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(07/06/95 9:00am)
Relief might be in sight for women suffering from premenstrual syndrome, as a result of a new University study. The study, which was published in the this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, reports that the tranquilizer Xanax can relieve symptoms suffered by women with PMS. And the study found that the hormone progesterone, which is commonly prescribed for the treatment of PMS, is not effective. These findings come in the wake of a recent Canadian study that showed the antidepressant drug Prozac is effective in treating PMS. Xanax was determined to be "significantly" better than placebo or progesterone in reducing the overall severity of premenstrual symptoms, particularly improving mental function and mood, as well as in alleviating pain, the study reported. The study, which included 170 women, age 18 to 46, lasted for a three month trial and tested the efficacy of oral progesterone, Xanax and a placebo. Of those taking Xanax, 37 percent experienced a 50 percent reduction in symptoms, compared with 29 percent from progesterone and 30 percent from the placebo. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Ellen Freeman, the principle author of the study, said that the Xanax discovery is important because it could help those women who were not aided by the use of Prozac. "This is a different kind of drug that could help the other women," Freeman said. The Prozac study, which was published in last month's New England Journal of Medicine, indicated that about half the women who took Prozac had an improvement in PMS symptoms. Freeman said any new research on PMS is exciting because five to 10 years ago there was no information on the subject. PMS afflicts two percent to 10 percent of menstruating women, and is marked by irritability, tension, mood swings, anxiety, confusion, swelling, depression, fatigue, insomnia, aches or other symptoms before each cycle. One issue the use of Xanax brought up was that of dependency. But Freeman contends that dependency is not a problem because the women take the drug for such a short time. Unlike Prozac, which is taken every day, Xanax is only taken for about 10 days while the PMS symptoms persist, Freeman explained. Xanax, made by UpJohn, is also known as alprazolam and is part of a class of anti-anxiety drugs called benzodiazapines.
(07/06/95 9:00am)
When Stanley Chodorow met Judith Rodin last April, he was pleased to discover that they had a similar set of goals for the future of the University. "We had a lot in common, but were not exactly alike," he said. "In a way, we complimented each other in our differences. And one year later, both Provost Chodorow and University President Rodin feel that they have been a productive team. "I think in terms of the goals that we set for our administrative team in the first year, we have moved forward on many of them," Rodin said. The first goal they set out to achieve was to implement the recommendations of the Commission on Strengthening the Community, a project launched by the previous administration aiming to improve many aspects of University life. The Commission's report, which was released last April, included recommendations on housing Greek life and relations between faculty, students and staff. Rodin said that most of the Commission's 60 recommendations had been put in place by January. "We felt very strongly that the work that was begin last year was important and that it galvanized the interest and intention of faculty and students and staff in a very significant way," she said. Rodin added that the administration took this project so seriously because they felt they could make a "bigger and stronger Penn" by implementing as many of the Commission's suggestions as possible. The first project that the Rodin-Chodorow administration initiated on its own was the Provost Council on Undergraduate Education's creation of a model for the 21st Century Undergraduate Experience. Chaired by Chodorow, PCUE -- comprised of nine subcommittees of students, faculty and staff -- released phase one of its proposal in May. Phase two will organize and monitor the progress of the present committees. "The 21st Century project for the undergraduate experience is at full steam," University spokesperson Barbara Beck said. "Indeed, some projects will begin on a pilot basis next year." Chodorow explained that one of PCUE's objectives is to create an environment that prepares students for success, in addition to making the University a more comfortable, fun and effective place for students. "We want students to look back two years down, five years down, 12 years down, 30 years down and say, 'I am what I am because Penn really made a contribution to my being, and God was that fun,'" he said. Following the shocking off-campus murder of Al-Moez Alimohamed in August, the University went to work to increase the level of safety on and off campus. Rodin said the University has also been concerned with improving its relations with the immediate community. In February, Rodin unveiled a master safety plan for the University, designed to increase security both on and off campus. The plan included the construction of five security kiosks placed at strategic points running through the center of campus and heavily travelled off-campus streets, creating a series of Community Walks. The new administration also tried to keep student charges as low as possible for the upcoming year. And they were successful -- the University experienced the lowest percentage increase tuition and room and board in 20 years, as well as the lowest increase in the Ivy League. "We wanted to signal to students and to the families that we do understand that the costs of higher education have been escalating enormously, and that we intend to do our part at Penn to manage our resources well and to think seriously when we raise rates about what it means to the families," Rodin said. Rodin was also responsible for establishing a new leadership team this year, which included Coopers & Lybrand partner John Fry as executive vice president -- the University's top financial officer. And former Food and Drug Administrations Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs Carol Scheman was hired as vice president for government, community and public affairs -- a position created to link the University with federal, state and local governments. "I am extremely pleased with the outcome and with the commitment of the new team to Penn and where it is going," Rodin said. Along with a new team came a new approach to many old issues -- not the least of which was the idea of a student center. In January, Rodin and Chodorow scrapped year-old blueprints for the Revlon Center, which had been in the works since 1988. They replaced this with the Perelman Quadrangle, for which construction should begin in December. The project will renovate and restore Irvine Auditorium and Logan, Williams and Houston halls in order to create student offices, meeting rooms, eating and lounge areas, rehearsal and gallery space and an auditorium with variable seating arrangements. The announcement of this new center originally came a shock to many student groups that had been promised space under the Revlon Center plan. But the project has gained substantial support from members of the University community. In April, University Trustee and alumnus Ronald Perelman pledged a record $20 million to the new center, doubling his original pledge to the Revlon concept. And last month, University Trustee and alumnus Stephen Wynn committed $7.5 million to the project. Added to the $2.5 million from class