Penn Health System losses top $300 mil.
(06/01/00 9:00am)
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JOKE ISSUE: Campaign violations discovered
(04/10/00 9:00am)
[NOTE: This article appeared in the annual joke issue.] Giving a new meaning to political corruption, five of the 10 highest vote-getters in last week's Undergraduate Assembly elections have been expelled from the body after committing various campaign violations during the past several weeks. The Nominations and Elections Committee had initially discovered minimal wrongdoing among the victorious candidates and even hailed this year's election as one of the cleanest in recent memory. Upon further investigation this weekend, though, the NEC recognized that it had overlooked "heinous" violations committed by UA veterans and newcomers alike. Among those implicated are College freshman Aaron Short, the second-highest vote-getter among all of the candidates, and College junior Michael Bassik, the current UA treasurer, who received the most votes in this year's election. Short had evoked sympathy among voters when he appeared in a front-page story in The Daily Pennsylvanian in which he claimed to have had his appendix removed. Students overwhelmingly responded to the fact that Short was running his campaign from his hospital bed -- gown and all. But one day after the election, the doctors and nurses who treated him at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania said they never actually treated him at all. "Physically, the kid was in perfect shape," said rheumatologist William Kelley, who was, until recently, the chief executive officer of Penn's Health System. "He said he needed the bed for a photo. Who am I at this place to say no?" Meanwhile, Bassik, a UA fixture since his freshman year, was expelled after NEC officials discovered that he offered bribes to voters and attempted to buy an endorsement from the DP. "This egregious protocol inadequacy is extraordinarily insulting to my incredibly significant status. Really just extraordinary," mumbled DP Executive Editor Binyamin Appelbaum, a College junior. "I hope this will not come back to haunt me in my bid to one day be president of this very fine country," an uncharacteristically unkempt Bassik told a crowd of onlookers at his College Hall press conference last night. "The embarrassment of this situation even made me forget to gel my hair this morning. Please go to my home page, www.michaelbassik.com, to read more about me." Penn Students Against Campaign Violations said they were outraged at the candidates' misbehavior and will hold a protest to declare that Kris Ryan should be elected in the violators' places. Said one member, "We agree with Kris."
News Analysis: Kelley's dismissal not a total surprise
(02/18/00 10:00am)
The nametag for William Kelley remained on the table outside the University Trustees meeting yesterday long after the gathering had ended, unclaimed by the man who had just been relieved of his duties as head of Penn's expansive Health System. Kelley, who for more than 10 years served as dean of Penn's School of Medicine and spearheaded the creation of the $1.9 billion University Health System, was ousted yesterday from his position as head of the financially troubled system. The announcement comes as little surprise to those who watched UPHS suffer through two-year losses of nearly $300 million, the planned elimination of 20 percent of the Health System's workforce and the retention of an outside consulting firm to fix the progressively more devastating financial crisis. The crisis has also affected the academic side of the University, particularly the Medical School, which has for years relied on UPHS profits for funding. Still, throughout long months of difficulty, Penn administrators, including University President Judith Rodin, had said Kelley's job would be secure, insisting that he was capable of leading the Health System's efforts at remediation. And the academic prestige of the Medical School -- which boasts a No. 3 national ranking from U.S. News & World Report and is second in research funding from the National Institutes of Health -- is at an all-time high. "From an academic perspective, if you look at the accomplishments? I think it's been unparalleled," said Stanley Goldfarb, the senior vice chair for clinical affairs of the Department of Medicine. The financial problems exploded late last spring when Kelley announced that the Health System would slash its workforce by 9 percent. UPHS eliminated 1,100 full-time positions and laid off 450 employees in programs ranging from Human Resources to Finance to Information Systems. The Health System's four wholly-owned affiliates -- the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Phoenixville, Presbyterian and Pennsylvania hospitals -- were left to struggle with significantly fewer resources, nurses and administrators in the wake of the system-wide layoffs, which followed news of a $90 million deficit for Fiscal Year 1998. Kelley said at the time that he and other top UPHS officials were projecting similar losses for the next year. The actual deficit for FY 1999, as the Trustees would learn at their October meeting, was $198 million -- more than twice that of the previous fiscal year. At the Budget and Finance committee meeting of the Trustees four months ago, Kelley announced that UPHS would eliminate an additional 1,700 positions over the next six months in order to complete the 20 percent reduction. He also said that he planned to remain in his position at Penn until the crisis was resolved. And until recently, top Penn administrators said they expected Kelley to finish out his term as dean, which was set to expire next summer. After all, throughout the problems, UPHS officials have maintained that the Health System's financial difficulties were no different than the ones facing other large academic health systems. Specifically, Kelley and other administrators have long attributed the Health System's deficit to several issues which are unique to the Philadelphia health care market, including the dominance of two payers -- Blue Cross and Aetna, which together control 80 percent of the market -- too many hospital beds and the absence of state reimbursements for indigent care. In addition, health systems nationwide have struggled with slashed Medicare payments, a result of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. "So much of [the problem] was due to changes in the reimbursement scheme," Goldfarb said. "This seems to be a function of location and particular structures."
