Coalition joins U. political fray

Anyone going to get a slice of chocolate cheesecake at 1920 Commons last night might have missed leaders of the Coalition for Responsive Student Government introduce themselves to the University student body. The coalition, a new student government group, made a 30-second proclamation to diners complete with the unfurling of a coalition banner. Students received the announcement with both skepticism and excitement. "I think it's another piece of bullshit," College sophomore Shelly LeWinter said. "No one really cares about it." "How many student governments do we need?" Wharton sophomore Sean McGrath asked. But coalition leaders said they remain confident that they will be successful, adding that they have had a number of interested students contact them. "I was on the telephone all last night talking to people," said Wharton junior Darion D'Anjou, the coalition's chairperson. "This is just the start of a bunch of things that are going to happen." Some students said they think the new organization may have a positive effect on student life. "I think that by saying they're making a big effort seems like they are serious about what they want to do," College sophomore Leora Saacks said. D'Anjou and spokesperson Scott Sher distributed leaflets to the tables last night, which stated, "85.5 per cent of undergraduates at Penn can't name more than 1 (one) out of 33 members of the Undergraduate Assembly." UA Treasurer Eric Leathers, who was present during the announcement, said he hoped the two organizations could work together without getting involved in any disputes. "I think that if they want to get involved, that's great," said Leathers, a Wharton sophomore. "But if they want to go about it, they should be willing to work with us." College sophomore Liz Rudnick said she thinks the coalition may not be able to stand on its own. "It seems like a great group," Rudnick said. "I question how effective it could work without the UA." And although Rudnick said she was going to attend the coalition's first meeting, she said most of her friends "didn't know anything about it." Rudnick traced the problem to the coalition's flyers, which she described as "not very informative." The coalition, which handed out general surveys Monday, will be distributing a second round of surveys about more specific issues, said Sher, a College and Wharton junior.

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