Anderson said. Anderson said the conference not only attracts scientists and university researches, but military officials and large corporations like Dow Chemical. "It's of great interest to all kinds of people," she said. The first few days of the meeting have encountered some glitches, Anderson said, adding that this is to be expected in the initial stages of most new endeavors. After the month-long experiment concludes, Elsevier, a Netherlands based company is going to publish the papers.
(06/08/95 9:00am)
Annenberg School for Communication Dean Kathleen Hall Jamieson will be serving on a national panel evaluating undergraduate education at research universities. Jamieson said the panel is going to examine alternative ways to educate undergraduates in higher education. She added that it was selected to represent both public and private institutions. "It's an attempt to step back from the entire process and take a look at where we have been and where we are going," she added. The panel also contains professors from the University of California at Berkeley, University of Chicago, State University of New York at Stony Brook, University of Virginia and Yale University. The senior vice president from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is also on the panel. The idea for this panel originated from Stony Brook President Shirley Kenny. It is also being supported by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The panel is slated to issue a report next spring. Jamieson said it expects to set up at least three meetings, the first of which is expected to take place this summer. Provost Stanley Chodorow said he thinks it is great that Jamieson has been chosen to serve on this committee. And University Spokesperson Barbara Beck said that Jamieson is "an excellent choice" for the panel. "She is a committed academic who year after year after year inspires undergraduates through her teaching and research," she said. "Dean Jamieson is yet another example of Penn's academic excellence." Beck added that many universities doing similar analysis of undergraduate education, including the University. "Judith Rodin is one of a few doing something about it. She has made it one of her goals as the President of the University of Pennsylvania," she said. "Today Penn offers a first rate undergraduate education," she added. "It is more competitive and more highly regarded as an undergraduate school than ever before. "However as good as penn is, it can be better," Beck added. "And we'll lead the way for undergraduate education for the 21st century."
(06/08/95 9:00am)
University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center Director John Glick was recently named president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology during the society's annual meeting in Los Angeles, California. Glick is one of the country's leading cancer specialists, and has been involved in clinical-trials research related to breast cancer, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, for more than two decades. Glick, who is included in "The Best Doctors of America," a listing of the nation's top medical specialists, is currently a professor of medicine. Glick effectively became President of ASCO on May 23. He said he hopes to accomplish several goals, including increasing funding for clinical research, improving patient/physician communication and supporting translational research. He added that he also hopes to monitor the impact of the changing healthcare environment on clinical practice and patient care. "My commitment to these issues is based on their impact to the community at large and, most importantly, to individual cancer patients and their families," Glick said. "We need to carefully analyze how healthcare reform is affecting both patient care and access to innovative cancer clinical trials," he added. Glick has been a member of numerous editorial boards, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research. In addition, he is presently a member of the editorial board of Breast Diseases and the advisory board of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology. He has served as chairman of the Subspecialty Board on Medical Oncology of the American board of Internal Medicine. The ASCO is the largest association of cancer researchers and clinicians in the United States. Founded in 1964, the society currently has a membership of more than 9,600. The University Cancer Center is one of only twenty-seven centers designated for comprehensive cancer treatment by the National Cancer Institute. The Associated Press contributed to this article.
(06/08/95 9:00am)
Looking for something new and exciting to do today? Take a walk down to Houston Hall Plaza -- the area between Houston and College Halls -- and take part in Summerfest 1995 between noon and two p.m. There will be vendors selling food and a radio station playing music. And, of course, there will be free ice cream for everyone. The Office of University Life and the College of General Studies are co-sponsoring the event. Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said the departments decided there was a need for this type of event because there are not many structured activities over the summer. "It's really important for us to come together as a nurturing community all year long," she said. "And I think new traditions to that end in the summer are terrific." She added that she believes this is the first time an event like this is being held in the summer. "It should be fun, and I hope a lot of folks come," McCoullum said. And Associate CGS Director Marion Bell said this event is something the two departments have been thinking about for a long time. "We thought we would like to do something to liven things up on campus for students over the summer," she said. If the weather is not good, the event will be held in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge, Bell added. Both Bell and McCoullum stressed that they hope this event attracts not only students, but also faculty, administrators and community members. Bell said this is the first of four events the two departments are running. The next one is tentatively set for June 22, and there are two dates set aside during the second summer session. The future events will not be exactly like today's, she added. "There may be live music next time," Bell said. And McCoullum said the departments are planning a free summer film series at the Annenberg School. One film will be shown every Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. starting on July 6 and running until August 10. The series, which is being called "The City on Screen: Free Films at Penn," is currently scheduled to include the films Blade Runner, Manhattan, The Blues Brothers, Chinatown, Brazil and Philadelphia. All of movies will deal with "the intricacies and intrigues of urban life," according to CGS Publicity and External Affairs Coordinator Luise Moskowitz. And refreshments will be available at all screenings.
