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(11/06/98 10:00am)
From Lindsay Faber's, "From Russia With Love," Fall '98 From Lindsay Faber's, "From Russia With Love," Fall '98Russian President Boris Yeltsin is now vacationing at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, because -- according to his doctors -- he is too "fatigued" to run the country. Perhaps strange for the president is that few in Moscow notice his absence. Disgruntled Russians hit the streets, urging their president to either address their concerns or step down. Some elderly protesters, angry about not receiving their pension in over three months, sported bright posters of Josef Stalin and Vladimir Lenin. The Russian press has thrown out a myriad of diseases that Yeltsin may be suffering from. And it is no secret that Yeltsin has been known to hit the bottle a little too hard. Clearly, times have changed for the man who has always been able to exert power and control over every conflict he faced. Yeltsin's early years as the first democratically elected president of Russia were marked by drama, chaos and impulsive actions. The transition from communism to democracy was not an easy one, and Yeltsin was the first to find out. In 1991, Yeltsin was seen climbing atop a tank before the Parliament house, executing a historic coup against then-President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. Two years later, he ordered troops to open fire on the Parliament house, the very same building where he had made his stand in 1991. And in 1994, the world watched and became frightened as Yeltsin ordered Russian troops to attack the breakaway republic of Chechnya, a move which literally killed tens of thousands of people. Turbulence and survival have always been Yeltsin's constant companions, the themes for Russia's now ailing president who grew up in a rural village and, ironically, rose to the highest echelons of the Communist Party. But now, with Yeltsin looking more politically isolated than ever, Kremlin aides say he has surrendered day-to-day management of the country to Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov. Primakov's government -- after nearly two months in office -- has little to show for it. In fact, Primakov recently released his long-awaited anti-crisis plan to the International Monetary Fund, which rebuffed the plan without approving the release of $4.3 billion promised to the previous government in June. Like Russian liberals and western governments, the IMF is worried that the current crisis might stimulate the reversal of post-Soviet Russia's switch to free market capitalism. Primakov's anti-crisis plan, as expected, includes a sharp increase in the state's role in the economy. "Especially when one is coming out of a crisis situation, there is a special need to strengthen the regulatory role of the state," Primakov told reporters on Saturday. "In Russia, everybody is objectively tired of liberal reforms and the time has come for an objective breathing space," he added, predicting that the "pause" in reforms would last -- at the least -- six years. Six years is surely a long time to wait for some resolution of this mess, but Russia needs the time to recover from its current crisis, which is likely to flare up again by the end of the year. While Primakov has done nothing dramatic to help Russia, he has thus far done nothing to harm her either. This stagnation will be the hallmark of his government, and intentionally so. The exchange rate here has managed to stay at 15-17 rubles to the dollar for three or four weeks now; imports and production have started up again; and the shelves are filling up with other countries' goods. Mass discontent assuredly exists, but it has not exploded into civil unrest. It is true that small-scale ruble emissions began -- a move that every liberal criticizedE-- but it has not yet stimulated hyperinflation. And if all goes according to plan, no one will starve this winter. Strangely enough, there is something that appears like stabilization in Russia. Primakov was appointed almost two months ago, and he said at the time that he couldn't work magic. But that comment stemmed from his knowledge that the dynamics of the crisis were inevitably predetermined. His style steers away from large overhaul and reform. Instead, he adheres to slow reforms that are unlikely to have disastrous effects. It's hard to believe that this is still Yeltsin's government. From the leader who helped destroy the USSR and was once so politically dynamic, the world expected massive change and progress. Until now, Yeltsin had amassed near-absolute power in Russia, and even jokingly referred to himself as "Czar Boris." Now, however, the only thing Yeltsin is fighting for is his image in a country where the people are ready to see him go. But this contrast in behavior -- from a vibrant Yeltsin to a politically paralyzed one -- should not really be such a surprise. After all, Yeltsin's entire life is highlighted by one contradiction after the next. He was the Communist Party chief who helped to destroy communism. He is a democrat who referred to himself as a czar. And he is a preserver of the constitution he himself wrote, but he somehow manages to keep the power firmly within his own grasp. Yet one question remains: Without Yeltsin at the helm, will Russia be prepared to continue democracy, or will she submit, quit and return to her Soviet ways? The world waits anxiously to find out.
(10/27/98 10:00am)
From Anthony Smith's, "Doric, Ironic, Corinthian," Fall '98 From Anthony Smith's, "Doric, Ironic, Corinthian," Fall '98Now that the 1990s are drawing to a close, it is time to ponder a little on how they will be remembered. Americans love to think of history in terms of decades. We divide the 20th century into discrete 10-year units, each boiled down to a few key values, styles and social movements. But what social developments characterize the 1990s? It's hard to say, but I would guess that this is the decade where postmodernism -- how we question anything and everything to the point where we believe in nothing -- firmly ingrained itself in every aspect of our culture and began to win the war against ideology. American society believes it has seen it all. We've witnessed world war, economic crisis, racial unrest, nuclear scares, presidential assassinations, progressive politics and conservatism. Now we continually dredge up the past and recycle it. Puffy remakes every old song in sight. We make lists of the top 100 books, movies and whatever else you'd care to name. Retro is definitely in. The Brady Bunch Movie, Pleasantville, That '70s Show, Boogie Nights, bell-bottoms and swing dancing all indicate this. But how do we lift cultural imagery from other eras and successfully reuse it in the 1990s? The recent reintroduction of the Volkswagen Beetle provides an excellent example. The old Beetle, still under production in some foreign countries, is the most successful automobile design in history (in terms of sales, at least). Many felt that, by pricing the Beetle so reasonably, Volkswagen was selling the steak, not the sizzle. A 1950s Beetle brochure pointed out some of the most important features of the car: a built-in adjustable heater, efficient windshield wipers, a roomy glove compartment and plenty of space to install your own radio and speaker. This car was, without question, basic transportation. Early in 1998, Volkswagen introduced the New Beetle to widespread hype. This new version, starting at about $16,000, is definitely a different beast than its predecessor. After all, it is the product of another era. It is clear from the commercials and the appearance of the car itself that this Bug is all sizzle and no steak. Volkswagen is trying to capitalize on the nostalgia America feels for the 1960s in order to sell their car. "Less flower, more power!" scream the TV commercials. The new Beetle even sports a bud vase in the dashboard. According to VW, this new car has "what any Beetle always had. Originality. Honesty. A point of view." (I wonder what point of view the very first Beetles, made for Adolf Hitler in 1934, had?) But more importantly, this two-ton chunk of glass, metal and rubber is "an exhaustive and zealous rejection of banality." This statement is just a little too ridiculous for us to believe that Volkswagen is completely serious. Sure, advertisers can get a little nutty in hyping their product, but here Volkswagen is clearly making a nod at cynical American society in the postmodern 1990s. According to scholar Linda Hutcheon, postmodernism generally takes the form of "self-conscious, self-contradictory, self-undermining statement." When Volkswagen announces that, "You sold your soul in the '80s. Here's your chance to buy it back," they fully expect the viewer to think it's ridiculous to look for spiritual redemption by purchasing products. But then, the audience is still supposed to go out and buy the new Beetle. Miller Lite's recent campaign is another good example of postmodernism at work in the advertising world. First, Miller began to announce that their ads were personally approved by a laughable 1970s character named Dick. This undercut the sincerity of their commercials, making them self-mocking and cynical. Next, Miller referred to their beer as a "Macrobrew," bragging about the large size of the vats they use. This contradicts the other implicit statement of their commercial: that we should buy their beer because it is a high quality product. Of course, postmodern self-mocking can sometimes be quite funny. For example, at various points the Simpsons have made fun of the fact that they are two-dimensional, yellow-skinned, four-fingered caricatures of real life. However, postmodern thought seems to short-circuit social progress. Any remaining idealists are constantly reminded that, Hey, the boomers thought they could change the world back in the '60s and look where they ended up -- in advertising agencies, company boardrooms and compromised governmental positions. Any rebellious message is instantly co-opted by corporate interests, only to show up in a soda commercial. The song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is transformed into a TV spot for Nike basketball shoes. Anything is possible in this new world of irony, even Orwellian feats of doublethink. I just hope the 1990s are an anomaly: a strange time when people are afraid to have ideals for fear that they will be laughed at. It all has to end at some point. Postmodernism is not going to get us anywhere. For all our knowing irony, we have allowed real wages to decline since the 1970s, while we work more hours per year. And we're not going to find fulfillment at the bottom of a Miller Lite bottle, or in the driver's seat of a new car, even if it is an honest, original, banality-rejecting VW Beetle.
