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(02/04/98 10:00am)
Only about 40 applicants filled out forms for the 104 available positions. Less than one week after the preliminary application deadline for thegraduate students who will staff the new college houses, officials said yesterday that they have only received applications for about 40 of the 104 available positions. And a restructuring of the benefits package for the incoming graduate associates who will reside in the 12 college houses may result in an effective deduction of as much as $2,000 from their stipends, making the positions a lot less attractive. The Office of Academic Programs and Residential Life is searching for 104 graduate students, 34 more than last year, to serve as GAs under the new college house plan. The plan, which would reorganize the current residences into 12 houses, requires additional staff to administer expanded programming. APRL officials said they are not concerned about the number of applicants and will accept additional applications until they fill all the positions. But next year's benefits package for newly appointed GAs may be significantly less attractive than in past years. In an attempt to recruit GAs through their respective schools, APRL has arranged to link room and board benefits given to GAs with the stipends they receive from their schools. This stipend is likely to decrease next year, however. In order to help APRL pay for the new GAs, the schools will pay APRL $2,000 to cover the costs of each GA. As a result, the schools may deduct some of this amount from the GAs' stipends. This plan will not apply to current graduate fellows who retain their positions for next year, according to APRL Director Chris Dennis. Most schools will probably cut the full $2,000 from each GA's stipend, according to Sanjay Udani, chairperson of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and a Hill House graduate fellow for the last five years. Udani, an Engineering graduate student, said he worries that incoming GAs will be "effectively paid less" than current GAs by losing part of their expected stipend to APRL. But Dennis stressed that the loss in stipend will be more than offset by the $6,900 in room and board received by all GAs. APRL officials said they expect to fill all the positions, adding that it is not unusual to hire some GAs during the summer months. "It was always known that we would take applications as long as we needed them," APRL Associate Director David Fox said. Dennis said the recruitment process is "in pretty good shape for being this early in the process." But Udani, who is helping to conduct the GA selection process, said he doubts there will be many more applicants. All graduate students already received a call to apply over e-mail stressing last week's deadline. Most of those who wanted to apply already have, he said. As a result, Udani predicted APRL may be forced to "rely on the incoming [graduate] students, the new students, to fill up the spots." He added that it "might not be such a good idea," noting that graduate students who are themselves "adjusting" to a new school and new city will have a difficult time "trying to help other people who are adjusting." Fox said that "there isn't a preference" for current graduate students over incoming students, but he admitted that "a student who has already been here has some advantage" in the role of a GA. And Dennis said careful selection of GAs is important because they are supposed to "be intellectual role models" for their undergraduate housemates. APRL will continue to conduct information sessions for prospective GAs in the coming weeks. One is scheduled for tonight. Udani said he hopes APRL receives more applications soon. If there are not enough applications, APRL may not be able to be that selective, he said. Udani also expressed concern about the rolling application process. Since applications may come in a few at a time, it will be difficult to compare candidates, he said. Each college house interviews and selects its own GAs.
(01/19/98 10:00am)
Beginning next fall, School of Engineering and Applied Science students will be able to pursue a new major within the Electrical Engineering Department focusing on topics such as the manufacturing, science and technology of computer hardware. Faculty and administrators in the Engineering School approved a new Computer Engineering major at last December's faculty meeting after several months of discussion about the new program. Courses that address topics in the computer engineering field already exist in the Engineering school. But students have not previously been able to graduate with a formal degree in the subject. "Computer engineering is an increasingly large subset of electrical engineering," Engineering Undergraduate Dean John Vohs said. "It just makes sense to allow students to specialize in it." Requirements for the major will include relevant courses already offered in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science departments, rather than new courses. Current students may transfer into the program starting this fall. The Electrical Engineering Department is not searching for any new faculty members specifically for the Computer Engineering program, said Vohs, who is also a chemical engineering professor. He noted, however, that the department is searching for a professor of telecommunications, who may also teach courses for the new major. Seventy percent of Electrical Engineering students currently choose courses in Computer Engineering and Telecommunications, a field related to Computer Engineering. According to Electrical Engineering Professor Santosh Venkatesh, the department began discussing a possible Computer Engineering program five years ago and has been gearing courses toward the field since then. "In the current marketplace and the way research has evolved, the primary demand is computer hardware and software," he said. While a degree focusing on software was available, no program focused on hardware, Venkatesh added. Faculty members in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science departments formed a committee last spring to formulate a curriculum that would combine the two areas. The committee collected information from Computer Engineering programs at schools including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University. A proposal introduced by the committee examining the new major last fall stated that the "lack of an accredited Computer Engineering degree in EE has negatively affected its student enrollment and has put the EE department at Penn at a disadvantage compared to its peer institutions." Engineering sophomore Andrew Hartford, a Computer Science major, said a degree in Computer Engineering is increasingly valuable, as "society today revolves around computers." Hartford added that the top electrical engineering schools in the country already offer computer engineering as a degree, and such a program is "long overdue" at Penn.
(01/16/98 10:00am)
University President Judith Rodin took the first step toward finding a new chief academic officer earlier this week, announcing the formation of a search committee to advise her on the selection of a replacement for former Provost Stanley Chodorow. The committee, a diverse group of 11 faculty members and four students chaired by Wharton Dean Thomas Gerrity, will attempt to fill the position currently held by Interim Provost Michael Wachter, a former deputy provost. Rodin is scheduled to brief the committee about its task early next week, and administrators hope to appoint a permanent provost by next summer. Yesterday, members of the committee said they were eager to begin conducting their national search. Although the committee has not yet received their instructions from Rodin, committee members already have several criteria in mind for potential candidates. Committee member and College junior Rasool Berry said he will evaluate potential candidates based on their commitment to the "rejuvenation of academic programs and the intellectual culture of Penn." The committee will consider candidates from inside the University as well as from "nationally recognized teaching and research universities across the country," Gerrity said. Rodin categorized the search as "incredibly important." "I am extremely grateful that these wonderful people have agreed to serve," she said. The last search committee charged with finding a new provost was convened in 1993. The 16-person committee took a semester to complete its search and recommended several candidates, including Chodorow, who was only the second provost chosen from outside the University. Chodorow resigned his position October 31, effective at the end of last month, to pursue the presidency of the University of Texas at Austin. UT Austin officials last month selected Larry Faulkner, former provost of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to head the University Chodorow had previously said that he would return to teaching in Penn's History department if he wasn't selected for the UT-Austin job. Wachter took office as interim provost at the beginning of this month. The University's students will be represented on the committee by Berry, College junior Rachael Goldfarb, second-year Wharton graduate student Owen Garrick and second-year Education graduate student Sandra Tilford. The list of faculty includes English Professor Herman Beavers, Law Professors Stephen Burbank and Geoffrey Hazard, Graduate School of Education Professor Marvin Lazerson, Communications Professor Larry Gross and Chemical Engineering Professor Eduardo Glandt.
