Most turned away from Rendell course

Almost 10 students applied for every spot in the mayor's Urban Studies lecture. Fifty were accepted. Approximately 450 undergraduates were denied spaces in outgoing Philadelphia Mayor and Democratic Party chief Ed Rendell's spring lecture course, which was in high demand during advance registration. According to Urban Studies Program Co-Chairperson Elaine Simon, there were 500 requests for admission into URBS 320, "Who Gets Elected and Why," which is crosslisted with both the Political Science Department and a graduate program in the Fels Center of Government. With only 60 available seats in the classroom in Logan Hall where the class is being held, the proportion of students denied compared to the number of undergraduate slots makes the situation seem like a "crisis," Simon said yesterday, adding that 10 spots were reserved for graduate students in the Fels program. "Four hundred fifty students have the right to be disappointed," Simon said. The 60-person course gave preference to majors and upperclassmen, which is customary, according to the University registrar. Currently, Urban Studies holds 20 spots in the class, while Political Science took up 18 and the graduate program reserved eight seats, according to Political Science administrative assistant Jennifer Bottomley. Rendell's two classes, the lecture and a 20-member seminar, will be held on Mondays to accommodate Rendell's schedule. URBS 320 will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. Bottomley added that the course is composed primarily of undergraduate juniors and seniors, and not all are majors. And while the course will meet in the evening, students in the College of General Studies did not get first preference, she said. According to an administrator in the College Office, only one CGS student is enrolled in the course. Students discovered whether they were admitted into Rendell's class just before Thanksgiving break, when spring schedules appeared online. College junior Adam Magnus' primary request for admittance was denied, but he said he is not too upset. "It was my first choice," the Philosophy, Politics and Economics major said, adding that he knew he might not get into the course. "I suspect that not too many people will drop," Magnus added. And Engineering sophomore Michael Krouse also accepted the disappointment. "I was going to take it for my sixth course -- just for fun," he said, calling it understandable and reasonable that so many students were turned away. But others expressed surprise at the number of students unable to enroll. "I thought there would be like 200 [students admitted]," College senior Ali Olshewitz said, citing other lecture courses such as History 170, "History of the American South" -- held in Annenberg 110 -- that cater to a large number of students while still fostering discussion. Rendell, a 1965 College graduate who is credited with boosting Philadelphia's economic prosperity during his eight years as mayor, will teach both the seminar and the lecture class while serving as the general chairperson of the Democratic National Committee. He was named to the DNC post in September, and will hold it through the 2000 elections. He is expected to run for Pennsylvania governor in 2002.