(10/26/98 10:00am)
Most students enjoyed the campout until computer problems struck Sunday morning. A not-so-funny thing happened on the way to the Palestra this weekend. More than 150 diehard hoops fans brought out their television sets and fleece pullovers for the annual men's basketball ticket line, a Penn tradition designed to offer the best seats in the arena to the students most willing to sacrifice their time and comfort for the privilege. But miscommunication, organizational snafus and computer glitches contributed to what many students described as a frustrating, time-consuming experience -- feelings exacerbated by a smaller-than-expected number of seats in the coveted courtside chairback section. The problems left some students questioning the entire process. "It seems a little more disorganized this year," first-year Education graduate student Lindsay Lion said while waiting outside the ticket office in Weightman Hall. "I don't know if it's a sign of things to come, but it's something to be aware of so it doesn't happen again next year. Lion, a 1998 College graduate who has waited in "the line" for each of the last five years -- more than any other student present -- added that the process in general had "a very different atmosphere" from her experiences in years past. The tradition of waiting in line for tickets dates back at least 30 years. When Steve Bilsky became athletic director in 1994, one of his first -- and most popular -- actions was making the line more orderly and fun for students, partly in response to a near-riot at the 1993 line, where students were trampled and one suffered a concussion. The line was ordered according to a system of numbered wristbands, which were first distributed Thursday morning at 37th Street and Locust Walk. Groups of up to four people were allowed to register and each group had to have at least one person stationed at the Palestra beginning at 9 a.m. Friday. New groups were allowed to join the line at any time during the weekend, and 120 students from 32 groups were registered by the first sleepover Friday night. By 12:50 a.m. Sunday morning, 154 students were on line, and more than 200 were prepared to purchase the 13-ticket package at about 8 a.m. when officials instructed new arrivals to go home, lest they wait four hours or more for tickets. All prospective ticketholders were sequestered in the Palestra beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. That evening's festivities featured intra-squad scrimmages by both the men's and women's hoops teams and a long series of giveaways presided over by Bilsky. For many of the giveaways -- which included autographed basketballs, tickets to Penn road games, basketball jerseys and lunch with Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell -- students had to outshoot Bilsky's son Jeff from the foul line or behind the three-point arc. Most were unsuccessful, as the young hoopster bested nine competitors, sending them back to the bleachers with consolation water bottles. The line also featured free cheesesteaks, donuts and Penn t-shirts. But no amount of free food could quiet the restless fans several hours later when the first signs of problems emerged. Technical problems arose in the early morning with the computer officials hoped to set up in the Palestra. Several of the student "line leaders" overseeing the wristbanded masses said that the computer failed to establish a network connection with the ticketing office. "It worked on Friday," Athletic Department Ticketing Manager Peggy Kowalski said. "I don't know what happened." As the 6 a.m. deadline came and went without a single ticket sold, students expressed their dissatisfaction with the delays. "[Couldn't] they know that the computer wasn't going to work at 3 a.m.?" College sophomore Ron Lin asked. "That's pretty incompetent." Others were less focused in their criticism. Several students rearranged the lettering on a snack bar menu board to spell out, "The line sucks my ass." Kowalski insisted that the computer troubles were a blessing in disguise, as the ticket office in Weightman -- to which waiting students were ushered in groups of 10 -- was equipped with more computer workstations. She added that the new ticketing system, under which tickets are printed only as they are bought, reduces waste and permits tracking of individual ticketholders. "We opted in past years to sell in the Palestra, but as it turned out, because of the volume and the computer printing, it was better for us to work in Weightman," Kowalski said. But students' gripes only continued with the long line outside Weightman, which was filled with rumors about the declining availability of choice seats. "This has been a travesty," College sophomore Mike Sinoway said. "I feel like I live in Russia. I expect to get to the front of the ticket line and receive half a loaf of bread, a potato and some vodka." Sinoway, who won a lunch with coach Fran Dunphy in Saturday night's drawings, added that the ticket line ran "very smoothly" last year. The last straw for some students was when the ticket office ran out of the Palestra's red chairback seats. Two 119-seat sections of chairbacks were up for public sale, with most of the students under the impression that one was for alumni and the other for students. However, a chunk of the student seats were reserved for alumni, with Kowalski explaining that alumni "pay three times as much." While students pay $80 for a season of chairbacks, alumni must cough up $260. Though Kowalski added that alumni have been seated in the chairback section east of the midcourt line "since time immemorial," many students were not appeased. "If the alumni are as loud and vocal as the students, that's fine," College senior Kevin Stengle said. "But they're going to be the people telling the students three rows in front of them to sit down." But not all prospective ticketholders wanted to dwell on the negative. "We're having a fun time," Engineering sophomore Theo LeCompte said. "We got some sleep and we're here." Bilsky could not be reached for comment last night.
(09/21/98 9:00am)
The Penn women's soccer team opened its season with its best-ever record under coach Patrick Baker after four games by remaining undefeated after a 4-0 victory yesterday against the Drexel Dragons. The team also continued its streak of refusing to give up a goal, thanks in large part to a ball-control style of play that made the afternoon relatively easy for goalkeepers Annie Kluetmeier and Lauren Dickie. The Quakers' goals were scored by three different players, including senior co-captain Kelly Stevens who is on pace to set a new season scoring record for most goals. The current record is nine goals, and Stevens already has five goals with only four games played. Drexel scrapped its normal 4-3-3 alignment for a more defensive configuration in hopes of bottling up the Penn attack. Drexel dropped back two of their better players, Laura Meikle and Christine Kasprzak. "Our performance wasn't too bad considering it was the first time ever the (other) team has put numerous players behind the ball," Baker said. "We didn't handle it very well when normal front-runners [Meikle] and [Kasprzak] dropped into marking-back positions, but we weathered the storm and got the victory." Penn posted its first score in the 31st minute when sophomore Kellianne Toland scored on a pass from senior co-captain and midfielder Tina Cooper. The goal was Toland's second of the season. Only eight minutes later, freshman midfielder Sabrina Fenton knocked in another on an assist from Toland. "Sabrina Fenton provided a good lift in the first half," Baker said. "She got her first goal as a freshman and gave us a little bit of a spark." Although the Quakers seemed well in control at halftime, Baker urged his team to continue to press the attack. "Coach said we were playing well, but we needed to keep better possession of the ball and stop making some of the mental mistakes," said junior goalkeeper Lauren Dickie, who relieved starter Kluetmeier in the second half. In contrast to Penn's 26 shots on goal, Drexel managed only one shot on goal and neither Quaker netminder was forced to make a save. "We had a lot of open space in back, so when we got stuck in the front we were able to pass the ball back and look for space on the attack," Dickie said. "They (Drexel) weren't able to get any chances and it made my job pretty easy." Only four minutes after the start of the second half, Quaker midfielder Aidan Viggiano's knee collided with Drexel goalkeeper Joy Banares' head as Banares was attempting to make a save in the goalie's box. After leaving the field under trainer supervision, she was replaced by freshman Kristi Walsh. Walsh was tested immediately, particularly by an open-field breakout by Stevens in the 66th minute. The replacement keeper settled into the flow of the game with several tough saves. Repeated Red and Blue pressure led to Stevens' first goal with less than 16 minutes to play when she beat Walsh to the near-post on an assist from senior defender Jacky Flood. The Flood-to-Stevens pair teamed up again on the final score of the game when Stevens drove the left side of the field in the 81st minute. Overall, Baker was able to use 19 players throughout the course of the game. For the season, the team has now received scoring contributions from 11 different players. The depth of the bench and the variety of attack should serve useful when team moves into the middle of their schedule against nationally ranked opponents.
