Outgoing GIC director hopes replacement is selected quickly

Though former Greenfield Intercultural Center Director Lawrence Burnley had hoped the University would select his replacement by this fall, the search for a new director is still underway. Finalists have been selected from a pool of 100 applicants, according to search chairperson Scott Reikofski, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. According to GIC material, the director's mission will be to "lead intellectual discourse on multiculturalism and diversity." Acting Assistant GIC Director Karline Burrell is taking on interim duties until the search is complete. But nonetheless, Burnley said he is concerned that the search for a new director will result in a lack of advertisement for the center. "I was hoping that a new director would be in place at the beginning of the term," Burnley said. "We have so many resources that don't deserve to go unnoticed." Burnley is following a "calling" to Cleveland, Ohio, as secretary for racial and ethnic constituency education and development for the Common Global Mission Board of the United Church of Christ. "I did not plan to leave Penn so soon," Burnley said. "I greatly enjoyed being here -- but I missed being able to work with spirituality." Burnley said his new appointment threatens the "home-like" atmosphere he has strived to achieve during his two-year term at the University. According to Burnley, many students are not aware of GIC's resources. Provost Stanley Chodorow said the ongoing search will find a replacement for Burnley as soon as possible. Wharton junior Eric Lee is Reikofski's co-chairperson for the search, and the search committee also includes Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta, faculty, staff members and three other students. "The search is going very well and I believe that we'll be interviewing finalists shortly," Moneta said. The GIC, located at 3708 Chestnut Street, is a center of cultural resources that stimulates intergroup dialogue and discussion and advocates the needs of minority students. Burnley said there is a common misconception that the GIC is only for minorities. As a result, they are the primary students that utilize the facility. Since the United Minorities Council is based at the GIC, the problem is worsened, he said. The GIC's location on the outskirts of campus also concerns Burnley. "We are not near the center of campus activity," Burnley said. "It's really sad, but we have a huge part of the University that continues to miss out on this resource." The GIC includes lounges, study areas, computer labs and televisions for student use. Also, every UMC constituent group, along with Programs for Awareness in Cultural Education, has office space there. Burnley said the GIC is "bustling" most evenings with movie nights, rehearsals, meetings and discussions. He added that he believes the center can play a critical role at the University. "I think that Larry Burnley did a great job of putting the center 'on the map'," Moneta said. "I am sure the new director and staff will continue to do so."

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