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(12/08/94 10:00am)
This year's seniors may have an easier time finding a job than past University graduates. According to recent predictions released Monday by the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University, hiring of recent college graduates is up 5.9 percent for the upcoming year. Before a 1.1 percent increase last year, hiring of new graduates had declined by more than 30 percent over the previous four years. Estimated average starting salaries for the upcoming year range from $20,821 for telecommunications jobs to $40,689 for chemical engineers, according to a survey of 545 businesses. Career Planning and Placement Services Director Patricia Rose said that while it is useful to know what the national trend indicates in terms of recruiting and job placement, the University fares better in its success rates than the national average. "We're having a good year," she said. "We had a very strong fall recruiting season." Andersen Consulting, Proctor & Gamble and Goldman Sachs were a few of the firms she cited as popular employers who hire University graduates. "We have 400 companies coming to our campus," she added. "Most of them are having success or they wouldn't keep coming back." Despite the University's reputation among top recruiters, Wharton senior Eric Kalimian said he is still glad he was not in the job search a few years ago. "It's hard enough now, I can't imagine what it was like when the economy was down," he said. "Sometimes I wonder whether the recruiters are completely random in their criteria." In terms of the reported increase in employment this year, he feels it will be an advantage. "It's definitely good news," he said. Nursing senior Jeanette Stankiewicz agreed that opportunities for employment are better this year. In addition to an improving economy, the demise of national health care reform is what has most aided recent graduates, she said. "The scare of health care reform is over with hospitals not holding back on hiring," Stankiewicz said. College senior Jeff Cohen, who is also participating in the job search process, said he is keeping all of his options open. "The job market presents a totally different world than I am used to, a world of uncertainty," he said. "For the last four years you've existed in a relatively simple society and now you have to go out and do things on your own -- no more swiping your meal card." But for Wharton senior Kingston Chu, the job search feels more like induced competition among students. "Right now it's disappointing -- [it's] not panning out the way I would have envisioned," he said. "Everyone's so qualified it seems like we're eating each other up for top tier positions." Rose said University students who do the appropriate legwork and use the available resources should not be unnecessarily concerned. "I think students should feel quietly confident about the employment prospects this year," she said.
(12/05/94 10:00am)
A bomb threat forced the evacuation of the Moore School of Electrical Engineering for more than 30 minutes last Friday. The first bomb scare of the academic year, the threat later proved to be a false alarm. Administrative Assistant Carolyn Elken said she received the bomb threat at approximately 12:45 p.m. "A guy said that there is bomb in the basement of the Moore school set to go off in 40 minutes," she said. Professor Max Mintz said police forced him to evacuate his class from the building at approximately 1:15 p.m., nearly 30 minutes after the call was placed to University Police, according to police records. Elken said she did not believe the threat was real but notified Business Administrator Estelle Taylor, who then called University Police. University Police Sergeant Keith Christian said University and Philadelphia Police evacuated the building. After an extensive search of the building, no bomb was found. Taylor said she was surprised that everyone handled the situation calmly. "Nobody got hysterical," she said. "Nobody got panicky. It is very important to see something like that. "We just hope whoever it was doesn't know how to make a bomb," she added. The only people seriously affected by the bomb threat were the students taking a Computer Science 260 exam, taught by Mintz. Engineering sophomore David Robinson said the class had just began working on the exam when the building was evacuated. "We worked for about four minutes [on the exam] and then some secretary knocked on the door," Robinson said. "[Mintz] said 'for reasons we can't explain right now ... line up and leave the building.' Everybody was really quiet." Robinson said he was never told about the reason for the evacuation. But he said rumors of a bomb scare eventually spread throughout the crowd. Students began speculating that a fellow classmate was responsible for the bomb scare, according to Robinson. "I know that this particular class causes a lot of stress for computer science students," he said. "Everybody assumed that someone was just playing a joke trying to get out of the 260 exam." Mintz said he was forced to cancel the exam and give a makeup today. Mintz said his concern was not over having to write another exam, but the health of his students. "I make up exams all the time," he said. "It's the least of it. "It's really indecent that students who are working hard are given additional stress in their lives," Mintz added. "It's very harmful to the students. It is the end of the term and many of them are under great stress." Over the last year, bomb scares forced the evacuations of Meyerson, Stiteler and Vance halls, along with the Penn Hillel building. In each incident no bomb was found.
(11/09/94 10:00am)
Mail problems are becoming worse for students living on campus, and Residential Living is searching for solutions. According to a letter sent out by Residential Living yesterday, 30 first-class letters sent to students arrived on campus with envelopes slashed open in the last two weeks. Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said last night that the mail has been turned over to University Police for further investigation. The University Police are currently conducting an investigation with a United States Postal Inspector, she added. At this point, Simeone said her staff is unsure if the tears are the result of tampering or damage from postal machines. These letters were, to her knowledge, all addressed to students living in the Quadrangle or the high rises, she said. The affected students were individually contacted and invited to come down to the police station to inspect the mail, Simeone said. Half the students went to the station yesterday. She added that so far nothing has been found missing from the envelopes. Complaints about damaged and missing mail on campus have been on-going for the past several years. In 1993, students lodged close to 350 mail complaints with Residential Living and University Police. During the 1993-1994 academic year, over $13,000 worth of personal checks sent to students were lost. Residential Living suggests that students encourage family and friends not to send important letters via first class mail, Simeone said. "If there is anything of value at all it makes more sense to send it through some means that requires a signature, because then it can be traced," Simeone said. Residential Living suggests students use either Federal Express, UPS or certified or registered mail. Simeone said students with complaints about the condition of their mail can call 3-DORM to file complaints. She added that Residential Living staff will be at Stouffer Dining Commons during lunch tomorrow to take complaints. Mail problems are not uncommon for students living on campus. College and Wharton freshman Kenneth Henderson said he experienced problems with his mail earlier this year. He received a damaged birthday card. "It looked like it had been opened," he said. "There might have been money in it." College freshman Jason Karp had a similar experience. "I've received mail that looked like it was slashed open with a knife," he said. Engineering freshman Saisel Khan had a different problem receiving mail this year. "I had a ticket sent for a flight to Los Angeles and it never showed up," he said. Some students are urging campus groups to find solutions to the problem. "If I had a problem I would get in touch with the UA or whoever is responsible," Wharton junior Aris Joshi said.