(06/08/95 9:00am)
Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Tricia Phaup announced Tuesday that she is leaving the University. Phaup said she is leaving in order to pursue another job offer. She will be working in a private hospital, primarily with geriatric patients. "I am totally switching fields so it will bring about a lot of new opportunities for me and push me in directions I have not been pushed in before," she said. Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said this new position will allow Phaup to use more of her talents. "She is trained in a lot of different areas, but one of her areas of expertise is in clinical psychotherapy," she said. "This gives her a wonderful opportunity to do work that is so important to her." Phaup said it is going to be difficult for her to leave the University. "I have been here for seven years now, and I have made a lot of great friends," she said. She added that she has enjoyed watching the Greek System grow and prosper. She estimated that the Greek community has grown by at least 15 percent during her tenure at the University. Phaup has had to deal with many controversial issues during her time here, including the University's alcohol policy. She reported that during her time here, student accountability in the system has grown. And McCoullum said Phaup has done a "fantastic job" dealing with the problems that came up. "During my term as acting VPUL, we have had a number of issues that students and alumni and Tricia have moved through very gracefully," she said. Phaup said the thing she will miss the most about her job at the University is working with the students. But she added that she is confident she is leaving the community in able hands. "[IFC President David Treat and Panhel President Lissette Calderon] have a lot of goals and directions and I know they will do a wonderful job moving the system forward," she said. Phaup served as the principal advisor to the BiCultural InterGreek Council, the InterFraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council. She also worked actively with the members of the Greek Alumni Council, as well as with many national chapters. "Her responsibilities range from helping to sponsor different on-campus events to working through any of the issues and concerns that come up as part of the work with the different student groups," McCoullum said. She added that Phaup always informed the University about the important community service work that the fraternities and sororities take part in. "She is one of the biggest cheerleaders in the world for the work the fraternities and sororities do in the community," McCoullum said. While Phaup's official last day of work is June 30, her last day at the University will be June 16. She said she is taking some vacation time until the end of the month. A replacement has not been chosen yet, but McCoullum said she will be working with Phaup, as well as students from the Big C, the IFC and Panhel to "make sure that we continue to provide exemplary support to the units." "But there is no one on earth like Tricia," she said. "She is absolutely fabulous. I am very very happy for her, but I am personally desolate that she is leaving." McCoullum added that she has been "trying everything" to talk Phaup out of leaving the University. "I have offered her ice cream, a constant supply of Philadelphia pretzels and chocolate chip cookies, but to no avail," she said. McCoullum added that Phaup will not be easy to replace. "She works 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said. "I don't think there is anyone better at that job in the country than Tricia." McCoullum promised there would definitely be a new person in place by the fall.
(06/08/95 9:00am)
The University lost one of its most revolutionary alumni ever on Saturday, when J. Presper Eckert -- one of the inventors of the world's first electronic digital computer, ENIAC -- died at the age of 76. Eckert, of Gladwyne, Pa. died on Saturday at Bryne Mawr Hospital after a long struggle with cancer. Unfortunately, this death came only six months before ENIAC's Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration at the University, for which Vice President Al Gore will be serving as an honorary Chairperson. Eckert, along with co-inventor John Mauchly, invented the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer in February 1946, which some experts believed to be the beginning and catalyst for the computer age. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Gregory Farrington knew Eckert personally, and called him a"truly engaging and fascinating man." "It was fun to be around him," he said. "His partnership with John Mauchly in creating ENIAC, is the stuff of legend, and ENIAC is widely credited with giving birth to the computer age and the now the information age. "While many creative people contributed to the development of computers, it was ENIAC that captured people's imagination and gave them a glimpse of the future," Farrington added. "From it, the computer industry began its exponential development, which continues to this day." Eckert began work along with Mauchly on ENIAC in 1943, as a 23 year old research associate at the University. The impetus for the gigantic computer was the U.S. army, who wanted to speed up calculations in order to aim their big guns. At the time it took about 12 hours to plot the flight of each projectile. But with the invention of ENIAC, a trajectory could be done in 30 seconds, 1,440 times faster. And on April 9, 1943, Eckert's 24th birthday, the Army gave the University $150,000 to start building the mammoth calculator. Two and a half years later, after 200 people spent sometimes 16 to 20 hours a day working on the project, it was finally completed on February 14,1946. The ENIAC weighed more than 30 tons and was comprised of 40 panels arranged in the shape of an 80 foot "U." The colossal machine contained 18,000 vacuum tubes, 500,00 soldered joints, 70,000 resistors and 10,000 capacitors. According to Paul Shaffer, curator of the Eniac Museum in the Moore Building , many