(11/25/97 10:00am)
Interim SAS Dean Walter Wales hopes to eliminate the deficit in five years. The deficit-ridden School of Arts and Sciences has been likened to the administration's "budget whipping boy" -- providing an excuse for officials to cut its faculty, delay faculty recruitment and reduce funding for the school's programs. But administrators contend that the school's financial problems are relatively insignificant, describing them as nothing more than "a small show in the big picture." And Interim SAS Dean Walter Wales said the school's current deficit should be eliminated "within the next five years." Last spring, administrators estimated that SAS would end fiscal year 1997 with a $2.1 million deficit. Recently, however, deficit projections were reduced to about $1 million after the school instituted more cost-efficient practices and found additional sources of income, Deputy Provost Michael Wachter said. Wachter said the SAS deficit represents less than half of one percent of the total SAS endowment of $220 million.EThe Wharton School, meanwhile, has managed to entirely avoid a budget deficit due to its $2.5 billion endowment and strong graduate program. "We have tried to run our school as efficiently as we can," Wales said, adding that SAS has eliminated a number of temporary faculty positions and has begun to locate external sources of fundraising to reduce the deficit. Wachter added that administrators will soon launch a "development initiative" aimed at increasing funds for undergraduate financial aid as early as next year. The school's recently adopted masters programs in Biotechnology, Environmental Studies and Bioethics may also provide sources of revenue for the school, possibly resolving the entire deficit in several years, Wales said. But College Dean Robert Rescorla said the current budget directly affects the number of SAS faculty hired in any given year. Although Wales said an "unusually large number of retirements" accounted for the loss of 25 faculty members last year, the majority of those posts have remained unfilled. Last month, Wales denied the Folklore Department's request for a replacement for Department Chairperson Margaret Mills. And the Political Science Department is still in the process of soliciting SAS funds to hire faculty specializing in political theory and minority politics. Wales admitted that vacant faculty positions may affect students in smaller departments. But he questioned the impact on those in larger departments. "I am not aware that students are sensitive to the number of faculty in a department," he said, adding that students are "mostly concerned about what they're learning." Students, however, did voice concern about such cutbacks when former SAS Dean Rosemary Stevens eliminated the American Civilization and Regional Studies departments in 1994. Stevens, whose five-year term was riddled with budgetary problems, created a $1.2 million surplus in 1995 by leaving several faculty positions unfilled. Stevens' early departure made her the sixth dean to leave SAS in the past 22 years. Wachter attributed the recent financial difficulties in SAS to several external pressures, including a slower rate of undergraduate tuition increases, the loss of an unrestricted $15 million state grant used to subsidize SAS financial aid and a national decline in enrollments in doctoral programs. He stressed that the school is not "deteriorating." "There's a lot more noise about the budget than there is a problem," he said. Although several faculty members questioned whether the administration focuses enough attention on the school, University President Judith Rodin emphasized that SAS is "an extraordinarily high priority." "In some ways, that's why the [SAS dean search] is taking so long," she said. Wales has served as interim dean since Stevens stepped down from her post in 1996. Administrators have yet to find a permanent replacement. Under the University's decentralized budgeting system, individual schools control their own students' tuition dollars, and do not receive funds from the central administration. In February, Rodin said the University could not abandon the decentralized system for fear of plunging SAS into further debt, since the school receives large tuition transfers from Wharton, the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Nursing. Although SAS is one of the main beneficiaries of administrative subsidies, Wales said he has not asked for help in alleviating the deficit. "It's not as if the University is awash with money they don't know what to do with," he added. But Rescorla said it is the administration's responsibility to level the playing field for SAS by "smoothing out the budgets of all the schools."
