Council to hear special speeches

For the first time ever, University Council will hear "State of the University" addresses by the president and the provost at its general meeting today. Originally, the Committee on Pluralism was supposed to give a report about the implementation of the Commission on Strengthening the Community's report during today's meeting. But according to Council moderator and Political Science Professor Will Harris, time constraints led to a postponement of the report until Council's January meeting. The agenda for each Council meeting for the full academic year was determined in September. At that point, the update on the Commission report was planned for today's Council meeting. "We plan the entire year's meetings in advance," Harris said. "We try to articulate an appropriate agenda." Some Commission members have expressed concern about the delay, saying that the new administration has not adequately dealt with the Commission's report. Harris said the addresses by President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow will allow Council to "get into the issues," look at potential problems and determine how the body can respond. "This is the University's business," he said. The administrative addresses are expected to last 75 minutes. Council will also hear a preliminary report from the Committee on Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics. The meeting will begin with reports from all principals of Council, including representatives from the Faculty Senate, the Undergraduate Assembly, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the Penn Professional Staff Association and the A-3 Assembly. Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Dan Debicella said he plans to talk about Chodorow's rejection of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education's proposal for changes to the University calendar. "I am definitely asking the provost for an explanation for why he chose to ignore the Council and the Senate Executive Committee," the Wharton junior said last night. Council's meeting will run from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall.

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