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(02/04/94 10:00am)
University students are now eligible to receive part of a $1.5 billion federal grant for community service. PennSERVE, Pennsylvania's Office of Citizen Service, announced yesterday at a conference in Houston Hall that the National Community Service Trust Act will allocate $1.5 billion over the next three years to community service programs across the nation. A large portion of these grants will go towards universities and university students. One such program, AmeriCorps, is geared primarily toward college-age youths. The program will receive $252 million this year. "[AmeriCorps] represents the full throttle phase of the Clinton service program," said University Pubic Service Director Ira Harkavy. Applicants for the AmeriCorps program must be at least 17 years old and should have a high school diploma. If accepted, participants will spend one year working to improve their communities. Full-time workers receive a stipend of at least $7,400 a year, as well as basic health benefits and child care, if necessary. In addition, volunteers will receive a $4,725 college scholarship. "In Center City Philadelphia, for example, there might be 50 full-time corps members working to find ways to address the crime problem," said Pennsylvania Campus Compact Director Diana Bucco. "They could be working with safe havens, dealing with gangs, or conducting education programs." Harkavy said the success of Americorps hinges on its ability to act as a catalyst for other community improvement programs, which he believes it can do. While work begins in June with the Summer of Service program, which President Clinton introduced last year, the majority of community service work will not begin until September, Bucco said. Another program covered by the act is ServeAmerica, which will provide $40 million in grants to community and education based organizations. One quarter of the funds will be allocated toward universities and other institutions of higher education. Of that, a maximum of $300,000 will go to consortiums, and $125,000 to individual universities. "The money will go to run such programs as mentoring, literacy, faculty development and integrating service into the curriculum," Bucco said. Programs would fund student volunteer service efforts and help them become closer to the community, she added. All Pennsylvania programs will be handled through PennSERVE, which state officials hail as one of the best programs in the country. "We expect $10-12 million for Pennsylvania programs [this year]," said Labor and Industry Department Spokesperson John Currie. "We have a statewide program which is among the best in the nation. I think that is indisputable." The programs covered under the National Community Service Trust Act are being administrated by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which sees an important link between higher education and community service. "When higher education was created, is was created to make good citizens," said Bucco. "You might have a nice car and a nice house, but if it isn't safe for your children to walk down the street then how successful are we as citizens?"
(01/28/94 10:00am)
Smokers under the age of 21 may find trouble when they go to buy their next pack of Marlboros. Yesterday, the Philadelphia City Council introduced legislation that would make the purchasing of cigarettes within city limits illegal for anyone under 21. "One of the biggest health hazards and causes of death is smoking," said City Councilperson Happy Fernandez, who is co-sponsoring the bill. "One of the fastest growing groups of smokers is young people." Fernandez cited a study which found that 90 percent of smokers became addicted to tobacco before the age of 21, and 60 percent by the time they are 15. She also stressed the danger to nonsmokers of second-hand smoke. "I think the overall concern is the access that minors have to cigarettes," said Councilperson Michael Nutter. "Many of us are deeply concerned about the accessibility of cigarettes to minors." Many said they are opposed to the bill because they believe a principle much higher than health is involved. "If the legal voting age is 18, then everything should be 18," said Dave Goodman, manager of Harry's Smoke Shop on Third Street. "This is America." Goodman added that even if the bill were enacted, it probably could not be enforced. "These people smoke and they'll get [cigarettes] some place," Goodman said. "It's sort of like a law that is unenforceable. It's an honor system with the cigarette dealers." Others, whose livelihoods are supported by the sale of cigarettes and tobacco, say they will be hurt if the bill passes. "I think it will hurt business," said Norman Winokur, manager of Tobacco Village on the 7300 block of Bustletown Ave. "You have a lot of kinds out there who are buying cigarettes." Retailers and customers alike are opposed to the bill. "I think it's kind of ridiculous," said Management and Technology freshman Stephen Bronstein. "I can't see area stores ID-ing for cigarettes." Other students believe the legislation is unfair. "It's just not right at all," said College freshman Nathaniel Mordo. "Especially since [the legal age] has been 18 for so long." People like Mordo seem to be the main focus of the debate. They can legally buy cigarettes today, but will not be able to if the legislation passes. "[These people] might want to reconsider their habit," said Fernandez. "It is a fair country, and people can do what they want. But we as public officials must do whatever we can do for public health. We can't stop people from smoking, but we can send a message."