(11/03/97 10:00am)
Provost Stanley Chodorow put a definite end to speculation about his desire to be a university president Friday afternoon, announcing that he will leave Penn December 31 to pursue a top educational post. News of Chodorow's resignation came simultaneously with the University of Texas at Austin's announcement that he is one of five finalists for its vacant presidency. Although the Texas position should be filled before the end of the semester, Chodorow will leave Penn regardless of the outcome of that search. UT-Austin is at least the fourth school in the last year to contact Chodorow about presidential openings. "When it became public that I was on the list in Texas, I knew it was time," he explained. "I felt it would be unfair to Penn to be publicly involved in a search and continue as provost here." University President Judith Rodin will name an interim provost before the end of the semester and begin a search for a permanent provost "in a timely manner." "We have not made any formal plans for the transition," Rodin said last night."Figuring out its implications will take a bit of time." Texas law required UT officials to release the names of finalists for the presidency at least 21 days before the Texas Board of Regents vote on a final choice. Chodorow said the Texas announcement presented him with "the right time" to leave the post he has held at Penn Rodin's administration took office in fall 1994. "I think Penn deserves a provost who is fully engaged with Penn and not distracted with other things," he added. Rumors and questions about Chodorow's desire to leave have circulated around campus for some time. Within the last year, he was a top candidate for the presidencies of the University of Michigan, the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Arizona, but failed to capture the bids. Although he did not actively seek out any of the positions, he said he intends "to become a president." "If I receive the Texas presidency, oh sure, I will accept it," he said. "But the reason why I'm resigning is not because anyone has assured me that I have a job in Texas." Instead, the public nature of the previous presidential searches has made Chodorow uncomfortable juggling his responsibilities as provost with his job searches. He refused to comment on whether he is currently seeking out other presidencies or whether he has had discussions with other schools. Rodin said Chodorow has kept her "fully informed of every search he has been in" over the past year. "I knew he was struggling," Rodin said. "He was really struggling with another public search and its impact on the institution." But she said the immediacy of his decision to resign at the end of the semester took her by surprise. "Although I knew it had been difficult for him, I didn't know how it would end," she said. The timing of the UT-Austin announcement explains the timing of Chodorow's. The short list of five candidates was narrowed from more than 100 names, and the Board of Regents needed to release the list now to satisfy their legal requirements. UT spokesperson Monty Jones said the board would reach a decision in late November or early December after interviewing all five candidates in the next few weeks. Chodorow will travel to Texas for those interviews later this month. During his three years as Penn's top academic official, Chodorow has been closely involved with initiatives ranging from the new college house plan to aspects of the University's five-year Agenda for Excellence. "The projects I've been most involved in will be handed off," Chodorow said. "I want to make sure the projects have momentum when I leave -- but they won't be deflected." He admitted that he has "mixed feelings about leaving." "I've learned a great deal here and have loved teaching the students here," he said. "But the institution will survive me leaving." But Faculty Senate Chairperson Vivian Seltzer said Chodorow's "unexpected" departure may disrupt progress on his academic initiatives. "We'll have to have a transition period and an interim provost, and that makes things complicated," she said. With the ongoing search for a permanent dean of the School of Arts and Sciences to replace Interim Dean Walter Wales,"we now see two major posts that remain to be filled," Seltzer said. Because Chodorow has been considered for other top posts, his decision Friday was "a wise one," English Professor Peter Kuriloff said. "He becomes a lame duck by constantly looking for these jobs," the former Faculty Senate chairperson said. "By becoming a finalist and constantly going off to be interviewed, and then not getting the positions, it undermines his credibility." But Engineering School Dean Gregory Farrington called Chodorow's aspirations to become president "a perfectly normal thing for a provost." Rodin herself was Yale University's provost before coming to Penn. The other candidates for the Texas presidency are University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Provost Larry Faulkner; State University of New York at Stony Brook President Shirley Strum Kenny; Ohio State University Provost Richard Sisson; and John Wiley, provost at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Former UT-Austin President Robert Berdahl left the school to become chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley. A past UT-Austin president, Peter Flawn, has served as interim president since July.
(10/30/97 10:00am)
The $37 million, state-of-the-art science building will provide laboratory space for three departments. To many University students, the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology building -- which was transformed this summer from a ditch to a large red building towering over Smith Walk -- is a complete mystery. But the $37 million building, which will provide state-of-the-art lab space for three departments, will have a major impact on a huge swath of the student body. Funded by a $27 million grant from the Air Force and a $10 million donation from University Board of Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos, the building will provide the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Medical School with improved lab space. The first floor of the new building will house a program -- the Institute for Medicine and Engineering -- that is itself a collaboration by those three schools. The rest of the building will be occupied by the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering departments. The IME -- some of whose faculty continue to work in other cities -- was supposed to be the first to move into the building, but its scheduled November 3 move-in was delayed because the building will not have been finished yet. As a result, while the building's grand opening will take place on November 10, it will not be occupied until December 1. "It's going to look good for the dedication but it won't be functional," said Michal Bental Roof, the IME's scientific development administrator. When it actually opens, the building's main strength will be the versatility of its labs, many professors said. The electrical supply, types of available gases and working station hoods can be easily changed to accommodate changing research needs. "It's a superb facility from a chemistry standpoint," Chemistry Department Vice Chairperson George Palladino said. "The layout of the labs as well as number and types of hoods, the opportunities for chemists to design the types of space they need, the modular aspect of the building are all superb." The facility's first-floor lab spaces are especially important to the program because they are designed to allow for research integrating engineering approaches to cell and molecular biology and biochemistry, Bental Roof said. The IME will relocate to the building from multiple temporary locations across campus, although it will continue to maintain space in Hayden Hall. The program's research in the new labs will focus on tissue culture, molecular biology, radio-labeling, and optical imaging. The opening of the building will also relieve overcrowding problems in the adjacent Chemistry Building. The extra room will allow for increased undergraduate and graduate research space, according to Senior Project Manager Pat Mulroy. The department intends to use the second and third floors of the building for biophysical and biological chemistry faculty and research, with the inorganic chemistry section of the department occupying the third floor, according to Palladino. Most of the physical chemistry section of the department will remain in the current Chemistry Building -- which is linked directly to the IAST building on several floors. The fourth floor of the building will remain vacant as the Chemistry Department searches for new organic chemistry faculty. Meanwhile, the Chemical Engineering Department is preparing to move catalysis and biocellular/biochemistry faculty and research into the top floor of the IAST, according to Undergraduate Chairperson John Vohs. The building also features an entire network of complex systems designed to remove dangerous fumes and provide ionized water, in addition to meeting basic heating, light and electrical needs, Mulroy said. The basement, which contains several layers of support systems built one on top of the other, took a full year to plan, he added.