scientists and engineers mocked the idea of using vacuum tubes. But, he added Eckert and Mauchly would not be dissuaded. "Eckert and Mauchly had the courage to proceed in what was obvious to many people at the time, a foolish task," Shaffer said. "They proved it could be done, and there was no turning back from there." Shaffer credits the ENIAC for the development of the space program and many other facets of people's daily lives. After ENIAC was completed, Eckert and Mauchly stayed at the University for a year before being fired over a dispute concerning the commercial rights of the machine. Later in 1946 the two founded the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation. In 1950 Remington Rand took over their company and eventually after a few mergers the company became known as the Unisys Corporation. Eckert, who was granted 87 U.S. patents, remained vice president of the Unisys Corp until 1989, when he retired. Some of the awards Eckert received over the years include the National Medal of Science awarded, which was given to him by Lyndon Johnson in 1969,the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University and the Howard N. Potts Medal of the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Award. Services were held yesterday at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Gladwyne. Burial followed at Valley Forge Memorial Gardens. Eckert is survived by his wife Judith and a daughter, three sons and 3 grandchildren.
(06/08/95 9:00am)
On May 19, Religious Studies Chair Ann Matter was awarded the inaugural Outstanding Teaching Award by the College Alumni Society -- the University's oldest alumni organization. In order to get candidates for this award, the organization sent surveys to members of Class of 1985, asking them to suggest a professor "whose knowledge, teaching style, philosophy, or advice really made a difference in their lives." In the words of one alumnus who filled out the survey, it was Matter's "immeasurable open-mindedness, depth and breadth of learning, approachability, and commitment to her student's success" that stayed with her even 10 years after graduation. Matter joined the faculty in 1976 as an assistant professor and was promoted to full professor in 1990. Consistently praised by students throughout her years at the University, Matter was awarded the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1981. And this spring, Matter was one of five University professors to receive the Guggenheim Fellowship. Each year the Guggenheim Foundation grants $5 million to 200 researchers. The application process was comprehensive and competitive. To apply, each professor had to submit information on their research and careers. The foundation then contacted other leaders in the applicant's field for additional insight. Her research deals with the history of Christian culture, with emphasis on the Middle Ages. Some of her studies include the history of biblical exegesis, spirituality and mysticism, women's history and spirituality, music and the Christian tradition, and medieval textual studies. In addition to publishing various articles on these topics, Matter has published a book entitled, Voice of My Beloved: The Songs in Western Medieval Christianity. Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs in the College Kent Peterman described some of Matter's merits. "In conjunction with this substantial body of scholarship, her excellence as a teacher shines brightly indeed," he said. "This most recent recognition of her teaching demonstrates the impression she makes on her students endures years after they have left the University."
(06/01/95 9:00am)
Three University students have died this week in unrelated incidents. College sophomore Emily Sachs died as a result of a heart attack triggered by an asthma attack early last Wednesday morning. Joseph Walters, a 40-year-old part-time student in the Computer Information Science masters program in the School of Engineering, also died after experiencing a cardiac arrest on Monday. And John Marshall, a PhD candidate in Bioengineering in the School of Engineering, died on Friday of natural causes. Sachs was visiting some friends on campus last Tuesday when she experienced an asthma attack, according to Assistant Vice Provost for University Life Barbara Cassel. Sachs had asked her friends to take her to the emergency room, where she was admitted and put on a respirator. During the course of the night, she suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be resuscitated. Her mother, Jo-Ann Sachs, said she is still trying to figure out why this happened. "I sent her off at a quarter to four last Tuesday perfectly healthy," she said. "And then she died the next day. There was nothing wrong with her except asthma." Walters was found dead in his hotel room in Cambridge, Massachusetts last Monday, where he was attending a class for his job. He was a senior systems programmer. Marshall had taken a medical leave from the University last fall. Cassel said she did not know what his illness was. Sachs was diagnosed with asthma at the age of two. But friends said she never let it get in her way. College sophomore Marla Snyder, who described her as "by far the most genuine human being I think I have ever met," said she never let her condition affect her life. "She accomplished more in 19 years than any of us could expect to accomplish in a lifetime," Snyder said. She said Sachs was always referred to as 'little Em' because she was only five feet tall. "But she was definitely not small in spirit," she added. Snyder said she had never been as close with anyone as she was with Sachs, adding that they often referred to each other as sisters. The two were planning to live together next year. "We couldn't wait to decorate and hold dinner parties," Snyder said. "Our house was going to be constantly open for permanent socialization." She said she will always remember Sachs's laugh, adding that "she made every situation light up with her laugh. "She was always giggling no matter what," Snyder added. "She had the cutest laugh. She had a very