2004: The Year in Review

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With January came the announcement of then-Princeton Provost Amy Gutmann's nomination for Penn president. On January 22, the executive committee of the University Board of Trustees confirmed Gutmann as their choice to succeed Judith Rodin as the University's eighth president.

The day before Gutmann's official nomination, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs announced that the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity would be shut down, after committing its fourth policy violation in three years.

The Commerce Bank branch on campus also experienced its tenth robbery in eight years in the first month of 2004. The thief made away with at least $10,000 from the 3641 Walnut St. location.

The Reverend Craig Stephen White the preacher also known as 'Brother Stephen,' was convicted in mid-January for soliciting sex from a teenage boy.

The month also brought numerous changes to dining options on campus, with the closing of the Simsum Mediterranean restaurant and hookah bar and the extension of food cart hours in the Fresh Air Food Plazas.

A series of floods across campus due to bursting pipes during periods of freezing cold forced the closure of some campus buildings, including Wharton Reprographics. The company was delayed for a few days in creating some materials for second-semester classes.

In sports, the Penn wrestling team beat Iowa State in January. At the time, Iowa State was ranked number three in the country.

Hundreds of members of Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania participated in a two-day strike in February. The picketers were arranged in groups of five to 20 members at six sites across campus, and caused minimal disruption on campus.

Over 300 GET-UP members voted to approve the strike, though many graduate students said that they did not support the action.

Residents of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity house were advised to vacate their 3914 Spruce Street residence, after a University-hired architectural firm discovered that the structure posed "immediate and serious structural, health, and safety issues."

All 23 of the former Zeta Beta Tau brothers signed a University residency contract in February, making those brothers who chose to remain in the 235 S.39th St. residence subject to 24-hour supervision and limitations on non-academic visitors.

The University Board of Trustees approved an $8.15 million overhaul of the Nursing Education Building during their February meeting. The project is set to be completed by December of 2005.

March was capped by $50.6 million purchase of the postal lands, located east of Penn. The purchase marked a major turning point in the development of Penn's campus, which has traditional expanded West. The lands consist of the 24 acres between Locust and Market streets near 30th Street Station.

College junior Gregory Jones was stabbed multiple times during a party at 4036 Locust St. Two men were eventually charged with the crime.

School of Arts and Sciences Dean Samuel Preston announced that he was stepping down from his post. Preston originally planned to leave earlier, but decide to wait until former University President Judith's term ended.

Penn's women's basketball team traveled to the No. 3-ranked University of Connecticut to face off against the Huskies in the NCAA Tournament. The Quakers fell 91-55.

Former Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Paul Mosher was sentenced to seven years of probation for charges relating to possession of child pornography.

The drama surrounding the taping of MTV's The Real World in Philadelphia ended. The show had initially backed out because of union protests over the show's decision not to use union employees in constructing its set.

Twenty-one Penn students were among those sued for copyright violations by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The annual Spring Fling concert and festival -- which featured Wyclef Jean and Reel Big Fish -- was held in the Quad. The festival was heavily attended by Penn students as well as guests, who faced stricter guest entrance policies than in past years.

A report on racial profiling stressed the need for better training for police officers and an amendment to the current profiling policy. The report followed the arrest of Spruce College House Associate Faculty Master Rui DaSilva in the fall of 2003.

History Professor Steven Hahn won a Pulitzer Prize for his book A Nation Under Our Feet on the politics of U.S. slavery.

World-famous playwright and author Arthur Miller read excerpts from his satirical work Resurrection Blues to a packed audience at Zellerbach Theatre. The reading was followed by a question-and-answer session.

The Philadelphia Film Festival made its 13th annual appearance at movie screens across the city. For the first time in the festival's history, Penn hosted a majority of the screenings.

The 110th Annual Penn Relays track and field meet was held at Franklin Field. Penn athletes Shani Boston and Brian Chaput won the heptathlon and the javelin competitions, respectively.

Penn bid farewell to its 248th class in May, with a commencement ceremony marked by speeches from U2 frontman Bono and outgoing University President Judith Rodin.

Both Bono and Rodin stressed issues of social activism during the Franklin Field ceremony. Bono spoke of his experiences in Africa and was honored with an honorary Law degree.

The excitement of graduation weekend was partially overshadowed by the news of Pennsylvania native Nicholas Berg's beheading in Iraq. The 26-year-old former Drexel student -- who also attended a Penn summer session in 2000 -- perished at the hands of Islamic militants.

A controversy over a commencement brochure featuring 2003 College alumnus Arshad Hasan erupted in late May when it was discovered that University officials had edited out the rainbow tassel that the graduate had displayed on his graduation day. The rainbow tassel -- distributed by the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center -- appeared in black on the cover of the brochure, sparking a backlash from the LBGT community.

The summer months were marked by administrative upheaval, heavy construction, the beginnings of a strong political movement and the University's rise to the number four spot in the U.S. News and World Report rankings.

