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2002 Year Ahead Section.
To start the year off, however, Political Science
Professor
John DiIulio left to take charge of the White House's Office of
Faith-Based
initiatives. Students hoped their demands for a 24-hour diner
on campus
would finally be met by El Diner. By the fall, DiIulio returned to
Penn
as promised, but El Diner shut its doors after only four months
in operation.
The space was taken over by the Philly Diner in October.
In April, a graduate student alleged that he had
been
attacked
in a racially-motivated assault by Campus Copy Center
employees. The
student,
Gregory Seaton, filed a lawsuit against the store, but later
dropped it. Penn lost School of Social Work Dean Ira
Schwartz and
General
Counsel Peter Erichsen, but also hired deans for the School
of Nursing
and the School of Medicine. A new chief of staff, vice president
for public
safety and chief of police were also appointed.
Dining Services caused an uproar by setting
requirements
on the number of meals freshmen were required to purchase
and decided
to close down Stouffer Dining Commons.
The year 2001 also marked the 125th
anniversary of women
at Penn, drawing alumni back in droves to celebrate during
Homecoming
weekend.
Additionally, Lori Doyle, the former Health System
spokeswoman, was
appointed
as Penn's new director of communications, capping off a
six-month search. The start of 2001 brought some departures from the Penn
campus, as
well.
Political Science Professor John DiIulio announced that he
would be taking
a leave of absence to head up the White House Office of
Faith-Based
initiatives. Penn also suffered from the loss of English Professor
Lynda Hart, who
died after a battle with breast cancer at the age of 47.
The realm of higher education felt the shock of the sudden
murders of
Dartmouth College professors Susanne and Half Zantop, who
were found
stabbed
to death in their homes at the end of the month.
Harvard University narrowed its search for a new president,
while former
U.S. vice president and presidential candidate Al Gore signed
for a job
teaching journalism at Columbia University. - Mary
Clarke-Pearson
Life at Penn this year was not particularly
different from
any other year, with the usual trials and tribulations
experienced by
students and staff - until Sept. 11, when the lives of everyone
at this
University and across the nation changed forever.
University officials responded immediately to
the needs
of the community following the terrorist attacks, canceling the
day's
classes, setting up a room full of phones equipped with free
long distance
so students could contact friends and family members and
planning
numerous
counseling sessions and services for the distraught. Some
professors even
modified the content of their classes to address the issues
surrounding
the attacks.
So far, 14 alumni have been identified as
victims of the
tragedy.
Muslim student groups tried to combat racist
sentiments
following Sept. 11 by attempting to educate the Penn
community about their
religion's true attitude toward terrorism through various
events, such
as Islam Awareness Week.
Penn has also responded to the war in
Afghanistan in many
different ways. Penn for Peace set up tents and banners on
College Green,
and students sent menorahs to Jewish American soldiers in
celebration
of Hanukkah.
As tensions in the Middle East escalated with
suicide
bombings
in Israel on Dec. 1 and 2, students showed their solidarity with
Israel
and their desire for peace through a rally on College Green.
Between the reopening of Billybob and impending arrival of
El Diner,
students were welcomed by many changes when they
returned to campus
in
January.
UMOJA found a new home in the ARCH building, and the
Social
Planning
and Events Committee coined the year's Spring Fling `The
Sweetest
Fling.'
On the administrative side of Penn, a committee began
deliberations
over the future of the $1.9 billion University of Pennsylvania
Health
System, as rumors circulated that the Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia
might become a possible buyer or partner in negotiations.
February
may be the shortest month of the year, but in 2001 it was
jam-packed with
openings and closings, beginnings and endings.
Perhaps the biggest news came when the decision was
made not to sell
the financially struggling $1.9 billion University of
Pennsylvania Health
System. After months of speculation about the fate of the
beleaguered
system, Penn ultimately opted to spin off the Health System
into a separate
non-profit organization that would still be affiliated with the
University.
