Hundreds of people are rallying in support of men's heavyweight rowing coach Stan Bergman, whose job security has come into question in recent weeks.
Two Penn alumni faxed a petition to high-ranking University officials yesterday imploring the University to renew its contract with Bergman, who is currently in his 22nd year as head coach.
The letter is a response to a Jan. 21 article in The Philadelphia Inquirer which reported that Bergman's contract will likely not be renewed after the 2006 season.
Since then, dozens of people who know Bergman have voiced their outrage against the possibility, including former rowers, fellow coaches and public figures.
Jonathan Beldon and Robert Seiger -- both of whom rowed for Bergman and graduated in 1992, -- organized the petition. It was sent via fax to athletic director Steve Bilsky and University president Amy Gutmann yesterday.
The petition, obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian, contains the signatures of more than 200 alumni and friends of the rowing program.
It expresses discontent with the University for considering the possibility of not renewing Bergman's contract and focuses on the impact the coach has had on the players who have rowed for him.
"Without question, Mr. Bergman has been instrumental in the success of lives and careers, and is a shining example of dignity, fairness and honor in a competitive world," the letter states.
The signees believe that "through 22 years of dedication and success at Penn, Mr. Bergman has earned the honor of choosing when and how he leaves the University."
Besides being signed by a multitude of former members of the crew team, the petition also includes signatures from coaches and administrators from around the nation.
Among them are directors and coaches from Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Drexel, the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. National Team.
Also on the list of signees is the mayor of Brigantine, N.J., a Penn Engineering professor, high school coaches from around the region and several members of the Ventnor City, N.J. beach patrol, which Bergman has served as the chief of for 16 years.
No current members of the crew team who were contacted would speak about the matter. But sources close to the team said the rowers are undertaking their own effort to keep Bergman as their coach, although it is unclear what form the effort will take.
Bergman has been named the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges Coach of the Year four times and has won four Eastern Sprints titles and two Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship titles.
However, success for the team has been sparse recently. Last season, the varsity heavyweight men placed 17th at the IRA Regatta.
The petition cites the string of down years as an insufficient reason to decline to pick up Bergman's contract.
"To believe that changing coaches will instantly produce the victories desired represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the current situation and of the sport of rowing," the petition argues.
University athletics department spokesman Mike Mahoney would not comment on either the situation regarding Bergman or the petition.