(10/25/94 9:00am)
The semi-annual arrival of the University's red, white and blue grade mailer usually causes trembling fingers and a stab of anxiety as students rush to uncover their rewards for a semester's worth of reading, writing and research. While attempting to read the mailer's smudged carbon letters and the attached arithmetical symbols used to appraise their performance, students' eyes invariably wander to the little box in the lower right hand corner marked GPA. The impact of that three-digit number is sure to be felt, during the search for summer internships, the graduate or professional school admissions process or the quest to find full-time employment after graduation. Psychology Professor Robert Seyfarth, who is also director of undergraduate studies in the Psychology Department, said he has seen students place increased emphasis on grades in recent years. "But it would be unfair to say that students have become more grade-grubbing without also commenting on the problem they face -- and this is that graduate admissions offices tend increasingly to base their decisions on grades and GPA," he added. "So what's a student to do?" English Professor Paul Korshin, who will lead a colloquium on education and the existence of grade inflation at the University tomorrow, said GPAs have definitely increased during his tenure here. "Possibly Penn has improved so much [that] we're getting the best students in the country," he said. "[But] we are aware that Penn is widely regarded as an easy school. There are very few low grades, and we don't know why this is true." Charges of grade inflation, and the grade system restructuring that often results, are some of the most important -- and divisive -- issues facing institutions of higher education across the country at the present time. Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brown University have relatively liberal assessment policies that have been fine-tuned through more than two decades of use. Stanford and Harvard Universities seem to be moving toward increasingly rigid systems that may make students more accountable for the quality of their work. At the University, the four undergraduate schools have also seen significant grading system changes in recent years, according to Assistant Registrar Janet Ansert. Ansert said the Wharton School and School of Nursing have only begun to utilize pluses and minuses in grading this fall. The Engineering School still does not use grading fractions, she added. "[The change] certainly makes the education more sensible for students -- why would a Wharton student be able to get a plus-minus in a College course but not in [his] own? The change is appropriate for the undergraduate experience," Ansert said. Despite the near-uniform grading scale agreement across the University, each undergraduate school maintains its own rules on the number and type of courses students can take pass/fail while also fulfilling graduation requirements. At MIT, freshmen are graded on a pass/no record basis in all of their subjects. Associate Registrar Connie Scribner said a passing grade means achievement of a C or better. "This grading system was designed to meet a variety of objectives, [including] a reduction of the stresses of the first year and the development of more mature attitudes about learning and managing one's time," she said recently. "What freshmen do receive are informal evaluations of their progress -- letter grades are not assigned." Following the first year of study, an MIT student's transcript has Ps for all of the courses he or she has passed, Scribner added. While there is no specific number of Ps necessary to be promoted to sophomore status, each student's record is reviewed by a faculty committee at the end of the term. MIT Associate Dean for Student Affairs Bonnie Walters said the pass/no record policy was implemented about 20 years ago, in response to the realization that there was "an awful lot" of pressure on first-year students. During their second semester, MIT freshmen are given "hidden grades," which are used for internal advising purposes and not notated on their transcripts, she added. While students appreciate the pass/no record grading option because of MIT's rigorous science core courses, they don't abuse the privilege. "Smart students don't blow off the freshman year because they are going to need the study skills for the remaining three years," Walters said. "Most MIT students take the freshman year very seriously. They are glad not to have the pressure of grades, but [realize] these [courses] are the building blocks of their education." For students at Brown University, however, GPA is not a cause for concern -- it's simply not calculated. Brown's move to satisfactory/no credit grading took place in 1969, a few years before MIT made the same switch. But Brown's policy, which was implemented in conjunction with the school's "new curriculum," applies to all undergraduates, according to Registrar Katherine Lewis. Under the S/NC system, a satisfactory grade is equivalent to an A, B or C, she said. Although Brown students are permitted to take an unlimited number of courses S/NC, they typically choose to take about 75 percent of their courses for a grade. Brown does not calculate GPAs, but the traditional grades which appear on students' transcripts provide "a record that speaks to the quality of their work," Lewis added. Some faculty members, however, mandate that any student who enrolls in their courses utilize the S/NC option for that course, relying on an extensive written course performance report -- rather than a letter grade -- to testify to his or her achievement. Other professors assign grades to every student in a given class -- whether they are recorded on the student's transcript or not -- to better remember individuals who may later request recommendations. The S/NC option was intended to decrease the competitiveness that often characterizes the undergraduate environment, and to allow students to experiment with courses in unfamiliar disciplines, Lewis said. "We've taken many looks at the curriculum, and there have been lots of review committees and discussions," she added. "There has never been a proposal that a majority of the faculty liked better." The faculty also provided the impetus for revolutionary grading changes at Stanford University. Approved last spring, the changes will take effect next fall. "The grading changes were of two types," Registrar Roger Printup said. "One changed some of the types of grades that are recorded, the others were related more to deadlines." By far the most controversial change was the reinstatement of a failing grade, called an NP. For the past 25 years, students who did not satisfactorily complete course requirements at Stanford received an NC, which would cause courses to disappear from their permanent records without a trace. Stanford students also had the luxury of dropping a course -- without a record of ever having enrolled -- until the last day of class, Printup added. Incompletes could be deleted from the permanent record at any time, and a course could be retaken an infinite number of times with only the most recent grade appearing on the permanent record. Stanford operates on a 10-week quarter system, Printup said, and the new rules state that the unconditional drop period will now run until week four of the quarter. Students dropping courses between the fourth and eighth weeks of the quarter will receive a W on their transcripts. After the eighth week, students must complete any course in which they are enrolled. Additionally, incompletes will convert to NPs after one year. Course retakes will only be permitted once, with the original grade being changed to RP, for repeat. "The biggest complaint about the old system was that students who were taking the large introductory science courses -- pre-meds -- found themselves in classes with students who had already taken the course," Printup said. One professor told Printup that in his large chemistry class one-third of the enrolled students were taking the course for at least a second time. "Students don't like the deadlines, and claim the new system [will make] them less willing to take risks," he added, explaining that those who favored the system before its approval were often afraid to speak out because of the strong sentiment against change espoused by leading campus organizations. Lewis agreed with Printup's assessment, but said student self-motivation does not depend on the grading options a school offers. "We advise students to experiment, find what works for [them]," she said. "There are students who feel they perform better when the pressure of a grade isn't there for them -- others say they don't work as hard [when] taking courses S/NC. We view that as part of the learning experience." Printup said faculty members were also angered when students dropped out of smaller courses based on group work late in the term, disrupting the learning process. "The faculty response [to student complaints] was that in order to do well students must commit to the courses that they're in -- if they know they can drop up to the last day of class, students don't make the commitment and don't do the work," Printup said. Change may also be on the horizon at Harvard University, said associate registrar Thurston Smith. A faculty committee at Harvard is looking at the possibility of placing the average grade given in a particular class on a student's transcript, next to the student's grade, to provide a frame of reference for persons outside the university. "Canadian universities do this -- the University of Toronto, McGill University [in Montreal]," Smith said. "But it is simply one of the many things in discussion. It is not going to be implemented anytime soon."
(10/13/94 9:00am)
and Todd Greenbarg Almost 800 students from the School of Engineering and Applied Science crammed into the Towne Building yesterday in search of jobs and summer internships at the 14th annual Engineering Career Planning Fair. Attending the forum were 71 different companies, ranging from Motorola and Bell Atlantic to Proctor & Gamble and Anderson Consulting Firm. The fair stressed the importance of each field of engineering, whether it be systems, environmental, material, or computer science. Companies came from as far as Florida and California in an attempt to recruit some of the the top engineers at the University. Career Planning and Placement Service and the Engineering Student Activities Council (ESAC) co-sponsored the event. CPPS Assistant Director of Engineering Kenneth Oyer said the fair was the largest ever. "Going back to 1985, there were only 45 to 47 companies attending," Oyer said. "It reached its peak in 1989 when 69 companies attended, went down ever since, and now has gone back to the largest ever at 71." The fair took up all three levels of the Towne Building. Both students and business representatives said the location of the event allowed for the greatest interaction between the two groups. "I'm really happy with the fair's location," said Leon Podolsky, vice president of Logic Works Corporation. "We've had quite a bit of traffic, especially the computer science majors my company is looking for. It's great that they put [the fair] here in this building where the students have classes." Students said they appreciated the convenience of having so many different fields of engineering represented by the diversity of companies present. "It was a great opportunity for engineering students to see opportunities that exist in the real world," Wharton and Engineering senior and Society of Women Engineers President Rachana Patel said. "This year we saw a significant increase in technological displays," said Engineering senior and ESAC President InYup Park. "Although the fair was for all engineering students, the focus was on undergraduate internships and permanent jobs." Companies were notified in early June of the fair. Students worked with CPPS during the summer to contact businesses. "Volunteers called the companies and put up flyers," said ESAC Career Day Coordinator and Engineering senior Alaina Cerini. "There was a right balance for majors, in that there were companies looking for all different types." Many company representatives present were University alumni, according to Park. And this helped many students interact more freely with the groups, he added. "I find the caliber of the students to be very high," Proctor & Gamble representative and University graduate Dennis Bonsall said. "At Penn, we always get good people so we decide to come back year after year." "There was a record number of students and a record number of companies," Engineering Dean Gregory Farrington said. "It's a great program for everyone involved."