February proved to be a good month for West Philadelphia
retailers,
with the opening of El Diner and the reopening of Billybob. But
the
University
suffered a setback in its relationship with the neighboring
community,
as the Penn-Assisted Public School chose to close its doors,
at least
for the time being.
Provost Robert Barchi began his fireside chats with
students, as John
DiIulio officially announced his leave of absence from Penn to
begin his
term as head of the White House Office of Faith-Based
Initiatives.
University Trustee George Weiss donated $20 million to
his alma mater
to bolster financial aid and establish a campus technology
hub.
In the beginning of February, students and faculty alike had
a pleasant
surprise when an unexpected blizzard hit Philadelphia,
bringing snowball
fights, a picturesque Locust Walk and, for some, a
mini-vacation when
a few professors cancelled class.
Elsewhere in the world, the University of California called
for the end
of the SATs as an entrance requirement, the alleged murderers of two
Dartmouth
professors were arrested and the Israelis elected Ariel
Sharon as prime
minister.
At Penn, University involvement in the community was a
controversial
issue for West Philadelphia residents, and the opening of the
much-anticipated
Freshgrocer was delayed again. And while the search for a
new nursing
dean was in its early stages, the departure of Vice President
and Chief
of Staff Steven Schutt meant that another administrative
search would
have to begin.
But some on this campus will remember February for
giving them a taste
of March Madness, as the woman's basketball team clinched
its first-ever
Ivy League championship. - Dina Ackermann
|
Not surprisingly, the month of March was a busy one for
Penn's
basketball
fans.
A 21-game winning streak brought the Penn women's
basketball team
to
an Ivy League title and its first-ever NCAA Tournament. But in
its final
game of the season - which ended in a loss to Texas Tech
- the team
said
goodbye to superstar forward Diana Caramanico.
On the men's side, a loss to Princeton at Jadwin Gym, in a
game the
team needed to win to have hope for an Ivy League title of its
own, sealed
the Quakers' fate in a less-than-stellar season.
In the academic realm, the Student Committee on
Undergraduate
Education
released its comprehensive White Paper, an analysis of Penn
undergraduate
education five years in the making. Graduate students made
some gains,
with the University announcing plans to establish a center on
Locust Walk
for their benefit.
The University was jeered by students for having the
highest tuition
hike in the Ivy League, but applauded by U.S. News and World
Report with
the Graduate School of Education, the Law School and the
Engineering
Graduate
School all rising in the rankings.
University Trustee Jon Huntsman Jr. was tapped by
President Bush to
become
the new deputy U.S. trade representative. Huntsman would be
confirmed
by the Senate later in the year.
Columbia University President George Rupp announced
that he would
step
down, while Harvard University selected Lawrence Summers
as its new
leader.
And also in March, the University unveiled its Campus Development Plan, envisioning open green space in front of the Palestra, a bustling Locust Walk environment extending west to 43rd Street and a cohesive pedestrian path - now known as Woodland Walk - stretching to Drexel University. Late in the month, on the other side of campus bumps, cracks and visible defects on concrete and tile floors resulted in an indefinite delay for the opening Penn's much-awaited grocery store, the Freshgrocer. But across the street, the long delays appeared to be over for progress on the movie theater project. After months of searching, the University found an apparent partner for what was once the Sundance Cinema site at 40th and Walnut streets. Negotiations were begun with National Amusements on a theater that Penn students hoped would arrive before they would graduate. -ÿMatthew Mugmon |
|
In April, allegations arose that Graduate School of
Education student
Gregory Seaton was the victim of a racially-motivated assault
by four
employees of Campus Copy Center located on Walnut street
near 39th
Street.