Susanna Foo: It's where East meets West
(02/16/00 10:00am)
If you think that the who's who of Philadelphia satisfy their Chinese food cravings at Beijing and the Hong Kong Cafe, think again. Not that the ritzy Susanna Foo, located at 1512 Walnut Street, fits snugly into the standard Chinese restaurant category. In fact, with its extensive can't-go-wrong menu, exquisitely designed dining room and impressive reputation, Susanna Foo is a shining star along the city's famed Restaurant Row. Enter Susanna Foo and one of the first things you'll notice is the long rectangular-shaped dining room that stretches the full length of the restaurant. On a typical weekend night, expect each of the 25 or so tables to be completely occupied. In the dining room itself, while the tuxedo-clad waiters and waitresses attend to all of your needs, the large mirrors with Chinese-style decorations, silk lanterns and scroll paintings provide an elegant Asian theme to the otherwise hustle-bustle restaurant feel. Putting aside the ambience for a second, it's important to note that the menu is the real heart-and-soul of the place. Susanna Foo is a restaurant that prides itself on its fusion of Chinese and French cuisine. In other words, forget the moo goo gai pan, forget the coq au vin and forget everything in between. Here, at Susanna Foo, you'll find a combination you hadn't thought possible. From the impressively large dim sum menu, for instance, you have your choice of appetizers ranging from Spring Rolls with Chicken, Shrimp, Shiitake and Herbs ($9.50) to the Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Carmelized Pineapple ($17.50). I enjoyed the delicious Wild Mushroom Dumplings ($14), which were small and round and, quite literally, melted in my mouth. The six dumplings were served atop a bed of fresh greens and doused lightly with an oil vinaigrette. My date, meanwhile, ordered the Hundred Corner Crabcakes with Cucumber Salsa and Shredded Nori ($13.50), which were surrounded by crispy endives and potatoes. She described them as excellent and "tropical." Fortunately, though, the meal didn't end there -- although the appetizers were hearty enough to comprise a small meal of their own. The entrees showcase Susanna Foo's comprehensive diversity, as the selections range from the seemingly standard Chinese fare -- Kung Pao Chicken with peppers, mushrooms and peanuts ($18) -- to the undoubtedly more exotic dishes, like the Crispy Duck with Haricot Vert and Baby Spinach ($25) and the Red Snapper with Spicy Thai Curry Sauce ($29). The Pan Seared Black Sea Bass ($29), adorned with shiitake mushrooms, baby carrots and scallions, was a particularly outstanding catch in every sense of the word. The fish was soft, warm and tasty. Another fine selection, this one ordered by my date, was the Poached Maine Lobster with Artichokes and Asparagus ($33). Risotto with shrimp and bay scallops accompanied the lobster. Lastly, just in case you've still got room, don't forget to take a glance at the dessert menu, which serves up sweets like the Chocolate Raspberry Mousse ($8) and the Apple Cranberry Tart with Rosemary Crust ($8). The Warm Chocolate Cake with Liquid Center ($8) was every bit as good as it sounds as was the Banana Chocolate Tart ($9). There's no doubt about it: With Susanna Foo, you pay for what you get. If you're looking to treat your significant other to a fantastic Center City dinner or just looking for a nice night out with your parents, Susanna Foo is just right.
