LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Alumni speak out on safety

To the Editor: My dismay increased as I read about the University administration's response to the crime wave. Although University President Judith Rodin declared that "there is no higher priority than the safety and security of everyone who lives or works at Penn" (Almanac, 9/3/96), she described only new investments in "equipment, technology and facilities" as her answer to public safety concerns. I take issue with the notion that increasing safety measures alone an adequate or effective strategy to improve safety on and near campus. As income disparities between West Philadelphia residents and the Penn community grow and unemployment and homelessness continue to be realities of life in West Philadelphia, crime will never be under control. University students and staff will continue to be easy targets. Is it not time that the University commits itself to solving the real issues underlying crime in West Philadelphia? Addressing the causes of poverty and the deterioration of urban areas is the real answer to crime. It is a critical mission of the University -- not only for moral and intellectual reasons, but for the University's well-being. The University is a part of West Philadelphia and will be for many years to come. Making West Philadelphia a vital community where Penn affiliates and community members can live side by side should be the University's highest priority. Jacqueline Kraemer College '87 u To the Editor: As a Penn alumnus, present Penn parent and long-time Baltimore secondary school chairman, I too am concerned about the recent rash of crime on and near campus. What most concerns me, however, is the apparent loss of spirit and an abandonment of the institution that, until now, students had fully supported. Students are largely responsible for Penn's outstanding reputation. You have taken pride as that reputation climbs and admission statistics vastly improve. You return to your hometowns extolling the virtues of your school. You have led campus tours, hosted prospective students and consistently outnumbered the fans of opposing football teams playing on their home fields -- all a display of Penn pride. Penn has deserved and continues to deserve such loyalty. In my experience as a secondary school chairman, I meet Penn parents with children at other highly rated schools, including Ivy League institutions. Uniformly, these parents say their Penn child's overall experience surpasses that of their non-Penn student's. And graduate students at Penn consistently note that the Penn student body seems happier than those at their undergraduate institutions, including the best of the nation's colleges and universities. None of this should change in view of recent incidents. Administrators should be told of security deficiencies, but the focus of our outrage should be the culprits invading our community and threatening the well-being of our institution. Finger-pointing at administrators (or safety officials) will not prompt and preserve Penn's greatness. Penn's hardy and well-deserved reputation must not suffer during this difficult period. The crisis will be alleviated. But if students weaken the institution in the interim, it will delay Penn's return to its rightful stature. The wound has been made but if it cuts too deeply, it will take longer to heal and may even leave a permanent scar. Barrett Freedlander College '62 Kudos on new look To the Editor: Let me commend you on the new look of the Daily Pennsylvanian. The addition of color and the change of style makes the DP both more sleek and more professional. However, I worry that the additional time constraints on preparing the DP, as described by Adam Mark in "No more shades of gray" (DP, 10/28/96), might limit proofreading time and allow more errors to filter in to the newspaper, diminishing the image of professionalism inspired by the recent changes. After extensive experience in the publications industry, I tend to spot errors in print very easily. A 30-minute scan of the first half of the October 28 DP revealed nine typographical, grammatical or printing errors. While this is not significantly worse than DPs of the past several weeks, each error is easily identifiable and correctable. In addition, I was dismayed to see that the World page contained even less news than it has in the past. While the paper's primary focus is campus news, for many students the DP is the only daily source of world news. For a body of students concerned with the world and the times they live in, two-thirds of a page is simply not sufficient for exploring news breaking on the global level. In his column, Mark talked about "[modernizing] our look without sacrificing the integrity of our content." That is certainly a commendable effort, but unfortunately it is not reflected in Monday's DP. Ron Isaacson Engineering '98 Reaching out To the Editor: I would like to make a small addition to "800 international students mingle at museum reception" (DP, 10/22/96). The International Classroom program, which organized the event, does indeed have a long history -- but we are a University Museum educational program and have been part of Penn for nearly two decades. We do include international students from other universities as well, but we particularly encourage any Penn international students to contact us if they would like to become involved in outreach activities in the Philadelphia area to inform people about their home country and culture. Mary Day Kent International Classroom Coord. Speakers need space To the Editor: Many students were excited to see Donald Trump speak ("Overflow crowd turns out for Trump talk," DP, 10/18/96). Penn had brought back one of its most successful graduates and we would be able to see how he applied his knowledge in the real world. But when a few friends and I arrived five minutes before the speech started, there was no seating left. We attempted to stand at the back of the room, but were thrown out because the guards figured we were a fire hazard. I don't understand why the University did not make provisions for more students to hear Trump's speech. When Penn goes to all the effort of coordinating such large events, why not use the Zellerbach Theater or Irvine Auditorium? Surely the University expects large crowds when distinguished speakers visit. Furthermore, isn't education the point of the University's existence? If students are willing to squeeze into a small auditorium and stand on their toes to gain knowledge, why does the school prevent this? Instead of putting hexagonal tiles in Locust Walk, perhaps Penn consider spending the money where it could do some use, on bigger auditorium facilities. As if $30,000 per student per year isn't enough to provide proper facilities to watch a distinguished speaker. Vishnu Srinivasan Wharton '00 Ways to get involved To the Editor: It was with great pleasure that I read your editorial "Getting involved" (DP, 10/25/96) related to students and faculty volunteering in West Philadelphia. There is a plethora of opportunities for service-learning in our community. As a Wharton graduate student, I remember participating in career counseling at University City High School, small business consulting with businesses on 52nd Street and mentoring young entrepreneurs. These experiences added another level to my academic work and ultimately led to my decision to leave the corporate world for community work. If any of you are interested in the opportunities available at the West Philadelphia Partnership, please call us at 386-5757. The community needs you. Larry Bell Wharton Graduate '89 Executive Director West Philadelphia Partnership