U. spends $24,000 on race summit for student leaders

Glen Rock High School '93 Glen Rock, N.J. Last January, 60 student leaders came together to discuss race relations on campus and to create a one year plan to ease racial tensions. But some have questioned the summit's success, since a one year plan was never formulated and several student leaders say the conference itself was riddled with division and difficulties. Before the summit, organizers and participants alike were enthusiastic about attempting to make a dent in the University's recent problems with race relations. "We have to take into consideration how important our position [as student leaders] is," co-organizer and College senior Jessica Mennella said. "We can come up with a plan so we are all comfortable here." But two months after the conference, students who were involved had mixed feelings about the summit. "We thought other people would spread the message, but that's been a lot smaller than we thought," co-organizer and Wharton senior Lawrence Berger said. Nine working groups were established to discuss and work on issues ranging from the Revlon Center and social get-togethers to diversified group projects and a required class on racism. A social party with the theme of "Culture Shock" was sponsored by forum participants in April. Over 200 people came to the party, held at Chestnut Cabaret on 39th and Chestnut streets. The party cost the University $2,500. Some participants said they were unable to speak their minds during the conference and had to worry about what other attendees would think. "One of the participants disrupted and undermined the conference," College junior and Undergraduate Assembly member Dan Schorr said. Schorr, a former Daily Pennsylvanian columnist, wrote a column earlier in the year about the summit and its problems. "A lot of people, including myself, felt that students had a right to know why the summit they had paid for was not as successful as it could have been," he said. But others felt the column breached the confidentiality of the summit and prevented any kind of real progress. Some student leaders said the conference was a success in that student leaders were able to get together and talk about race relations for the first time. But many agreed the summit was not worth the $24,000 price tag. "I question whether it was necessary to travel out to Sugarloaf to deal with these issues," said College junior Stephen Houghton, co-chairperson of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Alliance and former DP columnist. "I loved the food and my T-shirt, but I'd rather see something more come out of the money that was spent."