COLUMN: Reviving Penn's social scene

From Samarda Barend's, "Verbal Ginseng," Fall '98 From Samarda Barend's, "Verbal Ginseng," Fall '98As Steve Schorr notes in his column, "Bring back the Golden Age" (The Daily Pennsylvanian, 2/27/98) recent enforcement of anti-alcohol policies have dampened the mood around campus and increased fragmentation in the student community. Although it definitely seems hard now to match the lively scene generated prior to the days when campus supposedly turned "dry," I think students are doing a pretty impressive job. Before we equate Penn's social scene to the somber likes of Cornell, we must step aside and consider the proactive measures students are taking to lessen some of the more sobering effects of the anti-alcohol policies and once again reconnect campus. Most recently, rather than shut its doors to non-Greeks when University officials cracked down on illegal door charging, the InterFraternity Council asked for funds from the Undergraduate Assembly to host non-alcoholic campus-wide events. Catering to more than 30 percent of the student population, the IFC is taking a necessary leadership role to bridge the campus community and illustrate that large scores of students will interact socially in the absence of alcohol. Although large-scale social events have traditionally been the domain of the Social Planning and Events Committee, times have changed. New policies call for student groups to become involved in different ways than they have before. Rather than defend their turf, groups should join forces with others that share their interests. For instance, both SPEC and the IFC have time and time again proven adept at enlivening Penn's social scene. While the two groups have unsuccessfully tried to collaborate before, new enthusiasm by the IFC, capitalizing on its ability to bring students together, could foster an effective partnership. Greater coordination and collaboration among groups with connected interests would enhance Penn's social scene by increasing the amount of funding available for events, attracting a greater and more diverse number of students and expanding the extent of planning devoted to specific activities. Events particularized for a specific ethnic, volunteer or Greek organization could evolve into large campus-wide activities that more students would be inclined to attend. Certain collaborative group ventures have already been undertaken with great success. Winter Fest uplifted countless numbers of stressed-out students during finals last semester with caroling performing arts groups, free skating sessions and food, menorah-making and ice sculpturing on Locust Walk. Although spearheaded by the Tangible Change Committee, this event was a product of the joint efforts of at least 10 to 12 different student groups. Similarly, the "No Place Like Penn" weekend in the fall drew more than 600 students to College Green for big screen movies and food. The event was another large-scale activity where groups came together to organize an activity that evoked real campus community -- without alcohol. Panhellenic Council President Janelle Brodsky believes that in response to new anti-alcohol policies, "we have to be creative in planning events that will appeal to the majority of Penn students." Brodsky is beginning her new term by working to gather funding for a fall concert. Due to extreme funding constraints and the tremendous cost of Spring Fling, SPEC is not able to fund such a concert twice per year. Panhel, however, is enlisting the support of the class boards, IFC and the UA to assist SPEC with funding so that everyone can enjoy a campus-wide fall event that would pull many sectors of the student community together. So if you still cling to the notion that Penn's social life has sunk to desperate proportions, then go find a campus that's happening -- or work to make things better here. The first step is increasing communication among various organizations. Schorr suggests that "if groups were aware of what other groups were doing, they might want to participate, especially if they were planning to do something similar." There should be a listserv or Web page that offers a list of student group leaders or events that are being planned for the upcoming months. Groups can seek help from bodies such as the Tangible Change Committee that are designed to bring student leaders from all facets of the University together so that such collaboration occurs. Above all, student leaders must think constantly in terms of the larger campus community and not solely in terms their own specific constituency. Admittedly, alcohol is often perceived as the be-all-and-end-all determinant of the strength of Penn's student life. It is one thing that visibly facilitates social interaction among many facets of the student community. But before we condemn Penn to a gloomy future filled with students who live cold, isolated lives inside the confines of Van Pelt Library, we must recognize that there are ways for student groups to begin combating administrative policies. Students can be bitter if they want, charging that life is forever ruined because they can't all drink -- or at least openly drink -- together on campus. Or they can revive social life by continuing the successful trend of group partnerships.