LETTERS: Impressions of Marrow situation

To the Editor: As the DP reports, Frey initially approved the request from a faculty member to permit the addition of a course after the add deadline had passed. However, the DP failed to report that she also became sufficiently concerned about that decision to bring it to my attention for review. It was because of her dedication to her job and sense of her professional responsibility that the College office pursued the case carefully and rapidly. Far from being a part of some "cover-up," Frey initiated a process in the College office that resulted in a clear and decisive action on the academic merits of the case. Robert Rescorla College of Arts and Sciences Dean u To the Editor: No reporter can be expected to catch all the nuances of a conversation that takes place at the end of a long day, but I did want to fine tune the DP's presentation of my part in the Mitch Marrow article ("Academic controversy rocks Athletic Department," DP, 12/2/97). The correction may seem trivial, but my actual comment holds a suggestion for any student considering withdrawing from a course. The DP reported the following: "Kelley would have spoken with Marrow if he had come into the office after dropping the class." What I really said was "I wish he had come to talk to me before dropping the class." With all the complexities a student has to untangle while satisfying the requirements for graduation, any change in a schedule may make a serious difference in that student's progress. Dropping one course and adding another may accidentally erase a requirement, may put a College student over the limit for non-College courses, may open the door to one major while closing a door to another. Dropping below four courses for a term may put a financial aid package in jeopardy. And, of course, for an athlete, any change in the number of courses taken has the potential to put eligibility at risk. Of course the myriad handbooks that sit on every student's shelf have most of this information, and each student is expected to take responsibility for knowing the rules and living by them. But the IRS regulations also give responsibility for accuracy to the taxpayer and most people with complex returns consult an accountant to make sure that no important errors slip in. Advising is a delicious job! Getting the chance to talk to students about their dreams and their flounderings, their intellectual passions and their personal confusions is, to me, one of the most exciting parts of being an educator. It is also a privilege to advise: students have the right to try the whole journey on their own and, sometimes in the process, to make their own mistakes. Still, it is always hard to see a student step off the safe path, and I hope that any student who is unsure of the wisdom of dropping, changing, or withdrawing from a course will come in to discuss the decision before acting. Alice Kelley Academic Advising Assistant Dean College Athletic Eligibility Officer English Professor u To the Editor, Regarding the controversy surrounding Mitch Marrow's eligibility, I note that conspicuously absent from recent coverage, and especially from Provost Stanley Chodorow's statement about problems with "communications" between departments, is even a suggestion that Marrow himself bore the responsibility for maintaining his eligibility, or failing that, for forthrightly and honestly reporting the truth of his status to the Athletic Department. I find it difficult to believe that Marrow was, throughout the season, unaware of the potential implications of his academic status. Mark West Manager, Moore Business Office Engineering School Hack is not leaving Grad School of Fine Arts To the Editor: The article, "Conservation groups, neighbors hope to buy the farm," (DP, 11/26/97) gives readers the impressing that my departure is imminent if we do not realize the proceeds from the farm. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those who know me understand the depth of my commitment to the Graduate School of Fine Arts and the University. Comments to the contrary are pure fiction. Gary Hack Graduate School of Fine Arts Dean Poli Sci Prof Deudney deserves better To the Editor: Andrea Ahles' column ("Good teachers and researachers," DP, 11/24/97) brings to light one of the great ironies of my undergraduate education: that Daniel Deudney, a frequently published researcher and highly regarded lecturer in the Political Science Department, could be denied tenure. Professor Deudney's introductory course on international relations is perhaps the most popular course the department offers, yet the University has not granted him the long term employment commitment that many lesser professors enjoy. If the current administration were truly committed to enhancing the educational opportunities for students of political science, granting Professor Deudney tenure would have been a mere formality. Both he and his students deserve better. Zachary Hill College '98 Number of Red and Blue columns is excessive To the Editor: I am a huge fan of The Daily Pennsylvanian. I read the paper daily and believe it is truly an outstanding publication. Recently, however, I have disappointed with the some of the publication decisions on the "Editorial & Opinion" page. It seems like every day the DP publishes another guest column bashing The Red and Blue. I am not a member of The Red and Blue and my opinion of the magazine is irrelevant, but I don't think the columns in the DP have been appropriate. Each guest column has been in response to a specific article or about specific people. These people should be writing directly to The Red and Blue if they have a complaint, not to the DP. The DP should not belittle itself by allowing it to become a forum for bitch-and-moan responses to a provocative publication on campus. Rather the DP should tell these people to correspond directly with The Red and Blue. If I have a problem with the DP I don't go running to The Philadelphia Inquirer with a column; I write to the DP as I think the newspaper would prefer. Will Ruthrauff College '01