The incident, which many students learned about through a widely-circulated e-mail written by Seaton, sparked calls for a boycott of the business and protests for improved customer safety. Representatives from Campus Copy denied the allegations that any acts were racially motivated. Other hotly debated topics in April included the announcement of changes to meal plans for the upcoming year. Under the proposed changes, all freshmen were required to buy at least 17 meals a week, and some of the popular declining meal options were eliminated. Students would also no longer be allowed to cancel a meal plan midway through the year. Later that month, the Freshgrocer opened on 40th and Walnut streets, giving those students forgoing meal plans new hope for fresh food 24 hours a day. Spring Fling brought performers Ben Harper, Black Eyed Peas and the illustrious '80s pop star, Tiffany, to eager Penn fans. Madeleine Albright addressed students as the Social Planning and Events Committee's Connaissance spring speaker. The University announced plans for the $23 million Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, which would be an addition to Gimbel Gymnasium. The center is scheduled to open some time in 2003. College senior Dana Hork was selected as Undergraduate Assembly chairwoman for the 2001-2002 school year. Hork is the first female to fill the post in over a decade. Larry Moneta, the University's associate vice president for campus services, announced that he would be leaving to become vice president of student affairs at Duke University. The School of Arts and Sciences announced the creation of a new proficiency certificate in technology. And the much-maligned Political Science department announced the acquisition of two high-profile professors for the fall semester. At the end of the month, Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania, publicly launched their efforts to organize a graduate student union for teaching and research assistants. -Caroline Dube |
|
As another school year ended, the University said goodbye
to the Class
of 2001 while welcoming new beginnings.
Arizona Sen. John McCain took the stage as this year's
Commencement
speaker.
Other speakers at the star-studded Commencement
weekend included
Philadelphia
Mayor John Street and Penn's own 2000 Nobel Laureate Alan
MacDiarmid.
Penn Police Chief Maureen Rush was named the new vice president for public safety after holding the position on an interim basis for nearly seven months. And Robert Martin was named to the permanent position of University of Pennsylvania Health System Chief Executive Officer, having served as CEO on an interim basis for nearly a year. In addition to a newly appointed leader, the Health System also celebrated the 250th birthday of the Pennsylvania Hospital - the nation's first hospital. Negotiations with National Amusements, a theater chain based in Massachusetts, reached a greater degree of certainty, as plans for a theater to be named "The Bridge" were submitted for the lot at 40th and Walnut streets. The Greek system welcomed a new sorority, Sigma Kappa, which is set to hit campus early next year, bringing the Penn total to eight. On a national scale, fraternities moved further and further toward turning dry. National policies emphasizing a no-alcohol policy have yet to affect the majority of fraternities at Penn, but are already causing controversy. The long-awaited construction of a new Hillel building was still pending following further significant funding difficulties. Although a naming donor had been secured, only 50 percent of the money needed for the building had been raised. Princeton University selected Shirley Tilghman as its new president, making her the third female president of an Ivy League school. And construction projects began to pop up across campus as the summer began. Renovations in the lower Quad and at Gimbel Gymnasium added to the list of construction sites that caused more frustration for students and faculty alike. - Daisy Chang |
| Despite the low numbers of students on campus, life at Penn was still cooking in the oppressive heat of the summer. June started off in a big way when a research team led by Penn Geology Professor Peter Dodson discovered in the Egyptian desert the remains of a previously unknown breed of dinosaur, thought to be the second largest that ever existed. Closer to home, Dining Services lowered the freshman meal requirement from 17 meals to 14 meals, while also deciding to close Stouffer Dining Commons. The University Police Department named Thomas Rambo its chief of police, and Arthur Rubenstein was named executive vice president of the Health System and dean of the School of Medicine. But over the summer Penn also lost School of Social Work Dean Ira Schwartz and General Counsel Peter Erichsen. The Class of 2005 was asked to sign cards pledging academic integrity. And after only four months of operation, El Diner closed its doors for good in June. The Penn-assisted pre-kindergarten to eighth grade public school prepared for its September opening with the appointment of Sheila Sydnor as principal. Community activists protesting a building expansion near the Biopond marched on Provost Robert Barchi's office. And in August, a suspicious-looking package of contaminated soil was sent to Executive Vice President John Fry's office to protest the University's alleged efforts to gentrify West Philadelphia. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi-Annan and President Bush both visited Philadelphia to take part in the city's Fourth of July celebration. - Gregory Richards |
