RAPline expands to the Web

The "information superhighway" -- which has transformed the everyday lives of millions of people in just a few short years -- will soon be used for another instrumental function. Beginning today, the Reach-A-Peer helpline will be offering a new World Wide Web service, known as Penn Peer, to allow students to express their problems and get responses over the Internet. RAPline member Sapan Shahani noted that the new website will build on the organization's support system. "Only three years ago Penn Peer was just an ambitious idea," the Wharton junior said. "Between now and then a lot of hard work has gone into its creation." RAPline staff members -- who go through 40 hours of training in order to become peer supporters -- received additional training to be able to work with the new service. To request support over the Web, students should visit the website at http://www.upenn.edu/Penn Peer/. RAPline members will respond to their letters within 10 days. RAPline President and Wharton senior Scott Friedberg emphasized that confidentiality is guaranteed because of the use of passwords -- not names -- to identify each letter and because the page is only open to those connected to the upenn.edu domain. He said that RAPline expects several positive results from the new on-line service, adding that despite the current success of RAPline, the Internet service will likely encourage more students to ask for support. "We felt that there was a large student population that would feel more comfortable expressing concerns through the computer," Friedberg said. But Friedberg said he is aware of the differences involved in giving support over a computer, instead of a phone and has prepared his staff accordingly. The Penn Peer staff will "focus more on asking questions that might guide thinking and be more aware of the tone in their writing," he said. "You can't judge the tone of voice on a computer." Anonymity is also preserved on the website -- as opposed to RAPline's original idea to offer the service over e-mail. And Friedberg said this medium makes it easier to provide referrals to other help services through links to related sites. And, as opposed to RAPline, which takes calls only from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., Penn Peer will be available 24 hours a day. RAPline -- an entirely student-run organization -- began six years ago and has become a successful part of the University, according to Friedberg.