(10/29/97 10:00am)
The University hired 7 black and Latino faculty members this year. With the addition this year of four black and three Latino professors, University President Judith Rodin is pleased with the effect the minority recruitment and retention plan has had in attracting underrepresented minority professors. The rise in the combined number of black and Latino faculty members, from 87 in 1996-97 to 94 this year, represents an 8 percent increase. According to Rodin, "central resources" -- the recruitment and retention plan's special allocation of $5 million -- were used to increase hiring packages offered to the new faculty members. She said other universities were also actively recruiting many of these professors. Statistics indicate that the bolstered packages have been effective incentives. The School of Engineering and Applied Science appointed six new tenured professors this year. Five of them are minorities -- three Asians and two blacks. Out of Engineering's 98 total professors, four are Latino. And the two black professors hired this year are the school's first black faculty members in 17 years. "They're top rate people who we thought would do very well in the Penn community," said Dwight Jaggard, Engineering's associate dean for graduate education and research. He added that the hiring criteria for minority faculty is no different from the criteria for other professors. "Just like we're looking for someone who can teach but also will be useful in research, we're looking for people who can also be role models for minority students," Jaggard said. Black Student League President Rasool Berry said the function of black professors as role models plays a crucial part in black student excellence. "It's very important for black students to have someone comfortable to talk to in terms of letting you know about opportunities, supporting you in your academic endeavors -- someone to point you in the right directions," the College junior said. In the Nursing School, three professors are black and two are Latino, out of a total standing faculty of 48. Two of the underrepresented minority faculty members hold fellowships granted by the University. Mary Naylor, associate dean and director of Undergraduate Nursing, said the school has sought to develop a national pool of "doctorally prepared" minority nurses through a program with Hampton University in Virginia. Faculty members from the historically black university come to Penn for doctoral and post-doctoral study, she said. At the Wharton School, officials are continuing a search which began last year for a minority professor to fill the Whitney M. Young Jr. Endowed Professorship. Wharton's African American MBA Association last year joined forces with alumni and Wharton to honor Young, a civil rights leader and executive director of the National Urban League. Interim School of Arts and Sciences Dean Walter Wales said he did not know how much the school's underrepresented minority faculty increased this year, but of the 444 faculty members in SAS, 13 are black and nine are Latino. Although the University's affirmative action officers ensure that minorities are considered for every faculty appointment, Wales said criteria for hire and tenure in SAS are strictly based on merit. "We try to hire the best people that we can," he said, adding that minority issues are one of several attributes considered when recruiting professors. Despite the central funding, the University's faculty recruitment and retention efforts are highly decentralized, according to Associate Provost Barbara Lowery. Lowery said each of the 12 schools and their academic departments is responsible for recruitment and retention. The hiring process requires departments to submit requests for faculty appointments to the dean of their respective school. If approved, the provost then considers the hire. The University's 12 affirmative action officers -- one for each school -- oversee search and appointment on the departmental level. With the release of Rodin's plan, the University has begun urging the affirmative action officers to take a more "pro-active approach instead of waiting until searches are completed," according to Lowery. This includes meetings between the officers and departments, where officials examine the department's minority hiring trends and the pool of doctoral candidates seeking jobs. English Professor Maureen Quilligan, the officer for the School of Arts and Sciences, explained, "My job is to make certain that no opportunity is missed in hiring minority faculty in a normal hiring situation." The officers play an additional role with their service on the Affirmative Action Council, an advisory board for Rodin. "We as a council continue to support affirmative action for the underserved population who feel various challenges but are able to serve here, study here and be productive workers of society," said Council Chairperson Peter Vaughn, the associate dean of the School of Social Work. Electrical Engineering Professor Jorge Santiago-Aviles, who has been meeting with Rodin, Chodorow and other minority faculty members, is encouraged that administrators are "honestly concerned with the University becoming a truly cosmopolitan place with different backgrounds and perspectives." With the addition of the three new Latino faculty members, Santiago-Aviles said he believes the University is moving forward. He stressed, however, that the plan should not only focus on faculty recruitment but also on retention. The latest faculty retention data show that it takes minorities on average five years to gain tenure. The average time for all faculty members is 5.4 years. Because achieving tenure can take seven years, the data are available only through 1990, Lowery explained. Santiago-Aviles, however, cited personal observations in claiming that the University needs to work harder at retaining underrepresented minority faculty members. "I have known six Latino faculty members since I've come to Penn but none of them have made tenure," he said. "The administration should not only offer fiscal resources but also offer guidance for new assistant professors -- of any ethnicity, but especially minorities -- through the process of tenure."
(10/28/97 10:00am)
Student government groups finally got an answer yesterday to the question they've been asking repeatedly for over two years -- but it wasn't quite the answer they were looking for. University Budget Director Mike Masch paid a visit to last night's Student Activities Council meeting to detail how the General Fee students pay alongside their tuition is distributed throughout the University's budget. Masch's presentation came in response to a SAC ultimatum issued last month giving administrators until October 8 to provide information on what becomes of General Fee revenue that does not go to student groups. At last night's meeting in Stiteler Hall, he broke down allocations of the General Fee by "responsibility centers" -- departments and divisions of the University, each of which must maintain their own balanced budgets. Responsibility centers that draw General Fee money include the Finance Division, which oversees Student Financial Services; the Annenberg Center, which includes student performing arts; and Student Activities, which is run by the Office of the Vice Provost of University Life. SAC Chairperson Steve Schorr stressed that most of the specific information his organization had requested was not provided. "The money was broken down into the specific departments that spend the money, but we still don't know how those departments spend the money," the Wharton senior said. Masch told SAC members that he "cannot say with the same level of knowledge and detail where every single dollar goes." The central budget office sets limits on what each center can spend, but does not allocate the funding within each center's individual budget, he said. "That's the job of the responsibility centers," Masch said. He urged student leaders to question VPUL Valerie Swain-Cade McCoullum about the allocation of funding for student activities, for example. But Schorr said he has turned to several specific divisions -- like the Athletic Department, the Admissions office and the VPUL office -- in the last two years to no avail. "I previously went to some of the departments, and they were all unwilling to give any information on how they spend the money," Schorr said. "They said that I should ask the administration for that information." Schorr said Masch answered SAC's questions better than other administrators have in the past, but added that the information is "still not to our satisfaction." Now SAC will await results of a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the federal Department of Health and Human Services. That information should arrive sometime this week. "I hope that will include information on how the departments spend their money," Schorr said. Under FOIA, citizens may conduct a search of any federal agency. The University is not a federal agency, but it conducts enough financial transactions with the federal government -- such as requesting research grants or financial aid funding -- that information on the budget would be available. The FOIA office filters through the information it finds and decides what it is legally allowed to release to the public. After Masch's presentation, SAC members elected new officers for the body's executive board. There are nine board members, including the Undergraduate Assembly treasurer, with half elected in October and half in February. Since one member resigned earlier this year, five seats were up for election last night. Out of the eight people who ran, the winners were College sophomore Jason Ackerman, Wharton junior Sang Cha, Engineering and College junior Vanessa Moses, Wharton junior Erick Wollschlager, and College sophomore Charles Howard.