playful soul to her." Class of 1995 graduate Tracy Layland also remembered Sachs's joviality. "She was so happy," she said. "She made everyone else happy she was around. Layland described the first time she met Sachs. "I have this memory of talking to her before the beginning of her freshman year and she was so excited and loved Penn so much," Layland said. Sachs, who was a member of the Chi Omega sorority, was an accomplished dancer and singer. She won both the Miss Dance Pennsylvania title and the Miss Teen Dance New York City title. "To her, that was her greatest accomplishment, winning Miss Dance New York City," Snyder said. "She was determined to be on Broadway. And she would have been." Layland, who was in the Arts House Dance Company with Sachs, agreed that she was tremendously talented. "As a dancer she was just amazing," she said. "Probably one of the best dancers if not the best dancer we ever had." Sachs was scheduled to direct the dance program at a camp this summer. Services were held for Sachs on Friday at the Har Zion Temple in Trenton, New Jersey. So many people attended that it was standing room only. Sachs's family set up a memorial fund at the temple, where contributions in her memory can be sent. The address is 491 Bellvue Avenue, Trenton New Jersey 08618. Sachs is survived by her parents Jo-Ann and James and her 15-year-old brother Andrew. Services for Walters were held Saturday at the Wilde Funeral Home in Parksberg, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife Nicki and his three children. A memorial service for Marshall was held at his home in Haddon Heights, New Jersey on Tuesday.
(06/01/95 9:00am)
While most students fled campus in mid-May, many remain on campus for the summer. "Everybody's gone," complained College junior Shannon Bisbee, who is staying around to take a course in underage drinking. And with a smaller number of students on campus, there are fewer activities available for them to engage in. Many students noted that fraternities, sororities and other organizations are less active over the summer. Yun Sheng Liu, a College freshman and member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, said the social life during the summer is "somewhat boring [because] you don't have frat parties." But despite the diminished amount of activities, most students reported that they enjoy the University over the summer more than during the rest of the academic year. Wharton junior Paul Wylie agreed, adding that the course load during the summer is not as intense. "The summer is much calmer and less stressful, with a lot more free time," he said. With fewer people around, University students have come up with alternative ways to have fun over the weekends. Yaakov Mandelbaum, a recent graduate, said that during the summer he does "a lot more things in the open," such as dining on "the Green" and taking walks. He added that he has the time to regularly cook in his apartment, giving him the opportunity to sharpen his culinary skills. But some students reported that without friends around, the social life can get pretty boring. "It's kind of dead if you don't know people who live here during the summer," College of General Studies senior Susan Siegel said. "I don't bother taking time to find interesting things to do, night-life wise." And campus life can be different, even for students with established groups of friends. While College sophomore Nilam Patel and her friends do not "go clubbing" on weekends anymore, they find other ways to spend their time. "This weekend everybody cooked dinner together and little things like that," she explained. And the benefits abound if you are old enough to legally drink. Engineering School graduate Alex Gizis said he and his friends enjoy the summer because, "we've got the bars more to ourselves." "It's not so crowded and obnoxious," he said.
(06/01/95 9:00am)
The doctor is in this summer at the University's Anonymous HIV Testing Site. Although campus activity slows down during summertime, the site -- which offers free HIV counseling and testing to the Penn community -- will operate on its regular schedule. Even in these months demand is steady, according to Kurt Conklin, a health educator in the University's Office of Health Education. Indeed, demand for the free services has been consistently high since the opening of the facility in October 1993. Since that time, the site has seen over 1,000 people, Conklin said. Project Coordinator Delores Solivan estimated that 15 to 25 people visit the center each Thursday. While the patients are mostly University students, the site is also frequented by faculty, employees and members of the surrounding community, Conklin said. While many patients visit the center in response to an experience such as sex, some visit the testing site out of routine regard for their health. "It is natural for a student to be worried about HIV, especially after an incident has happened that concerned them," Conklin said. "[However] many students are proactive about their health, just to get peace of mind." Solivan said patients are offered one-on-one counseling before being tested. "A counseling session involves reviewing HIV, what it means, asking the client why they want to be tested, and discussion concerning safer sex [and] drug use," she added. Conklin said this distinguishes the site from other testing centers, because "many places that do HIV testing do not offer any counseling." Although the facility is located in the Dental School, Solivan said it is not managed by the University, adding that the site is operated by the Women's Anonymous Test Site of Hahnemann University Hospital. "All Penn does is provide the space in the Dental School and some supplies," said Solivan. "The University has been really great so far in providing support for us." Because the service is anonymous, Conklin could not disclose whether any patients have been diagnosed as HIV-positive. However, he did insist that patient satisfaction is very high nonetheless. He said the feedback from an ongoing patient survey has been "overwhelmingly positive."