(01/26/94 10:00am)
A new Philadelphia Police program aimed at getting guns off the street is using shoes as a deterrent against crime. For a limited time, gunowners can turn in their weapons at any Philadelphia Police precinct in return for a $75 Foot Locker gift certificate -- no questions asked. The $100,000 program, sponsored by Foot Locker, is being administered by the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network in cooperation with the Philadelphia Daily News and the Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments. The "Shoes for Guns" program is expected to continue through Saturday, or until all 1,000 gift certificates are distributed. The program was launched last Wednesday. Foot Locker's Senior Manager of Community Relations Stephanie Falk said yesterday many people are doubtful the program can solve the problem of guns on the street. "A lot of people are cynical and we're being very cautious about this [program]," Falk said. She added, though, that while this program could never solve the problem, it is "the first step" towards doing so. The program has already been administered in Chicago and New York, and is planned for Atlanta and Miami. "In three days over twelve hundred guns came into police stations in Chicago," said Vice President of Foot Locker Jerry Canning. But, Philadelphia Police stations have not come close to matching the number of guns turned in by the other two cities in the same amount of time. As of Monday night, 183 guns had been turned in, including 35 semi-automatic handguns, Falk said. "[The number of guns] is not bad, but it's not great either," said Daily News Deputy Associate Editor Joe Blake. Blake attributed the low turnout to record cold temperatures last week. The Philadelphia Police Department does not regularly institute programs like this, although it has held three gun swap programs in the last several years. "Shoes for Guns is just not the way we are used to doing it," said Philadelphia Police Spokesperson Sergeant Terry Young. "However, if we get one [gun], we feel ahead of the game."
(01/26/94 10:00am)
Tired of the rancid, cramped metropolis of London. Weary of the religious persecution that dominated England. Sick of an aged, arthritic Europe. Burning for a change. The Quaker settlement would occupy a one and a half mile-wide plot of land set between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, and would be known as Penn's Green Country Town. The name would later be changed -- to Philadelphia. The settlement, originally planned as a farming community, would have five public spaces, or parks, set aside both for recreational use and as a meeting place for the community. Each park would be square, taking up one and a half city blocks and measuring 500-600 feet on each side. There would be four squares, one in each corner of the settlement. A fifth would be situated in the very middle. Northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and center square would provide the city with a geographic center. Over the next 100 years the city grew exponentially, and by the middle of the eighteenth century, Philadelphia was the largest metropolitan center in the colonies, and the second largest in the British Empire. All five parks changed as the city grew, each developing its own history and character. In 1825, each park was named for an historical figure key to the city's past. Of those five parks, four of them have not been built upon to this day. The fifth has has been home to City Hall for the past century. ashington Square is located between 6th and 7th on Walnut Street. During the Revolutionary War, the area became a burial ground and Potter's Field for fallen soldiers from both armies. Over 2,000 soldiers and civilians are buried just below the surface of the park. Burials continued in the square after the war. "Washington Square was a stranger's burial ground," said Independence National Historical Park Historian Coxey Toogood. "It was also used for slaves and freemen. In 1793 it was used for mass burial for the poor who died during an epidemic of yellow fever." In the early nineteenth century, the square was opened up again for public use. There was some discussion of keeping city government in the older sections of the city by building City Hall in Washington Square. Instead, City Hall was built in Centre Square in order to put the government at the city's hub. A statue of George Washington was dedicated in the square in 1954, and remains there to this day. A stone casket at Washington's feet represents the tomb of the unknown soldier, a memorial to Revolutionary War heroes. An eternal flame that commemorates the death of tens of thousands of colonial soldiers burns in front of the tomb. Today, Washington Square remains a public park. Two paths meet by a fountain in the middle of the square, with Washington's monument on the west side of the park. Civic organizations in the area are currently petitioning to add the square to Independence National Park, which ends on 6th and Walnut. "This would be an interesting development," said Toogood. "That would take [Washington Square] off of the city role. It would get better maintenance because the city is always poor." ranklin Square is located between 6th and 7th on Race Street, just north of the Vine Street Expressway. Like Washington Square, Franklin Square served as a colonial burial