CAMPUS BRIEFS: Thursday, January 15, 1998

Police arrest man for waving knife at cop Warren Miles, 44, was arrested for aggravated assault at 7:49 a.m., according to University Police Detective John Peterson. Miles was seen waving a box-cutting knife at passersby on the 3800 block of Spruce Street, police said. Neither the officer nor Miles were injured in the incident, police said. Miles had no known residence, but was considered to be a West Philadelphia resident. In an unrelated incident, a female Penn Law student was the victim of a strong-arm robbery Monday on a crowded street in broad daylight, police said. The suspect, who was wearing a ski mask, stole the student's purse on the 3600 block of Walnut Street at 2:49 p.m., police said. According to University Police Det. Commander Tom King, the suspect then fled back to his car, which was double-parked on 36th Street. The victim chased the suspect down Walnut Street, wrestling him and recovering the purse -- although the suspect was able to grab an unspecified amount of the cash before driving away. Police have made no arrests in the incident. -- Maureen Tkacik Blaik assumes new post at Facilities Mgmt. Omar Blaik, former associate vice president for Facilities Management, began his new post as vice president for Facilities Services and Contract Management January 5. The new position was created by the Office of the Executive Vice President following the University's decision to outsource management of most buildings to Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. Blaik, who came to Penn last March from a consulting position at Coopers & Lybrand LLP, was instrumental in negotiating last October's agreement with Trammell Crow. Penn Executive Vice President John Fry joined Penn from Coopers & Lybrand in 1995. Blaik will be responsible for on-campus planning efforts from an architectural, engineering and financial perspective, according to Lisa Prasad, executive director of the EVP's office. Blaik will also oversee Trammell Crow's continual compliance with its University contract, which becomes effective April 1. His duties will include responsibilities falling under the jurisdiction of the now-defunct position of vice president for Facilities Management. Art Gravina held the position for 10 years until December, when he took a job with Trammell Crow's new Higher Education Services division. "He'll do a good job," Gravina said. Blaik was unavailable for comment yesterday. -- Shirley Zilberstein