Reception honors new administration

Lured by pretzels, water ice, lemonade and the chance to meet the University's two new top officials, hundreds of students, faculty, staff and administrators welcomed President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow last Thursday at a reception. The reception, which took place at College Green and was catered by the University, included music by the Quaker String Band and speeches by various members of the University community. Rodin and Chodorow "worked the crowd" before and after the speeches, shaking hands with everyone in sight. "I think it was important that the Penn community have an opportunity to welcome Judy and Stan to the University," said University Secretary Barbara Stevens, who planned the reception. "This gave them a good opportunity to do that." Stevens started off the event with a short speech detailing her conversations with former colleagues of both Rodin and Chodorow. From Stevens, the crowd learned facts such as Chodorow's nickname at the University of California at San Diego -- "Sir Stanley" -- and that Rodin's old staff at Yale University is still joking that she's "just travelling and will be back any day now." Faculty Senate Chairperson and Nursing Professor Barbara Lowery spoke on behalf of the faculty, emphasizing the importance of the new administration's vision for a "new University of Pennsylvania." "Your coming brings us to a new era and we're looking forward to that era," she said. Two students also spoke -- Wharton sophomore Toral Mehta -- who went to the same high school as Rodin -- and graduate student Eric Casey, who is studying medieval studies -- Chodorow's expertise. Finally the two honorees addressed the crowd, excited but admittedly a little overwhelmed. Chodorow, who joked about the climate difference between Philadelphia and San Diego, said he was "delighted to be here" and excited to meet everyone. Rodin promised the crowd that despite her stint at another Ivy League university, she is "a native Philadelphian and a University of Pennsylvanian." She added that she has "high aspirations" for the University during her term as president. "Are we wonderful? Of course we are. Can we be better? Absolutely," she said. "I promise you that I will work tirelessly to make us better, [but] I cannot do it without you." Although the majority of the crowd was comprised of staff and faculty, there were a number of students who also attended the event. College senior Adam Cohen said he came because he really wanted to meet Rodin. "I think it sends a really, really good message from the outset of accessibility and commitment to the students," he said. Cohen added that he was "really impressed" after meeting Rodin. "She is a woman of so much accomplishment as a researcher in her field of psychology, and as an administrator," he said. "I think she's just the right person who can help Penn?heal from some of its wounds." Executive Director of the Office of the President Linda Hyatt called the event "phenomenally successful." "It was a useful symbol for the sense of inclusiveness that really is going to be a hallmark of this new administration." Hyatt and Stevens added that a similar event is in the works for the fall, when more students can attend.