| This September marked not only the beginning of a new semester, but the end of the world as we knew it. On a tranquil sunny morning during the second week of classes, students' complaints about crowded dining halls and the chaos of never-ending Quadrangle construction faded, making way for a new unprecedented chaos let loose on Sept. 11. On that day, thousands of people lost their lives as a result of the most devastating terrorist attacks in history. New York's World Trade Center towers collapsed following the impact of two hijacked passenger planes, while a third plane struck the Pentagon and a fourth crashed outside of Pittsburgh, Pa. The University closed for the afternoon, as students sat glued to their televisions and frantically attempted to contact family and friends. And although from Philadelphia students could not see the gaping hole in the New York skyline or the clouds of smoke billowing above it, everyone felt as though the attacks were only a few blocks away. Students rushed to give blood at local Red Cross centers, flocked to impromptu vigils and created makeshift memorials. Houston Hall became a counseling center, and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania prepared to receive overflow patients from New York. Students raised thousands of dollars for relief efforts, through Greek coffeehouses, dinner parties and charity collections. A College freshman even hitched rides to New York to help with the relief effort, while a group of students threw a benefit dinner party with a $50 admission fee. Members of ROTC were warned to prepare for service. Philadelphia, too, shut down as federal buildings were evacuated and guards were placed at city landmarks. Airports closed, and then reopened on high alert, as did historic sites. The repercussions of the attacks became even more personal to the University community - especially as investigations suggested that one of the terrorists had entered the country with a student visa. There were bomb scares in the Quadrangle, and administrators proposed a voluntary visible identification policy that would encourage students and staff to wear their ID cards even on Penn's famously open campus. And for students of Arab and Asian descent, fear seemed inescapable as the terrorist attacks resurrected a host of stereotypes. Many members of the community united in concern about the backlash of racist hate crimes, and minority groups united for a week-long Harmony Campaign. But September was also a month of resolve. President Bush declared a "war on terrorism," and public opinion showed him to be a new American hero. Last year's uncertain election results were all but forgotten. While some students lobbied for peace, the majority seemed to reconcile themselves to war, and many hoped the U.S. would achieve the justice Bush demanded. - Samantha Melamed |
|
As the shock from the Sept. 11 attacks continued to
resound across the
country, the beginning of a new month brought new
developments to the
emerging "war on terrorism."
On the foreign front, American and British forces launched
air assaults
on communication and intelligence targets in Afghanistan
after the regime's
refusal to surrender Osama bin Laden. The retaliation efforts
continued
throughout the month, slowly destroying Taliban regiments.
And on the home front, a new wave of fear erupted with the discovery of Anthrax in letters to politicians and media agencies across the nation. Thirty-one Senate employees were exposed to anthrax when an infected letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), and several legislative office buildings in Washington were temporarily closed. By the end of the month, 17 confirmed cases of anthrax were reported nationwide, including three deaths. Postal service slowed as increased security measures were implemented. Penn was not immune to the threat of biological warfare, either. The Ivy Grille was evacuated when a suspicious powder was discovered by a waitress, and a white powder found in the mailroom of Harrison College House briefly caused employees to panic. For precautionary measures, the University tightened security in campus mailrooms, staying on the lookout for suspicious packages. In spite of these scares, campus debates over requiring students to wear ID cards fizzled out. The University Honor Council brought Erin Brockovich to campus as the headline speaker for Academic Integrity Week, and later in the month, it was announced that Billy Joel would perform in Irvine Auditorium. The annual Undergraduate Assembly elections were held - after a Daily Pennsylvanian survey of 38 freshmen candidates revealed that only five knew the name of UA chairwoman Dana Hork. Only nine could correctly identify Robert Barchi as provost. Toward the end of October, the Penn community dealt with the loss of Wharton junior Jose Joseph, who fell to his death from his apartment in Hamilton College House in what was ruled a suicide. - Mary Clarke-Pearson |
|
This November, the University celebrated the 125th
anniversary of
women
at Penn, attracting an especially distinguished crowd of
alumni to
Homecoming
weekend.
