COLUMN: Cleaning House

From Jordana Horn, "in Possibility," Spring '94 From Jordana Horn, "in Possibility," Spring '94I am furious. The consistent horrors of Residential Living have emerged in this newspaper over the years in recurring articles and photographs detailing sleeping security guards, complaints of slow or no mail delivery, crimes in residences, unsanitary living conditions, residential disrepair, etc. The issue of whether or not to terminate the University's contract with McGinn is a non-issue; anyone suggesting otherwise might as well give the guards pillows to insure a more restful slumber. Another change could involve taking the responsibility for students' safety in dorms away from Simeone's jurisdiction, giving it to someone else who might be more competent. Like many of the 6499 other clients of Residential Living, I have never met Gigi Simeone in person; I hold no personal vendetta against her. But in her role as director of Residential Living, students' safety, mail and living conditions fall directly under her responsibility, and it is these obligations that she has continually failed to uphold. These travesties of leadership are paramount, and warrant calls for her resignation and, as of last week, firing Each Residential Living problem has occurred under Simeone's leadership. From mail delivery to sleeping guards, Simeone has not attempted to solve these problems until the DP's pictures, articles and statistics shame her into doing so. It's time for the University to recognize that it's not just McGinn guards who have been caught sleeping on the job, but Simeone as well. There are those who deny Simeone is responsible for Residential Living's dangerous shortcomings. One such person is Deputy Vice Provost George Koval, who sent a letter praising Simeone -- addressed to our editorial page editor -- to every resident of on-campus living. This letter was dated March 3. Ironically enough, I received it in my on-campus mailbox 16 days later on March 19?but I digress. Mail delivery is not slow, and we were going to speak of how there are so few shortcomings in Residential Living. The letter attacks a DP editorial in which the editorial board called for Simeone's resignation, saying it "portrayed a skewed perspective of the Department of Residential Living, contained erroneous information and unjustifiably attacked its Director." It continues to illustrate that Residential Living is a large organization with 6500 undergraduate and graduate students in residence, 3000 activities per year, more than 600 staff members and various governance boards. It then says "in any large organization, mistakes are inevitable." These numbers reflect that Residential Living is a tremendous department on campus. This is exactly why it is so important to have a competent, skilled person as head of that department. The letter says security has been "significantly enhanced" during Simeone's administration. To claim this, in light of last week's sleeping guards, is preposterous and insults the intelligence of every person at the University of Pennsylvania. The one fundamental right of those who reside in University dormitories is the right to safety. And this is the very right that Simeone has time and time again denied her own residents. Do not forget that as far back as 1989, a student member of the University's Safety and Security Committee gave Simeone a log of sleeping guards. Five years later, the problem still exists, and its magnitude grows each month. How could Simeone not demand that the University take immediate action against McGinn months, even years ago, knowing full well the poor quality of their services? How can she possibly claim Residential Living's spot checks on McGinn guards -- which were not put into practice until DP headlines screamed that guards were sleeping -- are at all effective? Supposedly, Residential Living has been babysitting McGinn guards for a whole year. But DP photographers go out ONE NIGHT selected at random, and happen to stumble upon FIVE sleeping guards in a matter of three hours. This is unconscionable. The DP, for too long, has been doing the very job that Simeone should be doing -- overseeing the quality of Residential Living. We have written in-depth articles detailing mailroom complaints, sleeping guards, crimes in residences and the poor quality of residential life. In each case, Simeone did not do her own legwork. She has not taken a proactive stand, but rather, chooses to wait and see what's in the DP. While we appreciate the readership, the University's top priority should be placed on leadership -- and this is where Simeone has failed. The letter continues to say that "safety relies upon the sum of responsibility assumed by all parties who have an investment in our community and that includes students' awareness, precautions and adherence to basic policies and procedures." But to blame student residents for the shortcomings of on-campus living is nothing short of absurd. When you buy a car, you are responsible for the way you drive that vehicle. But if the car has a faulty steering column which could result in an accident claiming the life of the car's driver and passengers, that is not your fault. Rather, it is incumbent upon the company to recall the flawed vehicles, to find out what went wrong and to address the problem. There shouldn't have been a flawed steering column in the first place, and whatever caused it should be immediately rectified. As student residents on campus, we are responsible for our own behavior in the dorms. However, the repeated problems which directly affect students' safety, mail service and other concerns are Residential Living's direct responsibility. Koval also says Simeone's goal throughout her tenure "has been continuous improvement in the delivery of services to students, faculty and staff." That should be her goal. That, after all, is her job. But to then cite a phone number, voicemail and e-mail address where students can lodge complaints as evidence of Simeone's tremendous efforts -- as Koval does -- speaks for itself. In two lines, Koval addresses the most fundamental problems with Residential Living: "Discussions have been underway for a few years with Public Safety to undertake residential security services, as well as discussions with Business Services to undertake residential mail room services." Leaders ought to have discussions. But it is even more important for a leader to take proactive, decisive action. And this, Simeone has not done. I am delighted that she has supported projects for e-mail, community service and other programs in the residences. But not one of these programs means anything if students' fundamental rights -- specifically to their mail and their safety in their own residences -- are being left by the wayside. .To say, "Well, Residential Living has done an atrocious job with security and mail, and therefore those responsibilities should go to someone else," overlooks the fundamental fact that Residential Living and its director have not lived up to their obligations to the University's on-campus residents. I cannot understand why Simeone, in light of all that has happened, has not already been fired. If the University wants to turn Residential Living around, it should take a decisive step away from its past and fire Simeone. Because we can't leave our safety to chance any more. Jordana Horn is a junior Communications major from Short Hills, New Jersey and Executive Editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian. in Possibility appears alternate Tuesdays.