gifts given during Alumni Week, the University has already raised nearly half of the $69 million cost. "In just 10 months, President Rodin has attracted several of the largest charitable gifts ever made to the University," Beck said. "And she managed to be enough of a presence on campus so that deans, faculty, students and employees are incredibly enthusiastic about her leadership." In November, Rodin was named to an independent committee to analyze security and safety at the White House. She also worked with two Keystone subcommittees, as a member of an advisory board composed of civic leaders from across the state. Rodin, who estimated in April that she spends 15 percent of an average semester away from campus, said last week that she expects to spend about the same amount of time on the road next year. But she added that she is trying to get more control over her on-campus time. "As a personal goal for next year, I really do want to continue to meet more faculty and students and staff and spend a little less time in formal meetings," Rodin said. "I think I have been out a lot, but I would like to continue that and not think, 'well gee, I did that -- that was last year.' "I get tremendous energy and ideas from being out there and really spending time with people who are part of Penn, and I want to fashion my schedule for next year in a way that continues to allow me to do that," she added. Chodorow set a similar personal goal for next year. "At mid-year, I started this program of meeting with students on a regular basis, and it worked well both for me to understand the students and for the students to understand me," he said. "And a lot of students tell me, 'you know, you are not such a bad guy.' "But I had a much harder time, and I am going to take much more time this year, getting to know the faculty," Chodorow added. Chodorow's relationship with students got off to a rocky start early in his term, when he was quoted in The Daily Pennsylvanian as saying, "The problem with student participation is that many of them don't have much time. It's not as if students are the best organized people in the world." This angered many student leaders. He admitted last week that one of the things he had to adjust to this year was the different traditions of participation and the decision-making processes adhered to by the University and University of California at San Diego, where he had been chancellor. "I didn't really know what to expect coming to a new institution," he said. "I didn't have a lot of preconceived notions, although naturally you expect things to be like what you know, and Penn is very different from UCSD." Chodorow added that he found his regular meetings with students in the spring to be "tremendously useful." "The character of someone who comes to Penn needs to be understood by someone like me," he said. And College senior and Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Lance Rogers said that although he has not had the opportunity to work closely with the provost, he respects that Chodorow keeps an open mind. "If Provost Chodorow is set on doing something and someone comes forward, no matter who that someone is, and presents a logical argument, he will listen to that person, and in some cases even change his mind," Rogers said. Chodorow said his thoughts on undergraduate education evolved as he learned more about the University's traditions. "In the time that we worked on PCUE, I did learn the traditions and my expectations and my notion of how Penn does its undergraduate education ? changed quite a lot," he said. "It became about Penn, not about what I knew from this other institution. "And that happened in lots and lots of areas where Penn is organized so differently," Chodorow added. In particular, he discovered that the University's leadership is different from what he was used to. "Judy Rodin is a leader of a sort you come across very rarely," Chodorow said. "She has ferocious intelligence and determination to get things done that you rarely see." Another aspect of the University that surprised him was that "Penn is a place where you can actually get things done." He contrasted the University to UCSD, where every process has a procedure and everything is pinned down. "And in that kind of environment, even with the kind of drive Judy has, it takes longer," Chodorow said. "It is a very formal process. "Here, leadership has more room to move and things can happen more quickly," he added. "And Judith is exactly the right person to take advantage of that." Chodorow said he was also impressed by how much the administration was able to get done in a one year period. "Me and Judy changed the way we do our capital planning," he said. "I can't tell you how long that would take and how much consultations with state agencies that would require at UCSD. "But we were able to create a new process this year, and next year we will use that process which will make our capital projects more rational," Chodorow added. "When you think about the fact that I had to spend the first six months figuring out what the place was like before I was in a position to do something, we accomplished an enormous amount." He said that ever since the first time he came to visit the University, he has recognized the University as an institution ready for a sudden and drastic improvement. "At that point we were just coming from a billion dollar campaign, we had spectacular new resources and new energy," he said. "The little engine that could became a pretty good sized engine that could. "There was spirit, and you want to pick up on that," Chodorow added. "You don't want to pick an institution out of the gutter, you want to join it as it's starting to trot. And this institution was already at a good trot." He added that the other thing he noticed was that faculty and students "absolutely loved this place." "I thought this was a lovable institution, and I wanted to be at a lovable institution," he said. Chodorow said his goal is to make the University even more lovable. "So faculty and staff and students don't have to say, 'I love this place but?,'" he said. "They can just say 'I love this place.'" Rodin had a different feeling when she visited the campus last year because she was coming home, both to the University and to Philadelphia. She feels that her status as an alumna is an advantage for the University. "I believe and hope that it is true that it has helped me to relate to the students very well, particularly the undergraduates, because I was an undergraduate here and really do remember what it felt like," she said. And Rogers said the University was "lucky to get someone who was familiar with Penn and its traditions." Rodin said she has also been impressed by the warm feeling that people have for the University. "One of the most striking things to me is how many undergraduates stop me on campus and tell me how happy they are," she said. "And that never happened to me at Yale, and maybe I was just the provost so they didn't feel that they needed to tell the provost, but it is wonderful. It really is." Beck said Rodin is "well underway to building an efficient, well-run institution that is prospering during a time when many other universities are failing." "Time and time again this year, President Rodin demonstrated that good leadership includes teaching and learning, building relationships and influencing people, as opposed to exercising one's power," she said. Philadelphia Mayor and University alumnus Ed Rendell said Rodin has "injected new energy into Penn." "She's a great symbolic leader," he said. "But it is too early to tell whether she will make substantial changes."