(04/21/94 9:00am)
Stanley Chodorow, an associate vice chancellor at the University of California at San Diego, will be the University's next provost, President-elect Judith Rodin announced yesterday afternoon. Chodorow, who must be confirmed by the University Board of Trustees before taking office this summer, is associate vice chancellor for academic planning and dean of arts and humanities at UCSD. He is also a noted medieval legal historian. Rodin made her announcement before an assembled crowd of University officials, including many Trustees, at a press conference in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge. She used the event as an opportunity to set the tone for her new administration. In what Rodin described as her "first -- and most important -- appointment" as president-elect, she said she wanted to send a message to those still doubtful about the future of the University. "[Chodorow's] career and his values have all been driven by his zeal for academic excellence -- in research, in undergraduate teaching, in doctoral and professional education, in faculty development and in community service," she said. "These shared values will be the hallmark of our administration." She also described Chodorow, who will be the top academic officer of the University, as a "great partner," possessing both personal energy and a drive to excel. After the announcement, Rodin said she and Chodorow wanted to focus on two priorities in the first months of their administration: publicizing those University areas which have achieved unparalleled excellence, and then seizing opportunities for change across campus. Rodin said she would like to see the University become known as the visionary institution of the Ivy League, adding that this innovation must be elicited from within the University and not "legislated from the top down." In an address sprinkled with witty one-liners, Chodorow said he is awed and excited by his nomination as provost. He also declared that he had "already conceived a deep affection and regard" for the University. Chodorow said he was attracted to the University by both its academic reputation and a realization that the challenges facing the University are similar to those which he has dealt with at UCSD. He also said he is impressed by the love and dedication people express for the University. "This is an institution on the move with its head going in the right direction, facing the right direction, and with enormous energy," Chodorow said, speaking about how he came to be interested in the provostship. "And then I met Judith Rodin, and she may have found in me a perfect partner, I certainly found in her a perfect boss." Chodorow said he is interested in taking part in the cultural, sports and entertainment opportunities of Philadelphia. An avid sports fan, Chodorow said he will have to give up his season tickets to the San Diego Padres to move to Philadelphia. At UCSD, Chodorow was forced to eliminate prestigious departments and slash budgets after the State of California cut nine percent out of the school's budget last year. Asked if he sees similarities between UCSD's cuts and recent department closings at the University, and whether he will make further cuts at the University, Chodorow said it is not his "style" to cut departments. He said he prefers to find alternate ways of enhancing the educational environment through restructuring. After the press conference, Interim President Claire Fagin, who Rodin will succeed on July 1, said she is delighted by Chodorow's selection. "I think he is just spectacular," she said. "He hit every right note. There was not one missed beat in what he had to say." Chairperson of the University Board of Trustees Alvin Shoemaker, who also attended the press conference, said he believes Chodorow will be a refreshing addition to the University. "I'm thrilled we are going to get a perspective from outside the Ivy League," he said. "We in the East spend too much time talking to each other." Chodorow succeeds Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson, who received high praise for his leadership yesterday from Fagin, Rodin and Chodorow. And Lazerson said he too is happy with Rodin's choice for the next provost. "I am pleased to hand the reigns over to [Chodorow] and I am delighted to hand the job over to a fellow historian," Lazerson said, adding he will be available to assist Chodorow as he makes his transition to the University. Some University officials said they are impressed that Chodorow came off as personable and down-to-earth. "That was the most genuine presentation by a real human being I have seen in a long time and that is wonderful," Assistant to the President Nicholas Constan said. And School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Gregory Farrington said he likes Chodorow's "values, wit and enthusiasm for the University and Philadelphia." Chodorow was selected by a 16-member search committee, chaired by Economics Professor Andrew Postlewaite, after a six-month search. The committee presented a list of finalists to Rodin a few months ago. She then interviewed candidates and deliberated on her selection. Chodorow was hired last Saturday, Rodin said. He is only the second provost to be chosen from outside the University. The last permanent provost, Michael Aiken, left the University last July to become chancellor of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
(04/18/94 9:00am)
School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said last night she hopes to meet with a prospective candidate for the deanship of the College of Arts and Sciences in the near future. College Dean Matthew Santirocco announced last month that he will leave the University this summer to become dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at New York University. Stevens said she has been soliciting suggestions from student groups, such as the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and the Dean's Advisory Board. She has also spoken with various faculty members, College advisors and administrators. The dean search has been limited to full professors in SAS, she said, adding that she hopes the search will be over "as soon as possible." "I'm going to spend the next week or so branching out as widely as possible, giving everybody an opportunity [to speak] about the role of associate dean and about [candidate requests]," Stevens said last week. "It is important that we get exactly the right person." Stevens said she has been looking for someone to continue the "strengthening" that has occurred in the College under Santirocco. "I would like to see the College take a more central role in undergraduate education at Penn as a whole," she added. SCUE President and Engineering junior Matthew Kratter said he is confident Stevens will make a wise choice to fill the spot vacated by Santirocco. "We've had sort of a model of what the associate dean of the College should be," Kratter said last night. "[Stevens] and [SCUE] have the same image." Kratter added that SCUE submitted a recommendation list with about 30 candidates on it, but he could not recall any of them last night. "Two years ago, at least three people from SCUE specifically picked Santirocco," Kratter said. Kim Van Naarden, chairperson of the Dean's Advisory Board, said a list of recommendations was submitted to Stevens by her organization. She refused to comment on the list. David Brownlee, chairperson of the Committee on Undergraduate Education, said although Stevens had not met with CUE as a whole, she has met with individuals from the committee. Brownlee added that CUE is scheduled to meet with Stevens sometime in the next two weeks. Santirocco said last week that he is not involved with picking his replacement.
(04/14/94 9:00am)
and Jed Walentas The date was February 22, 1954. The place was the Palestra. A nine-year-old boy left his first basketball game in tears after watching the Quakers lose a 62-57 heartbreaker to Notre Dame. Despite the disappointing result he witnessed that night, Andy McGovern was hooked. The game of basketball had captivated him and would forever be a part of his life. After playing throughout grade school, McGovern went on to co-captain his Malvern Prep team. Before enrolling at St. Joseph's, the part-time McGinn guard and Philadelphia native played summer league ball with the likes of future NBA star Artis Gilmore. The experience was extremely memorable, and one of his last as a player. "I took three shots and [Gilmore] swatted all of them back in my face," McGovern said. "The fourth time I got inspired and passed the ball. It was the most embarrassing moment I had in my sports history." Realizing he did not have a future playing the game, McGovern turned to coaching as a way to stay involved in the sport. After serving in Vietnam and graduating from St. Joe's in 1971 with a degree in business, he began coaching in the Catholic Youth Organization and independent level, where he was very successful. These successes led to his first collegiate position as an assistant coach at Widener. McGovern stayed there four years and the Pioneers won more than 60 percent of the time. He gained both valuable coaching experience and an increased understanding of the game while working under head coach Alan Rowe. Having enjoyed success as an assistant, the next logical step for McGovern was a head coaching position. That opportunity presented itself in the form of the Temple women's basketball program, which he took over in 1978. In his two years with the Owls, McGovern turned around a losing program to post a 14-10 record in his final season. Despite this success, he was forced to leave Temple after the 1979-80 season because of what he described as "philosophical differences." Unfortunately for McGovern, his departure from Temple prevented him from reaping the benefits of his greatest accomplishment as coach -- the recruitment of Marilyn Stephens. Stephens went on to become the leading rebounder and second all-time scorer in Big 5 history, winning Player of the Year honors in 1983 and 1984. Stephens was not the last of McGovern's outstanding recruiting accomplishments. After a brief stint as an assistant women's coach at St. Joe's, he accepted the same position at Villanova in 1982. In his first season there, McGovern landed the next dominant Big 5 player in Shelly Pennefather. Pennefather matched Stephens atop the record books by becoming the city's all-time leading scorer and second leading rebounder. She followed Stephens' back-to-back Player of the Year honors with a trifecta, claiming the prize from 1985-87. A year later, the list grew. McGovern got Lisa Angelotti to join Pennefather to form one of the greatest duos in recent memory. Angelotti finished her career with 1,622 points, 11th in Big 5 history. "Over the years, I've had the fortune to spot some kids that have been very talented and they've gone on to be successful in the programs," McGovern said. "The key to recruiting is projecting one's ability both in the classroom and on the basketball floor. It's just a matter of working hard and outhustling the other people." In spite of McGovern's recruiting successes and the solid performance of the team, he chose for financial reasons to move to an administrative position as the director of recreation and intramurals. Although McGovern missed being on the court and coaching, he remained close to the team by continuing to attend games and practices on a regular basis. In addition, his administrative role allowed him to more closely follow the national champion 1985 men's team. McGovern still cherishes his championship ring to this day. He was further pleased that his new position enabled him to continue working with young people in an athletic environment. "The advantage was that I was still around the game and working with an even greater number of students," McGovern said. When McGovern's position at Villanova was discontinued, he declined an offer to work as the assistant to the dean of engineering in order to stay close to the game. He instead used his Masters degree in Education to become a substitute high school teacher for the School District of Philadelphia and continued to own and run a baseball card store. McGovern is still a school teacher, but he has replaced his store with involvement with Nike and Foot Locker shootouts as a site director. The position allows him to travel and scout young talent throughout the country, and it has revitalized his desire to coach again. "I have burned with the desire to get back into coaching," McGovern said. "I realize that to get back into the game I've got to start over again and I am willing to work hard enough to do that." In fact, McGovern has already started working hard. Through his involvement with the shootouts and his connections in the basketball community, he has compiled evaluations of thousands of the top women high school basketball players in the country. These scouting reports include everything ranging from academic performance to vertical leap. His prior successes in recruiting will further help him evaluate this young talent. "Nothing really changes in recruiting," McGovern said. "The rules may have changed, but the evaluation of talent hasn't. You have to start recruiting a player from his or her freshman year. You have to talk to their coaches and then sit down with a teacher or counselor to find out if they can make it academically. The person you are recruiting must have the ability to win games for you." McGovern feels both his recruiting experience and coaching ability have been enhanced by his understanding of today's young people. His work as a teacher in Philadelphia high schools has allowed him to stay in touch with young student athletes. He agreed to help out friend Joseph McGinn and work as a security guard in the lobby of High Rise North because the job is another way for him to communicate with today's youth. "I've played, I've coached, I've recruited, and I've directed -- and now I have the ability to interact with the student body," McGovern said. "It makes you a better person and a better coach because you now understand the people you are recruiting. "Coaching is a matter of having a style and of recruiting players who are going to be able to play your style. You have to adapt your style to the talent around you. I look at Fran Dunphy's team and it exemplifies this." McGovern hopes to utilize these tools in a return to coaching. He wants to get back into the game as an assistant and would like to eventually be a head coach again. He was recently the runner-up for an assistant position with the Rutgers women's program and is currently searching for other opportunities. "I am no different except that I am older and I have experience," McGovern said. "I like to recruit and I can use my experience without being intimidating, and I have a good feel for the high school student of today." More than anything, McGovern's desire to coach again has been fueled by the pure love of the game he has shown since that fateful night at the Palestra in 1954. "The most fun you can have is going up against someone who has worked as hard as you have," he said. "The game itself is fun -- five on five, offense against defense, defense against offense. May the best team win."
