Sit-in instigator back for event's anniversary

The last time she spoke on campus, 200 women seized College Hall. And now, she's back. Robin Morgan, editor of MS magazine, will speak tonight in Meyerson Hall to commemorate the 20th anniversary of an anti-rape sit-in which began on April 4, 1973 and lasted four days. Philadelphia Women's Law Project Director Carol Tracy -- one of the negotiators during the original sit-in -- said that after an outbreak of rapes on and near campus and an unresponsive administration fueled a protest, Morgan suggested the seizure of College Hall. "After a gang rape meeting was called with the director of public safety, he basically told us we shouldn't wear provacative clothing," she said. "Then Robin Morgan came and suggested we take over an administration building." That, she said, was just the beginning. After four days of the sit-in, the administration agreed to establish the Women's Center, Escort Service, better lighting on campus, Victim Support Services, blue light telephones, emergency buttons, free self-defense courses for women and more female gynecologists and physicians at Student Health Service. Tracy said that because of the sit-in, the University has one of the most advanced rape prevention programs in the nation. "Penn absolutely leads the country in preventative services and victim support services," she said. "Most institutions want to pretend [rape] doesn't happen." Elena Dilapi, director of the Women's Center, said yesterday that the anti-rape sit-in anniversary serves as a means of honoring accomplishments of women at the University. "We should be proud of this," she said. "We had brave women who stood up 20 years ago and got the administration to respond." Dilapi added that the anniversary is bringing many alumnae back to the University for the first time since their graduations. "Some women . . . [alums who] have never come back for anything else are coming back for this," she said. "We've gotten calls from a number of women. One called yesterday and said 'I've just learned about it. I'm in California, but I'll be there.' " Dilapi added that a variety of women's groups on campus are also getting involved in the anniversary events, including many minority women's groups. "We'll have a variety of women's concerns there," she said. Morgan, who speaks as part of a year-long celebration of Women Making a Difference at Penn, will also be on hand after her speech to sign her latest book The Word of a Woman.