Survey: Frosh getting around alcohol policy
(12/10/99 10:00am)
But most freshmen are satisfied with non-Greek social options at Penn. When a task force of students, faculty members and administrators proposed a new alcohol policy last spring, their goal was to minimize binge drinking and provide more social options for Penn students. Now, with a semester under its belt, several of the provisions designed to cut down on binge drinking are being loosely enforced -- if enforced at all -- at weekend fraternity parties, according to a recent Daily Pennsylvanian survey of nearly 250 freshmen. Of the randomly polled freshmen included in the survey, which had a 6 percent margin of error, 78 percent said they never bring their own beer to fraternity parties -- a violation of the policy's strict BYOB provision. In addition, 60 percent of the students said they never have problems getting served at fraternity parties, while another 14 percent said they can drink at parties because they own fake IDs. In a 10-page list of recommendations submitted to University President Judith Rodin in April, a provost-appointed task force proposed several key changes to the University's former alcohol policy. Specifically, the task force recommended a strictly-monitored BYOB policy at all undergraduate registered events, a 1 a.m. serving limit on registered parties and a total ban of hard alcohol at all undergraduate events. The BYOB policy means that a group holding a party can pre-purchase one six pack of beer per each over-21 organization member. Then guests that can legally drink may bring a six pack and give it to the bartender who gives them six redeemable tickets. The results of the survey call into question exactly how much attention fraternities have been giving to the BYOB policy by serving alcohol to freshmen who are under 21 and who do not arrive at parties with their own beer. "If certain aspects of the policy aren't working as well as others, then that's something we have to deal with," said newly elected InterFraternity Council Executive Vice President John Buchanan, a Phi Kappa Psi brother. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski added, "It's obviously a problem because those [fraternities] who are supplying have been breaking the law." "It's going to be really difficult to do because there are a lot of fake ID rings around Drexel and Penn that turn out really good IDs, and it's easy to get fooled by them," said Reikofski last night of preventing those freshmen with fake IDs from drinking at fraternity parties. College senior Andrew Exum, the former InterFraternity Council executive vice president and member of Provost Robert Barchi's committee, said the system of monitoring underage drinking at parties still needs improvement. "Throughout the semester, we've worked hard to implement the alcohol policy, but we've obviously still got a lot more to do," said Exum, a Sigma Nu brother and DP columnist. "We're going to keep critically evaluating the monitoring system," he added. Under the new policy, professional alcohol monitors are trained by newly appointed Alcohol Coordinator Stephanie Ives and are responsible for regulating Greek events. Still, members of the task force maintain that the new policy has already been overwhelmingly successful in decreasing the number of alcohol-related incidents and major problems on campus. Barchi, who appointed the task force last spring in the wake of several alcohol-related incidents -- including the March death of 1994 Penn alumnus Michael Tobin at a fraternity event -- said none of the recommendations were intended as definitive measures that would be guaranteed successes. "We've said from the beginning that we were going to try a lot of different things. We weren't wedded to anything. We were only wedded to the results," Barchi said yesterday. And the results, he added, have been thus far quite positive in terms of the task force's goal of creating more non-alcohol social options and in working toward a safer environment. "We know there have been no serious alcohol-related problems this year," Barchi said. Added Exum: "There has been a major change this fall." The recent survey revealed that about 63 percent of the interviewed freshmen said they believed Penn had enough social options for them besides fraternity parties. The task force had long emphasized its commitment to providing alternatives to drinking on the weekends. Several activities were implemented this fall with that very goal in mind, including late-night openings of Gimbel Gymnasium as well as movie screenings at the reopened Irvine Auditorium. "I am very pleased with the way that students are participating and the way activities are going," Barchi said. He pointed specifically to the sold-out crowd who turned out at Irvine on Sunday night for a concert of the University Symphony Orchestra and the University Choral Society as an example of a successful non-alcohol event that draws students.
Research head to resign post
(12/09/99 10:00am)
Vice Provost for Research Ralph Amado will resign from his post shortly, but will remain at the University as a professor in the Physics Department, Provost Robert Barchi announced at yesterday's University Council meeting. Amado was named to the position in July 1996 following a year spent as acting Vice Provost. He said he decided to step down because he was near the end of his five-year contract. "I'm fairly senior and I've been at this a long time," Amado said last night. Amado, who began teaching at Penn in 1959, received his doctoral degree from Oxford University. While at Penn, he has served as the chairperson of the Physics Department and as former director of the National Science Association. As Vice Provost for Research, Amado has had policy and administrative oversight for the University's massive research enterprise. Currently, Penn's externally funded research budget totals $477 million and has been increasing dramatically over the past several years. A nationwide search for a replacement will begin soon, Barchi said, adding that he wants to have the now-part-time position exist as a full-time job in the future because of the magnitude of Penn's research projects, whose grants total hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Amado said he has no preference between an internal or an external replacement. "I would like to see someone with an established record in researching," Amado said. Though he has overseen a thriving research element of the University -- including increased funding from the National Institute of Health and large personal donations during his tenure -- Amado said he is not concerned that top-notch research endeavors would be any less of a priority once he steps down. "Research at Penn is so incredibly healthy and dynamic," Amado said. "This is an enormous enterprise." Several weeks ago, Amado was sent a package containing a large steel meat cleaver, which he suspected might have been as a result of his research activities. He said his decision to step down had been made long before the meat cleaver incident and was not at all influenced by the package.