(09/21/98 9:00am)
BurglaryBurglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed RobberyBurglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and AssaultBurglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.TheftBurglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.Theft·September 20 -- A student reported that a wallet and $160 in cash were taken from an unsecured dorm room in Warwick College House in the Quadrangle. The incident occurred on September 18 between 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.Theft·September 20 -- A student reported that a wallet and $160 in cash were taken from an unsecured dorm room in Warwick College House in the Quadrangle. The incident occurred on September 18 between 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.Aggravated AssaultBurglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.Theft·September 20 -- A student reported that a wallet and $160 in cash were taken from an unsecured dorm room in Warwick College House in the Quadrangle. The incident occurred on September 18 between 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.Aggravated Assault·September 18 -- A Spectaguard reported around 2:07 a.m. that a male unaffiliated with the University was striking another unaffiliated male with a baseball bat at 3700 Walnut Street. Lee Greer, 46, of Gould Street, was arrested by University Police and taken to the hospital, where he refused treatment for minor injuries. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.Theft·September 20 -- A student reported that a wallet and $160 in cash were taken from an unsecured dorm room in Warwick College House in the Quadrangle. The incident occurred on September 18 between 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.Aggravated Assault·September 18 -- A Spectaguard reported around 2:07 a.m. that a male unaffiliated with the University was striking another unaffiliated male with a baseball bat at 3700 Walnut Street. Lee Greer, 46, of Gould Street, was arrested by University Police and taken to the hospital, where he refused treatment for minor injuries.Criminal MischiefBurglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.Theft·September 20 -- A student reported that a wallet and $160 in cash were taken from an unsecured dorm room in Warwick College House in the Quadrangle. The incident occurred on September 18 between 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.Aggravated Assault·September 18 -- A Spectaguard reported around 2:07 a.m. that a male unaffiliated with the University was striking another unaffiliated male with a baseball bat at 3700 Walnut Street. Lee Greer, 46, of Gould Street, was arrested by University Police and taken to the hospital, where he refused treatment for minor injuries.Criminal Mischief·September 18 -- The president of Beta Theta Pi reported that a beer bottle was thrown at his window in the fraternity house, located at 3900 Spruce Street, at approximately 2 a.m. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.Theft·September 20 -- A student reported that a wallet and $160 in cash were taken from an unsecured dorm room in Warwick College House in the Quadrangle. The incident occurred on September 18 between 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.Aggravated Assault·September 18 -- A Spectaguard reported around 2:07 a.m. that a male unaffiliated with the University was striking another unaffiliated male with a baseball bat at 3700 Walnut Street. Lee Greer, 46, of Gould Street, was arrested by University Police and taken to the hospital, where he refused treatment for minor injuries.Criminal Mischief·September 18 -- The president of Beta Theta Pi reported that a beer bottle was thrown at his window in the fraternity house, located at 3900 Spruce Street, at approximately 2 a.m.All information was obtained from University Police. Burglary·September 19 -- A student reported a Sharp VCR stolen after someone broke into the residence at 3917 Baltimore Avenue. The bars on a first-floor window were bent out during the incident, which occurred between 6 p.m. on September 18 and 2 p.m. on September 19.·September 18 -- Students reported that an unidentified male broke into their residence at 4002 Pine Street at approximately 1 a.m. on September 17 and stole a bicycle valued at $2,000. The man entered the residence through a first floor window after removing an air conditioning unit.Armed Robbery·September 20 -- A man unaffiliated with the University reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by two men, one allegedly armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside Campus Chemists at 3716 Spruce Street. The suspects fled in a vehicle with cigarettes and $63 in cash.Attempted Robbery and Assault·September 18 -- A male student reported that that he was hit over the head with a glass bottle when a man tried unsuccessfully to steal the purse of his female companion at approximately 1 a.m. The incident occurred on 200 S. 39th Street and the male victim was treated for a cut to the head.Theft·September 20 -- A student reported that a wallet and $160 in cash were taken from an unsecured dorm room in Warwick College House in the Quadrangle. The incident occurred on September 18 between 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.Aggravated Assault·September 18 -- A Spectaguard reported around 2:07 a.m. that a male unaffiliated with the University was striking another unaffiliated male with a baseball bat at 3700 Walnut Street. Lee Greer, 46, of Gould Street, was arrested by University Police and taken to the hospital, where he refused treatment for minor injuries.Criminal Mischief·September 18 -- The president of Beta Theta Pi reported that a beer bottle was thrown at his window in the fraternity house, located at 3900 Spruce Street, at approximately 2 a.m.All information was obtained from University Police.-- Ginny Dorsey
(08/06/98 9:00am)
and Rachel Hanson The Daily Collegian BELLEFONTE, Pa. (U-WIRE) -- Eight men arrested in the July 12 riots were ordered to stand trial yesterday in pretrial activities at the Centre County Courthouse. Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar said he was satisfied with the outcome. Previously, Gricar said he wanted to prosecute the individuals involved in the riot to the fullest extent of the law to show these crimes will not be tolerated. However unlike the hearings last week, Gricar said he would not recommend refiling charges against any of the defendants whose hearings were heard yesterday, and added he was still waiting for feedback on the resubmitted offenses from last week. Conducted in the same manner as the July 22 preliminary hearings, Gricar began the day by introducing the testimony of State College Police Department Lt. Thomas Hart. Gricar continued with a clip from the videotape State College police Detective William Muse shot at the riot. After each witness testified before District Justice Ron Horner, the attorney for each defendant was given the opportunity to cross-examine. When the officers pertinent to each defendant's arrest testified, any defense attorney was given the opportunity to cross-examine the witness. Two men arrested at the riot faced more substantial charges than the other defendants. Timothy Logan of Amherst, N.H., was ordered to stand trial on charges of riot, arson, risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief, failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. The charge of resisting arrest was dropped. State College police played several videos that showed Logan throwing items into a bonfire and carrying a lamppost toward the police line. Gricar said Logan was easily identifiable in the videos because of the striped shirt he was wearing. Logan's defense attorney argued against the arson charge by saying that his participation was minimal. Gricar pointed out that a fire was not a static event. It needs to be continuously fed, an act Logan allegedly contributed to. "The person who strikes the first match is not the only person responsible," Gricar said. "Those who fed it are equally responsible." Logan faces a felony offense on the riot charge that carries a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison. Jesse Koegler of Pittsburgh was ordered to stand trial on charges of resisting arrest, criminal mischief, failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. Koegler was arrested for allegedly returning to the area of the riot numerous times. Koegler also allegedly taunted police officers by yelling, using hand and facial gestures and throwing a bottle that injured Bellefonte Police Department Officer Daniel Holliday. Officer Holliday said Koegler was a ringleader of a smaller crowd. "There were people in the group that were actively involved.? They were the ones getting other people involved and keeping them on the streets," Holliday said. Both Hart and Holliday said they were injured as a result of Koegler's struggle with police upon arrest. Six other men arrested during and after the riots also had their hearings yesterday. Nathan Deck of Lebanon was ordered to stand trial on charges of failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. Deck allegedly did not leave the scene of the riot after police repeatedly told him to leave. Bradley Dumville of Wauwatosa, Wis., was ordered to stand trial on the charge of failure to disperse. The charge of disorderly conduct was dropped. Dumville was arrested because he allegedly walked back toward the area of the riot repeatedly after the police asked Dumville to leave the scene numerous times. Gary Ferrero of Pittsburgh was ordered to stand trial on the charge of failure to disperse. The charge of disorderly conduct was dropped. Ferrero was arrested because he allegedly failed to leave the area of the riot after being told to do so. Ferrero also allegedly came up behind an officer after circling around to the other side of the police block. Michael Marshall of Bedford was ordered to stand trial on the charge of failure to disperse. The charge of disorderly conduct was dropped. Marshall was arrested for allegedly refusing to leave the area and when confronted, he swung at an officer. Jeffery Schroeder of Trafford was ordered to stand trial on the charge of failure to disperse. The charge of disorderly conduct was dropped. Schroeder was arrested because he did not leave the site after being told to do so numerous times. Joshua Snow of State College was ordered to stand trial on the charges of failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. Snow allegedly yelled obscenities at officers when he tried to direct them toward rioters who tried to flip cars. However, Bellefonte police Officer Shawn Weaver said he was forced to tackle Snow and the pair landed in the recycling bins at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at 200 E. Beaver Ave. The charge of failure to disperse carries a maximum sentence of one to two years in jail, and the charge of disorderly conduct up to one year in jail. Gricar said the videos have been extremely helpful in identification. Shortly, six more people allegedly involved in the riot will be charged because the police were able to positively identify them in the videos.