Former President Judith Rodin finished her decade-long tenure in June and was succeeded by former Princeton Provost Amy Gutmann, in what amounted to a relatively seamless transition.

The office of the top academic officer was part of the turnover, as well. Former Provost Robert Barchi left to take the helm of nearby Thomas Jefferson University and was replaced -- for the interim -- with longtime professor and Deputy Provost Peter Conn.

At the Penn Police department, former Chief Tom Rambo abruptly resigned after 18 years on the force; he would not be replaced until November.

Citing new federal travel regulations, several schools, including Penn, canceled study abroad programs in Cuba, which have not yet been reinstated.

Throughout the summer, Facilities Services focused its efforts on the college houses, completing renovations on Harrison and beginning work on Harnwell.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry set the month on fire with a nationally-televised rally at Hill Field.

Philadelphia was kept in the national spotlight with Mayor John Street's initiative to offer free wireless Internet access across the city and the Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania's hearing in front of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee organized by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) as they sought union rights.

Graduate students in the schools of Arts and Sciences, Design, Education, Social Work and Nursing received an 11 percent raise amount to a total of $17,500 compared to $15,750 before.

Video clips of a man -- alleged to be Wharton junior Scott Robinson, a member of the Penn College Republicans -- kicking an AIDS activist at the Republican Youth Convention in New York made their way around the Internet. The College Republicans quickly distanced themselves from the incident.

Tragedy struck when College junior and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brother Matthew Paris suffered a critical fall at a University-registered party in the Psi Upsilon fraternity house -- also known as the Castle -- on his 21st birthday. Sent to the intensive care unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Paris made a slow recovery and was transferred to a rehabilitation facility.

An Office of Student Conduct investigation later found the Castle to be in violation of University alcohol policy, but concluded that the fraternity was not culpable for Paris' fall.

Dining options expanded on campus with the openings of MarBar at 40th and Walnut streets and MexiCali at 40th and Sansom streets.

Amid much fanfare, new Penn President Amy Gutmann was welcomed to her new position with the keys to the University. In her inaugural address, the new president set out a three-pronged theoritical approach for her tenure.

The University benefitted from bulging pockets this month. Twelve current and former members of the University Board of Trustees pledged $100,000 each toward the sponsorship of new endowment-based fellowships for graduate students in the humanities and social sciences.

City commissioners quickly approved a petition spearheaded by the Penn College Democrats to add four new polling spots on campus, sparking accusations of partisanship from Republicans.

Former presidential candidates Howard Dean and Pat Buchanan -- both known for strong opposing political views -- unexpectedly discovered common ground in a sold-out Irvine Auditorium.

A Daily Pennsylvanian survey of 704 students found that nearly 70 percent were planning to vote for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in November.

La Salle University Director of Security and Safety Mark Dorsey was named as the new Penn Police chief.

The Walnut Street West branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia reopened after eight years and $3 million in renovations of the 99-year-old structure. The new WXPN building also opened at 3025 Walnut St.

Construction of the $30 million Annenberg Public Policy Center at the site of the old Hillel building -- located on 36th Street between Walnut Street and Locust Walk -- which is scheduled to be completed in 2008.

President George W. Bush was re-elected although Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry won Pennsylvania's 21 electoral votes. Voting on Penn's campus was estimated to be up by 280 percent from 2000.

Another cause for celebration was the field hockey team winning a share of the Ivy League title.

SEPTA officials threatened service cutbacks and fare hikes as its $62 million deficit remained unaddressed at the close of the legislative session.

While University officials have not admitted fault, they have agreed to a settlement with Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania over an unfair labor practice charge filed in February.

Phi Kappa Sigma's charity poker event was unexpectedly called off due to the University's interpretation of state gambling laws.

Cereality opened at 37th and Walnut St. in the national spotlight. Four of the nine vendors that comprise the Moravian Cafes are vacating the premises due to financial problems.

College Dean Rebecca Bushnell succeeded Samuel Preston as the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Johns Hopkins University Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations John Zeller was appointed Penn's new chief fundraising officer -- a position that remained vacant for more than two years.

College sophomore Warith Deen Madyun was mistakenly apprehended because he and his companions fit the description of a group of juveniles wanted for theft. Madyun and others then led a protest over what he called the "excessive violence" used in the apprehension and the broader issue of police misconduct. Madyun and two other students met with Gutmann and other administrators, who promised to create a committee to address the issues.

Penn Neurosurgery Professor Tracy McIntosh pleaded no contest and was found guilty of sexual assault and drug charges for an attack on an acquaintance.

Civil-rights activist and former presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson made a visit to Penn's campus, delivering a guest lecture in Afro-American Studies and Religious Studies Professor Michael Eric Dyson's class on Marvin Gaye.

The University announced that the College House system will begin to offer gender-neutral housing in the fall of 2005.

Plans were announced for the development of a new cancer research center, which will replace the historic Convention Hall building, which has held presidential conventions, concerts and more.