ground. During the Revolutionary War it doubled as an ammunition storage base. Isamu Noguchi's controversial sculpture, "Bolt of lightning?A memorial to Benjamin Franklin," is located on the eastern side of 6th street adjacent to the square. The sculpture sits on a green that was part of Franklin Square before the Ben Franklin Bridge divided it. The sculpture, originally conceived in 1933, depicts a key being hit by a 23-foot tall bolt of lightning. The blueprints of the sculpture, well before their time, were stored and forgotten in the Fairmount Park archives for almost fifty years. In 1979, they were discovered and in 1984, the sculpture was dedicated in its current location. In the last several years, Franklin Square has fallen on hard times. Homeless men and women began living in the park. "Franklin Square has turned into somewhat of a scary place," said Toogood. "It's always a little scary." Residents of the surrounding neighborhood wanted the vagrants out, and in the past years have resorted to such criminal tactics as setting park benches on fire. The homeless in Franklin Square were recently evicted by Philadelphia Police. Franklin Square is currently home to a baseball field and playground in addition to the sculpture. ogan Circle can be found between 17th and 18th on Race Street. Although still technically Logan Square, the area has primarily been a traffic circle since 1919 when it became part of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Logan Square was named after James Logan, Secretary of the Governor's council during the turn of the eighteenth century. During the eighteenth century, Logan Square was used primarily as a gallows and burial ground. Its use was modified during the Civil War and World War I, when Logan Square was used as a fairgrounds to raise money for sick and wounded soldiers. Swann Memorial Fountain lies inside the circle. Finished in 1924, the fountain features a bronze male, female, and young child surrounded by frogs and turtles. The figures represent the three rivers that Philadelphia is built around -- the man is the Delaware, the woman the Schuylkill, and the child the Wisshickon. Today, Logan Circle sits in the shadow of other architectural masterpieces. It is more or less equidistant from the Art Museum on one side and City Hall on the other, and lies practically in the shadow of the Franklin Institute. Aside from its artistic value, the circle regularly plays host to street fairs during the spring and summer months. ittenhouse Square can be found between 17th and 18th on Walnut Street. Rittenhouse Square was named after David Rittenhouse, an astronomer native to North Philadelphia. Beginning in the eighteenth century, the area around the square served as a recreational park space surrounded by wealthy homes which later became hotels, office buildings and apartment complexes. "Rittenhouse is probably the most fashionable of the squares," said Philadelphia Historic Commission Director Richard Tyler. "From the time of its beginning it had a fashionable [feeling]." Rittenhouse Square is the scene of many public outdoor speeches held in the city, as well as an annual huge 'clothesline' art gallery. "The clothesline exhibit is an open air gallery," said Philadelphia Visitors Center Historian Jane White. "Artists pin up their art every spring. More than 2,000 works of fine art [are exhibited]." In December, Rittenhouse Square becomes home to Philadelphia's largest Christmas tree. ity Hall Square, formerly Centre Square, is located at the intersection of Broad and Market streets. There is some evidence to support the belief that Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous 1754 kite experiment in Centre Square. The experiment is commonly said to have been conducted in the commons near the city. At the time, Centre Square was the town commons, separated from the city by several blocks of forest. Local Revolutionary War troops were drilled in Centre Square commons. In 1781, 6,000 men representing two divisions of the French army were encamped there. In 1800, the city of Philadelphia began plans to build a municipal waterworks that would tap underground streams. The pumps were furnished by Nicholas Roosevelt, great uncle of President Theodore Roosevelt. The Centre Square waterworks were in operation from 1801 through 1822. In 1837, a movement began to erect a city hall, but work on the actual site did not begin until 1872. Construction lasted 30 years, but by the turn of the century, Philadelphia had what is arguably the greatest work of architecture in the city's history. City Hall would have been the world's tallest manmade structure, but by its completion, it had been surpassed by the Eiffel Tower and the Washington Monument. City Hall rises 547 feet high, with a 36 foot tall statue of William Penn on its tower. City Hall's four central pavilions represent four continental themes: European in the north, African in the south, Asian in the east, and American in the west. There are over 250 sculptures mixed throughout the interior and exterior of the building. From the time that City Hall was completed, Philadelphia held a "gentlemen's agreement" not to build anything taller than the statue of William Penn. That agreement was finally discarded in 1986. Today, the center of the five squares in William Penn's Green Country Town is towered over by modern skyscrapers.