(06/11/98 9:00am)
College and Wharton senior Shalini Narwani killed herself early Wednesday morning. College and Wharton senior Shalini Narwani was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday morning in her Center City apartment, according to a Philadelphia medical examiner. The examiner, who requested anonymity, said the single-bedroom apartment at 2020 Walnut Street appeared to be "well-maintained" to police who arrived on the scene at 10:52 a.m. Narwani, who journeyed to the University from Trinidad, was in the Huntsman program in International Studies and Business with a concentration in Hindi. Funeral services were held today in Atco, New Jersey. "This is a tragic experience and a sad time," Associate Vice Provost for University Life Barbara Cassel said. Cassel declined to comment on the details of the incident. Detectives in the Philadelphia Police Department also declined to comment, noting that it is an ongoing investigation. The family could not be reached for comment yesterday. The University's Counseling and Psychological Services is offering assistance to friends and family members, Cassel said. The last reported suicide of a University student was in March 1997, when 26 year old Wharton MBA student Elizabeth Kelsey killed herself by overdosing on medication. And last April, two University students attempted suicide in isolated incidents. One student drank a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and the other, a freshman, slit her wrists. Both survived the attempts. At the time, Counseling and Psychological Services Director Ilene Rosenstein stressed that students can be of assistance to friends who seem to be suffering from depression. "People often don't know how to respond when people are depressed," Rosenstein said, adding that it's important that students take it seriously when people talk about suicide. Narwani's death comes barely a month after the killing of first-year Wharton doctoral student Shannon Schieber, also in a quiet Center City neighborhood. Police have not yet made an arrest in connection with Schieber's May 7 murder.
(06/04/98 9:00am)
pondering the Walk of Shame and other post-hookup etiquette pondering the Walk of Shame and other post-hookup etiquetteLast "Sexpot," I was deliberately trying not to be deliberate about whether I would see him again. To make a long story short, it was good. But as I stepping out of his apartment, stumbling down the stairs and fumbling with the lock for the second time, I began pontificating? So I was walking the 40th Street corridor the other morning, at a far earlier hour and far more disoriented than you'd usually find me strolling past My Favorite Muffin and I stumble in. And it is at this point I am most confused, most sheepish, most desperate for stimulant in the form of bad coffee tempered by half and half. It's 7:15 and my hair smells like drool. The Walk of Shame. Materialized. And that's what prompts the question mark: was it worth the warm body I wrapped my arms around blindly? Moreover, what did the warm body think? Does it like sharing the bed with me? Indeed, to stay or not to stay, which at this bleary-eyed moment means consequently, to Walk or not to Walk? Invariably, I wind up walking the walk.Why the hell not? Why not legitimize that purely casual, hedonistic, amoral episode with tender, innocent sleep? Why stop at fulfilling the physical needs when you can kill that longing for intimacy/affection/affirmation with the same stone? And why not stay and get head in the morning? Once, the logic was different. The Walk of Shame was actually a phenomenon accompanied by a certain degree of, well, shame. Flash back to freshman fall: everyone was experiencing their firsts. Not necessarily their first "sleepover" or even "walk of shame" in the technical, universal sense of course -- a select few in the Class of 2000, remember, did not enter Penn naive social retards -- but their first time it wasn't worth it simply for the novelty of parent-duping alone. The first time you could check his last name on the door. For my roommate, it was the first time in a frat house -- one which prides itself on the number water bottles it can fill with urine without pissing on the floor, no less. For a friend, it was the telltale trek back from Hill. For me, it was from 43rd and Spruce. At 5 a.m. I don't know quite where this "issue" with performing the walk at a godly hour came from; perhaps it was leftover romanticizing over my 23-year-old "summer love" that wouldn't allow me to stay there all night, perhaps it was Catholic School leaving its mark post-plaid kilt. (P.S. I am saving the plaid kilt for my column two weeks from now). Whatever it was, it's gone (kinda like the space in this column). An official and highly scientific "Street office poll" revealed that 75 percent of nubile American collegiates, if given the chance with someone other than a complete stranger, wouldn't bat an eyelash over a single night. They'll walk. And so, goddamn it, will I. So I'll smile shamefully if you ever spot me at 7 a.m. again. And I hope I do it again.
(05/21/98 9:00am)
To the Editor: That article lead me to expect that I would find the streets not only unsafe, but littered with "empty 40-ounce beer and malt liquor bottles." I found the tone of this article offensive. Penn Relays is one of the only major events for which the surrounding community uses the University. The community should be welcomed, not subject to thinly veiled rascist comments in the DP. Your Relays coverage seems particularly uncouth considering its proximity to Spring Fling. The "trash and noise" of Spring Fling didn't seem to make people feel unsafe. And though you gave us the crime stats for last year's Relays, you neglected to compare them to an average week, giving the impression that these crimes happen only during Relays. If 33rd Street during Relays looked like "a third-world country," what did the Quad look like the Sunday before? Was it trash that bothered the quoted mother (and your anxious article) or was it the vestiges of a black presence on campus during Relays? Please exercise a little editorial restraint, especially when dealing with sensitive issues such as Penn's troubled relationship with the rest of the city. When attitudes such as those reflected by the April 24 issue are given voice by the students' official newspaper, one can hardly wonder why community relations are so strained. Andrew Zitcer College junior
(04/24/98 9:00am)
The 104th Penn Relay Carnival is expected to attract 80,000 runners, spectators and party-goers to campus and feature the best in track and field competition. But along with the throngs and the pleasant weather, this year's Relays, as usual, will likely leave behind streets lined with empty 40-ounce beer and malt liquor bottles and hot-dog wrappers. Traffic will come to a standstill, and the Wawa convenience store at 38th and Spruce streets fearfully anticipates the pandemonium that has forced it to close several times in recent years. And when the University's Division of Public Safety and the Athletic Department join together with the Philadelphia Police Department once again this year to control crowds and enforce order, they hope to ease many of the features that have brought Relays notoriety on campus, Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush said yesterday. This year's Relays weekend promises even larger crowds near campus than in past years, Rush explained, because Dinofest -- the world's largest dinosaur exhibit, currently inside the Philadelphia Civic Center -- will be entering its last weekend just a block from the country's biggest track and field event. Rush added that a critique of last year's Relays security showed several areas in need of improvement. Last year's three-day weekend brought one aggravated assault, five robberies and 19 thefts to campus. Among the incidents was a riot at Wawa. As with last weekend's Spring Fling, University Police officers will rack up massive overtime. All officers must work a minimum of one 12-hour shift during the weekend, and most will work two, Rush said. Dozens of University Police officers working overtime will patrol the Relays themselves at Franklin Field, a step show tonight inside the Class of 1923 Ice Rink and the Busta Rhymes concert in the Annenberg Center's Zellerbach Auditorium tomorrow. This will free up Philadelphia Police officers to concentrate on controlling the crowds and traffic. Significantly increasing its forces from last year, the Philadelphia Police Department will send more than 50 officers -- from both the elite Highway Patrol and Traffic Patrol units as well as the PPD's 18th District -- to campus for the weekend, Managing Director of Public Safety Tom Seamon said. "You can safely say there have been plenty of preparations" arranged with the PPD, Seamon said. At Wawa, employees said the store for the first time was paying for a Philadelphia Police officer from the 18th District to patrol inside the store full-time tonight through early Sunday morning. Last year, about 60 people threw glass bottles, cans and food across the store, prompting managers to shut down the store for two early morning hours on Sunday, April 27. In addition, Rush said she was "very aware and dissatisfied with the quality-of-life issues" including litter-lined streets and vendors' excessively loud boom-boxes. "There is a heightened awareness of how trash and noise make people feel unsafe," Rush said. She added that a Penn parent told her that 33rd Street looked like "a third-world country" when she was driving there Sunday morning last year. The campus was not cleaned up until Physical Plant workers began work again the following Monday morning. To combat the trash problem early in the game, Rush said Trammell Crow Co., which currently manages the University's facilities services, will employ cleanup crews "all day Saturday." Also, groundskeepers from the University City District, formed last summer, will go to work early Sunday morning cleaning up debris.