(10/22/97 9:00am)
The Law School decided to allow military recruitment rather than risk losing government funding. The Law School's decision to allow military recruitment on campus despite the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy has left many lesbian, gay and bisexual students struggling to understand the school's motivation. Faculty members voted Monday to cooperate with the federal Solomon Amendment -- which requires law schools to permit military recruiters on their campuses or face the loss of financial aid -- for a period of one year. During that time, a committee of faculty and students will search for ways to combat the loss of government aid. But the decision is in direct violation of the school's non-discrimination policy, many students said. "I'm disappointed with the decision, even though the administration took the issue very seriously," said second-year Law student Todd Foreman, a member of the Queer Law Group. "The next question is whether or not the school is going to amend its non-discrimination policy, because I don't think it's true now." Law Professor Bob Gorman, a member of the committee that recommended approving the decision, said no one attending Monday's faculty meeting was pleased with its outcome. "We reaffirm our non-discrimination policy, and we are looking for ways to keep recruiters out and replace funding," he said. "We profoundly understand the distress recruitment will cause, and we are taking every reasonable step as an institution to combat the law which forced us to [accept recruitment] this year." Gorman stressed that Penn "is marching ahead of the pack of American law schools" by aggressively dealing with the problem, adding that he hopes students will "raise their voices and be heard in protest." Foreman said he expects such protests from the University's lesbian, gay and bisexual community. The Queer Law Group voiced its opinion at a town meeting last Wednesday held by the Faculty/Student Career Planning and Placement committee. And Law students will meet tomorrow to organize further opposition to the decision. Lesbian Gay Bisexual Center Director Bob Schoenberg said he was sympathetic to the Law School's dilemma, but condemned the military's strategy to establish on-campus recruitment. "The way the Defense Department threatened to hold back work study and financial aid is really a low blow in my opinion," he said. "What principle is going to be surrendered next in order to save the bottom line?" Even though most areas of the University currently permit military recruitment, several undergraduates also voiced discontent with the Law School's new policy. "I understand why the Law School faculty voted to allow the recruiters on the grounds," said Engineering senior Dan Weiner, co-chairperson of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Alliance. "However, I find it disheartening that in doing so they are willing to overlook discrimination towards the lesbian, gay and bisexual community."
(10/21/97 9:00am)
If University students drink significantly more than the average American college students -- and many respondents to a recent poll said they do -- and if 11 percent of the students polled stressed that drinking was a part of "college life" -- and they did -- Penn's dry minority is lamenting it. While most students were aware of recent administrative efforts to increase awareness about binge drinking, which range from meetings with bar owners to a mandatory session with freshman athletes, many conceded that drinking is an integral part of life at Penn. "I don't think there's much they can do," said one female student, who admitted to binge drinking 20 times so far this year. But a sizable minority of students, for one reason or another, said they don't drink alcohol and that it isn't a vital aspect of their social lives. "Most of the places where alcohol is offered, you can still have a good time even if you're not drinking," said one female student. "I'll go to all the parties, I just don't drink," another female student said. Others wished more people would remain sober. "Since I've been here, that's all I've seen," said one female freshman. "And I do resent it somewhat, especially on the weekends. Everybody's really loud." College freshman Michelle Henry said it's often hard to find companions who, like her, don't drink. "Usually on weekends I just hang out with one or two people," Henry said. "Because that's about all I can find who's sober -- especially in the Quad. "I spend lots of time in my room chilling with my roommates and my friends," she added. "I went to a couple frat things at the beginning of the year for about five minutes but I couldn't handle that any longer because everyone was always drunk." Now, she and her friends draw and paint, go to South Street occasionally and dye their hair often. "We search out drugstores so we can buy hair dye," she said. "Once, my roommate and I pierced our ears because there was nothing to do." Students bent on having fun sans beer agreed that the lack of non-alcoholic options near campus is sobering. "I wish there was something besides the three Cinemagic movies," said a female student. "I've seen them all." Engineering sophomore William Attman, who also does not drink, said he spends his leisure hours playing computer games. "I've found it cheaper in the long run than going out and spending 10 bucks a night on booze," he said. "I especially like role playing games: Dungeons and Dragons and all that crap. I find it much more richly rewarding." Attman said that while he doesn't "do the party scene," he doesn't "think this school is in any way diminished by it." He said he found it amusing when during last year's Spring Fling, a teacher begged, "Please come to class, go ahead and bring your questionable beverage, just please come."
(10/08/97 9:00am)
With resumes in hand, hundreds of Engineering students clad in business suits piled into the Towne Building yesterday in search of summer internships and permanent employment positions. In its 17th year, the Engineering Career Awareness Day -- co-sponsored by the Career Planning and Placement Service and the Engineering Student Activities Council -- drew a record 89 companies to the University. Three of Towne's floors were put to use for the event, making it a bit difficult for students attending classes in the building to maneuver their way through the crowds. Engineering Dean Gregory Farrington estimated that more than half of the students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science attended the day-long event. Tables lined both sides of the hallways as company representatives showcased their organizations, providing students with everything from company-logo mousepads to safety whistles. The longest lines centered around some of the nation's larger, better known corporations, such as Microsoft, Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan. Harris Romanoff, an Engineering senior and ECAD student chairperson, noted, however, that not all students are interested in working for such large corporations. "I've talked to a few students and, if anything, they don't want to work in the large companies," he said. "They see the opportunity to make a name for themselves in the smaller corporations." Many of the company representatives at yesterday's event were Engineering alumni, returning to recruit students from their alma mater. Bill Pehlert, a representative from AT&T; who obtained both his master's and doctorate from Penn, said he has come back to the University many times to attract prospective employees. "We have successfully recruited and retained Penn graduates," Pehlert said. "And they tend to be exceptionally successful candidates and employees." Many prospective employers are particularly interested in Engineering graduates because of the broad curriculum they receive. "Our students are unique in that they emerge technologically as well as communicatively adept -- they are in great demand," Farrington said. "My only disappointment is that I don't have enough students -- we could place twice as many." Michael Collins, a representative from the Lockheed Martin Corporation echoed this sentiment. "The type of person coming out of Penn is ideally suited for our kinds of challenges," he said. Praised by students and recruiters alike, the career day also received accolades from CPPS Director Pat Rose. "I think we're having a great day -- employers are thrilled with the quality of the students," she said.