(04/14/94 9:00am)
and Jed Walentas The date was February 22, 1954. The place was the Palestra. A nine-year-old boy left his first basketball game in tears after watching the Quakers lose a 62-57 heartbreaker to Notre Dame. Despite the disappointing result he witnessed that night, Andy McGovern was hooked. The game of basketball had captivated him and would forever be a part of his life. After playing throughout grade school, McGovern went on to co-captain his Malvern Prep team. Before enrolling at St. Joseph's, the part-time McGinn guard and Philadelphia native played summer league ball with the likes of future NBA star Artis Gilmore. The experience was extremely memorable, and one of his last as a player. "I took three shots and [Gilmore] swatted all of them back in my face," McGovern said. "The fourth time I got inspired and passed the ball. It was the most embarrassing moment I had in my sports history." Realizing he did not have a future playing the game, McGovern turned to coaching as a way to stay involved in the sport. After serving in Vietnam and graduating from St. Joe's in 1971 with a degree in business, he began coaching in the Catholic Youth Organization and independent level, where he was very successful. These successes led to his first collegiate position as an assistant coach at Widener. McGovern stayed there four years and the Pioneers won more than 60 percent of the time. He gained both valuable coaching experience and an increased understanding of the game while working under head coach Alan Rowe. Having enjoyed success as an assistant, the next logical step for McGovern was a head coaching position. That opportunity presented itself in the form of the Temple women's basketball program, which he took over in 1978. In his two years with the Owls, McGovern turned around a losing program to post a 14-10 record in his final season. Despite this success, he was forced to leave Temple after the 1979-80 season because of what he described as "philosophical differences." Unfortunately for McGovern, his departure from Temple prevented him from reaping the benefits of his greatest accomplishment as coach -- the recruitment of Marilyn Stephens. Stephens went on to become the leading rebounder and second all-time scorer in Big 5 history, winning Player of the Year honors in 1983 and 1984. Stephens was not the last of McGovern's outstanding recruiting accomplishments. After a brief stint as an assistant women's coach at St. Joe's, he accepted the same position at Villanova in 1982. In his first season there, McGovern landed the next dominant Big 5 player in Shelly Pennefather. Pennefather matched Stephens atop the record books by becoming the city's all-time leading scorer and second leading rebounder. She followed Stephens' back-to-back Player of the Year honors with a trifecta, claiming the prize from 1985-87. A year later, the list grew. McGovern got Lisa Angelotti to join Pennefather to form one of the greatest duos in recent memory. Angelotti finished her career with 1,622 points, 11th in Big 5 history. "Over the years, I've had the fortune to spot some kids that have been very talented and they've gone on to be successful in the programs," McGovern said. "The key to recruiting is projecting one's ability both in the classroom and on the basketball floor. It's just a matter of working hard and outhustling the other people." In spite of McGovern's recruiting successes and the solid performance of the team, he chose for financial reasons to move to an administrative position as the director of recreation and intramurals. Although McGovern missed being on the court and coaching, he remained close to the team by continuing to attend games and practices on a regular basis. In addition, his administrative role allowed him to more closely follow the national champion 1985 men's team. McGovern still cherishes his championship ring to this day. He was further pleased that his new position enabled him to continue working with young people in an athletic environment. "The advantage was that I was still around the game and working with an even greater number of students," McGovern said. When McGovern's position at Villanova was discontinued, he declined an offer to work as the assistant to the dean of engineering in order to stay close to the game. He instead used his Masters degree in Education to become a substitute high school teacher for the School District of Philadelphia and continued to own and run a baseball card store. McGovern is still a school teacher, but he has replaced his store with involvement with Nike and Foot Locker shootouts as a site director. The position allows him to travel and scout young talent throughout the country, and it has revitalized his desire to coach again. "I have burned with the desire to get back into coaching," McGovern said. "I realize that to get back into the game I've got to start over again and I am willing to work hard enough to do that." In fact, McGovern has already started working hard. Through his involvement with the shootouts and his connections in the basketball community, he has compiled evaluations of thousands of the top women high school basketball players in the country. These scouting reports include everything ranging from academic performance to vertical leap. His prior successes in recruiting will further help him evaluate this young talent. "Nothing really changes in recruiting," McGovern said. "The rules may have changed, but the evaluation of talent hasn't. You have to start recruiting a player from his or her freshman year. You have to talk to their coaches and then sit down with a teacher or counselor to find out if they can make it academically. The person you are recruiting must have the ability to win games for you." McGovern feels both his recruiting experience and coaching ability have been enhanced by his understanding of today's young people. His work as a teacher in Philadelphia high schools has allowed him to stay in touch with young student athletes. He agreed to help out friend Joseph McGinn and work as a security guard in the lobby of High Rise North because the job is another way for him to communicate with today's youth. "I've played, I've coached, I've recruited, and I've directed -- and now I have the ability to interact with the student body," McGovern said. "It makes you a better person and a better coach because you now understand the people you are recruiting. "Coaching is a matter of having a style and of recruiting players who are going to be able to play your style. You have to adapt your style to the talent around you. I look at Fran Dunphy's team and it exemplifies this." McGovern hopes to utilize these tools in a return to coaching. He wants to get back into the game as an assistant and would like to eventually be a head coach again. He was recently the runner-up for an assistant position with the Rutgers women's program and is currently searching for other opportunities. "I am no different except that I am older and I have experience," McGovern said. "I like to recruit and I can use my experience without being intimidating, and I have a good feel for the high school student of today." More than anything, McGovern's desire to coach again has been fueled by the pure love of the game he has shown since that fateful night at the Palestra in 1954. "The most fun you can have is going up against someone who has worked as hard as you have," he said. "The game itself is fun -- five on five, offense against defense, defense against offense. May the best team win."
(03/25/94 10:00am)
The Undergraduate Engineering Advisory Board held a "Dialogue with the Deans" this week in an attempt to give Engineering students the opportunity to discuss policies and issues with the administration. The UEAB, a student organization which acts as a link between the students, faculty and administration in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, invited Dean Gregory Farrington, Associate Dean John Keenan, Associate Dean of Educational Development and Special Programs Jacob Abel to respond to student questions and concerns. The forum focused on advising, hands-on projects and curriculum, topics selected by students, according to Michael Joel, head of the advisory board. The current advising system, which Keenan described as "faculty-centered," is designed to aid students not only in course selection, but in career searches and major selection as well. "While the system works well some of the time, it doesn't work at least some of the time," Keenan said. Student questionnaires, distributed by the UEAB, the Engineering Student Activities Council and Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, are designed to help the administration correct the current problems. Engineering students are encouraged to complete the questionnaires and return them to the Towne Building. Hands-on projects, the second major topic of discussion, are also a great concern for students interested in co-op type programs. "Hands-on is a hot phrase, and it looms large here," Abel said. The administration, he explained, is attempting to increase the number of available internships through alumni programs and encourage students to take on their own projects. But students complained that encouragement alone is not enough. "[We learn] so much theory, but [we] have to wait till senior year to apply it," one student commented. Abel countered that summer programs and hands-on experiences, like the school's solar car project, give students these opportunities. "We have a lot of experiences that I would call hands-on, brains-off," Keenan said. "And that's the problem." This can be corrected, he explained, by developing new experiments rather than reconducting traditional ones. Finally, the directed discussion turned to curriculum changes and options. One student argued that the Engineering School requires its students to take too many humanities courses, rather than focusing on gaining additional depth in Engineering subjects. Farrington's response was emphatic. "My conviction is that in an ideal world, we have too little humanities-type curriculum and in the ideal world, the people in the humanities have far too little science and engineering," he said. "It's not enough to know engineering and mathematics and calculus?you have to be able to figure out how this fits into the greater human condition and you have to be able to articulate your ideas," he added. The directed discussion was followed by questions from the approximately 50 students in the audience.
