Students jam Walk hoping for Gorby tix

and JEREMY ZWEIG They came armed with blankets and pillows. Some brought out leather couches. One played Risk on a laptop computer. But they all came for the same reason -- to get one of 200 free tickets for former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's speech at Irvine Auditorium on Wednesday. The ticket giveaway in the middle of Locust Walk started at 12:30 p.m. yesterday but several students began to line up as many as 12 hours earlier. The 200 tickets were donated by an anonymous alumnus and were being distributed by Connaissance. Although Gorbachev will speak in 1800-seat Irvine, the University said it had no tickets to give away because it is only one of several groups sponsoring the event. The distribution process was marked by chaos, especially as hundreds clogged the University's major artery during the busiest hours of the day. As they arrived, students were asked to sign a list and were given numbers by a group of the earliest arrivals. Wharton freshman Elizabeth Kim was the first -- at about half past midnight. She put her pillow and blanket in front of Steinberg-Dietrich Hall and assigned herself number one. Engineering freshman Michael Mirmak, number two, said that seeing Gorbachev was definitely worth losing a night's sleep. "I think it's important to see one of the major players of our era," Mirmak said. Tom Heller, a College sophomore who was going to be distributing tickets to the students for Connaissance, said he was impressed by the gathering. "Anyone who says Penn students are apathetic are wrong," he said at 3 a.m. "You would think the only reason students would sleep outside would be to get concert tickets. I think there are a lot of people on campus interested in foreign affairs." About 400 others were apparently interested as well. By 11:30 a.m., the ticket line stretched from Steinberg-Dietrich around the corner and halfway down 36th Street toward the Quadrangle when Connaissance officers arrived. Even those who seemed out of the bidding would not abandon their spots in line. "I'm confident," number 201 and College junior Heather Stec said. "I think there's still a chance I'll get a ticket." Stec -- who arrived at 8 a.m. -- eventually got a ticket. When the first Connaissance member arrived, he was given the list compiled by those waiting. A student not connected with Connissance then told the masses who waited that they should approach the steps of Steinberg-Dietrich. Students listened, and shortly before noon, they surrounded the steps and tore down the tape protecting repairs being done on the stairs. The students left behind a trail strewn with crumpled newspapers, sleeping bags and deserted lawn chairs. As Connaissance members debated what to do about the crowd, Engineering freshman Jeremy Morrisson and others unaffiliated with the organization shouted instructions to the group. Connaissance eventually decided to call for three police officers to keep order and read the names from the list and handed out tickets in numerical order. Some students said they were surprised by the lack of preparation by Connaissance. "Connaissance is at fault for not organizing this," number 251 and Engineering freshman Eric Reiter said. "Margaret Thatcher sold 800 tickets and there was a wait-list. Gorbachev is much bigger than that." Other students, who said that they had been in line a long time, protested the list, saying that it was invalid since it was not compiled by Connaissance members . "When I showed up, there were 180 people in front of me and 280 people on the list," College senior Peter Nesvold said. "At 10:30 [a.m.], people showed up. People signed up their friends who weren't here. I think we should redo this tomorrow." Connissance Chairperson and College junior Robyn Allen admitted that yesterday's giveaway had problems. "I think that this was definitely a learning experience for us," she said. "We've never handled anything like this before." Some students also complained that Connaissance kept too many tickets for its members. "Yeah, there were some members of Connaissance who got free tickets," Allen said. "[I] don't know exactly how many." College freshman Jerry Greenberg was thankful the event was over. "It was a complete zoo," Greenberg said. "I'm just glad I got a ticket."