(01/13/94 10:00am)
Of the ten largest cities in the United States, Philadelphia had the lowest crime rate in the first half of 1993, according to a recent Federal Bureau of Investigation report. Based on the number of reported offenses per 100,000 people, Philadelphia ranks lowest with 2,730, the study shows. Detroit ranks highest among the cities with 5,539, and Dallas was second with 5,193 offenses. The study also indicates that reported crimes in Philadelphia were down almost 20 percent from the first half of 1992. Violent crime was also down 17 percent during the same period. Sergeant Terry Young, Philadelphia Police spokesperson, attributes the study's findings primarily to the department's efforts. "Our coordination and conduct with the community is a model for all large cities," Young said. She added that the drop in the crime rate has a very large effect on the University community. "[The crime rate] is a factor in the University's ability to recruit students," Young said. "It's peace of mind." She went on to stress how important the dropping crime rate is to students when they go off-campus. While the city's crime rate has been dropping for the last couple years, there is no guarantee this will continue, University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said. "[The reports] are simply trends," he said. "Next year, Philadelphia could be the highest. It could vary significantly." Kuprevich said, however, that he believes the FBI report is good news. "This is a very positive sign for Philadelphia as well as for the University." Despite the dropping crime rate, University Police Sergeant Keith Christian said he thinks students do not take crime as seriously as they should. "Most people don't seem to worry about [crime]," Christian said. "I don't think students are as safe as they should be." Some students disagree. "I don't feel any less safe [here] than I would in New York or Chicago," said Wharton sophomore Robert Aherns. The two cities he mentioned both have higher crime rates than Philadelphia. Other students, though, said they are apprehensive about their safety. "[I worry] a little because we hear so much about crime," Engineering sophomore Cardell Orrin said. "Thinking about it, seeing the news." He said, though, "I probably feel as safe as I would feel anywhere else."
(12/01/93 10:00am)
Speaking about the state of black slaves in America before the Civil war, John Hope Franklin told an audience of over 100 students and faculty members that any report of blacks being content before abolition "is a pseudo-truism." Franklin, a Duke University history professor and this year's Leon Higginbotham Distinguished Lecturer, spoke about past historians' "crazy conceptions" about the conditions of black slaves. "Claims made by most of the historians who wrote around or after the Civil War were the craziest," Franklin said during his speech at the Annenberg Center. "They claimed that slaves were content with their status as slaves." Franklin, who is known for his work, From Slavery To Freedom, added most of these historians were southern by birth. He said the founding fathers were afraid free blacks would undermine the slave culture in the South. Slave owners did not want their slaves to seek the liberty that freed blacks had gained. "There were always free blacks, and the slave owners tried to hide this fact," he said. Franklin said the founding fathers understood any acknowledgement of blacks' constitutional rights "would be bad for slave morale." It was for this reason the framers of the Constitution never even referred directly to the word "slaves," he said, referring to Article Four, section Two of the Constitution. "[The Constitution] doesn't call slavery, 'slavery'," he said. "It refers only to 'people held to service.' Our founding fathers did not have the stomach to call a spade a spade or a slave a slave." Franklin, known for his vast knowledge about this subject, described the poor conditions in which many slaves lived and worked during the Civil War era. He said, based on his research, slaves were flagrantly abused and "had every cause to run away." "If they were so content why were they running away," he asked, stressing his point to the audience. "Between 1823 and 1843, around 550 slaves ran away from their masters." Franklin said newspaper advertisements offering rewards for lost slaves are evidence of the injustice of the time. "Some were branded, often on their foreheads, [and] many had scars, according to the advertisements," he said. Based on contemporary news sources, Franklin said that these slave advertisements ran like any other classified ad. "The symbol of the whip, and not their own contentedness, was what kept the slaves enslaved," he concluded.