(10/06/97 9:00am)
The Towne Building will be transformed into a market of corporate representatives tomorrow as the 17th annual Engineering Career Awareness Day brings students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science together with engineering, government and consulting employers. The school will host 250 representatives from a record-breaking 89 companies -- including Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, Mobil and IBM -- in an event covering all of Towne's three floors, Engineering Career Counselor Rosette Pyne said. "ECAD is the premier event for SEAS because it encompasses the entire school," she said. While freshmen, sophomores and juniors can gather information about companies and drop resumes for summer positions, seniors and graduate students have the opportunity to learn about available positions in their prospective fields. "We encourage students to participate and learn as much about the organizations as they can," Pyne said. Participating companies receive an Electronic Resume Book -- a collection of resumes from graduating seniors, master's and doctoral students. In addition to introducing students to recruiting firms, the resume book provides an important tool for companies in their search for prospective hires, and many firms unable to attend the event purchase the book. "These companies want to attract the brightest, most adaptable team players," Pyne said. "They find those students at Penn." "They wouldn't come if they didn't think it was beneficial to the companies," she added. ECAD supplements the firms' on-campus recruiting efforts, she said. The Career Planning and Placement Service has been reviewing resumes and conducting workshops since late August as a service to Engineering students and as part of its preparation for the event. In addition, the CPPS World Wide Web site contains tips for getting the most out of Engineering Career Day. And job descriptions from participating companies are available in the CPPS library. "These resources maximize the efforts of students to do research and focus on the companies they are most interested in," Pyne said. An event of this magnitude takes months of recruiting and planning and the program would not be possible without the help of student volunteers -- many of whom will arrive at Towne as early as 6 a.m. Tuesday to help set up, she added. ECAD Student Chairperson and Engineering junior Harris Romanoff has been working since the summer to contact companies and encourage their participation. "This event is very much based on student involvement," he said. ECAD will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be followed by a dean's reception for faculty members and student leaders.
(09/24/97 9:00am)
The Career Planning and Placement Service wants to show that it's not just for Wharton students. Amid the endless parties and screamers celebrating the "beginning of the end," many seniors have also begun bemoaning the necessity of starting to plan for their post-graduation lives. For the Class of 1998, the fall semester marks the start of the job search and graduate school application process. And for a significant number of undergraduates, Career Planning and Placement Service, part of the Division of University Life, is the place where it all begins. Under the direction of Patricia Rose, CPPS is tucked away in the bowels of the McNeil Building. In a recent interview, Rose outlined the goals of CPPS and tried to dispel some of the "apprehensions" attached to the office and its services. "There is something for everyone here," Rose said, adding that she was aware of the misconceptions of the office as exclusively for "Wharton and Engineering jobs." "We want to make sure that we're bringing as many opportunities to [students'] attention as possible," she said. Lauding the University's "outstanding" on-campus recruiting services, Rose cited statistics showing that students had about 16,000 interviews with 432 businesses last year and met individually with CPPS counselors approximately 13,000 times. The statistics include multiple visits by the same person, however, and CPPS does not have information on the exact number of students who use the service. Despite Rose's enthusiasm, many students give a much more negative opinion of CPPS, citing friends' bad past experiences. College senior Andrew Hertzmark, who is currently looking for a job in the business sector, complained about the difficulty he has had in obtaining information for "Wharton" jobs as a College student. Many of Hertzmark's friends in the Wharton School get a slew of CPPS mailings about job opportunities, but he complained that getting the same information requires him to "catch up" with Wharton counselors. "I have friends who don't think CPPS is helpful," he said. "The resume drop is scary? you don't know where [the resume] goes." Instead, Hertzmark said he and his friends have begun to "network," relying on relatives and other contacts for job opportunities instead of CPPS. Despite perceived benefits for Wharton students, Wharton senior Enrique Saez voiced similar concerns. "I'm not putting much hope into this," Saez said as he slipped resumes into boxes labeled with each employer participating in the resume drop. "Most people go out on their own to find jobs." Others, however, found the service's self-help resources beneficial. "It's not that difficult to gauge where you are in the [application] process," said Wharton senior Denise Lee, who hopes to attend law school next year. But Rose said she was delighted to hear of these students' independent, if somewhat reluctant, job searching. "No one can find you a job. You have to find a job," she said. Emphasizing what she sees as an "extraordinary time to graduate," Rose urged students to take control of their futures by using CPPS as an aid, not a crutch. "We don't want people to become complacent," she said. "You still have to do a lot of work."
(09/15/97 9:00am)
With the creation of a new on-line catalog and improved journal article databases, University library officials hope the library system's World Wide Web site will now be easier than ever to navigate. The changes to the site, http://www.library.upenn.edu, come in accordance with the library's "Information Access 2000: A Strategic Plan for 1996-2000" and the University's Agenda for Excellence. "Our goal is to put Penn in the forefront of the electronic information arena," Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Paul Mosher said. "We hope to provide more information better, faster and cheaper than the competition." The new Franklin on-line catalog replaces the mainframe-based system designed in the 1970s. Mosher explained that its capabilities have been surpassed by recent technological advancements. "The way you can find information has changed radically from the old system," he said. Among the additions to Franklin are hypertext links within records and a more specific keyword search. The hypertext links will allow users to search on a highlighted subject heading without typing in a new search. Mosher said users can now also choose among four different search methods. "The system gradually helps you structure your search in the way the old catalog couldn't," he said. "It adds a new dimension to the ability to focus your study." The changes made to the journal article databases include the addition of an Academic Index and the improvement of such databases as the WILS Index and ABI/Inform. Additionally, full text can now be accessed through databases other than Lexis/Nexis, which was previously the only full-text provider. Academic Index, also known as Expanded Academic Index ASAP, lists over 2.75 million articles from more than 1,500 scholarly journals and general-interest magazines. Full-text display is available for articles written in the last few years, and the database is updated daily, general reference librarian Ellen DeMarinis said. Full text is not yet available, however, for all of the library's databases. "There are thousands of publishers, and what we can do is largely what they allow," Mosher said. "Movement is quicker in science, health science and law." The library made Franklin available for general use in June while making the other additions gradually over the summer, DeMarinis said. Although the database still has a few bugs in the system, it will be in full working order by the end of the semester. Mosher's executive assistant, Joseph Zucca, requested that students comment and report errors in the system using the "questions, suggestions and comments" feature on the Penn Library Web site. According to a library mission statement, "Information Access 2000" is a five-year plan aiming to "capitalize on advanced technology to serve a changing order of academic needs, particularly in science, engineering, medicine, business and the quantitative social sciences." Among the future goals of the plan is the creation of a "tasteful Web design" that will enable users to return to previous sites without having to reload, thus increasing search speeds 10-fold.