(04/22/98 9:00am)
Two students were sent to the hospital after separate incidents, but both are recovering. and Maureen Tkacik As new details continue to emerge about last weekend's two suicide attempts, University officials urged students to seek help from friends or Penn's counseling services if they are thinking about taking their own life or know of those who might be. A female University student tried to kill herself by drinking a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in High Rise East at around 8:15 p.m. Thursday, according to several sources familiar with the situation. She was rushed to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where her stomach was pumped. And early Saturday morning, a disoriented and slightly intoxicated female freshman cut her wrists in an apparent suicide attempt inside her Quadrangle room, sources said. The student voluntarily signed up for psychiatric treatment at HUP, according to police. Both students' current conditions were unavailable last night. University Police officials and Counseling and Psychological Services Director Ilene Rosenstein refused to comment on the specifics of these cases, citing confidentiality requirements, but Rosenstein stressed that students can do a lot to help friends who seem to be suffering from depression. "People often don't know how to respond when people are depressed," Rosenstein said, adding that "it's important that students take it very seriously when people talk about suicide." Residents on the HRE floor where Thursday's incident occurred said they did not know exactly what had happened. The floor's resident adviser declined to comment, as did the occupants of the room in which the incident occurred. No other details were available. In the other incident, the girl was not severely intoxicated and the cuts she inflicted were "superficial" and non life-threatening, two University Police officers close to the situation said. According to the officers, the only reason she gave for attempting suicide was that "life sucks." One of the officers said he believed the girl had been on medication for depression. The officer added that although the student did not want to be hospitalized, police officers are allowed to commit students who attempt suicide to psychiatric treatment for a mandatory three days, at which point a judge can order them to stay longer. If a student decides to voluntarily sign up for psychiatric treatment, he or she can check out shortly afterwards and refuse any treatment. In the aftermath of the incidents, Rosenstein urged students to talk to someone from CAPS or other available counseling groups if they are having problems. "There's help available," Rosenstein stressed. "If you're feeling these things, don't keep them inside. Don't suffer with them privately." CAPS is also available as a service to the friends and hallmates of the two students who attempted suicide, Rosenstein said. The last reported suicide of a University student was 26-year-old Wharton MBA student Elizabeth Kelsey, who killed herself by overdosing on medication in March 1997.
(04/22/98 9:00am)
Two students were sent to the hospital after separate incidents, but both are recovering. and Maureen Tkacik As new details continue to emerge about last weekend's two suicide attempts, University officials urged students to seek help from friends or Penn's counseling services if they are thinking about taking their own life or know of those who might be. A female University student tried to kill herself by drinking a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in High Rise East at around 8:15 p.m. Thursday, according to several sources familiar with the situation. She was rushed to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where her stomach was pumped. And early Saturday morning, a disoriented and slightly intoxicated female freshman cut her wrists in an apparent suicide attempt inside her Quadrangle room, sources said. The student voluntarily signed up for psychiatric treatment at HUP, according to police. Both students' current conditions were unavailable last night. University Police officials and Counseling and Psychological Services Director Ilene Rosenstein refused to comment on the specifics of these cases, citing confidentiality requirements, but Rosenstein stressed that students can do a lot to help friends who seem to be suffering from depression. "People often don't know how to respond when people are depressed," Rosenstein said, adding that "it's important that students take it very seriously when people talk about suicide." Residents on the HRE floor where Thursday's incident occurred said they did not know exactly what had happened. The floor's resident adviser declined to comment, as did the occupants of the room in which the incident occurred. No other details were available. In the other incident, the girl was not severely intoxicated and the cuts she inflicted were "superficial" and non life-threatening, two University Police officers close to the situation said. According to the officers, the only reason she gave for attempting suicide was that "life sucks." One of the officers said he believed the girl had been on medication for depression. The officer added that although the student did not want to be hospitalized, police officers are allowed to commit students who attempt suicide to psychiatric treatment for a mandatory three days, at which point a judge can order them to stay longer. If a student decides to voluntarily sign up for psychiatric treatment, he or she can check out shortly afterwards and refuse any treatment. In the aftermath of the incidents, Rosenstein urged students to talk to someone from CAPS or other available counseling groups if they are having problems. "There's help available," Rosenstein stressed. "If you're feeling these things, don't keep them inside. Don't suffer with them privately." CAPS is also available as a service to the friends and hallmates of the two students who attempted suicide, Rosenstein said. The last reported suicide of a University student was 26-year-old Wharton MBA student Elizabeth Kelsey, who killed herself by overdosing on medication in March 1997.
(04/21/98 9:00am)
From Michael Pereira's, "Vox," Fall '98 From Michael Pereira's, "Vox," Fall '98Perhaps things contain memory. When Saturday night finally wears off, when the refuse of leisure time washes ashore, when the stripped gears of routine grind into motion again. Remembrance of Spring Fling certainly takes shape among its artifacts: a bottle of beer half full, ashes in an ashtray, furniture in disarray or unmade beds and amIboid outlines. Indeed, Fling opened Thursday on Superblock with a commodities carnival, setting the tone for a weekend of uncertain messages. Experience has taught us that no gift is freely given, yet there they were, smiling representatives giving things away. But who were they giving things to? Who gave the gift? The rite of Fling is therefore set apart from the linear, empty time of history. Its producers present it as a time of possibility, a moment of freedom and liberation from the quotidian. But like any officially recognized ritual of release, Spring Fling actually reinforces the order of things in its ostensible aberration. It is planned, confined, executed and over and done with all within a closely confined and bounded calendrical space. As yesterday's editorial suggested, this year's Fling was successful precisely because it conformed closely to schedule. The carnival calendar, which once structured the world year in terms of production, harvest and consumption, was historically displaced by the industrial work regimes in the era of capitalism. The idea of carnival, though, persisted into and through the last two centuries, and became a necessary intermission from the schedule of production – a break appointed and authorized by the producers. From an administrative standpoint, Spring Fling is neither neutral nor arbitrary. The structures of the past often become present commonplaces, with cosmetic allowance for time. As a geometric parallel, grand abstractions --Esuch as "the nation" --Eget particularized in the individual through myth and repetition, through flags, parades and rallies -- in a word, through ritual. We become part of a group through practice, by remembering or re-enacting events year after year. Eventually, the event or thing rehearsed is forgotten and replaced by the commemorative rite itself. Who recalls vegetation ceremony in the midst of Spring Fling? What is Spring Fling qua ritual? To determine the origins and purposes of Fling is relatively simple, once we have ascertained what Fling is not. Provisionally, Fling functions like a conventional carnival, situated within a conventional framework of power. What passes for a release is in fact part of a larger binding system. Because the contingent seems most natural and arbitrariness becomes invisible, a weekend of ostensible freedom is in fact one of the most restricted times of year. Fling thus maintains a very central place in the symbolic economy of power. You are told to have a good time between certain hours and in certain spaces --Ea mandated leisure enforced and circumscribed by armed authority. Normal rules can be transgressed, but only according to a temporary superstructure of other rules. Fling, in effect, is quite a Lenten carnival. Exposure must be countermanded by camouflage; collective celebration is interrupted by fighting; freedom from capital is cancelled by an epidemic of commodification; and the bacchanal is finally terminated by police according to a pre-formulated protocol and schedule. Perhaps this is an exaggeration for the sake of argument, but freedom is still a concept I cannot take seriously here. Getting drunk during Fling is a tacit acknowledgement of these structural restrictions, an inevitably abortive effort to escape the boundaries of beginning and end. We call intoxication an escape from the self, by which we mean an escape from the perceived constraints upon that self. Intoxication aims to evade internal inhibitions which grow from our implied consent to authority. It is a temporary escape from a reality which accrues interest in the interim, the replacement of responsibility with a blissful and short-lived blurriness. Ultimately, intoxication seeks to interrupt the time of history; and we therefore associate it with our imaginary carnival. But despite efforts at imagination, however induced, Fling remains a fixed and predictable duration, a fait accompli. Like any carnival, it has a gradual beginning and a definitive end. And as long as the random situation of the festival in time maintains the illusion of naturalness, Fling will remain a fixed quantity hidden in the service of power. To understand Fling in its contingent context leads to a potentially liberating conclusion: that the mobilizing power of Fling comes not from above, but from across, from the vast horizontal consent of the majority to stage the ritual at a given time. Fling is a scheduling agreement, and, like any schedule, subject to change. Imagination which has been appropriated can always be reappropriated. Official ceremonies, usually adapted from popular forms, can be reclaimed and stripped of their unconscious coercive power once their contingency is exposed. Hegemonic power requires the validation and participation of subjects, and usually presumes their ignorance. The purpose of this discussion is not to deny the value of Spring Fling, but to reveal its arbitrary timing and its inherent limitations. When we realize that Spring Fling is not just a student celebration, but also an an administrative event, we will then be able to transcend its temporal and spatial boundaries. An epiphany: any weekend can be a Spring Fling and Spring Fling can be any lost weekend.