U. Council to hold open forum tonight
(12/08/99 10:00am)
The forum allows students to express their views on a variety of subjects to the 92-member body. The University Council is holding its annual open forum today -- its fourth and final gathering of the semester. Council's meeting, which will be held in the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., will allow members of the University community to state their opinions on a variety of issues before a representative body of students, faculty members and administrators. The topics on today's agenda include Penn's involvement in an anti-sweatshop organization, women's safety on campus, the relationship between the administration and the University Police, the University's investment of its endowment and minority recruitment and retention. College sophomore Matt Grove, a member of the United Students Against Sweatshops, said he would like to encourage University officials to switch their affiliation from the Fair Labor Association to the Workers Rights Consortium -- both of which are anti-sweatshop organizations. The FLA, which monitors the locations of various clothing manufacturers, is comprised mostly of corporations, Grove said. He likened corporations being allowed to monitor each other to students being allowed to grade their own tests. "None of the items in its charter protect worker rights because it was just an organization set up to look like it's addressing the issue of sweatshop labor," Grove said. "This is not so much a meeting with [University] President [Judith] Rodin as it is a meeting with the rest of the Penn constituents," he added. Women's safety was also an important topic on last year's agenda following the attack of a female sophomore in a basement bathroom of the Steinberg-Dietrich Hall last November. "Any sort of safety issues, whether they're specifically related to women or not, are important," said Undergraduate Chairperson and College senior Michael Silver, who sits on the 92-member Council. An additional topic that will be discussed is the pending lack of daily prayer space for the Muslim community. Muslim students currently use the Christian Association building to pray daily, but they are now requesting an alternative space since the University recently purchased the Locust Walk facility. Penn officials have yet to announce what purpose the building will serve. "The University is committed to providing space," University Chaplain William Gipson said yesterday. "Exactly where that's going to be, I don't know." Council holds an open forum each December to allow members of the University community to air their grievances or address issues that are of particular relevance to them. Today's meeting will also feature monthly status reports given by Rodin, Provost Robert Barchi and other top administrators and student leaders.
At Penn, support for Bill Bradley runs high
(12/03/99 10:00am)
University employees have given more to the Democrat's campaign than they have to any other presidential hopeful. If former New Jersey senator and presidential candidate Bill Bradley defeats Vice President Al Gore in the Democratic primaries, he would be remiss to leave his loyal friends at the University of Pennsylvania out of his thank-you speech. The former New York Knicks star and three-term U.S. senator has received from Penn employees far more in donations to his campaign than any other presidential candidate -- including both Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the Republican frontrunner -- according to Federal Election Commissions records obtained from the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington, D.C.-based research group that tracks campaign finance activities. Bradley has received more than $8,500 -- including seven $1,000 donations -- from at least 10 different donors at Penn. There are currently 14 Penn administrators, professors and physicians named in the records. Bush is listed as having received two $500 donations and Gore has been given a total of $1,250 as of the latest campaign filings, according to the records. The list of donors includes high-ranking Penn administrators like Executive President John Fry, well-known faculty members -- including Psychology Professor Martin Seligman, Undergraduate History Chairperson Bruce Kuklick and History Professor Mary Frances Berry -- and several physicians affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Several staff members who donated to Bradley's campaign said they believe the upstart candidate would provide a much-needed ethical presence in the White House. Bradley and Gore are currently running neck-and-neck in New Hampshire, the site of the nation's first primary in early February. Gore is still far ahead nationally. Both trail Bush in national polls. Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Professor Michael Warhol, a former classmate of Bradley's at Princeton University, donated $1,000 -- the maximum individual contribution permitted during the primaries -- to Bradley's campaign early last March. He stressed the "need to bring morality back to government." "I know Bill Bradley," Warhol said. "I can vouch for his personal integrity." Others said they gave to Bradley because they believe he espouses more traditional Democratic values. "Bill Bradley was a thoughtful and productive senator," said Wade Berrettini, a professor of Psychiatry and Genetics in the Medical School who donated $1,000 to Bradley this summer. Berrettini said he tended to be "against a number of Republican programs." Political Science Professor Jack Nagel, who was not one of the donors listed, said he did not want to "overexplain" the significance of the seemingly overwhelming support that Bradley has received by Penn affiliates. Nationwide, Nagel said faculty members who work in the humanities generally support Democratic causes, while those who work in business schools often align themselves with Republican candidates. Fry, who gave $500 to Bush's campaign in the summer, said he believed that his only other donation to a politician had been to a local Democrat. He declined to comment further. Bradley's showing at Penn is somewhat surprising considering the fact that Bush has raised an unprecedented $60 million so far, nearly three times what Gore or Bradley have taken in. Still, Gore does have his supporters at Penn, including Berry, who gave $250 to the vice president's campaign at the end of the summer. Neurology Professor Matthew Stern, who donated $1,000 to Gore in June, said he has made several donations to Democratic candidates in the past. This donation, in particular, was intended to show his support for Democratic state senator Allyson Schwartz as much as it was for Gore. The records also said that both Kuklick and his wife, Elizabeth Block, each donated $1,000 to Bradley last spring. And Seligman also kicked in $1,000 to Bradley. Both Kuklick and Seligman declined to comment, saying that their politics were their own business.