(11/17/93 10:00am)
Religious Studies Chairperson Ann Matter gave a speech last week at the Philomathean Society about the future of her department. The speech was given as a reaction to College Dean Rosemary Stevens' proposal calling for the elimination of the Religious Studies, American Civilization and Regional Studies departments by June 1, 1994. "Liberals and intellectuals have generally refused to take religion seriously," said Matter. "There is, however, more to human existence than meets the eye. This is not a message that will be received well from the academic power structures," she added. Matter stressed the importance of her department to the approximately 30 students and faculty members at the lecture. "Religion remains one of the fundamental parts of everyday life," she stated. "You only have to read the newspapers to know about the tragedies occurring in the Middle East," Matter added. Matter said she believes that the University's Religious Studies department is a valuable resource. "The academic study of religion has developed away from sectarian terms," she said. "Religious studies is no longer a small field in the American academic world." Matter spoke on the history of the study of religion at the University before opening up the floor to questions. Most students were curious about the University's reason for closing the department. "They're ill-informed," said Matter. "They're ill-informed because they don't want to be informed." Students said they believed Matter made a strong case for the continuation of the Religious Studies department. "Religion plays such an important role because people have been grappling with it since the beginning of time," said College junior Erik Kuhanta.
(11/11/93 10:00am)
Although Dining Service asks students to throw paper napkins into separate bins when they bus their trays, the napkins still end up in the trash with everything else. Dining Service cannot recycle these napkins because students throw food and other items into the bins along with the napkins, according to Al Pallanti, who supervises recycling for the University. Last year the plant that handles recycling for the University began refusing bags of napkins from Dining Service, Pallanti said. "The recycling company had a quality control," he said. "They could not accept [the napkins with] all of that food. The quality aspect always comes into play." Dining Service requests that students separate out their napkins, but there are still problems with other items being mixed in. "[The napkins] should be recycled," said Tom Modic, the student supervisor at Hill House Dining. "Students throw everything in there. They throw food, plastic, newspapers, everything." "A lot of people throw other stuff in there," Wharton freshman Mausumi Shah said. "I threw hot chocolate cups in there because I thought they would be recycled." Many of the napkins that are thrown away have not been used by students. Signs have on occasion been placed above napkin containers asking students only to take what they know they will need. So far no permanent program has been put into effect to deal with this problem. "Some students complain that they are being monitored, while others students feel that it is their right to waste napkins," said 1920 Commons Manager John Henkel. Several students were surprised and disappointed that dining service does not recycle. "That sucks," College sophomore Kim Siegal said. "I told people at home that our school recycles all of their napkins and they thought that it was great." "It's misleading," College junior Dorcas Casey said. "At Hill they have the bins and on top of them it says 'recycling.'"
(10/26/93 9:00am)
Law students are doing more than pouring over legal briefs these days. A group of students from the Law School took time off last week to bring a group of three and four-year-olds to a local farm. Eighty Law students joined about 80 preschoolers from the Head Start Learning Tree program for an afternoon of exploration,learning and fun at Merry Mead Farms in Lansdale, Pa. Four-year-old Derek was one of the children on the trip. "I liked the cows and the pigs," he said. He added that the highlight was "getting to get milk from a cow." "Some of these children are crack babies and homeless kids," said Veenita Bhatia, a third-year Law student who helped organize the trip. "Some have never seen farm animals." The trip was an opportunity for children to experience something other than the city. "This is a truly developmental feature for the children," said Betty Dowdy, Head Start's program director. "Many of the children believe that milk comes from the super market. This trip will show many of the children cows for the first time," Dowdy added. Although University Law students are required to complete a pre-set number of hours of community service, Dowdy said the students did not see the trip as a chore. "They really wanted to work with the students," said Dowdy. "They got down on their hands and knees and got involved. Their excitement added to the kid's excitement." The field trip, sponsored by the law firm of Paul Weiss, was judged by participants to be a success. "It was wonderful," said second year Law student Jennifer Kessler. "We saw cows, peacocks, chickens, and we went on a hay ride. The kids seemed really receptive." "It was very successful," added Head Start teacher Tharissa Mack. "They should have more trips like this."