(07/06/95 9:00am)
Robert Rescorla had big plans for undergraduate education when he became College of Arts and Sciences dean a year ago. He was especially interested in providing research opportunities to all undergraduates. "It seems to me that this is one of the greatest contributions that a research institution can make to its undergraduates," Rescorla said. Along with the deans of the three other undergraduate schools, he sat on the 21st Century committee, which focused on improving undergraduate education. He also chaired the Research Experience subcommittee. And he was pleased to report that his strong interest in research was able to be included as an important part of the resulting recommendations. He said he has also been trying to reward individual students, adding that the College Alumni Society funded eight student research projects this year. And this year's 25th reunion class gift goal went towards financing a research project, he said. "This came about as a result of discussions with alumni and their seeing the importance of undergraduate research," Rescorla said. And funds from the Pew Foundation have allowed his office to support a "wide range of educational initiatives," including ongoing assistance to the restructuring of the calculus curriculum around Maple and supporting many electronic innovations for the English Department. The money has also been put towards the development of many individual courses, such as research experience courses in economics and psychology. And it has been used to reconsider how some of our chemistry courses are taught and to develop a new way of teaching Hebrew. "It is very important that we be able to support the creative efforts of our faculty in developing new courses and teaching opportunities," he said. Rescorla also appointed a committee concerned with students' mathematical ability, as well as their analytical skills. The committee is chaired by Psychology Professor Paul Rozin. "My own belief is that they are going to find some shocking deficiencies," Rescorla said. He has also strived to increase respect for good teaching. In February his department awarded the first Kennedy Chair for excellence in good teaching to Undergraduate Mathematics Chair Dennis DeTurck. And in May the College Alumni Society presented Religious Studies Chair Ann Matter with the first Outstanding Teaching Award. In perhaps the most ambitious attempt to recognize excellent teaching Rescorla recognized the top 50 instructors, based on Penn Course Review ratings. He then wrote them personal thank-you letters. "Often you feel like nobody notices," he explained. Rescorla said he feels that all of these initiatives are paying off. "I think it is really happening," he said. "I think people are now paying much more attention to teaching." He said a large part of his job is overseeing the department, which includes the College Advising Office. "I hadn't appreciated that I was inheriting such a large staff," he said. "The number of things that just happen in this office that I don't have to make happen is amazing. "All of the people really care about undergraduates," Rescorla added. "In a way, it is kind of awe-inspiring to be a part of it." He said he was worried that when he gave up his position as chair of the Psychology Department, he would become out of touch with "what the University is about." "I was concerned that I wasn't going to have much contact with students," he said. But Rescorla went out of his way to insure that this was not the case. He said he found it useful to hold a lunch in a different dining facility every Friday, during which he was accessible to students who wanted to talk with him. And he also maintained his in-the-classroom contact with students by teaching a course in the spring. He also worked to improve communication with parents by personally writing letters telling them what is going on on campus. "It's been an historic problem that parents don't feel like participants," he explained. School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said Rescorla has an enthusiastic commitment to undergraduate education, which shows in everything he does. "I just think he is superb, and Penn is very fortunate to have him in this position," she said.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
The University will lose one of its greatest sources of support tomorrow, when Chaplain Stanley Johnson retires after 34 years of service. And the position will never be the same again. When Johnson announced his retirement in March, University President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow set up a committee to evaluate the role of a chaplain at a modern university. The committee, which was chaired by Social Work Professor Jane Lowe, included Barbara Cassel, the assistant vice provost for University life, Reverend Ralph Ciampa, the Pastoral Care director of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons. Lowe said the group interviewed leaders of Hillel, the Newman Center and the Christian Association, as well as students and faculty. "There was a general consensus that the office of chaplain should continue and that there should be a search undertaken at some point for a new chaplain," she said. The committee recommended the position be maintained and expanded to include work with all of the various campus ministries and groups, Lowe added. "The bottom line is that the position should remain and be expanded to encourage inter-religious and intercultural dialogue," she said. The group submitted its proposal in April, but Chodorow said he and Rodin have not yet decided what the future is for the chaplain's office. And Rodin said they have not even set up a committee to search for a replacement for Johnson. "It's a two-phase project," she explained. "We have the report and we will be moving to appoint a search committee." But Chodorow said it is not unusual for the University to be without a chaplain for the summer. "Reverend Johnson has always spent the summer on Nantucket," he said. Rodin confirmed that there will be an acting chaplain appointed, in accordance with the committee's recommendation. "We've had several volunteers," she said. "There are several people who think they'd really love to do it. "Chaplain Johnson has set a wonderful model and I think a lot of people think it would be a great job as an interim position," she added. Johnson was hired in 1961. During his tenure at the University, Johnson has served primarily as a counselor, spearheading programs for students with questions about their sexuality and dealing with women's issues. The programs are now independent agencies. Johnson also served as dean of admissions from October 1974 until 1977. He said in March that he will be spending his free time traveling, volunteering and pursuing various hobbies.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
