UA, SCUE plan 'Urban Agenda'

The Undergraduate Assembly and the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education currently are planning the "Urban Agenda" -- a conference on Penn's role in Philadelphia -- for April 4 in the Faculty Club. The two student groups decided to sponsor the event as part of attempts to combine community service and education. The project also complies with University President Judith Rodin's Agenda for Excellence, which emphasizes strengthened community relations and academia. The Urban Agenda will feature panels of speakers addressing research, teaching and action. The speakers -- whom Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson and College junior Tal Golomb described as "really big names" -- include former Pennsylvania senator Harris Wofford, chief executive of the Corporation for National Service. Panelists from the University will include Provost Stanley Chodorow, Executive Vice President John Fry and Dean of the Graduate School of Fine Arts Gary Hack. Student groups that work closely with the West Philadelphia community will also be able to make presentations to the forum. "We want to generate a lot of excitement," SCUE Chairperson and College junior Ari Silverman said. "There is a need to unify the curriculum and for the faculty to get involved with the community. This event can do both." The conference will be open to all members of the West Philadelphia community, since the event's planners say they want the conference's message to reach beyond the confines of the University. "We are being careful to get inter-school participation as well cut over the boundaries into the society surrounding Penn," Golomb said. Silverman said the Urban Agenda will work to incorporate community service into the University's general requirement rather than promote the suggestion of a separate service requirement. "We want to facilitate service and learning," Silverman said. "We want attendants to see that there are different perspectives and more than one answer to a question." Golomb added that the event would aim to get "rooted in what actually goes on." He said that the Agenda would focus on academic issues and highlight professors' work in the community. "We hope professors and students will recognize a new curriculum with new courses that have practical implications," he said. Silverman said the Urban Agenda could help redefine the future of the University by including community service into the academic community. And since both University and community members will be present at the event, Golomb said he thinks the Agenda will exemplify what the relationship between the two groups should be. "We want Penn to take the lead in this type of project." Golomb said. Registration is required for the lunch that will be available. Interested students and faculty should e-mail their request to urbconf@dolphin or visit the event's homepage.