(09/24/93 9:00am)
For the past 18 months, security guards doubling as tour guides have been roaming the streets of Center City. Unarmed, uniformed security guards sensitive to the needs of residents and tourists now walk beats in downtown Philadelphia. The community service representatives receive training courses in self-defense and public speaking, as well as in city ordinances and Philadelphia history. "Community service representatives provide public safety and hospitality service." said Nancy Goldberger, director of public information for the Center City District, an area of Philadelphia in which merchants pay extra money in return for services such as cleaning and security. She went on to explain that the representatives work with the public by giving directions and safety tips to tourists while maintaining a presence on the streets. "They serve as additional eyes and ears [for the police] and are in contact with police radio," said Goldberger. "They are involved with the Wednesday 'Make it a Night' program, and are generally trying to make people feel more comfortable in Center City." Roy Stoner, the district's director of community service, said, "Feedback within the community suggests that there is a perception that downtown Philly is safe, and many think that the CSRs have been a big part of that." Last year, for instance, the number of reported crimes dropped 20 percent last year. One of their main assignments are the covering of Philadelphia conventions. "[During conventions] the representatives are deployed into hospitality corridors, the suggested route between the host hotel and the convention center," Stoner said. The CSR program has been putting representatives on the streets of Center City from 10 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily since March 1991. The $2.1 million spent annually on the program represents 32 percent of the Center City District's budget. However, some University students feel that it is a waste of money. "The city does not have the funds for it," said College sophomore George Salmoiraghi. "It's a nice idea, but [the CSRs] are actually glorified tour guides." "In a lot of major cities an unarmed cop would be laughed at," College sophomore Carlye Pollack said. Other students felt differently. "It depends upon what roles they have and where they are," College junior Christina Goletz said.
(09/09/93 9:00am)
"Oh no," you say, "not another water buffalo column!" Yes, you've heard it again and again, mentioned in everything from The New York Times to Rolling Stone to The New Republic. One Jewish freshman in the High Rises (whatshisname?) screamed out of his window at a group of African-American sorority members, and suddenly found himself in the middle of the most famous racial bias case since Rodney King. Quite a story: the problem is that it's only half true. What George Will, Rush Limbaugh and Gary Trudeau don't know is that there were many people who yelled out of their High Rise East windows at approximately 11:45 on the night of January 13, 1993. At least a dozen people were accused of screaming epithets that night, and some of them had complaints filed against them for racial harassment by the Judicial Inquiry Officer. The JIO formally investigated two of those accused. Eden Jacobowitz was one of those two. I was the other. My roommate Eden and I chose two very different methods of defense. When Eden went to the press in April, I asked him not to mention my name in any context. Feeling that I was on the verge of winning my case, I did not want the media attention that would no doubt greatly interfere with my finals and possibly my summer. While our respective defenses against the JIO were different, our motives for shouting out of the window were exactly the same. The Delta Sigma Theta sorority's founders' day ritual serenade began late at night, featured loud singing, intermittent screeches, and continued for almost an hour. Having lived with Eden for just over a semester at the time, I would have categorized him as a fairly conscientious person. I like to think that, for all of my faults, I am one too. Even the best of us, however, occasionally looses his temper. I will admit that yelling, "get your fat asses out of here," just moments after Eden uttered the now nationally famous water buffalo comment was not the right thing for me to do. Although the charges of racial harassment were eventually dropped, Eden and I were punished with months of bureaucratic abuse and the threat of a ruined education. Although we did yell out the window, the actions taken against us were wrong. The "water buffalo scandal" was the collective work of three entirely separate organizations whose attitudes and methods must change if the University wants to become the free thinking, just institution that it makes itself out to be. The University administration failed in any way to provide the impartiality that is expected of it. While well intended, the racial harassment code created more problems than it solved. Under the current code, one can be found guilty of racially harassing an offended party simply by saying something that is construed as racist, even if the actor did not know the race of the person(s) that they were offending. This was the nature of my case. The JIO also failed to provide