1994: The Year in Review: october

Despite President Judith Rodin's spirit-boosting inauguration, October was a month filled with sorrow. Tragedy struck the University when University graduates Mary McGuire and Andrew Sawyer died in unrelated incidents. McGuire was killed when her car was struck by a drunk driver in San Antonio, Tex. Sawyer, one of McGuire's closest friends, was found unconscious on the bathroom floor of the Delta Delta Delta sorority house on Locust Walk. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Sawyer had come to campus to mourn McGuire's death. Memorial services were held for friends and family later in the month. October was also the month that many students, with hearts set on seeing a Revlon Center before graduation, had their hopes and dreams shattered. University President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow announced that all capital projects would be reviewed. Two weeks after that announcement, Chodorow upset students by making statements minimizing the importance of student contributions to undergraduate education committees. Former Wharton student and convicted cocaine trafficker Alex Moskovits was found guilty on all counts in his retrial in federal court. Moskovits had acted as his own lawyer for the retrial. Alvin Shoemaker stepped down from his position as chairperson of the University Board of Trustees during this month. Shoemaker's resignation came several months before his term was scheduled to end. Merck Chief Executive Officer Roy Vagelos, a fellow Trustee, was voted in as his replacement. Less than one week later, Graduate School of Fine Arts Dean Patricia Conway announced her resignation, citing divisiveness within the school's faculty. Professor of Art History Malcolm Campbell was named interim dean. Several residents of Graduate Tower A discovered swastikas carved into doors in their stairwells on separate occasions this month. The persons involved in this ethnic intimidation have still not been caught. On a lighter note, Rodin was officially inaugurated on October 21 after two days of festivities. There were several public symposiums, as well as an inaugural reception the night before. The new president lead a procession down Locust Walk to Irvine Auditorium, where the official ceremony was held. The inauguration cost the University $180,000.