The University's involvement with the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy case has just become even more complex. The group's creditors held their first meeting on Monday, during which they voted to reject interim bankruptcy trustee John Carroll III, and replace him with former federal Judge and University Law School Graduate Arlin Adams. Adams is also a trustee emeritus of the University, an honorary title given to the most distinguished Trustees upon their retirement from the Board. But although some of the creditors raised the question of conflict of interest during the election because of his potentially biasing ties to the University, University Spokesperson Barbara Beck said there is nothing to be concerned about. "Judge Adams is a man of sterling character," she said. "He is a trustee emeritus -- an honorary designation so he does not vote and he does not chair committees." And to avoid any unnecessary controversy, Adams announced at the elections that he would resign from his position as trustee emeritus trustee if he were selected. Last week, Carroll released calculations which showed the University making $2.1 million from New Era. These figures were in direct contrast with the $1.55 million loss that University officials had originally projected. The $1.55 million figure represents the amount of money the University invested in New Era. But University officials will not be able to confirm or deny this gain until it completes its own investigation, which is being conducted by Coopers & Lybrand. University spokesperson Phyllis Holtzman said last week that the firm will be investigating two major issues. "They are going to look at the University's procedures that led to this involvement with New Era," she said. "And they are also looking at this whole money issue to try and figure out what the different funds represent." Along with his bankruptcy figures, Carroll also submitted a set of rules requiring organizations that made money from New Era to return some or all of their gains to help offset charities that were devastated. But it is possible that these rules will not remain under Adam's leadership. "We do not know if there will be changes in procedures," Beck said. "We will have to wait to see who the new trustee will be. "Once a permanent trustee is appointed, he or she will decide," she explained. New Era, which is based in Radnor, Pa., with offices in London and Hong Kong, promoted itself as an innovative new charity capable of doubling nonprofit institutions' money by soliciting matching funds from a pool of anonymous wealthy donors, who supposedly relied on the charity to find worthy causes. Along with the University, hundreds of nonprofit organizations deposited their money with New Era, which said it would hold the funds for six months in brokerage accounts -- rather than in escrow -- and claimed to be investing it in certificates of deposit or treasury bills while finding matching donors. But John Bennett Jr., the charity's president, admitted to his staff last month that the anonymous donors did not really exist.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
New Orleans has always had its Mardi Gras, and New York City its New Year's Eve all-night decadence. Now finally Philadelphia, that often overlooked East Coast City with a reputation for being nasty to tourists, is hosting its own holiday party worthy of national stature -- "Welcome America." In principle, "Welcome America" resembles the patriotic national holiday known to most Americans as "Independence Day." But how an 11-day holiday, complete with an appearance by the Beach Boys and enough fireworks to forever tint the smog from the Schuylkill Expressway, be referred to by the name of a holiday only occurring one day a year? Last year, about a million tourists and city residents alike took part in a more modest, six-day version of the celebration. Welcome America spokesperson Caroline Piven estimated that this figure could more than double this year. "Sunoco Welcome America has two purposes," she said. "To celebrate America's birthday for everyone in the area, and to make Philadelphia a destination city." Today's first Welcome America activity, a "Summer Mummer's Parade," begins at 7 p.m. at the Gallery. Hundreds of Philadelphia famed New Years paraders will march from City Hall to the Liberty Bell. And as early as 6 a.m. Saturday, hot air balloons will be released into the air at the New Jersey waterfront and set adrift above the Delaware River. Too tired from all that booing and cheering at the Welcome America boxing fight between Prince Charles Williams and Merqui Susa at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Friday night? Don't worry -- the Moon Glow Balloon Festival will be repeated at 8:45 p.m. that evening, and at 6 a.m. each morning of the celebration. Other events on Saturday include the Liberty Lighted Boat Parade and Concert at Penn's Landing from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m., and late-night shopping in Center City. Shopping opportunities continue on South Street the next day with the "Great American South Street Skate, Picnic and Sidewalk Sale." At noon July 2, the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing will officially open its door to the public. And from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the concerto Soloists Concert Band will fill Independence National Historic Park at 5th and Market Streets with chamber music. Fireworks begin at 8 p.m. Monday night at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell will honor United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees Sadako Ogata of Japan with the Philadelphia Liberty Medal at 5th and Chestnut streets. At 1:30 p.m., the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution will present a band concert at Independence Square at 5th and Market streets. Touch the Liberty Bell at Independence Square, while at the same time a bell-ringing from the Centennial Bell in the Independence Hall Tower will begin and by the America Starts Here! parade at 20th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Welcome America festivities culminating later that Independence Day with fireworks at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway by the Art Museum at 8 p.m. The Beach Boys and the Philadelphia Orchestra will lull the lengthy celebration to a close with the "Sunoco Sweet Sounds of Liberty."
