CAMPUS BRIEFS: Monday, March 29, 1999

New collection caters to Asian-American Studies The collection -- housed on the eighth floor of Williams Hall -- is a compilation of Asian-American books, magazines and other "first-hand materials for students in their courses," said ASAM Program Director Rosane Rocher, a professor of South Asian Regional Studies. The initiative for the resource center was undertaken last year by Wharton sophomore Stephanie Hwang, a member of the UAB. Hwang said the "goal [of the collection] is to build awareness of Asian-American issues and give students an alternative for Asian-American research." Currently, Asian-American Studies is only offered as a minor in the College of Arts and Sciences with two professors in the department. For next year, however, the department has been authorized to hire a third professor, Rocher said. "With these three [professors] in place, we hope to move to a major as soon as possible," Rocher said. -- Stephanie Oliva UMC, Junior Class bring 'culture' to Locust Walk Bratwurst and sauerkraut aren't often sold on Locust Walk. But the Wharton German Club's fundraiser offered tasty options such as those as part of the Celebration of Cultures event held Friday afternoon on College Green. The event -- held annually by the United Minorities Council -- was jointly sponsored this year by the UMC and the Junior Class Board. Celebration of Cultures is meant to draw students together to "celebrate the rich cultural heritages" of ethnic groups on campus, according to UMC Programming Co-chairperson Alzena Galaria, a College junior. The event's organizers estimated that about 1,000 students attended Friday's event, in which over 15 groups participated by selling food and distributing information. Four performance groups -- including the Tae Kwon Do Club -- also participated. "When [students] see the UMC [is sponsoring an event], they think it's just for minorities, but we're for everyone," Galaria said. "I think that [our co-sponsorship with the Junior Class Board] attracted a different crowd because other students saw that it was not a minority [event]." Junior Class President Lisa Marshall said, "I think people really enjoyed [the event] and it helped bring a little culture to Penn." Marshall added that many groups which had not previously participated in the Celebration of Cultures -- including the Wharton German Club and the Hellenic Students Association -- were involved in the event this year. Student groups seemed pleased with the event and many said they would participate again next year. "It's an [opportunity] to share our cultural wealth with other students," said Penn Taiwanese Society President Jenny Jau, a College and Wharton senior. "It's a good chance to meet people and learn about other cultures." UMC officials said they intend to hold more co-sponsored events in the future. -- Alexandra Minkovich College house managers discuss dormitory issues The first annual College House Forum was held Saturday at Hill College House to give student managers an opportunity to discuss the challenges and experiences they've faced throughout the first year of the integrated college house system. Approximately 50 student managers from Hill, Harrison, Gregory, Harnwell and Goldberg college houses who are involved in operating the various programs offered in the college houses participated in a series of workshops dealing with topics ranging from "hiring a staff" to "working as a group." The forum was conceived and organized by Engineering sophomore Christian Acosta, the assistant to Hill Faculty Master Jim O'Donnell. According to Acosta, the purpose was to "get everyone together as a group to share and learn from each others' experience." The forum was open to anyone with an operational position in the college houses and included events, computing, commissary, communications and office managers. Six sessions concentrated on various aspects of running a college house such as operations, computing, working as a group, running a house council and managing events and communications. "This year has been very instructive but it's nice to get other opinions from people who are doing the same thing," said Hill House Facilities Manager Rick LaTaille, a College sophomore. LaTaille said he will teach what he learned from the forum to his successor in order to "make the position even stronger next year." Director of College Houses and Academic Services David Brownlee said the forum shows how the managers are helping to shape and reshape their roles within the new college house system. -- Sharon Male