(03/21/94 10:00am)
Santirocco to depart in June After only a year and a half as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Matthew Santirocco will leave the University after this semester to become dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at New York University. There, he will receive a full deanship and play an intricate role in coordinating the research and study of classical studies, his area of interest. "The combination of being an architect for rethinking undergraduate education and coordinating classical studies is a special opportunity," Santirocco said. "I'm being given a free hand to create something special in classics as well as the college." Santirocco said last night that he was not leaving his position of College Dean and Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences because of any differences or problems with the University. "I'm very concerned that people realize that I still feel positively about Penn," he said. "I love Penn." In fact, Santirocco said he had not been looking for other jobs, citing his satisfaction at the University. He said, though, that he and NYU had been talking "casually" for some time before he was offered the position over spring break. After debating his options, Santirocco said he accepted the position Thursday. NYU administrators and faculty expressed widespread excitement over Santirocco's acceptance of the offer at their university. "We are lucky to have been able to bring the leadership of the College a scholar of this prominence," said C. Duncan Rice, vice chancellor and dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at NYU, in a statement. Anticipation over Santirocco's arrival was also expressed last week by members of the Classical Studies Department, where he will be a professor. "Dr. Santirocco is a very distinguished scholar in classical studies and he has considerable interest and experience in developing programs in ancient studies," Classical Studies Department Chairperson Melvin Dilts said in a statement. "He will be a tremendous asset to the College's new core program, which focuses in part on integrating the classical with the modern, and highlighting the ongoing dialogue we maintain with ancient literatures, art and culture," he added. While NYU administrators are overjoyed with Santirocco's selection, University administrators, faculty and students are upset over their loss. "Matthew Santirocco has made a terrific mark on the College in the past year and a half," School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said last week. "He'll be sorely missed by all of us." Matthew Kratter, chairperson of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, also expressed sorrow over Santirocco's decision to leave. "NYU really got a great person to be leading their School of Arts and Sciences," said Kratter, an Engineering junior. "He's always been close with students here and he is the best candidate for dean at NYU and anywhere else." Melvyn Hammarberg, Undergraduate Chairperson of the American Civilization Department, voiced similar sentiments. "I congratulate him," Hammarberg said. "He's had many good ideas and he has tried to work hard for them." Santirocco initiated a number of educational and institutional reforms focused on giving the College "an identity it did not have" during his year and a half as dean. He was the main force behind the College office's move to Houston Hall this summer, the revamping of the freshmen advising system and a rethinking of the General Requirement, which is currently underway. "I am absolutely devastated [by Santirocco's leaving] because he is absolutely wonderful and because he brought a new spirit to undergraduate education," Interim President Claire Fagin said last night. "It is going to be a daunting challenge to find somebody who has similar values, is as strong a person and can carry forth the things that Matthew has put in place." Stevens said last week that she intends to form advisory groups of faculty and students to consult with her in her search to find the next College dean. Santirocco said he will miss everybody at the University. "I feel extraordinarily close to [Rosemary Stevens], the faculty, the staff of the College office and, most importantly, the students," Santirocco said. "Penn has become not only a group of colleagues, but family to me."
(02/03/94 10:00am)
There had to be a few anxious moments for the Penn women's basketball team during the first half of its win over Lehigh Monday night at the Palestra when senior center Katarina Poulsen picked up her third foul and joined junior forward Shelly Dieterle, who also had three fouls, on the bench. It looked like trouble for the Quakers when their two main inside players were forced to take an extended break. The situation appeared especially grim because of the replacements Penn brought in when Poulsen took a seat. Penn coach Julie Soriero turned to freshmen Nicki Pozzi, Amanda Coulter and Amy Tarr, who between them had scored eight points over the course of the entire season. Not only did the Quakers survive with Poulsen and Dieterle on the bench, they prospered, pushing a 24-20 lead to 37-26 before Lehigh closed the gap to 39-32 as the teams went into the locker room. The freshmen did little to pad their statistics, but what was noteworthy was the significant amount of playing time they received. Together they saw 19 minutes of action in the game. The result was a first for the Quakers this season -- they were able to go deeper into their bench than their opponent, using nine players to Lehigh's eight. The play of Penn's bench, which was called into question when it was outscored 18-5 by Princeton's reserves in a loss to the Tigers this past Saturday, appeared to be more a benefit than a drawback against the Engineers. The Quakers hope over the next few games they will be able to develop their bench play even further, so they will have a chance of being as deep as the Yales and Browns of the world when the season enters the home stretch. "Getting other players involved is going to boost their confidence and make them feel like they can contribute as well," junior guard Shelly Bowers said. "I think we're going to utilize that down the stretch?especially with the way our schedule is -- doubleheaders every weekend." · Pozzi's play against Lehigh must have been especially pleasing for Soriero, who is desperately searching for someone to play quality minutes inside now that freshman Deana Lewis, the former backup center, is out for the season with a knee injury. Seeing her first important playing time of the season after being out with a serious knee injury of her own, Pozzi made several key plays to help keep the Engineers at bay during the latter part of the first half. "I think she just did a real nice job," Soriero said. "She didn't try too hard to do anything we didn't ask her to do. She played within herself and gave us good minutes." Pozzi is trying to write one of those remarkable comeback stories. In the last high school game of her career, she suffered one of the most dreaded injuries in sports when she tore the anterior cruciate ligament of her left knee. She spent the first part of this season rehabilitating, and finally started practicing after Winter Break. After seeing minimal action against Harvard and Lafayette, Pozzi spelled Poulsen with seven minutes remaining in the first half against Lehigh and netted her first points of the season on a layup with 19 seconds left before intermission. She also grabbed four big rebounds and generally looked mobile. Pozzi is confident that eventually she will be able to fill the shoes of Lewis, who was just coming on as a player when she got injured. "I still have a lot of work to do to fill what [Lewis] did," Pozzi said. "Sometimes I'm too hard on myself, but that pushes me to do more. Eventually my confidence will definitely come back. In practice it's been kind of a scary thing thinking about the injury, but then you forget about that and just play." · If the Quakers gave out a team MVP award today, the likely recipient would be senior co-captain Julie Gabriel. Long known for her defensive ability, Gabriel has taken it upon herself to do more scoring this year and has developed into perhaps the best all-around performer on the team. Since competing in a tournament in Florida during Winter Break, she has averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds per game while remaining a top defender. She can play at either forward position as well as the two-guard spot. More often than not she plays the entire 40 minutes each game, a welcome sight for a team that has had depth problems this season. "She's always been our most consistent and aggressive defensive player and it's wonderful this year to see the offense come to life," Soriero said. "She epitomizes what a good leader should be both on and off the floor and I couldn't ask for anything more from her." For her part, Gabriel sees her stepped-up play this season as much a result of necessity as anything else. "I like to play as much as I can because it's frustrating to be on the bench," Gabriel said. "In the past I took a backseat but this year I couldn't do that. It was a little more vital for me to play well offensively."