(04/20/98 9:00am)
Passover, the MCATs and the LCE couldn't prevent students from celebrating. The apprehension could almost be felt on campus amid Friday morning's raindrops as students wearily shuffled to their first classes of the day. But the clouds lifted for the majority of the weekend, allowing "Things That Go Fling in the Night" to be held under surprisingly fair weather conditions. The 26th annual Spring Fling festival overcame predictions of inclement weather and a funk-filled concert lineup unfamiliar to most students to become what many deemed a fine weekend. State Liquor Control Enforcement agents, who cited 180 students during the 1996 Spring Fling, were on the prowl, but many students said they did not think about repercussions for underage drinking. One College sophomore who requested anonymity received a quick lesson on Saturday night. "I thought the LCE was on campus before," he said. "But it wasn't until I was being frisked against the wall by the [Sansom Street] block party that I really knew about them." But while some students were cited for underage drinking, other LCE agents took a more relaxed attitude. The student explained that the agents who confronted him about the open cans of beer he was holding failed to give him a citation because "they didn't have a pen." An exact count of LCE citations was not available yesterday, though a University Police official said there were no citations Friday and "a few" Saturday. Meanwhile, the Quadrangle bustled with several thousand people from Penn and other colleges who enjoyed the moderately warm weather, carnival games and musical acts ranging from ska to hip-hop to a cappella. And despite vandalism to some areas, most activities ran smoothly in the Quad, said Wharton and Engineering junior Seema Singh, one of three Fling directors. Singh refused to comment on the nature of the damage. In the Quad, like the rest of campus, officials took steps to limit alcohol consumption. Security guards searched students for alcohol, water bottles or juice containers as they entered the gates. But students, including many freshmen, overcame such measures by buying alcohol weeks before Fling or smuggling bottles through the fence by the "nipple" in Upper Quad. "Sneaking in alcohol was the norm and not the exception," College freshman Gina LaPlaca said. "If people want to drink, they are going to do it anyway." LaPlaca added that while she expected "a lot of chaos" at her first Fling, she was surprised that students from "known party schools" ventured to the University for the festivities. Many Penn students, however, did not participate in all the activities because of religious or pre-professional obligations. The Medical College Admission Test, given Saturday in the David Rittenhouse Laboratory, prevented some students from going to the weekend's fraternity house and block parties. "I basically banned myself from Fling," College junior Jaime Blank said. "But right after the MCATs, I went crazy and celebrated." Other students spent the night in the Sheraton or Divine Tracy hotels to relax before the exam and avoid the loud campus scene. Some religious Jews also migrated off campus to celebrate the end of Passover, which finished Saturday at sunset. Others chose to drink kosher-for-Passover wine instead of beer, which is not kosher for Passover because it contains grain. But since Jews who observe the Sabbath already face many restrictions on their Friday night and Saturday activities, many said their Flings were not affected more this year because of the holiday. "Honestly, [Passover] didn't conflict at all with Fling," Engineering sophomore Craig Englander said. "It happens every year on a Saturday anyway, and if people really want to drink, where there's a will, there's a way." Those not under restrictions followed their daytime Quad experiences with a night of fraternity and block parties on Sansom and Pine streets and Baltimore Avenue. Overcrowding at some fraternities caused many partygoers to venture onto Locust Walk and into the streets, which enhanced block-party attendance. "I avoided the frats because the lines were too long," Wharton sophomore Lloyd Rosenman said. "I didn't feel like being squeezed against the wall, even though the parties were probably fun." College junior Christopher Page, whose band "Eight Ball Spy" played the Sansom block party Saturday night, said "it was cool to play for an audience that big" as opposed to the smaller group of spectators he encountered during his noon slot in the Quad. The next late-night stop for many hungry students was the Class of 1920 Dining Commons. The students battled long lines to enjoy a 1:30 a.m. pancake breakfast organized by Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush and several student leaders.
(04/17/98 9:00am)
Like last year, forecasts of bad weather forced Fling organizers to relocate the concert from Hill Field. Make it Mother Nature two, Spring Fling zero. Concert organizers with the Social Planning and Events Committee decided yesterday morning to move the concert indoors to its rain location, the Palestra, based on weather reports predicting inclement weather this evening. Last year's concert was also moved indoors due to bad weather. Last night's weather forecasts called for cloud cover and scattered showers, with a high of 70 degrees. "We collected about 20 different forecasts," SPEC Concerts Committee Co-Chairperson Allison Rosen said. "All of them pointed towards a big storm coming our way." College senior Joel Epstein, the committee's other co-chairperson, said the likelihood of fair weather was "iffy at best," and that the "possibility" of inclement weather was enough to get the concert moved. Rosen, a Wharton senior, described the situation as a dilemma between having a definite indoor show and a "risk in the rain." "The artists wouldn't want to play in the rain," Rosen said, adding that clouds, wind or even a light drizzle would put a damper on the concert. This year's show is being headlined by tenor saxophone legend Maceo Parker and backed up by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the punk-rock band Fishbone and the Five Fingers of Funk, a 10-performer ensemble from Portland, Ore. The capacity at the Palestra, however, will not be less than that of Hill Field. Alhough more than 8,000 people can crowd into the outdoor venue, the artists' contracts capped the number of $12 tickets at 4,000 -- far less than the arena's capacity of 8,700. "It really didn't matter to us," Rosen said. Last year's decision to move the Fling concert -- then headlined by A Tribe Called Quest -- was made the day of the show. Irvine Auditorium, the rain location for that concert, is closed this year due to renovations for the $69 million Perelman Quadrangle. This year, organizers had to decide whether to move the concert more than a day in advance because the Palestra, unlike Irvine, does not have a stage already constructed. Crews built the stage for the concert on the Palestra floor last night, according to Rosen. The show will be the first Fling concert to be held in the Palestra since Cypress Hill performed there in 1994. The concert is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Ticket holders will be admitted beginning at 6:30 p.m., with the first 1,000 being given wristbands entitling them to floor seating. The Five Fingers of Funk will open the show, followed by Fishbone and Spencer, Rosen said. Parker will go on at about 10:30 p.m., and the show is expected to end at midnight. Security guards at the event intend to deter people from bringing alcoholic beverages inside the arena, checking to make sure that no bottles or bags enter the arena, Rosen said. But she was skeptical about the success of such efforts, noting that "people can find ways to do what they want."