(06/29/95 9:00am)
Law and Economics Professor Michael Wachter will take office as deputy provost Saturday, replacing Physics Professor Walter Wales, who served in the position for almost three years. Wachter has been the director of the Center for Law and Economics since 1984, and holds a faculty post in the law school. He was selected for the deputy provost position in March. In the past, the deputy provost has been responsible for all faculty matters -- including appointments, grievances, benefits, promotions and overseeing tenure cases. He would also act for the provost in his absence. But Provost Stanley Chodorow said in March that Wachter's position is going to have less of a focus on personnel issues. Instead, Chodorow said Wachter will be using his new position to focus on academic planning. "He will work with me to set the agenda for the Academic Planning and Budget Committee and work with the deans on the review of academic programs -- an essential element of academic planning," he said. Chodorow added that Wachter will be at the center of all strategic planning and institutional research in the provost's office. "It will be through Wachter that the continuing process of planning the new undergraduate experience will connect to the broader issues of academic planning," he said. And he said he will be relying on Wachter for advice on "a wide variety of issues that fall within my responsibility." Chodorow added that he plans to create a new position in the provost's office to handle personnel, police and faculty members' individual issues. Wales announced his intention to step down effective December 31, 1994 last April. But he agreed not to vacate the post until the deputy provost search committee, headed by History Professor Richard Dunn, completed its work. Wachter has been at the University since 1969. He was a faculty assistant to former President Martin Meyerson in the early 1970s. He was involved implementing the University's current budgeting system. And after returning full-time to the faculty, he served on the Academic Planning and Budget Committee for many years. "He earned a reputation for deep knowledge of the University and for sound judgement," Chodorow said. Wachter was unavailable for comment.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
Keith Vivett, who carjacked, robbed, raped and shot a College of General Studies student in the face in October 1993, was convicted by a jury last week. Vivett was convicted of aggravated indecent assault, two counts of robbery, kidnapping and a weapons offense. The 26-year-old student was walking to her car in the public parking lot at 34th and Chestnut streets October 20 at 9:30 p.m. when Vivett kidnapped her, according to Assistant District Attorney Curtis Douglas. Vivett forced the student into the backseat of her car at gunpoint and robbed her of $7. He then drove her to North Philadelphia, and forced her to remove her clothing in the car. He then sexually molested her. After driving around for 20 minutes, Vivett stopped the car and molested the student again. He then gagged her with her bra and forced the nude student into a house, where he shot her in the face. "I felt the hot metal on my face," the student told the Philadelphia Daily News. "I thought I was going to bleed to death." Still conscious, the student played dead, waiting for the man to leave. After Vivett fled in the victim's car, she went out into the street asked someone to contact police. The student was taken to Jefferson Hospital and was released later that week after being treated. Common Pleas Judge Arnold New sent Vivett to prison to await sentencing in September. The student's lawyer was unavailable for comment.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
Scott Reikofski, the Assistant Director of Student Life Activities and Facilities, has been appointed as acting Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs for a one year period, starting Saturday. Reikofski is replacing Tricia Phaup, who announced earlier this month that she is leaving the University in order to pursue another job offer. The University will be appointing an interim person to take over Reikofski's responsibilities in the Department of Student Life, according to Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta. "That job works with the Senior Class Board on a lot of events, so it is really important," he said. Before coming to the University two years ago, Reikofski had "a strong background in student group advising and the fraternity and sorority world," Moneta said. He added that Reikofski is committed to the issues that Tricia Phaup was involved in. "It is really helpful that he was able to step in," Moneta said. "I hope that he will be able to sustain all of the really good things that Tricia started while we take the time to contemplate the future." And Reikofski said he feels "really good" about being appointed to this position. "I guess I look at it as a vote of confidence at what I was able to do here," he said. "I was kind of flattered that they knew I had a fraternity background and that I might be interested." Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said she is "absolutely delighted that Scott has agreed to begin working as the acting OFSA director." "He is very very knowledgeable about the fraternity and sorority system at Penn," she said. "He will bring an enormous enthusiasm to the position and I believe he will be a terrific partner to the program." McCoullum added that Reikofski will have three primary areas of responsibility, serving as the University's liaison to the BiCultural InterGreek Council, the InterFraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council, to alumni of the Greek system and to all students on campus. Reikofski said he wants to continue the relationships that Phaup built up during her tenure at the University. But he added that he wants to work on the degree of segmentation with the Big C, the IFC and Panhel. "I want to see them continue to grow together and come together as a system, but still maintain them in recognizing their structural differences and the different needs that they have," he said. He added that he would be interested in taking on this job as a permanent position. "This was the first job that I have had in higher education that did not include fraternities," Reikofski said. "It will be nice to get back to that. "I see this as a chance to step up to a director's level at the University and sort of audition for the part," he added. But Moneta said his department has not even begun to think about who the permanent director will be. "We are going to await the continued efforts for the University's long range direction for undergraduate education before doing anything," he said. "We want to make sure that what we bring in is really consistent with all of their undergraduate initiatives."
(06/29/95 9:00am)
University Trustee Ronald Perelman broke all records in April when he committed an unprecedented $20 million to the University for the construction of a student center that will bear his name. But he is not only the University's biggest supporter -- he is also Senator Bob Dole's. Perelman has been listed as the top contributor to Dole's Better America Foundation. Dole (R-Kan), who received $250,000 from the University alumnus, announced two weeks ago that he shut down the foundation at the end of the month. He had been accused of indirectly using the funds towards his presidential bid. The foundation was created in 1993 as a nonprofit organization that would serve as a think-tank for Republican causes. And last week, Dole was forced to released the names of the 131 donors who contributed approximately $4.9 million to the foundation. And Perelman tops the list with a $250,000 gift. The fact that Perelman, a longtime supporter of the University, has offered such a substantial contribution to a candidate whose proposed balanced budget contains such severe educational cuts, has puzzled some observers. Not only does Dole advocate drastically cutting the amount of government funding to education, but he also attacks both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. University officials have in the past decried the elimination of any of these programs. But Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman denied this week that Perelman's investment in Dole's foundation creates a conflict of interest to the University. And University President Judith Rodin declined comment on the issue. This is not the first time Perelman has substantially backed a political candidate, but most of his donations have been to the Democratic party. In 1988, he donated $100,000 to former New York Governor Mario Cuomo's gubernatorial race. However this gift violated the $25,000-a-year limit on political contributions, and Perelman was forced to agree to pay several thousand dollars in civil penalties five years later. Perelman repeated his support of Cuomo in the 1994 New York gubernatorial race, this time donating $91,000 -- the largest contribution of the campaign. This time the gift was legal because the money went towards a "soft money" account, so that the funds could be directed towards administrative expenses or passed along to state parties, but not used directly for the campaign. Perelman also was one of the top donators to President Bill Clinton's campaign in 1992, offering a substantial donation of $170,000. But in 1988, Perelman seemed to be slightly ambivalent as to which party to support in the election, because he gave donations of more than $100,000 to both Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis and former President George Bush.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
The search for a new University Police Commissioner has kicked into high gear as the July 31 resignation date of current Commissioner John Kuprevich approaches. According to Executive Vice President John Fry, the search is moving along well. He reported that a field of 70 or more applicants has been narrowed down to 15 people. He described the applicant pool as being "extremely qualified." "I'm really excited about some of the people who have applied," Fry said. And he added that a new commissioner would most likely be chosen in the next month or month and a half. Fry said the next step is for the field of 15 to be narrowed down to six, which could happen in the next week to 10 days. Faculty, administration and students are involved in the process of narrowing the number down and interviewing the individual applicant, he said. Kuprevich announced on April 13 that he would resign his position at the University on July 31. Since his resignation, Kuprevich has maintained that he will stay involved in campus law enforcement. According to University of New Mexico Lieutenant Steve Lewis, Kuprevich is on the short list of UNM's candidates for the next commissioner of public safety. Kuprevich was the University's first commissioner of public safety and oversaw the University Police department and the Victim Support and Special Services unit since assuming the post in December 1990.