(01/31/94 10:00am)
University President-elect Judith Rodin said she is against speech codes in a telephone interview from New Haven, Conn. Friday. "I believe in norms, not speech codes," Rodin said, adding that she feels very strongly about free expression and First Amendment rights. "The freedom to speak the unthinkable and think the unthinkable is the way knowledge evolves and paradigms change," she said. "It is for that reason universities must commit themselves to preserving free expression." But Rodin also said she believes in "freedom of responsibility" and thinks that "hateful, hurtful things done to individuals are intolerable." "What Penn is facing is evolving the kind of norms that prevent hateful speech," she said. "That process will take time." Recommendations for changing the University community's norms will constitute a large part of the report of the Commission on Strengthening the Community, due out in tomorrow's Almanac. Rodin said she was not briefed on the Commission's report during her meetings on campus last week, but added that she expects she will be over the coming weeks. During her visit, Rodin spent her time meeting with senior members of the administration, including Interim President Claire Fagin and Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson. Fagin and Lazerson are the ones responsible for starting to implement the Commission's report, Rodin said. While the University's next president did not elaborate on the Commission's report, she did speak about an issue over which she has ultimate responsibility -- the selection of the University's next permanent provost. Outlining the information she told the Provost Search Committee during its meeting with her last week, Rodin said she wants a provost with a distinguished academic record. "I would like to see someone with very high academic credentials and standards," she said. "They have to be a good decision-maker with good academic standards and someone who really cares about students and can relate well to faculty." As president, Rodin will be working very closely with the provost, she said, adding that good chemistry between them is essential. Rodin did not offer the committee any names to consider during her visit, though. The search committee will give Rodin a slate of finalists from which she will select the next provost. Provost Search Committee Chairperson Andrew Postlewaite said he would like to have this list to Rodin sometime in March. While on campus Rodin also met with other officials in hopes of finding out more about them and the University. "I learned a lot," she said. "It's just the beginning point in my transition but I got to know the leadership of the Faculty Senate groups and senior planning group. It was a very successful day." Her meetings with Fagin and Lazerson allowed for candid discussion on a broad range of issues, Rodin added. "We discussed everything from re-engineering central administration to student life to core academic issues and the broad issues that are facing Penn from their perspective," she said. "I got to learn what was on their plates for the next couple of months and then, with each of them, I wanted to get up to speed on the process of decision-making at Penn," Rodin added. The president-elect, who is currently Yale University's provost, said she is asking as many people as possible how decisions are made at the University in order to gain a full understanding of the way the University functions. She refused to go into detail about possible changes she may make. Although Rodin was on campus for the whole day Wednesday, her tight schedule did not allow her to meet with student groups. She said, though, she will scheduling meetings with student leaders for when she returns to campus in March. At that time, she will also begin having meetings with individual faculty members, as well senior administrators. Rodin has also requested background papers from several groups. "It struck me that so many of the issues we are still dealing with were the subject of the reports of committees in the past," she said. "I want to find out why. This is another way I expect to learn." Because she was only able to meet with some of the University's administrative staff Wednesday, Rodin said it is too early to say what personnel changes she may make. While Rodin is expected to start work in June, she said she is unsure when she will move into Eisenlohr, the presidential mansion on Walnut Street. She said that will depend on when her 11-year-old son, Alex, finishes school in New Haven and when Fagin will be moving out of the house. "[Eisenlohr] needs painting," she added.
(01/28/94 10:00am)
If Wednesday's series of introductory meetings were any indication of President-elect Judith Rodin's transition to the University, all is likely to run smoothly. Faculty and administrators said yesterday they were uniformly impressed with the woman who will be the University's seventh president and the Ivy League's first permanent woman chief. "I think she is a very exciting and engaging woman of enormous energy and convictions," School of Engineering and Applied Science Dean Gregory Farrington said. Farrington, who met with Rodin and the Council of Deans, said he thought Rodin asked very insightful questions. "She struck me as someone who knows how to ask very good questions," he said. "I think [the deans] conveyed as a group our sense that this is a marvelous University full of untapped opportunity." School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens described Rodin's meeting with the deans as "freewheeling" and "wonderful." "I thought it was an excellent candid conversation among the deans ranging very broadly from how we think about the University to specific topics in undergraduate education," she said. Stevens said the deans specifically talked about issues of class size and how University students are expected "to be street smart" in selecting courses from a vast number of offerings. In addition to meeting with the Dean's Council, Rodin also had discussions with Interim President Claire Fagin, Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson, the Faculty Senate leadership and the Provost's Search Committee. Wednesday night she was treated to dinner with the deans and several other top University officials at Eisenlohr, Fagin's presidential mansion on Walnut Street. Economics Professor Andrew Postlewaite, the Provost's Search Committee chairperson, said yesterday his committee's meeting with Rodin allowed it to hear what qualities Rodin would like to see in the future provost. "The meeting was mostly just to get acquainted and it's very early in her transition," Postlewaite said. "We went through a little bit about her ideas and how she might interact with the provost." Rodin has ultimate responsibility for selection of the next permanent provost, choosing from a slate of finalist that the search committee will present to her. This list will be presented to Rodin sometime in March, Postlewaite said, adding that the committee's charter prevents him from speaking about any specific candidates that may be under consideration. Faculty Senate Chairperson Gerald Porter also said his meeting with Rodin went well. "I thought it was great," he said. "We explored a whole bunch of issues. Obviously the University has changed a bit since she was here and the perspective from the top is different from a student's perspective." Rodin graduated from the University in 1966. Porter said the Faculty Senate explored relations between the faculty and the administration, exchanging mutual assurances that both faculty and future-president will be open to each other's input and feedback. Wednesday's meetings are only the first phase of Rodin's transition, but Rodin will not have another chance to visit campus and meet with University leaders until March. Rodin, who is still provost at Yale University, has a budgeting process to complete and other duties to perform before she can begin to focus more attention on the transition. University Secretary Barbara Stevens, whose office is managing Rodin's transition team, said that after the University's spring break, Rodin will be on campus for meetings and discussions on a bi-weekly basis. Rodin officially assumes the University presidency in June. Stevens said the transition process will continue into next fall as Rodin becomes more acquainted with the University.
(01/25/94 10:00am)
A search committee to find a new dean for the Graduate School of Education will be officially named this week, Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson said Friday at a meeting of the University Board of Trustees. Lazerson served as GSE dean for six years before assuming the position of provost in April. He was replaced by Acting Dean Nancy Hornberger. The search committee will be chaired by GSE and Annenberg School of Communication Professor Rebecca Maynard, Executive Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons said yesterday. Educational Leadership Division Chairperson Charles Dwyer, Psychology in Education Professor Margaret Beale Spencer and Educational Leadership Professor Morton Botel will be among the other GSE faculty members serving on the committee. The GSE student representatives on the committee will be James Citron and Meredith Kelsey. Administration appointments to the committee include Assistant Education Professor Howard Stevenson and Material Science and Engineering Professor Wayne Worrell. The GSE Board of Overseers representative on the Committee is Benjamin Ashcom, and the dean on the committee is School of Social Work Dean Ira Schwartz. Koons said the Provost's office is still looking to fill one more position on the committee. Because of his previous relationship with the school, Lazerson will have minimal contact with the search committee, Koons said. The committee will be supervised by Interim President Claire Fagin's office and Deputy Provost Walter Wales. Once the Committee is fully in place, it will be briefed by Fagin and Wales and a time frame will be discussed for the completion of the search, Koons said. Hornberger has agreed to stay on as acting dean until a permanent replacement is chosen.
(01/20/94 10:00am)
City, state forced to shut down In response to icy conditions and power shutdowns, Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey declared a state of emergency for the state yesterday and asked businesses to close early and remain closed today. All school districts in the state were urged to do the same, according to State Spokesman John Taylor. And municipal governments were requested to retain only "skeletal staffs and personnel." Casey asked all state residents to turn their thermostats down to 65 degrees yesterday to help preserve energy, which is being used up at record rates. Electricity power has dropped in buildings and houses all across Philadelphia in a series of what Philadelphia Electric Company spokesperson David Hackney calls "brownouts" and "rolling blackouts." Hackney said electricity shutdowns are in response to the unusually bitter weather that has plagued the city since Sunday. To fight the chill from outside, Philadelphians have increased the heat in their homes and businesses by more than one third the amount normally used on a winter's day, Hackney explained. PECO first countered the energy shortage, caused by an overall turning up of thermostats, at 5 a.m. yesterday by implementing a "brownout" -- a five percent decrease in voltage -- across the city. But the brownouts were not enough to fight a rapidly depleting power supply, Hackney said. To save more energy, PECO began a series of "rolling blackouts," in which over 100,000 residents experienced complete power losses at half-hour intervals. Northeast Philadelphia was hardest hit by the rolling blackouts. Despite warnings to the contrary, though, University dormitories and buildings did not experience brownouts or rolling blackouts. Around the city and state, the effects of the weather were hard felt. At least four deaths are blamed on the weather, and hospitals statewide are treating many more people for weather-related injuries. Service at the Philadelphia International Airport was also down yesterday. "It's not a result of our airport," an airport spokesperson said. "Our crews work around the clock putting down salt. There have been delays and cancellations because of bad weather at other airports." The weather has also been responsible for the ice on city streets and highways. Acting Chief Engineer for Highways Kevin Koch said the city's salt supply has become "critical." He added, though, that "salt's not that effective in a situation like this." "We're waiting for sunshine," Koch said. As the thick ice covering roads and driveways remains intact, Philadelphians have decided not to fight City Hall and have rushed to area retail stores in search of their own salt and shovels. Caldor Department Store Manager Sue Murray said the enormous outlet near Franklin Mills ran out of salt and shovels early yesterday. Desperate customers tossed huge supplies of "kitty litter" in their shopping carts to try to ameliorate the slippery conditions. "Kitty litter helps create traction," Murray explained. "It's a lot like sand." But while Caldor thrives on kitty litter sales, other small businesses have suffered. Donna Niedosik, an employee at Scott Florist on Frankford Avenue, said the cold weather is killing her flowers. "Our flowers are freezing," Niedosik said. "By the time we get them in and out of the delivery trucks, they freeze. And when you finally dethaw them, they're dead." And Carol Watkins of the Dan Watkins & Son Chimney Service said although power losses have caused an increase in the need for service to fireplaces and chimneys, chimney sweepers have not been able to get close to the problem spots. "Our problem has been trying to get a ladder up for repair," Watkins said. "They're all iced to the ground."
