LETTERS: Fair seating for all at Palestra

To the Editor: The number of tickets allotted for students in the chairback section is identical to the number that has been designated for many years. To increase that number would not only displace alumni, but also faculty and staff who have sat in those seats, many for decades. This would not be in keeping with the spirit of the Palestra, which is intended to be the home for all Penn fans. The ticket allocation for all members of the Penn community is extremely fair, both as far as price and proximity to courtside are concerned. In an effort to meet the increased demand for tickets for events at the Palestra, the ticket office has recently purchased a new ticketing system that is intended to greatly improve our ability to service our customers. This year, the volume of ticket sales to students was 78 percent greater than last year's opening sale. Despite successful pretests of the ticketing system at the Palestra, the system was unable to make an Internet connection Sunday morning. We were thus unable to allocate tickets with the speed with which we had hoped. I apologize for the delay on Sunday morning and look forward to servicing the ticketing needs of the Penn community throughout the season. Hopefully, the many efforts that were made to provide a comfortable and secure line, along with the various activities, outweighed this inconvenience. We appreciate the many kind comments we have received from those on line who appreciated these efforts. Peggy Kowalski Associate Director for Athletic Operations Renovations had depth To the Editor: Jeff Adler's article about the recent renovation of Van Pelt Library ("Van Pelt renovations only skin deep," DP, 10/22/98) raised a number of issues, pointed to a couple of serious remaining problems with the building and seemed to conclude that the changes were purely cosmetic. We were surprised by this conclusion. The feedback we've received from students since reopening Van Pelt has been very enthusiastic. People tell us that they find the study spaces on the first floor welcoming, comfortable and conducive to their work, and they also like the comfortable lounge seating. They're pleased with the ergonomic and powerful computer workstations in the E-lookup Center and with the laptop connections throughout the building. Indeed, they tell us that the renovated library is much more functional, it simply works better for them. But Adler pointed to a couple of important areas that do concern us. The original design for Van Pelt-Dietrich had some major weaknesses. With the funds that we have raised from generous class gifts and good friends we have been able to solve some, but not all, of these problems. As he noted, the renovations are ongoing and our plans for Rosengarten include a new suite of bathrooms. The "ancient" elevators are currently undergoing a phased and complete mechanical overhaul. When this is complete, we've been assured they really will take you to your destination! Our exit check process is necessary -- we wish people were consistently honorable and law-abiding, but unfortunately that's not so. However, we're currently reviewing our book security systems with the goal of creating a more secure and convenient exit process. In conclusion, as successful as the renovations are, they're still a beginning. We continue to work on ways to make Van Pelt an even more useful and effective facility for Penn's students, faculty and staff. Paul Mosher Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Thanks for the security To the Editor: Concerning the article about the poll the University City District took recently ("Poll: U. City quality of life has improved," DP, 10/15/98), as an employee of the University for 16 years, the only organization that has provided a better sense of safety along with the University Police has been SpectaGuard. Since I have been working late hours, SpectaGuard has deployed bikes as another part of their effort to make students and residents of University City feel somewhat protected. I have a sense of feeling safe because of what SpectaGuard has done in the last two years, and they have contributed a great deal to help those of us who have to remain at the University after hours and at work. The UCD is a small factor in what is done on campus, but SpectaGuard and the Penn Police have the biggest job to protect and serve the people of University City and its college. They are the best. Charles King Jr. Facilities Services Employee