Women's Center debated

Heated exchanges abounded during a panel discussion about the proposed relocation of the Penn Women's Center to the Theta Xi fraternity house on Locust Walk last night in McClelland Hall. Four students, two pro and two con, led a debate about whether the Women's Center should relocate to Locust Walk -- or exist at all. Red and Blue Editor-in-Chief Christopher Robbins, a College sophomore, introduced his stance against the proposed move by suggesting that the Center compromise on the issue. For the benefit of "most students who do not want it in that location," Robbins said some space should be allocated in the house for either a cafe or coffee house, which "every student wants." He said that unlike the Women's Center -- which "only represents a few radical women on campus" -- a cafe would be a place where "all students could meet." But, panel member Debra Pickett, a College junior and member of the Penn Women's Alliance leadership team who spoke on behalf of the Center, said "not all of the space [in Theta Xi] has been assigned to the Women's Center." This has been confirmed by plans for the Theta Xi house which were made public last month by acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum. Responding directly to Robbins' call for compromise, Pickett said that there will be plenty of room "remaining for whatever panacea you think will cure our race/sex relations on campus." Pickett added that a cafe already exists on Locust Walk. "It's called the Palladium," she said. Robbins said he hopes for a more "low-cost cafe?maybe with a few waitresses, maybe not." "And maybe some waiters!" shot back several audience members in unison. Robbins then said that he disputes whether the Center should exist at all, because "it only represents a few radical women on campus." He said he thinks the Center is unnecessary because women have equal rights under the law. "We need agencies to enforce [the law], and that's disputed by almost no one else but you," Pickett said in response to Robbins. College sophomore Ann Tracey also spoke against the Center's move at the forum. She said that as a feminist, she believes the Center equates women with weakness. Robbins agreed. "Women should not need a women's center," Robbins said. Daily Pennsylvanian columnist and Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community Chairperson Stephen Houghton, a College junior, questioned Robbins about his beliefs. "Since you believe the Women's Center is an admission of weakness for women, do you believe having an African American Resource Center, the [Program for the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community at Penn] and the [Greenfield Intercultural Center] means that these groups are inferior?" "I am in favor of abolishing all of those programs," Robbins replied. "Excellent education is not a homogenous experience," said Social Work graduate student Robert Miller. Miller said Robbins is "obviously speaking for white males." "I'm not clear you have the information or education to talk about society," he said. Robbins said he might have been able to learn about other cultures if Miller "didn't spend most of [his] time in the African American Resource Center." Black Student League President Robyn Kent and several other BSL members said Robbins had misinformed a Daily Pennsylvanian reporter in an interview Sunday night about a phone survey conducted by the Red and Blue and several other student groups this weekend. The BSL did not co-sponsor the survey -- which polled 380 students about their opinions concerning the Women's Center's move to Theta Xi -- because "we had serious problems with the questions," said Kent, a College junior. She explained that the BSL was "committed to taking an impartial poll on the Women's Center." After seeing the questions, however, "we declined participation in the poll," Kent said. "We don't want our names associated with the poll." The poll was co-sponsored by the Penn Political Union, the Red and Blue, the Penn Consumers Board, Connaissance and the Newman Council.