(06/22/95 9:00am)
Main walkway to named Wynn Commons University Trustee and alumnus Stephen Wynn has committed $7.5 million to the Perelman Quadrangle, according to University President Judith Rodin. And with this gift, the University is halfway to completing the full expense of the project, she said. "We have $20 million from Mr. Perelman and $7.5 million from Mr. Wynn and $2.5 million from class gifts that we got from the last alumni week grouping," she added. "So we already have $30 million towards the project and we have literally just announced it." Wynn, who graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in English Literature in 1963, is Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mirage Resorts Inc. -- one of the nation's largest casino companies. He has been credited with being the first to bring entertainment to gambling, making Las Vegas a place for the whole family to enjoy. Wynn donated the money to help with the construction of the common area that lies between Irvine Auditorium and Logan, Williams and Houston Halls. This area will be named Wynn Commons. The project involves the renovation and restoration of the four buildings to create student offices, meeting rooms, eating and lounge areas, rehearsal and gallery space and an auditorium with variable seating arrangements. Rodin said Wynn expressed interest in the Perelman Quad early in its planning stages. "When we first presented the potential Perelman Quad project to the Trustees in January, Steve got very excited by the project and asked me to alert him in how we were doing," she said. She added that while she has known about Wynn's intention to donate this money for a while, she waited to announce the gift until the Trustees met Thursday morning. Rodin said Wynn is very committed to the concept of a main street where people can congregate. "As somebody whose business is spaces where people meet and come together and engage in a variety of activities, I think he realized the power of this space," she added. "And we are very grateful for that." Wynn serves on the University Trustees' Budget and Finance and External Affairs Committees. And his wife Elaine is a member of the Board of Overseers of the University's Graduate School of Education. Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Virginia Clark said Wynn has contributed to several University fund-raising programs in the past, but that this is his largest gift to date. "He thinks the project is terrific," she said. "He is very supportive in our plans?and wanted to be helpful in making it come to fruition." Rodin said she hopes to have a few more major gifts towards the Perelman Quad by the end of the summer. The total price of the project is now estimated at $69 million, and $9 million in deferred maintenance funding has already been allocated and used for the repair of Logan Hall's exterior. Construction of the student center is expected to take 36 months. Rodin said she hopes the project will start this fall.
(06/22/95 9:00am)
and Amy Lipman Vice Provost for Research Barry Cooperman announced on Tuesday that he will be stepping down from his position September 1. "It's been a long time," he said. "I have been Vice Provost for 13 years." Provost Stanley Chodorow said holding the position for a period of more than 10 years is an extraordinary accomplishment. "The length of his tenure alone indicates that Vice Provost Cooperman has done a superb job," he said. "No one who was not first-rate and who was not making a major contribution to the University could have stayed on that long." Cooperman, who has been a member of the faculty since 1968, is now going back to teaching Chemistry full-time. He said he was frustrated during his tenure, because he did not have the opportunity to conduct extensive research for himself, although he was happy to be able to teach at least one class each year. He will still be directing the French Institute for Culture and Technology and chairing the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Wistar Institute. Chodorow said this is good timing for Cooperman to make this move. "He has excellent support from the [National Institutes of Health,] and this an ideal time for him to go back to teaching and research full-time," he said. Cooperman said he would have left his position earlier if it were not for two factors. He said he wanted to see the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology -- a project who's history goes back to 1987 -- go through as a project. Last month, the Air Force released its Record of Decision, giving the University the last piece of governmental information it needs to demolish Smith Hall and begin the construction of the high-tech building. He added that the IAST product is something that he is very proud of. "I hope there will be an actual tangible product when I step down on September 1st," Cooperman said. He added that he wanted to serve as a bridge between the old administration and the new administration. And Chodorow said he was happy for this assistance. "From my personal experience during the past year, I can say that I am very glad indeed that he gave me a year," he said. "He helped to orient me to Penn, he accomplished several important projects, beside IAST, and he gave me good advice and support when I needed it. I've enjoyed working with him." Chodorow added that he will now try to find a member of the senior faculty to serve as Acting Vice Provost, but added that he does not expect to find a permanent replacement until the fall. "I expect to start the preliminary phases of a search for a permanent replacement during the summer, but the search will only gather steam when the faculty return from their summer activities," he said. Cooperman said the University has changed its position to become more highly ranked as a research institution under his leadership. But although he said he has made numerous improvements in the research program during his tenure as Vice Provost, he added that there are still some deficiencies. The issue he is most concerned about is providing mechanisms for financing institutions in the University. He said he believes in the University's credo that good research and good teaching go hand in hand. Cooperman said the Rodin administration is still searching for how it will deal with research, adding that its challenge will be to determine its priorities. But he said he is positive they will succeed. "In the long-term, I am quite optimistic for Penn and research in general," he said.