(04/08/98 9:00am)
I heard the whack before I felt the smack of the Starburst hitting the back of my neck. As I dashed to my left trying to escape the crossfire, I stumbled across empty beer bottles. Upon hearing a roar of laughter, I turned to see a mass of people huddled over shot glasses. And yesterday I awoke to find this same group, the newly-elected and re-elected Undergraduate Assembly members, quibbling over conspiracy theories involving internal elections. For those who have not been following the events of the past few days, student government at Penn is comprised of six branches: The Class Boards, the Nominations and Elections Committee, the Student Activities Council, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, the Social Planning and Events Committee and the UA. If you went to a Smoker, Skimmer or Manayunk, you experienced the Class Boards. If you participate in a student activity, you are a part of SAC. If you take part in Spring Fling, saw Conan O'Brien, Billy Joel or James Earl Jones or watch movies on the Green, you benefit from SPEC. If you applied for a preceptorial or took your professor to lunch, you reaped the results of SCUE. But did you ever feel any impact from the UA until this past week? I expect any of you who are not seniors to say no. Why? Do you even know its function? The UA homepage (hopelessly out of date) states that it represents student interests to the administration, works to implement programs that will benefit students, joins forces with other branches of student government and other groups to influence University policy and distributes over $800,000 of student activities money. As my memory serves, the only time this year the UA represented an interest of mine was when it resolved to express my anger towards the University plan to corral food carts into designated, albeit remote, areas of campus. But was that really my only interest? Did the UA work with other branches of government to influence university policy? Did the UA implement any programs to benefit students? Actually, the only other thing I can identify as a UA initiative was the distribution of its portion of the general fee. Even then, did they really take my interests into account, or did my interests simply coincide with the UAs? I realize that I am writing as if I am the only student on campus. I am anything but the only student affected by the UA and its activity, or lack thereof. This is where I would like to draw the line between student government and student leaders. True, student leaders use the power of their office responsibly, and they therefore benefit the widest interests of the students they represent. If you would like examples of true student leaders, look back at this year and think about the activities you enjoyed and want to continue. Include every memory from plays and a capella concerts, to No Place Like Penn Weekend, New Student Orientation, football games and hanging out in Chats late at night. I can almost guarantee student leaders have made the preceding possible. Attributes of leaders include a genuine attitude of care for those they represent, high expectations for themselves and those that follow them, the courage to take chances and the responsibility to do what needs to be done before acting on what they want to see done. Leadership cannot be determined by the number of positions someone has held or the titles someone has been given. Most importantly, leaders need to have followers. I encourage the newly-elected and re-elected members of the UA to keep these attributes in mind during deliberations Monday night at the annual UA transition meeting. First and foremost, members should represent the interests of the undergraduate students before representing their own personal alliances and brotherhoods. I implore those members who run for, but do not win, executive positions that leadership is not in the title; it is in the action. Moreover, regardless of who is elected to the executive board of the UA, I encourage all students to have the courage to make themselves represented. Show up to UA meetings, talk to your friends and organize. I am happy to say, that with a little help from my friends, I was able to get 33 percent of the undergraduate student body out to vote for a referendum, which set a campus record. Obviously, we have the ability to make ourselves heard. Regardless, of the NEC decision to invalidate the referendum, a campus-wide dialogue has begun. Please keep talking and acting, even though the election is over.
(04/07/98 9:00am)
Matt Wurst, Commentary The University, campus police and city news outlets are all quick to blame last weekend's post-game altercation between Penn fans and a combination of players and parents after last weekend's Ivy League baseball doubleheader at Bower Field on the alcohol being consumed by spectators. The worst example is last Wednesday's Philadelphia Daily News cover story, "The Brawls of Ivy," in which two reporters who were most likely not even at Sunday's games misled readers by assailing "beer-fueled frat boys." The Daily News, the University and whoever is conducting the investigation into the fracas should be careful to separate what went on during the game and what went on after the game. There were two distantly related actions, the heckling of Columbia players during the game, and the escalation of tempers incited by abusive Columbia players and fans directed at Penn players and bystanders. I take no pride in the actions and behaviors manifested by a group of my fellow students. The racial and ethnically insensitive comments and chants are inexcusable and have no place at any sporting event, let alone in the Ivy League. A small group of fans was undoubtedly drunk, leading to the unruly behavior during the game. However, it is unfair to lump all Penn spectators and fans together as having been inebriated. It is also wrong, but typical, to blame everyone for the actions of a few. Most of those in attendance, many of whom are members of the Greek community, were not drunk. They were simply enjoying the weather, Penn Athletics and each other. On the whole, the spirit of the Quaker faithful was strong. It is rare to have such strong support at baseball games, and their presence created a noticeable home-field advantage. Columbia was visibly affected. During infield practice between innings, the Columbia third baseman fired the ball into the vociferous crowd on several occasions, while the Lions committed five errors in the first few innings of the second game. After the second game had been completed, many began to disperse, while some Penn fans gathered near the Quakers' dugout to congratulate the players. However, as the Columbia players began to gather their equipment, many began shouting at the hometown spectators. As the fever grew, the parents of the losing side began to express their frustration. When the two sides converged near the exit, the shouting match turned into a shoving match. However, it wasn't the group of Penn supporters that started the pushing, but a bunch of mothers of Columbia players. Unfortunately, the responsibility of the Columbia supporters was lost, and the blame was placed on fraternity members. In the other University settings where alcohol plays a role, there is rarely a problem. For example, also two weekends ago, the junior class board-sponsored Skimmer hosted many drunk Penn students, great 80-degree weather and no supervision. To make matters potentially worse, many of the drunk Skimmer attendees were angry at being misled about the event's actual location, the lack of food, beverages and scarce accommodating bathroom facilities. Yet there was no brawl. And the University event possibly best known for the combination of alcohol and good weather, Spring Fling -- a time when "water bottles" with blends of vodka and whatever's-in-the fridge can be found in every student's hand -- has never been known to result in fisticuffs. It wasn't the alcohol that unilaterally caused either of the two unsportsmanlike displays of behavior at the Penn-Columbia games, though its presence certainly did not improve matters. It was the overwhelming support that the Penn fans in question were showing for their friends and housemates that spurred the disparaging remarks about Columbia players, and it was the pride in Columbia and that provoked its fans' offensive physicalities. Lost in this mess is the future for spectators at future Penn baseball games. The team has requested security measures at upcoming games. Undoubtedly, the presence will diminish fan support for the Quakers and the advantage they hold in playing at Bower Field. Fans should still be able to enjoy beverages at sporting events as long as their behavior is not harming the players or affecting other spectators' enjoyment of the game. "I would hope that they continue to come, but that they are more controlled," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. "They will be because there is going to be Security present." This past weekend, due most likely to the more frigid temperatures, the fan support was drastically reduced, and thanks to the yellow-jacketed security guards, much less vocal and boisterous. The Quakers lost all four games Saturday and Sunday to Brown and Yale, in part because the home-field advantage that Penn enjoyed in the four-win weekend last week was gone quicker than a cup of chugged beer.
(04/07/98 9:00am)
Phi Sig brothers whiled away their last few hours in the fraternity house. About a dozen Phi Sigma Kappa brothers lingered on the third floor of their now-defunct house at 3615 Locust Walk yesterday afternoon and huddled together as they passed around a bottle of Jack Daniel's -- the last bottle of liquor they would enjoy as active Phi Sig brothers. "And the good Lord, shine the light on you," the newly evicted brothers sang above Mick Jagger's soulful wail as a gallon of Wawa iced tea -- a whiskey chaser -- made its way around the circle, a cigar-smoke cloud billowing above their heads. The men said they were notified shortly before noon yesterday that what InterFraternity Council President Josh Belinfante, an Alpha Chi Rho brother, had called "every fraternity's worst nightmare" had become true. Phi Sig had until 4:30 p.m. yesterday to leave the house. Although they have until Thursday to remove all their belongings, by 4 p.m. yesterday the windows had been boarded up and the locks had been changed. "Fuck OFSA! Fuck nationals!" yelled Engineering junior and former social chairperson Skip Gillilan, decrying the Indianapolis-based national Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity for revoking their charter and Penn's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs for carrying out such orders swiftly. The infractions: a now-removed link to pornography on the house's Web site and two findings during the last 12 months of kegs of beer -- which are officially banned by the national fraternity --Einside the house. Most of the brothers said the punishment was unduly harsh. "It's no secret that every fucking frat has kegs," said one brother. "We don't rape anyone, we haven't had one person sent to the hospital for anything alcohol-related in my three years here and we just raised over $350 for leukemia," said another. But the biggest bone of contention was the time Phi Sig brothers had to move out. "The fact that they have to move out on such a short notice is absolutely ridiculous," said Belinfante, a College junior, although he emphasized the decision to revoke the house's charter was "not made by OFSA" and that the office had to evict the brothers immediately "for insurance reasons." Brothers, however, resented OFSA's failure to notify them sooner, noting that OFSA knew of the national fraternity's plan to revoke the chapter's charter two days before telling the brothers they would have to leave. "Due process is not OFSA's bag, baby," Wharton junior Jeff Kozloff joked, explaining that he felt the office was acting in self-interest. The University is allowed to evict members of excommunicated chapters almost immediately because of the unique nature of the leases fraternity members sign. Such leases are only valid if brothers are members of a national fraternity.
