LETTERS: Students should decide what's best for future

To the Editor: The food trucks are a prime example of this. The administration is attempting to protect our best interests. However, how are administrators in a better position to protect the interests of students than the students themselves? Autonomy and democracy are what we expect to learn by going away to school rather than commuting. How are we to develop these if we are told what our priorities should be instead of asked? Still, one may ask the city to regulate the food trucks and make sure they are clean and safe, but the students, staff and community are their consumers and know how far they are willing to walk to use them. Convenience is a priority. Ask us and utilize our knowledge of ourselves. It is not too late to allow the students, staff, and community -- those who are affected by the food trucks -- to work with the vendors and the university to come up with a plan with which everyone can live. It might also help to ask us about Sansom Common itself. Give us scenarios. We know where we would spend our money. If the University knew too, the project could be more successful. Also, if the school truly wishes to educate citizens, then cultivate our academic, emotional, and social growth by granting us some autonomy. Maybe we will tell the administration things they do not want to hear, like to build a gym before they build Sansom Common. Then again, we might agree with them. In either case, together, we can help them figure out what is best for everyone. Noah Bilenker Chairperson Undergraduate Assembly College '99 Unfair to Philly fans To the Editor: Well, for the second straight year The Summer Pennsylvanian has managed to produce another column about the local sports situation that demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge about the matter. Last summer Adam Barrist blasted the Philadelphia Phillies ("Phillies are no crowd pleasers," SP, 5/30/96), mainly dwelling on the mere fact that they had changed the color of the seats in Veterans Stadium to blue. Being both shocked at the ridiculous nature of the article and unhappy with the way that Daily Pennsylvanian sports writers handled the Philadelphia sports beat in general, I wrote a column ("A Proud and Demanding Breed," SP, 7/3/96), which I hoped would better convey the true feeling of fans from this city. . Without trying to sound like some bum who spends all his time crusading for the good of Philly sports, I just wanted to see a column in this paper that for once did not ridicule the local sports teams. So when I read Scott Miller's commentary ("Success of U2 concert could prompt future concerts by Athletic Dept.," SP, 6/12/97) I got twice as disgusted as before. This "commentary" was more of a series of cheap, unfounded insults directed at the teams, players and worst of all the fans of this city, all of which were presented as passing comments as opposed to any type of conclusion based on factual evidence. While I respect Miller's right to express his views as a commentator, I must question this type of journalism that resembles a list of cheap shots rather than a real article. Claims like the Flyers "suck" and that fans are "prototypical bandwagoneers" and "the worst kind" make it more than evident that Miller could not possibly be from Philadelphia. Having lived here all my life I know that this town, dispite having not won a championship in 14 years, embraces its teams (and also has the common sense know that when a team goes to the finals in any sport, it really doesn't "suck"). I would rather read columns that make conclusions based on facts as opposed to an outright blasting of an entire sports community. Michael Malvey College '99 Floodlights are 'good' To the Editor: In reference to your editorial "Good lighting, bad lighting" (SP, 6/12/97), I was one of those persons that attended the June 8 U2 concert at Franklin Field. It was the first time I had been on campus after dark (I work here, but I have been leaving campus before it gets dark). I liked the way that the new lighting brightened the walkways. I also noted the floodlights on the High Rises and remarked that "it is good that they also planned to light the fields." The way the lights are focused seems to guide most of the light toward the ground and not toward any windows. I think the benefits of a brighter campus truly outweigh the inconvenience of light (and that's what curtains are for anyway). I applaud the lighting efforts west of 38th Street and hope that they are continued on and east of the bridge. A brighter campus is a safer campus. Adam Sherr Marketing/Meal Contract Coordinator Dining Services College '90