(06/22/95 9:00am)
The University Medical Center is taking the lead in the race towards finding an AIDS vaccine. On Friday the University announced that the first DNA based vaccine is currently being tested on HIV-positive patients. The vaccine is designed to delay or possibly stop the onset of AIDS in people infected with HIV. "As the first human trial of a DNA vaccine, this signal a new era in vaccine development and could revolutionize the way vaccines are produced and give, William Kelley, CEO of the University Medical Center and Health System said in a statement released to the press. The first patient in the study is a 34 year-old woman who is HIV positive. She has received her initial injection of the vaccine and is now undergoing tests as part of Phase I safety trial. Over the next year, 15 other patients will join in the study. And the patients will be placed in three groups of five, with each group taking a different dosage. The trial will last about one or two years. The brains behind the new technology is Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine David Weiner. Weiner and Apollo, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company in Malvern, Pennsylvania systematically designed these cassettes from dead strands of the HIV virus and viral proteins. The clinical trial is being conducted by Professor Ron MacGregor and Professor Stephen Gluckman, both professors of medicine and infectious disease. "The idea is to beef up the immune system against the virus and hopefully maintain [a] state of control and keep the virus infection silent," Weiner said in a September interview. Earlier studies conducted by Weiner with mice, rats, rabbits and non-human primates have demonstrated that DNA injection does indeed stimulate the immune system. But the researchers have not yet determined whether the treatment will prevent subsequent infection in HIV-positive subjects, he said. The vaccine contains HIV genes that will instruct the virus to produce two specific proteins within the patients' cells. The proteins will spark an immune response, causing the patient's bodies to produce additional antibodies and the white blood cells known as killer T cells. These so called killer T cells kill HIV infected cells. "While this study is for HIV, if the approach is safe and successful, it could change the way we think of vaccines," Weiner said in a press statement. "This approach appears to have promise not only as a preventive measure against infection, but also as a treatment for many varied diseases." Some other possible diseases the vaccine could attack include hepatitis, tuberculosis, certain cancers and autoimminue diseases. Weiner and his colleagues were given a $4.2 million grant form the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to develop the vaccine.
(06/22/95 9:00am)
If image is everything, then the University is on its way to having it all. "The sense is that Penn is a University whose time has come, and this sense is critical," University President Judith Rodin said at Thursday's External Affairs meeting with the University's Board of Trustees. And to insure that this does not change, the University has spent the last year searching for an Associate Vice President for Communications, a job Rodin described as "a unique position." She said the person selected will serve as a central spokesperson representing the University as well as serving as a key planner in the strategic policy of the University. This position has been vacant since last March, when Carol Farnsworth left the University upon being named Vice Chancellor for Communications at the University of Denver. Although the University has interviewed numerous applicants for the post, Rodin said they have yet to find the perfect candidate. Rodin said the position will be "a very welcome and needed addition to the University," although she said she believes the University's image has seen an improvement over the last year. "There is a real sense that Penn is a different place -- a place that is committed to good relationships with our neighbors both internally and externally," she said. And University Secretary Barbara Stevens agreed, saying that there has been a "solid increase in Penn's news coverage." Last year, the University ranked seventh in print news coverage of national universities, and fifth in broadcast coverage. University spokesperson Barbara Beck said this news coverage will increase dramatically with the 50th anniversary celebration of ENIAC, the world's first electronic computer, which will take place in February. So far, media ranging from Good Morning America to The New York Times have expressed a strong interest in the ENIAC celebration. "ENIAC is going to establish Penn as a leading University in the information age," Beck said. In order to further foster this relationship with the media, the University has to work on several areas -- including managing crises, communicating one message for all of the schools and increasing relevant media coverage to build public support for the University's mission, Stevens said. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman agreed that attention has to be paid to the way the University controls crises before they "blow up in the press," like with the Water Buffalo incident two years ago. Rodin suggested that the root of the problem is the lack of communication between the individual schools and departments. "We have potential crises brewing?because this is such a decentralized environment that things can go on without anybody knowing," she said. And with these changes, the University will be well on its way towards an improved public perception. Committee Chairperson and University Trustee Leonard Lauder said that as the University gets "hotter," the media will pick up more of its news. "It is easier to sell a hot lipstick than one nobody wants," he said, drawing from his experience in the cosmetic business. This analogy captured Rodin's attention, prompting her to ask him, "Should I think of myself as a hot lipstick?" But Lauder was quick to explain himself. "No, think of the University as one," he responded. "We can discuss the other later."
(06/22/95 9:00am)
The University's Board of Trustees had their Stated Meeting Friday afternoon, capping two days of intense committee meetings. Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos started off the meeting by awarding University Chaplain Stanley Johnson with the E. Craig Sweeten Award for Distinguished Service, in honor of the 34 years he served at the University. Johnson is retiring at the end of the month. Then University President Judith Rodin addressed the Trustees, summing up the major accomplishments of the year. She was proud to announce that the University's balanced budget successfully reduced core administrative costs and that the budget experienced the lowest growth in unrestricted costs in over a decade. Rodin also told the Trustees about the completion of phase one of the Provost's Council on Undergraduate Education's 21st-century Penn Undergraduate Experience, as well as the safety initiatives that have been implemented under the Master Security Plan. Then Provost Stanley Chodorow gave an update on the status of the numerous positions the University is attempting to appoint. This was followed by a report from Admissions Dean Lee Stetson, who informed the Trustees that the University received a record number of applications this year and that it had the lowest admit rate ever at 33 percent. Medical School Dean William Kelley, who is also chief executive officer of the University Health System, said the recent merger of the University Health System and Presbyterian Medical Center and two nursing homes is "extremely important for the continued development of our teaching program." Former Trustee chairperson Alvin Shoemaker reported that the Campaign for Penn showed no sign of slowing down this year, making $175 million-- $2 million more than last year. He also announced that undergraduate financial aid is the key fund raising goal for the near future and informed the group that construction on the Perelman Quadrangle is scheduled to begin in December. And Bruce Mainwaring, Chairman of the University Museum's Board of Overseers, said the museum has embarked on a plan for a new wing. He added that renovations to Harrison Auditorium and the museum's entrance may be in store.