(04/06/98 9:00am)
The Penn baseball team fell to 4-4 in Ivy League play with four close losses to Brown and Yale. The Penn baseball team had four more Ivy League wins within their grasp, but it simply couldn't hang on. Couldn't hang on to any of them, that is. Three times in four games, the Quakers held respectable leads against Brown and Yale, and three times, they lost them. As a result, Penn lost all four games of its homestand, 14-12 and 10-7 Saturday against the Bears and 6-5 and 10-8 yesterday versus the Elis. The losses dropped Penn (7-11-1 overall, 4-4 Ivy League) one game back of Princeton, which took 3-of-4 games this weekend from Harvard and Dartmouth. "We're pretty frustrated," Penn shortstop Glen Ambrosius said. "We lost four close games. There's not much else you can say." The losses were especially disappointing considering Brown had won just two games entering Saturday's rainy doubleheader and Yale (11-10, 3-1 Ivy League) is supposed to be just the second-best team in the Red Rolph Division. "We can't hold a lead," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. "We haven't been able to since we started. Going into this game, we have been ahead by two or more runs six times in the last two innings and not held a lead." The Red and Blue should have won all four games, but yesterday's pair of losses was especially disheartening. The Quakers trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning of yesterday's opener with Yale. Ambrosius led off the inning by hitting a towering fly ball to left field which was carried out of the park by the wind for a home run. Designated hitter Mark Nagata walked, and Penn's fifth batter Armen Simonian smacked a ball to deep centerfield for a long single on a ball which seemed certain to be an out. Yale centerfielder Ben Johnstone had successfully tracked the ball, but he dropped the catch upon colliding head-first with the fence. The umpire, near second base at the time, did not signal clearly, and Nagata was unable to advance past second, leaving Simonian with a long single. While Johnstone was down, Yale ace Eric Gutshall -- who pitched seven innings yesterday in a win over Columbia -- came in and shut down the Quakers, ending the inning with Penn still needing one run to tie. In the bottom of the seventh, Gutshall struck out the side to end the game. The loss may have also landed junior third baseman Shawn Spezio on the bench for the time being. In addition to struggling offensively throughout the season, Spezio's defense took a turn for the worse in yesterday's opener against Yale. Spezio committed three errors -- the only three Penn errors that game. Freshman Jim Mullen entered the game at the top of the seventh inning and also started the nightcap. In the second game, Mullen was flawless in the field and went 2-for-4 at the plate, with two clutch doubles late in the game. "I was just trying to put the ball in play," Mullen said. "That first at bat I was kind of nervous, but once I got to the second at bat I was pretty good." His second two-bagger came in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, putting catcher Dave Corleto across the plate with the game-tying run and sending the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning, Penn centerfielder Drew Corradini faked catching a short fly ball, holding Yale's R.D. DeSantis on third. When the ball dropped, DeSantis -- the go-ahead run -- took off for home, but was easily nailed by Corradini for the second out. Joe Carlon put a close to Yale's threat by making a great move to his left to throw out Yale captain Tommy Kidwell. In all, the Quakers had four extra innings to score a single run to win the game, but in the top of the 11th, Yale scored two on a Chad Miller single to leftfield. The Quakers went one-two-three to close out the disappointing weekend. The Quakers entered Sunday's games frustrated, having dropped two winnable games to Brown. Pitcher Armen Simonian and the Quakers led 12-6 after four innings in the first game, but lost 14-12. In the second contest, Penn led 7-5 after five, but Anthony Napolitano collapsed after pitching two-and-a-third innings of flawless baseball, allowing five runs in Penn's 10-7 loss. This weekend's games were the first at Bower Field since last Sunday's brawling incident, and there were several added security measures. Fans were not permitted to stand along the playing-field fence, and signs and announcements were made to thwart profanity, barbeques, glass bottles and alcohol. Additionally, Allied Security provided guards and Athletic Department administrators were present during every game.
(04/06/98 9:00am)
RobberyRobbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street. Robbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.TheftRobbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m. Robbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m.· April 3 -- A female University student reported that a wallet containing $10 in cash was stolen from an unattended booth inside the Stouffer Dining Commons at 3702 Spruce Street at about 12:30 p.m. Robbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m.· April 3 -- A female University student reported that a wallet containing $10 in cash was stolen from an unattended booth inside the Stouffer Dining Commons at 3702 Spruce Street at about 12:30 p.m.· April 2 -- A female University employee reported that her purse, which contained $15 in cash, was stolen from her unattended, unsecured office inside the Nursing Education Building at 420 Guardian Drive between 5:30 p.m. and 5:33 p.m. Robbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m.· April 3 -- A female University student reported that a wallet containing $10 in cash was stolen from an unattended booth inside the Stouffer Dining Commons at 3702 Spruce Street at about 12:30 p.m.· April 2 -- A female University employee reported that her purse, which contained $15 in cash, was stolen from her unattended, unsecured office inside the Nursing Education Building at 420 Guardian Drive between 5:30 p.m. and 5:33 p.m.· April 2 -- University Police arrested an area woman for attempting to steal greeting cards and stickers from The Book Store at 1:05 p.m. Robbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m.· April 3 -- A female University student reported that a wallet containing $10 in cash was stolen from an unattended booth inside the Stouffer Dining Commons at 3702 Spruce Street at about 12:30 p.m.· April 2 -- A female University employee reported that her purse, which contained $15 in cash, was stolen from her unattended, unsecured office inside the Nursing Education Building at 420 Guardian Drive between 5:30 p.m. and 5:33 p.m.· April 2 -- University Police arrested an area woman for attempting to steal greeting cards and stickers from The Book Store at 1:05 p.m.Criminal MischiefRobbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m.· April 3 -- A female University student reported that a wallet containing $10 in cash was stolen from an unattended booth inside the Stouffer Dining Commons at 3702 Spruce Street at about 12:30 p.m.· April 2 -- A female University employee reported that her purse, which contained $15 in cash, was stolen from her unattended, unsecured office inside the Nursing Education Building at 420 Guardian Drive between 5:30 p.m. and 5:33 p.m.· April 2 -- University Police arrested an area woman for attempting to steal greeting cards and stickers from The Book Store at 1:05 p.m.Criminal Mischief· April 5 -- A male University student living at the Sigma Nu fraternity house at 3819 Walnut Street reported that two front windows of the house had been smashed by beer bottles and the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee parked outside the house had been dented. Both incidents occurred two between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Robbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m.· April 3 -- A female University student reported that a wallet containing $10 in cash was stolen from an unattended booth inside the Stouffer Dining Commons at 3702 Spruce Street at about 12:30 p.m.· April 2 -- A female University employee reported that her purse, which contained $15 in cash, was stolen from her unattended, unsecured office inside the Nursing Education Building at 420 Guardian Drive between 5:30 p.m. and 5:33 p.m.· April 2 -- University Police arrested an area woman for attempting to steal greeting cards and stickers from The Book Store at 1:05 p.m.Criminal Mischief· April 5 -- A male University student living at the Sigma Nu fraternity house at 3819 Walnut Street reported that two front windows of the house had been smashed by beer bottles and the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee parked outside the house had been dented. Both incidents occurred two between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.All information was obtained from University Police.Robbery· April 4 -- University Police arrested a 21-year-old West Philadelphia man at about 12:30 a.m. after observing him rob a male University student and two Drexel students sitting inside a car parked on the 4000 block of Walnut Street. After approaching their vehicle, the suspect allegedly told the students he had a gun and robbed them of $25 before fleeing west on Walnut Street. Police chased and apprehended him on the 4200 block of Locust Street.Theft· April 4 -- A male University student living at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 3940 Spruce Street reported that 225 CDs valued at more than $3,700 were stolen from his unattended, unsecured room between midnight and 2 a.m.· April 3 -- A female University student reported that a wallet containing $10 in cash was stolen from an unattended booth inside the Stouffer Dining Commons at 3702 Spruce Street at about 12:30 p.m.· April 2 -- A female University employee reported that her purse, which contained $15 in cash, was stolen from her unattended, unsecured office inside the Nursing Education Building at 420 Guardian Drive between 5:30 p.m. and 5:33 p.m.· April 2 -- University Police arrested an area woman for attempting to steal greeting cards and stickers from The Book Store at 1:05 p.m.Criminal Mischief· April 5 -- A male University student living at the Sigma Nu fraternity house at 3819 Walnut Street reported that two front windows of the house had been smashed by beer bottles and the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee parked outside the house had been dented. Both incidents occurred two between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.All information was obtained from University Police.-- Maureen Tkacik