(09/03/97 9:00am)
In response to an on-line survey last November in which more than two-thirds of respondents said the University's World Wide Web site needed a change, a team of programmers has overhauled the entire operation. Beginning October 1, the site will reflect the most recent advancements in computer technology. "The current Web site was created 2 1/2 years ago to emphasize the diversity of the University and move away from the typical top-down view," Penn Web Program Manager Randall Couch said. "The new sight returns to a more conservative, rigid and rule-based structure." Most notably, the new site will give users four distinct ways to navigate through University information. The opening page of the site will consist of two topical menus, one relating to "Penn the Academy" and the other relating to "Penn the Community." The categories in each menu were rated most popular in the November survey. Penn Web users who are looking for a specific organization can make use of "Penn A-Z," a refined version of the current Penn Index. And "Penn Alta Vista," the site's new search tool, will allow users to access information on all of the University's Web servers. "The new search tool is a version of a product that can be bought and customized," said Associate Vice Provost of Information Systems and Computing Michael Eleey. "As Digital continues to update Alta Vista, our search engine will be able to improve." Another feature that will help Penn students and faculty is the new toolbar, Couch said. The toolbar will allow users to access the Penn Web's most popular features -- including Penn InTouch, a more comprehensive Penn Directory and a campus map -- with greater ease. "The campus map will be very helpful if there are visitors or guest speakers coming to campus," Eleey added. The new Penn Web will also include a greater variety of photographs. While the stationary image on the current site is changed every few weeks, the opening page will consist of three flashing pictures. Each time a visitor hits reload, a new set of three pictures will appear. The images will now represent the intellectual life and beauty of the campus rather than a specific event or time of year. Additional features that students may find helpful are links to such useful Web sites as movie listings and restaurant guides. The new pages can now be previewed from the current site at http://www.upenn.edu, and the programmers encourage users to express their opinions using the feedback option.
(08/29/97 9:00am)
Provost Stanley Chodorow was a finalist for the presidency of the University of Arizona in July, but he was not chosen to head the school and will instead remain at Penn this year. The Arizona post is the third top position for which Chodorow has been a finalist in the past year. In November, he was up for the presidency of the University of Michigan, and in March, he was a finalist in the search for a new chancellor at the University of California at Los Angeles. Both schools chose other candidates. In lieu of Chodorow, the Arizona Board of Regents unanimously approved Lehigh University President Peter Likins as the 18th president of the university. A 23-person search committee chose Likins, Chodorow and Kent State University President Carol Cartwright as finalists from a pool of over 100 candidates for the position. After the finalists interviewed with the search committee and meet with Arizona students, faculty and staff in the last week of the search, the committee forwarded all three names to the regents. But Cartwright withdrew her name from consideration, citing unfinished business at Kent State. Chodorow explained that he did not apply for the job, but instead agreed to participate in the search process because of the quality of the institution. "The University of Arizona is one of the major public research universities in the country," Chodorow said. "It is an honor to considered for their presidency, and I believe that it is because I am provost of Penn that the committee is so interested in me." He voiced similar sentiments after learning he would not receive the Michigan or UCLA positions last academic year. Top administrators at respected universities frequently make the "short list" in presidential searches without having applied, so the interest in Chodorow does not necessarily indicate that he wants to leave Penn. Chodorow has already served three years as provost in University President Judith Rodin's administration. Few recent Penn provosts have stayed here longer than four or five years. At Arizona, the faculty and student body seemed pleased with the choice. "I believe Peter Likins will be one of the most extraordinary presidents the University of Arizona has ever had," Arizona Regent John Munger said. Arizona senior Jonathan Schmitt, who served on the search committee, said he felt Likins was more willing to reach out to students than the other candidates. "From a student's perspective, Likins is a true communicator," he said. Schmitt and other student members of the search committee conducted a survey which revealed that Arizona students wanted their next president to me more accessible than outgoing President Manuel Pacheco, who is leaving to assume leadership of the University of Missouri system. Likins said he was eager to take over the post. "I'm just pumped. I haven't had such a sense of exhilaration in a long time," he said. "I'm ready to take on a whole new set of challenges and the University of Arizona is the perfect place for me to do that." Likins holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a doctorate in engineering mechanics from Stanford University and a master's degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before joining Lehigh in 1982, Likins served as provost of Columbia University, where he was also dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
(07/24/97 9:00am)
The Arizona Board of Regents unanimously agreed to offer the position to Lehigh University President Peter Likins. The Arizona Board of Regents unanimously approved the selection of Lehigh University President Peter Likins as the 18th President of the University of Arizona in Tucson at a teleconference meeting Tuesday afternoon. Likins was chosen from a field of three finalists which included University Provost Stanley Chodorow. He will replace Arizona President Manuel Pacheco, who is leaving to assume leadership of the University of Missouri system. Chodorow -- who was also a recent finalist for top positions at the University of Michigan and University of California at Los Angeles -- could not be reached for comment. A 23-person search committee chose Likins, Chodorow and Kent State University President Carol Cartwright as finalists from a pool of over 100 candidates for the position. After the finalists interviewed with the search committee and meet with Arizona students, faculty and staff last week, the committee forwarded all three names to the regents. But Cartwright withdrew her name from consideration Monday night, citing unfinished business at Kent State. Regent John Munger nominated Likins at the end of Tuesday's meeting. "I believe Peter Likins will be one of the most extraordinary presidents the University of Arizona has ever had," he said. Arizona senior Jonathan Schmitt -- a Regent who also served on the search committee -- said he felt Likins was more willing to reach out to students than the other candidates. "From a student's perspective, Likins is a true communicator," he said. Schmitt and other student members of the search committee conducted a survey which revealed that Arizona students wanted their next president to me more accessible than Pacheco. During the interviews, Schmitt