(06/22/95 9:00am)
When the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy filed for bankruptcy last month, hundreds of organizations that invested with the group were facing a stark future. But the University may have been one of the lucky ones. According to recent calculations by Philadelphia Bankruptcy Trustee John Carroll III, the University may have actually ended up making $2.1 million from New Era. These figures are in direct contrast with the $1.5 million loss that University officials had originally projected. "The $1.5 million that we said earlier is the amount of money that the University currently has with New Era awaiting matching funds," University spokesperson Phyllis Holtzman explained. But she said the University cannot confirm the $2.1 million gain until it completes its own investigation, which is being conducted by Coopers & Lybrand. "This is what the trustee reported according to his calculations," Holtzman said. "But the University at this point can't really verify that for sure because we have our own audit going on and we really need to see how that all turns out." The firm will be investigating two major issues. "They are going to look at the University's procedures that led to this involvement with New Era," she said. "And they are also looking at this whole money issue to try figure out what the different funds represent." But even if Carroll's $2.1 million figure is accurate, the University may not have the money for long. Along with his bankruptcy figures, Carroll also released a set of rules, which might require organizations that made money from New Era to return some or all of their gains to help offset charities that were devastated. Holtzman said the University expects to return funds under the supervision of the courts. "But we don't know what amount or what time that would be," she said, adding that the University will not know its fate until the final accounting is complete. "We really expect that the court will be working on a fair formula and when all of that is complete, we will be returning some funds," Holtzman said. She added that she could not rule out the possibility that the University will take a loss as a result of investing with New Era. New Era, which is based in Radnor, Pa., with offices in London and Hong Kong, promoted itself as an innovative new charity capable of doubling nonprofit institutions' money by soliciting matching funds from a pool of anonymous wealthy donor, who supposedly relied on the charity to find worthy causes. Along with the University, hundreds of nonprofit organizations deposited their money with New Era, which said it would hold the funds for six months in brokerage accounts -- rather than in escrow -- and claimed to be investing it in certificates of deposit or treasury bills while finding matching donors. But John Bennett Jr., the charity's president, admitted to his staff last month that the anonymous donors did not really exist. Summer Pennsylvanian staff writer Josh Fineman contributed to this article.
(06/22/95 9:00am)
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives allocated $35.5 million in state funding to the University Tuesday night when it passed the proposed budget for the 1995-1996 fiscal year. But unless the Senate approves the budget, the University might not see the money until the fall. After speaking with several senators on Wednesday morning,Vice President for Government, Community and Pubic Affairs Carol Scheman said she is confident that the Senate will pass the budget by the July 1 deadline. She said the lack of senate action has nothing to do with the University. Instead, she attributes it to a battle between democratic leadership and Pennsylvania Republican Governor Tom Ridge. The $35.5 million appropriation is the same amount that was allocated last year, but is a substantially lower amount than President Judith Rodin's request for $49.8 million. But Scheman said she was not surprised with the decision, explaining that the $49.8 million figure was what the University "could use," but that she did not really think the state would allocate that much money. "It's what we expected," she said. Scheman added that the University's highest priorities in the budget were increasing the money for the Veterinary School and lowering in-state tuition. She stressed the importance of the Vet School as being the only one of its kind in the state and the cutting-edge bio-medical research that is taking place at the school. The Vet School was allocated $20.7 million, which was only slightly lower than the $23 million that Scheman had hoped for. And $9.5 million was appropriated for General Instruction, while $4.28 million was given to the Medical School. The Dental clinic received just under $1 million. The major change between this year's allocations and last year's funding is that $6 million was taken from General Instructions and put towards the Vet School. Money appropriated by the state is earmarked for the University's health profession programs, specifically the Vet School and for maintenance of a need blind admissions policy. One of the amendments that was passed along with the budget includes the creation of a special committee to investigate spending practices by universities receiving direct state assistance. Representative John Lawless, the main sponsor of the resolution, grilled Rodin and other University officials at a budget hearing in the spring about the number of hours professors spend teaching and the money spent on travel and sabbaticals. But Scheman said she did not think that Lawless' attack had no effect on the amount of money allocated for the University.
(06/22/95 9:00am)
Perelman Quad not expected to solve space problems At Friday's Facilities and Campus Planning Committee Meeting with the Trustees, Rodin admitted that the plans for the Perelman Quadrangle will not accommodate all of the University's performing arts needs. "We have been pursuing alternatives," she said. "There is a need to spread out on campus." Rodin said officials are now rethinking the Annenberg Center as an option for providing students with more performing arts space. "The students have not had much opportunity to use the Annenberg Center because of the rates and rent structure," she said. But until recently, University officials have used the promise of performing arts space in the new student center as an appeasement to student complaints. In January, Provost Stanley Chodorow rejected a proposal submitted to him by representatives from the performing arts council and the undergraduate assembly, recommending that the site of the Eric 3 Campus Theater on 40th Street be converted into performing arts space. One of his main reasons at the time was that ample performing arts space would be provided in the Perelman Quadrangle. Rodin stressed that this is an issue the University is paying close attention to this summer. She said the goal is to make sure there is sufficient performing arts space for students, separate from what will be provided by the Perelman Quad. "By the end of the summer, we will have a very satisfactory plan and set of announcements for when the students come back," she promised.
(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.