impartiality. Instead, she caved in to outside pressures. The Assistant Judicial Inquiry Officer who heard my case admitted on several occasions that my situation was not occurring in a vacuum, and that it was subject to outside influences, such as minority interest groups. To allow parties not involved with the judical process a say in the finding is a mild form of fascism. It was only after Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta heard about the situation and intervened on my behalf that the Assistant Judicial Inquiry Officer dropped the charges of racial harassment. Finally, the women of Delta Sigma Theta sorority mishandled what they perceived as racial hatred. While African-Americans have been and continue to be discriminated against in our society, the women's handling of the situation is an example of how certain paths toward equality are often misunderstood and badly executed. The most effective way to deal with a problem and "clear the air" between two people or groups of people is to sit down and, however painful it may seem, and talk it out. Despite the animosity developed between the sorority women and myself, I requested an informal meeting with the entire Delta Sigma Theta sorority on three occasions solely for that purpose both during the judicial process and after the charges of racial harassment against me were dropped. The first two were turned down. The last was not answered. Fortunately for every student at the University, changes are being made. The Racial Harassment Code is being re-evaluated and will in all probability be overhauled. Sheldon Hackney, chairman of the NEH, has been placed in a position where he can give more grants and do less harm. At the very least the JIO will be watched more carefully in the years to come, and hopefully, revisions to the judicial code are imminent. The problems of race on this campus and in this country cannot begin to improve unless all of the people in all of these groups talk out their differences. I hope that this encounter has not embittered the women of Delta Sigma Theta sorority towards relations with whites. If they will not talk to me now, I hope that sometime in the future we can put this all behind us, and talk. We all have a lot to learn. Christopher Pryor is a sophomore English major from New York, New York.
(03/25/93 10:00am)
Being the commisioner of a major sports league is not just about handing out suspensions. National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern spoke about the legal intricacies involved with heading a major sports league yesterday afternoon at the Law School. "There is an extraordinarily rich history of litigation in the NBA, in Major League Baseball, and in the National Football League," Stern said. "[The issues run] from salary caps, collective bargaining agreements, drug abuse, mandatory drug testing, HIV, copyright law, registration [of foreign players] and immigration rules right down to televison contracts and restrictions in both America and Europe." Stern, the head of the NBA for the past 10 years, explained that, "like any CEO, I depend upon a group of lawyers." He added that his own legal experience was invaluable in his work. "My shooting percentage in NBA affairs would be significantly lower if I didn't have legal training myself," he said. Stern stressed the importance of having someone in charge who not only knows how the NBA works, but how the world works. "Good ol' NBA basketball is quite a product," he said. "It will be the most popular sport in the world but it won't get that way by us wishing for it. "Sports is involved in some very important trends throughout the world," he added. "[They] present themselves as prime opportunities for manufacturers to get to their consumers. The opportunities that exist for us are extraordinary, but the NBA will only survive if it adopts itself to the new global economy," Stern said. Basketball's popularity is at an all-time high, and over the last three years four new NBA teams have come into existence. There has been some speculation that expansion will initiate the thinning of talent. "In 1976 we had 18 teams. In 1993 we have 27, and look at how we are doing. We [draw players from] the NCAA, the Continental Basketball Association and various foriegn countries." Despite the tremendous amount of available talent, Stern admitted that he is not quite sure of why the NBA is doing so well. "In 1980, [people complained that the NBA] was too black, that there were too many drugs and that salaries were too high," Stern said. "Today there are even more blacks and salaries are higher than ever." The students were generally impressed with the commissioner's speech. "I thought it was informative and entertaining," said Law student Ravi Motwani. "I liked hearing about how a law student like myself can get involved with the NBA." Stern's stressing the international aspect of the game "really put into perspective the appeal of the NBA," added College sophomore David Yerkin. Although Law student Steven Goldberg said he found the speech interesting and worth attending, it was too predictable. "Most of what he spoke of I expected," he said. "Marketing, how much the law is involved in the global issues of the game, and business aspects of running a sports league are not new issues."