(11/16/93 10:00am)
From Gregory Pavlik's "Note from the Laundry Room," Fall '93 From Gregory Pavlik's "Note from the Laundry Room," Fall '93Attentive readers of the Daily Pennsylvanian will already have noticed that William F. Buckley and his TV entourage will be pulling into the University of Pennsylvania campus to film a special episode of Firing Line, his boring, weekly PBS program, on the subject of – what else? – free speech. All two people who still want to hear rehashes of the water buffalo and DP confiscation stories will want to set aside time on their calenders for this one. But there is an important question that needs to be raised with regard to his visit. How is it that Buckley can stroll in and pass himself off as a civil libertarian on speech when his book before last, In Search of Anti-Semitism, was a rather convoluted argument in support of content-based speech codes for journalists? Ostensibly, the subject of his book is anti-Semitism, but he never quite gets around to defining what that term means. He does suggest however that "the structure of prevailing taboos respecting Israel and the Jews is welcome." The book breaks down to this: anyone guilty of breaking these "taboos" – again, undefined – is suspect of being an anti-Semite, and therefore is in need of expulsion from the world of journalism and opinion. In practice, this amounts to an effective media blackout on anything that a small clique of ultra-Zionist neoconservatives deem to be at odds with Jewish interests. As if to illustrate this point, Buckley, after agreeing to give space for the individuals insulted in his essay to respond, refused to run a letter from Professor Paul Gottfried – a prominent Jewish critic of neoconservatism. Now, I have no qualms with Israel's right to exist. There are many admirable qualities about the country. But no country is without its flaws, and no one has the right to squelch the voices of anyone that would dare to discuss those flaws. Not within what we still call the land of the free. Of course, this whole discussion provokes a range of questions: How is it that the editor of Commentary magazine and his wife, both of whom Buckley seems particularly eager to please, speak for all Jews everywhere? Are certain ultra-Orthodox Jews "anti-semitic" for their opposition to Zionism? And, the question I'll try to shed some light on, why is Buckley so desperate to suck up to the neoconservative interests represented by the Podhoretzes? Some light was shed on the subject in the September 30, 1993 issue of the Wanderer, a Catholic weekly. In an essay entitled "My Dinner with Bill," Sobran recounts an interesting story about a dinner conversation with Buckley. After he explained to Sobran the need to come to terms with the media power of the Podhoretz clan, the conversation took a revealing turn. As Sobran recounts: "I had just met a dear old Irish Catholic couple, by the name of Sullivan, at my friend Kevin Lynch's house . . . they told me one of the sweetest things I'd ever heard: that they prayed for me in their daily rosaries. I thought that Bill [Buckley] might find this moving too, so I told him about it. If I live to be 100, I'll never forget his reaction. His face just curdled in contempt, and he snarled, 'You don't need those people.'" Oh? As Sobran points out, "those people" are the kind of people that supported the National Review from the start. Not only does Buckley need "those people," but he owes them. Sobran's keenest observation is also the greatest irony of the whole episode. It was devout Catholics like that couple who were the most fervent apologists for Buckley when his current set of friends were busying themselves denouncing Buckley as a Nazi. Buckley would have plenty of Jewish support without pandering to neoconservatives like the Podhoretzes, and these people would have been authentic allies. Equally as revealing is Buckley's treatment in his book of celebrated author Gore Vidal. Vidal's crime was to write a scintillating piece in my favorite weekly, the Nation, entitled "The Empire Lover's Strike Back." It seems the victims of his roast were Norman Podhoretz and Midge Decter. The verdict, as we have seen, for anyone that disagrees with them – let alone insults them – is "anti-Semite." Of course, Vidal was being funny and not at all anti-Semitic in his writings. But since he made the reasonable suggestion that the Podhoretzes register with the Justice Department before continuing their lobbying on behalf of a foreign power, he stepped over the line. So it seems that the explanation for Buckley's little tirade and his personal betrayals amounts to his willingness to stoop to any level to please those centered around a New York neoconservative elite. In order to fully reflect the interests of any minority, we must have the necessary protections of speech codes, etc., that are always demanded when an agenda might be threatened by honest and open debate. I still scratch my head and wonder why we need to fight wars in the Middle East, or dish out foreign aid, or tolerate the bombing of U.S. ships, or excuse the spying of a foreign country, or ... you get the picture. But under the auspices of Pope Bill and his friends, no one is allowed to talk about any of these things – unless they have the proscribed opinion. Buckley should take his dog and pony show elsewhere. Maybe Penthouse will be holding a forum on free speech soon. I know they've enjoyed his contributions in the past. Gregory Pavlik is a senior Materials Science and Engineering major from Delran, New Jersey. Idols of the Theater appears alternate Tuesdays.
(11/01/93 10:00am)
A debate has emerged over mandatory service for students. The aim of learning is service. Over the past few years, Benjamin Franklin's famous quotation has come to hold more importance at his University. Administrators have long searched for a way to fulfill the University's primary goal of providing education, while providing service to the West Philadelphia community at the same time. For some of the University's schools, mandatory community service has been seen as the solution. The Dental School, the Law School and now the Wharton School have instituted a community service requirement for graduation. Officials in those schools say these requirements are the best way to involve students in the problems of the outside world. They say service enriches the educational experience. At the Law School, students must do legal work in order to graduate. "I'm a big fan of the program," Law School Dean Colin Diver said. "It gives students hands on experience in many different settings." Critics of such programs, however, argue the words "mandatory" and "community service" simply cannot co-exist. They say students can't be forced to be "do-gooders." Engineering Dean Gregory Farrington says he is opposed to the concept of mandatory service. "I think there's something inconsistent between community service and mandatory," Farrington said. "I strongly encourage our students to become involved in the community but I don't intend to make it any kind of requirement." Unlike the Law School, Wharton is combining service and education in a different way. Through Wharton 101, a required course for freshmen now in its second year, students must participate in some type of community-related project. This semester, some students are working with a program that teaches young people how to prevent fires; others are raising money for the Children's Advocate Center. The projects, which are completed during a two-month period, are designed to provide service and support to the community and to enable students to put communication and leadership skills into practice, London said. "Some of the projects are business related, we want students to learn to work together effectively in a team," London said. London says he has heard no complaints about the idea of mandatory community involvement. "I think it will show students the pleasures and rewards that come through community service," he said. "The Penn community is supportive of the idea of Wharton reaching out." By making service part of a mandatory course, London says, many students who might not have gotten involved in such endeavors find themselves "uplifted" by the experience. "I hope that people will view positive involvement in society as a part of living," London said. "The students really get a lot from this program, contacts, networks and skills. Everyone knows there's more to life than making money and, if they don't, they find it out." London hopes Wharton will be an example to other business schools. "The community has been very receptive of us," he said. "There has been a sense of demand from the community to get Wharton more involved and this is an important step in that direction." Doug Levy, a Wharton and College junior and teaching assistant for Wharton 101, says students in his project are really getting something out of the course. "I think the students enjoy this more than finance or econ," Levy said. "It's nice to have a class where you get to use your skills to make a difference in someone else's life." Levy says the students haven't been opposed to mandatory public service and many students who might not have gotten involved on their own really enjoy it. "Many of the students are planning to continue even after Wharton 101 is over, so I think that's a good indicator that the students are enjoying the experience," he said. Community service programs in the Dental and Law schools are relatively new. In 1989, the faculty of the Law School adopted their requirement of public service. Each second- and third-year student is expected to do at least 35 hours of service, with a total of 70 hours required for graduation. The Class of '92 was the first to graduate having completed the requirement. Diver says his program has had "enormous success." Although some students may not be excited about the requirement when they start out, they end up appreciating their experience. "It gives students a form of practical experience and introduces them to problems of society that they may not know about," Diver said. "It's a wonderful way to provide service to the community. We alone provide 16,000 hours of public service work to Philadelphia each year." This program has a multiplier effect, Diver says. Not only have other law schools started to adopt