Letters to the Editor

Make a TV show To the Editor: As a producer on UTV, I strongly disagree with Ali Jackson's sentiments on the supposedly bland content of UTV ("After a show crossed the line, UTV lost its edge," DP, 10/9/06). Penn's student-run television station simply provides an outlet for students to express their ideas. Jason Miller and the UTV board work extremely hard to provide this opportunity. But any fault with programming lies with students unwilling to express themselves, not with the station that gives them the opportunity to do so. If Ali Jackson wants a racy show, I invite her to talk to the UTV board, which will provide the necessary training and equipment, at no charge, so that she can make her show a reality.

Jon Feintuch Wharton junior The author is a producer and show host at UTV Jews for Jesus To the Editor: I am writing to voice my disapproval of your article on Jews for Jesus ("Jews for Jesus: An affront to two religions," DP, 10/2/06). I've heard of the movement of Jews for Jesus and have been curious to hear more about it. Udasin's portrayal of the new religious group is unfair, belligerent, and even rather bigoted. In describing the religious group, she refers to "gleaming propaganda," "their threat toward the Jewish community," "dangerously attractive" advertisements and the lack of "any logical meaning." I found her language appallingly similar to anti-Protestant rhetoric during the Reformation, when people were burned at the stake for holding different views on religion. Without sharing an objective analysis of what the group teaches, Udasin condemns it and warns curious investigators to "be wary" of "its trap." This article's proper place is in a reactionary Orthodox magazine, not an intellectually based newspaper. In my view, exposure to religious diversity is one of the hallmarks of a Penn education. I do not approve of a public display of such intolerance.

Natalie Hamilton College sophomore

Other GPA factors To the Editor: Your article about GPAs ("Inflated GPAs aren't just for SAS students," DP, 10/2/06) cites rising engineering freshman average GPA as evidence for a "surge" in engineering students' grades. The article omits one very important fact: The majority of classes taken by Engineering freshman are not taught by the Engineering School. In the freshman year, Engineering students take more math, physics, chemistry and writing classes than they take engineering courses. In fact, the majority of Engineering freshmen complete no more than one or two engineering courses. The article also fails to consider the recipients of these A and A-minus grades. The largest engineering classes tend to be the introductory courses, which are relatively low in difficulty and include students from all schools at Penn. Thus, the rise in freshman GPA can be attributed more to improved performance in introductory College science classes than to an increase in A's or A-minuses given by the Engineering School. Use of the term "inflation" seems misleading in this context.

Ted Gomez Engineering and Wharton junior

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