(03/19/93 10:00am)
A sparsely attended follow-up lecture on the Freshman Reading Program attracted none of this year's freshmen participants, and drew only a handful of graduate students. "I wish it were better attended," said English graduate student Crystal Lucky. "The first-year students who attended the initial discussions could have brought their insight." Director of Academic Programs Christopher Dennis explained that leaflets advertising the lecture were not well distributed due to last weekend's blizzard. Wednesday night's turnout appeared to some to be a microcosm of the Reading Program's progress and its ability to attract student interest. "This year has been a mixed picture," said Dennis. "Those that have engaged in the text have come away with a rewarding experience." He added that everyone affliated with the program has concerns about the turnout. "It requires a herculean effort to get all 2,400 freshmen to attend the discussions," Dennis said. The subject of next year's Reading Program has already been decided and should soon be released, Dennis said. Aside from the low turnout, Wednesday night's program was seen as enlightening. Barnard English professor Robert O'Meally spoke about the Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass, the book sent to all incoming University freshmen last summer. He highlighted the overall historical significance of the text. "Douglass' history bespeaks our nation's ideals," O'Meally said. "Nobody tried to sabotage the Mayflower. Nobody was chasing Daniel Boone." "[The lecture was] illuminating and important," said English graduate student Michele Frank. "Douglass' writing functioned as a key work for the African American community. The lecturers opened up a new way of thinking about it." The lecture lasted just over two hours, encompassing Douglass' further biographical works, My Bondage and My Freedom and The Life and Times of Fredrick Douglass. The lecture was one of a number of follow-up programs to the Penn Reading Project, according to Dennis. The University sponsored a bus trip to Douglass' house attended by approximately 35 students and the annual "Souls of DuBois Conference" planned for this Saturday will feature a slideshow on Douglass.
(02/19/93 10:00am)
Students learned firsthand that AIDS can be contracted by anyone. "AIDS can hit anyone of any education level, age, sexual orientation -- it doesn't matter," Joel Goldman, former executive assistant director of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, told about 80 students in McClelland Hall Tuesday night. "Last summer I found out that I was HIV positive," he said. "I didn't believe it. I thought it was a dream. I kept thinking I would wake up." Goldman went on to relate the ordeals that he went through while informing his family and friends. His best friend, T.J. Sullivan of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, remembers the phone call well. "I tried to be strong," Sullivan said. "I cried. I knew that in ten years he might not be here." Goldman said that he had been "promiscuous" and had probably caught AIDS from a woman with whom he had sex. Sullivan said that once Goldman had gotten over the initial trauma, they decided to take their knowledge on the road and educate college students and fraternity and sorority members across the country. Goldman said the program was an attempt "to establish a rapport with the students, and to find out what students need to know" about HIV and AIDS. Sullivan said that there is a tremendous lack of information and knowledge on the subject, even among those who have contracted the virus. The group was visibly moved when Sullivan told them that only 25 percent of those who are HIV positive are aware of their infection. Sullivan and Goldman also spoke about ways to protect against AIDS, but warned their listeners against believing in the absolute integrity of any method, except for abstinence. "Even blood that has been screened has a one in ten thousand chance of being infected," Sullivan said. "By the year 2000 one in ten Americans will be HIV positive," Sullivan said. "[This means that] almost everyone in the room will know someone who has contracted HIV." After two hours of listening to the interactive AIDS education seminar, students had mixed feelings. "Although I didn't learn anything, it was the first time I had ever met someone with AIDS," College sophomore Keith Amen said. The program was sponsored by the Greek Social Action Committee.
(10/24/90 9:00am)
During her hour-long address, Hart -- a leading scholar in contemporary theater and feminist theory -- focused on several plays to point out specific examples on how lesbians and gays can be both positively and negatively. She also highlighted portions of Anniversary Waltz as one play which mixes heterosexual romance rituals in a lesbian setting. The play -- which was presented last spring as part of the Women's Theater Festival at the University -- can change the genearl public's perceptions of lesbianism, Hart added. The Lesbian and Gay Academic Union was formed nine years ago in response for the need for scholarly discourse on subjects with a lesbian or gay perspective, according to Bob Schoenberg, assistant director of student life programs at the University. He added that the Union is loosely comprised of faculty, staff, and graduate students from several Philadelphia Universities. -- Riz Shavelle