policies of mandatory community service, but many legal firms have increased the number of pro bono cases they work on because they know they can count on University students to help. Diver says the words "mandatory" and "service" are not in conflict here. The University is private and if a student is adamantly opposed to doing community service, he or she should choose another school, Diver says. Diver says such a program could benefit other schools on campus, including undergraduates. "A well-designed and well-structured public service program can be good for anyone," he said. "It has to have educational goals though, service alone is not enough to mandate such a requirement." In the Dental School, the idea of devoting time to community needs has been incorporated into the mission of the school, and the first class to complete the 35-hour requirement graduated last spring. Herman Segal, associate dean of community relations for the Dental School, says he hopes the program helps students to better understand the community. "I want to give the students insight into the overall living conditions of the people they will be helping in the dental profession," Segal said. "It gives students a sense of community service and helps to reinforce goals." Carol Cooper, director of community service for the Dental School, says she has not seen much, if any, opposition to completing the mandatory 35 hours of service. "Students love going out and say, 'I feel so much better after doing this'," Cooper said. "I think it is a wonderful idea, especially for our location." Even those students who were less than enthusiastic about doing their service at first change their attitudes after they started, Segal says. "By and large, we've had a good student response," Segal said. "There are many students who have gone above and beyond the 35-hour requirement." Segal, one of the program's founders, hopes community service opens his students' eyes to the problems that exist in the community and teaches them to work together to help. "I think this type of involvement really gives students a new perspective and helps to fight stereotypes," he said. Segal, like Diver, does not find fault in linking the ideas of mandatory and service together. "We turned this from a voluntary into a mandatory program," Segal said. "I guess mandatory does mean forcing students, but it really wasn't that much of a job to force them. "I see nothing but good to come out of it. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have to make things mandatory." Third-year Dental student Anne Glasschroeder says her fellow students seem pleased with the program and everyone gets the hours completed. "I think as far as dentistry, it really opens up all of our eyes to what's out there," she said. "It's a good way to understand where your future patients are coming from." Community service will probably not be mandatory for the rest of the University's undergraduates in the near future. College Dean Matthew Santirocco says the faculty and administration are interested in finding a way to put more learning and service together. "We're exploring different methods of implementing community service into the curriculum," he said. "We want to make a richer model to build service into the community." But Santirocco has not ruled out mandatory service down the road. The University community on the whole seems invested in finding an appropriate method to further involve students in the community. "We don't yet know which way best serves the needs of the community and the students," Director of Community Relations Glen Bryan said. "You expect that voluntary service is preferred because students have a greater interest in what they're doing, but in terms of results we really don't know which is better." Assistant to the President Nicholas Constan said he believes mandatory and voluntary are two very different concepts, but community service can be either. "I'm generally in favor of public service in the areas where it is compatible with the educational mission," Constan said. "I urge all students to get involved with a volunteer experience." Spruce Hill Association Vice President David Hochman says the community encourages students to become involved in the community, regardless of why they are helping out. The Dental School's Segal admits that students cannot be forced to enjoy helping others. But, he said, "You can legislate exposure to meet other people."
(10/04/93 9:00am)
Pizza, hamburgers and even a roasted pig were grabbing the attention at fraternities across campus yesterday afternoon. As Interfraternity Council rush began, all over campus yesterday, one was bound to see packs of freshman males. Donning name tags, they could be found roaming aimlessly along Locust Walk and Walnut and Spruce streets in search of more and more free food. Engineering freshman Jason Shefrin said he had been to about six barbecues and planned to attend a few more as he munched on a slice of free pizza at Sigma Nu. "It's like Halloween," he said. "We're going to go where there is anything we can get for free." College freshman Edward Lee admitted he wasn't interested in rushing anywhere and friends brought him along. "I came basically for food," he said at Kappa Alpha Society while waiting in line for a hamburger. But, for those seeking a culinary adventure – more than just your standard barbecue fare – Phi Delta Theta was the place to be. The theme of Phi Delt's barbecue was "game roast," brother Matt Kaiser said. "We're serving pig, rabbit and chicken," the College senior said. "We had gator last year." But the brave and daring were in for a disappointment. Alligator meat was not on the menu this year. Rick Thompson, IFC executive vice president for rush, said his house, Sigma Phi Epsilon, had a tremendous turnout. And the food was definitely a factor. "We had about 350 people at one time eating dinner at our place," he said. Sig Ep offered a "Surf and Turf" meal of steak and lobster tails. Despite the abundance and variety of free food being served at the fraternities, students still came to these events with the hopes of finding the right fraternity to rush. "I am trying to make a good impression and the frats are doing that as well," said College freshman Chris Fichter as he watched a plastic cup go up in flames at Phi Delt's game roast. Bart Murphy, an Engineering freshman, said the fraternities offer a chance to have some fun while at the University. "The fraternities show you how to have a good time," he said. "I'm very interested in rushing. I'm not here just for the free food." But not everyone was pleased with the first day of rush. "It was mostly superficial," said Bill Borden, a College freshman. "You don't really get to meet people." But, regardless of their views on the Greek system, one belief was shared by the rushees. "The free food was good," Borden said.
(09/30/93 9:00am)
and CHRIS FOX The Penn women's soccer team (0-3-1) faces Lehigh (3-5) at Franklin Field tonight (7:30 p.m.) in a must-win situation. Well, it's not quite do or die, but a win sure wouldn't hurt. After struggling through their first four contests the Quakers are searching for that coveted first win against a beatable Lehigh squad. Since this is a non-Ivy League game, the Penn team is optimistic of their chances for success. "There are certain games we're supposed to win," Penn coach Suzette Wolf said. "It's a reasonable goal for us to win every game out of our conference. We have a very legitimate shot at beating Lehigh." Penn comes into this game after being blanked by current Ivy leader Dartmouth, a game that saw the Quakers try an unorthodox game plan in an attempt to contain the multiple stars of a tough Big Green squad. Today the Quakers will have to deal with the Engineers' key player – sophomore halfback Dia Johnson. Johnson, who scored the game-winning goal in Lehigh's previous contest against La Salle, will be a difficult challenge for the young Quaker defense. Handling the defending duties on Johnson tonight will be freshman Heather Herson. "[Last year sophomore midfielder] Heike Krippendorff totally kept her [Johnson] out of the picture until the second half," Wolf said. "We never should have lost that game. If we play her closely, we should do well." The Quakers, not proud of last year's 3-2 loss to the Engineers, are looking for revenge tonight. Shedding the conservative defensive style mounted against Dartmouth, Penn has improved its overall team fitness and is looking to finally showcase its offensive arsenal. However, expectations might run short if the Quakers can't put the ball in the net, a problem that has limited the team to only a pair of goals thus far this season. "We have to work the ball better, finish our shots, and take the goal-scoring opportunities we get more seriously," Wolf said. "We have to capitalize on them." Penn will rely on the sure feet of freshman forward Yuka Morita and sophomore midfielder Kelly Nolan on offense and a surging defense with a now-healthy senior captain Debbie Goldklang back in net. "We deserve to win," junior defender Debbie Greene said. "We're the better team." A Penn team that fields only three upperclassmen and starts six freshmen may find an away game in the Ivy League to be too big a challenge, but the contest against the Engineers should be theirs for the taking. "It's hard because we're so young," Wolf said. "I'm not going to say that we're going to beat a Harvard, Yale, or Dartmouth. A lot of Ivy games are still out of reach for us, but we're playing well in general, and I anticipate a good game." "We're a young team, but we're learning and gaining experience," sophomore defender Meg Kinney said. "Ivy teams are better skilled, and we're used to playing on their level. Lehigh is not the same caliber as the Ivy League. We want to transfer the way we play against Ivy teams onto Lehigh." Tonight's will be on the familiar astroturf of Franklin Field, a clear advantage for the Quakers. But the greatest advantage might be morale, as the Quakers enter this non-Ivy contest without their accustomed underdog role. "Physically, we can play with them," Kinney said. "Mentally, we're on this losing streak, and for our team's sake, we have to win. We want to break it. We don't want to lose again on Franklin Field." "I expect to win," Wolf said. "And I think [the team does] too."