said Likins noted that he spent a week in the dorms and has formed close relationships with many Lehigh students. He said he would like to form similar relationships at Arizona, but added that because Arizona's student population is much larger than Lehigh's, contact will have to be through student leaders. Regent Hank Amos said Likins distinguished himself during the interviews by demonstrating that he can deal effectively not only with faculty and students but also legislators and community leaders. "I think Peter really rose above the other candidates in those meetings," Amos said. When Likins joined the teleconference from Pennsylvania, he said he was excited to have the opportunity to lead an "important national institution." "I'm just pumped. I haven't had such a sense of exhilaration in a long time," he said. "I'm ready to take on a whole new set of challenges and the University of Arizona is the perfect place for me to do that." Likins holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a doctorate in engineering mechanics from Stanford University and a master's degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before coming to Lehigh in 1982, Likins served as Provost of Columbia University, where he was also Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
(06/01/97 9:00am)
Roy Vagelos governs the Board of Trustees But Vagelos has already made a lasting impression on the University in numerous ways, including his $10 million donation towards the Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. Construction of the building-- adjacent to the Chemistry Building on 34th and Spruce streets -- is rapidly nearing completion. The facility will include an engineering laboratory, along with the Institute for Medicine and Engineering. Air Force funds will cover the remaining $27 million construction costs. Before being elected chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Vagelos spent nearly 20 years at Merck & Co., serving as its CEO for nine years after a long tenure as director of research for the corporation. During his term at Merck, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, Vagelos many of the company's initiatives, including a $6 billion acquisition of Medco, a nationwide mail order pharmacy and managed care drug company. And during his tenure as CEO, Merck developed and implemented new drugs and strategies for dealing with health care issues. After Vagelos retired from Merck in 1994, the corporation endowed a chair in the Chemistry Department in his name. He was a Chemistry major as an undergraduate at Penn. As a Trustee, Vagelos has focused much of his energy on boosting the quality of science and research work that goes on at the University. Vagelos graduated from the University in 1950. He became a Term Trustee in 1986, and served on the presidential search committee that chose current University President Judith Rodin in 1993 before becoming chairperson of the Board.
(06/01/97 9:00am)
Her responsibilities involve a number or departments ranging from the Office os Student Life, Activities and Facilitis to Residential Living. McCoullum has served as acting VPUL since January of 1994 and officially filled the permanent position in September 1995. She is the first African American woman in the Ivy League to hold the position. As acting VPUL, McCoullum focused on the PENNCAP tutoring and Upward Bound programs. She also became very involved with the search for a new student center, wich has evolved into the Perelman Quadrangle, and has began preliminary construction. Controversy ensued during her tenure when several residential security guards were found asleep at their posts. McCoullum took swift action by firing McGinn Security Service -- the firm through which the guards were employed. Since then, Spectaguard has takien over those responsibilities, along with other security duties across campus. Last year, she devoted herself to making "tangible changes" in the lives of University students. Working with a committee of Undergraduate Assembly members, McCoullum launched a wide range of small quality-of-life projects -- from a late-night diner in Stouffer Commons to a new television in the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall. She also played a pivotal role in the development of the new "residential community" system of on-campus housing, and has worked closely with Vice President for Business Services Steve Murray to integrate dining and other services into the dorms. McCoullum is widely known for her enthusiastic and comforting nature and her constant interaction with students. It's rare that she doesn't greet students she knows -- or even those she doesn't know -- with big hugs in the middle of campus. McCoullum's daughter, Ena, has just completed her third year at Penn's Medical School. She also has a son named David, who is a graduate student in engineering at Penn.
(04/16/97 9:00am)
The Science and Technology Wing, in conjunction with the School of Engineering and Applied Science, began an intensive search this week for a STWing-Engineering fellowship candidate. The fellow -- who will be selected from among Engineering graduate students -- will serve as a liaison between the Engineering School's faculty and deans, and students in the Science and Technology Wing -- one of the University's Living and Learning Programs. "The idea of a fellowship occurred when STWing decided that it was time to have a more formal relationship with the Engineering School," said STWing Resident Advisor Faquiry Diaz, a Wharton senior. "This is a means of bringing the learning part of the Living and Learning Program closer to our residents." STWing and the Engineering School will officially begin their partnership with a ceremony later this month, at which time they will announce the winner of the fellowship. According to John Parker, STWing program assistant, the organizations joined together to improve the Living and Learning Program. "Students will have greater access to valuable resources, such as faculty and facilities for research projects," he said. Composed of 200 members, STWing provides an informal setting where students can freely discuss their ideas with peers. The freshmen portion of the program is located in the second floor of King's Court and another group lives on the 19th and 20th floors of High Rise South. Parker noted that he feels the recipient of the fellowship will be extremely helpful to STWing members. "The fellow will be an accessible advisor for these students as they make their trek towards grad school," he said. "He or she will help them prepare to face their next set of challenges." And Diaz noted that the student chosen for the position will benefit as well, by being able to improve leadership and management skills. The fellow will be paid a "handsome" stipend from funds provided by the Engineering School and the 21st Century Project. But Diaz quickly pointed out that the fellow will have numerous responsibilities, including the organization of workshops and mini-courses in residence and the operation of in-residence electronics laboratory facilities. STWing and the Engineering School will choose the fellow within the next three weeks. In addition to being a graduate student in an Engineering discipline, candidates must be in good academic standing and knowledgeable of laboratory practices, according to Diaz. He added that any Engineering graduate student meeting some of the criteria should apply for the position. Interested students can visit the STWing World Wide Web page at http://www.stwing. upenn.edu, or contact Diaz or King's Court/English House Resident Dean Krimo Bokreta to get more information about the process.