Rock legend Billy Joel also stirred up campus this month,
performing
old popular favorites, new classical pieces and answering a
few questions
to a packed house in Irvine Auditorium.
But campus was soon sobered by the death of
Engineering graduate
student
Anirban Majumdar. The 25-year-old was pulled out of the
Schuylkill River
three weeks after he was reported missing. The cause of his
death - the
second of three student deaths to occur at Penn this
semester - remains
a mystery, although authorities do not suspect foul play.
In the aftermath of September's terrorist attacks, the
nation's economy
suffered, and the University was by no means immune to the
slump. After
experiencing a 6-percent gain during Fiscal Year 2000, the
University's
endowment fell 6 percent during the first quarter of the new
fiscal year
- two percent ahead of its benchmark, but putting the
University right
back where it was before last year's recovery.
While the nation was on high alert as a result of anthrax
attacks through
the mail, the University had several anthrax scares of its own,
including
one in the mailroom of Harrison College House.
The city and state governments wrangled over the fate of
Philadelphia's
ailing public schools, as Gov. Mark Schweiker and Mayor John
Street
discussed
giving control of 60 of the city's worst performing schools to a
private
company such as Edison Schools, Inc. The two officials also
extended the
self-imposed Nov. 30 deadline for a state takeover of the
school district.
The University Board of Trustees officially approved the new governance structure for Penn Medicine, which was intended to streamline the operation and organization of the University of PennsylvaniaHealth System. And Philadelphia School Board President and Penn alumnus Pedro Ramos was named University vice president and chief of staff, effective in January. - Madlen Read |
|
Although it was the holiday season, December has been a
bittersweet
month
for many in the University community.
College junior Abraham Huang died in a motorcycle
accident on the
Schuylkill
Expressway, becoming the third Penn student to die during
the fall
semester.
Huang had just transferred from Purdue University.
The
Penn community also tried to deal with tragedies elsewhere.
Hundreds
gathered
in an act of solidarity on College Green after several suicide
bombers
in Israel killed 26 civilians and injured 250 others.
In an effort to boost morale, students assembled
Hanukkah packages
that
would be sent to American Jewish Army personnel stationed
in
Afghanistan.
The number of early admissions applications were seen to have climbed 7.1 percent, representative of a trend among Ivy League schools. The Performing Arts Council and Undergraduate Assembly also ended several weeks of lobbying by securing the former Stouffer Dining Commons for rehearsal space. Alice, the White Dog Cafe's canine mascot, was returned to the Sansom Street restaurant two weeks after she ran away following being hit by a Penn escort van. At the beginning of the month, and just hours away from an expected state takeover of the Philadelphia School District, Gov. Mark Schweiker and Mayor John Street agreed to push back the deadline for an agreement on fixing the ailing schools until Dec. 21 because of a lack of consensus on financial issues. Police Commissioner John Timoney stunned many in the city when he announced that he would be resigning from his post to join a private security firm in New York City. President Bush announced that he would pull the United States out of the landmark 1972 Anti-Ballastic Missile Treaty between the U.S. and Russia. Bush was eager to build a missile defense shield in light of the events of Sept. 11. Afghan tribal forces supported by American commandos and aircraft advanced into the caves in the Tora Bora section of Afghanistan, where terrorist Osama Bin Laden is allegedly hiding. -Gregory Richards |
