Mayor's Scholars court case ends after four years

State high court refuses PILCOP appeal The long-standing Mayor's Scholarship controversy has finally ended after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of the case last Thursday. Michael Churchill, an attorney for the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia -- the group that has fought to gain more scholarships for Philadelphia students -- said he was very disappointed by the court's decision. "I think it's very unfortunate that the Supreme Court would not even hear a case that was obviously as important as this matter," Churchill said. "The concept that no-one except the mayor can seek to enforce a city ordinance seems to be a terrible rule that leaves no independent force to guard against corruption and negligence in an important public matter." University President Judith Rodin was happy with the court's decision. "We are pleased that the Supreme Court has finally resolved this matter, and that the legal position we and the city took upheld," she said. "What is critical now is that our strong commitment to Philadelphia be recognized. "As a measure of that commitment, we are aggressively implementing the mayor's scholarship program and we have intensified our recruitment of students from the community," she added. The case has been in litigation for over three years and it took an unprecedented three re-arguments before the Commonwealth Court ruled in December four to three in favor of the University and the City. According to an agreement signed in 1977, a set number of scholarships are to be awarded to Philadelphia residents by the University in exchange for 50 acres of rent-free land. Mayor's Scholars are selected by the Mayor's Scholarship Committee, whose members are appointed by Mayor Ed Rendell. The average Mayor's Scholarship package includes $18,806 in grants from the University. PILCOP sued the University in 1991, claiming that the 1977 agreement provided for 125 scholarships per year, for a total of 500 scholarships. But the the University contended that the 1977 agreement was for a total of 125 scholarships throughout the school, not for each incoming class. Judge Nelson Diaz ruled in favor of the University in February 1993, but also stated that the University must provide complete support for scholarship recipients. In PILCOP's appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court they asked the court to reverse the Commonwealth Court's decision "on its merits" and also to look into a possible conflict of interest on Chief Judge James Colins part in the four to three decision. PILCOP claims that Colins has a close relationship with both plaintiffs. Churchill alleges that Rendell appointed Colins to head his Riverfront Gambling Commission and that Colins attends all the Quaker home basketball games. Also, Colins has been active in University Alumni activities, according to PILCOP. PILCOP asked Colins to recuse himself because of his association with the University and the city, but Colins refused. But not everything Churchill said about the University was negative. "I'm heartened that the University has been making progress in rectifying the terrible record they had in early 1980's," Churchill said.

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