(06/01/95 9:00am)
Harvard University was struck by severe tragedy last Sunday when a student viciously stabbed her roommate to death and then hung herself in the bathroom. Another student was also stabbed in the incident. Harvard junior Sinedu Tadesse stabbed her roommate, junior Trang Ho 45 times. Tadesse also stabbed Thao Nguyen, a 26 year old resident of Lowell, Massachusetts who was visiting Ho at the time of the stabbing. According to Martin Murphy, the first assistant district attorney of Middlesex Count, Ho woke up during the ordeal and tried to block the knife, as evidenced by wounds to her hands. Police have been trying to piece together this extremely violent crime, deemed the worst in "at least two decades" by the school newspaper, The Harvard Crimson. Some officials and Nguyen believe the attack may have been planned as evidenced by a cryptic note that was sent to the Crimson last Tuesday. Along with the note there was a photograph of Tadesse. "Keep this picture," the note said. "There will soon be a very juicy story involving the person in the picture." The Crimson received the note, which had no stamp or postmark. After the events of Sunday morning, the Crimson contacted the Harvard University Police Department, which dispatched investigators to search through a garbage dumpster outside the school newspaper's building. The police recovered the envelope and photo. One possible motive that family and friends have been speculating about is the recently soured relationship between the two roommates, who had lived together for the past two years in the Dunster House dormitory. The relationship tensed up when Ho decided that she wanted to room with someone other than Tadesse next year. A letter sent by Tadesse to Ho last month echoes backs this theory up. "I thought we were going to do stuff together, you'll always have a family to go to and I am going to have no one," Tadesse wrote, the Boston Globe reported. Both Ho and Tadesse went through intense struggles to finally get to Harvard as pre-med majors. Ho, a native of Vietnam, had fled Vietnam on a boat along with her father and older sister about ten years ago. And Tadesse, the daughter of provincial school administrator in the poverty-stricken Ethiopia, won a scholarship to attend Harvard. A 1993 Boston magazine article listed Ho as one of the "25 Who Can Save Boston."
(06/01/95 9:00am)
After over four years of planning and discussion, the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology may actually become a reality. On Tuesday, Air Force Spokesperson Jane Knowlton confirmed that the Air Force had signed a Record of Decision that day, giving the University the last piece of government information it needs to demolish Smith Hall and begin the construction of the high-tech building. According to Vice President for Facilities Management Arthur Gravina, this means that the Air Force has evaluated all of the alternatives, and agreed that our siting for the IAST is ideal. As a result, they will release the funds necessary to build the first phase, which is the construction of the new building. While Gravina could not give an exact figure, as of March the Air Force had already allocated $23.75 million in grant money for the entire project, according to Associate Director for Federal Relations Carl Maugeri. It's total contribution could reach $35 million. Vice Provost for Research Barry Cooperman estimated in March that the construction phase of the project will cost between $44 and $50 million. Now that the University has financial commitments lined up, it has to obtain a demolition permit from the city to tear down Smith Hall. Gravina said if all goes well, Smith Hall will be demolished sometime this summer. The project began in 1991, when the federal government selected the University as the site for the IAST. The project was then turned over to the Department of Defense and subsequently to the Air Force. The building was slated to house space for the Chemistry Department, additional Chemical Engineering laboratories and research space for the Bioengineering Department. Three years ago, the Air Force began an Environmental Impact Study, analyzing the plan's historical and environmental significance, focusing specifically on Smith Hall. In March, the Air Force finally completed the EIS, deeming the site appropriate. And with the release of the Record of Decision, it is official. Phase two of the project consists of remodeling the Morgan Building and the Music Building and constructing a new wing that will connect the two buildings from the rear. For the third phase, the University will construct an engineering-science library in Hayden Hall. This will be expensive, and may take a long time to construct. The fourth and final phase of the project is the retro-renovating of space in both the engineering and chemical complexes. Because this phase is routine renovation work, its budget can be cut if the project gets too expensive. Gravina estimates that the entire project will take two years to complete.