Philip Morris ties lead some to a boycott of Kraft Foods
(12/02/99 10:00am)
Macaroni and cheese may be full of fat and carbohydrates, but that's not the real reason several Penn students are taking it out of their diets. At a small press conference inside Hillel yesterday morning, several Penn students joined a prominent professor and a representative from a national grassroots organization in announcing their boycott of Kraft Foods, a wholly owned subsidiary of the powerful Philip Morris tobacco corporation. Noli Hoye, a 22-year-old graduate of Haverford College and field organizer for INFACT -- a non-profit corporate watchdog group founded in 1977 -- told several local media outlets that tobacco products pose a "profound threat to public health." "This future epidemic will result in more lives lost than all previous epidemics," Hoye said. Several student groups -- including the Penn Environmental Group, Amnesty International, the Chinese Students Association and the Society for Chemical Engineers -- have joined together to form a tobacco boycott campaign on campus. Organizers at the event also said they planned to pressure Wharton Public Policy Chairperson Elizabeth Bailey, who sits on the board of directors at Philip Morris, into discouraging the corporation from marketing to young children. "We're really encouraging her to use her leadership," Hoye said. Bailey did not return calls left at her office and her home last night. INFACT held its Kraft Boycott Visibility Month in November, and has solicited more than 100 signatures on campus during the past several weeks. Hoye said INFACT's primary intent is to expose Philip Morris' advertising practices, which she said are designed to "aggressively market" to children and young adults. Recent statistics have shown a continual increase in the number of teenagers who start smoking each year. "Most of this promotion is aimed at and appeals to young people," Hoye said, adding that studies have indicated that the Marlboro Man, with his "rebellious and independent" aura, is intended to appeal to teenage boys especially. Environmental Studies Department Chairperson Robert Giegengack also spoke at yesterday's conference, stressing smoking's negative effect on the environment. "It's very hard to portray the people who run the tobacco industry as anything but villains," Giegengack said. The press conference was sparsely attended, with only three Penn students there. Two of the students, dressed as macaroni and cheese boxes, held up a banner announcing the boycott. When asked whether it would be difficult to mobilize their cause on Penn's reputedly apathetic campus, neither Hoye nor College junior Nati Passow, a member of the Penn Environmental Group, seemed fazed. "Lots of times it doesn't take that many people to have a big effect," Passow said. Added Hoye, who first spoke on campus in late October, "[The movement has] really started to gain momentum. Everyone we've talked to in the past few days has been very supportive of the campaign." Students at Stanford University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill protested last month against Kraft recruitment on their campuses.
Cmte. debates naming violent offenders at U.
(11/30/99 10:00am)
Under current policy, all of the internal judiciary findings are kept private. The Penn committee which recommended that University officials notify parents of students involved in "frequent" or "serious" alcohol-related incidents is now debating whether to make public the names of students found to have committed violent crimes or non-forcible sexual offenses. Following legislation passed by Congress last fall, Penn is now authorized to release the names of student perpetrators, the specific violations that they committed and the sanctions imposed upon them. A committee chaired by College of Arts and Sciences Dean Richard Beeman is responsible for determining whether the law should be made applicable to the University and how to balance students' rights of privacy with the general public's safety. Currently, student disciplinary proceedings that go before the Office of Student Conduct are kept entirely confidential, as are students' judicial records. The committee has been meeting regularly over the past several weeks and is expected to present its recommendations to Provost Robert Barchi and University President Judith Rodin before the end of the academic year. Some of the arguments in favor of releasing names students found to be "violent offenders," according to Office of Student Conduct Director Michele Goldfarb, are the same that prompted the passage of laws allowing people to know if their neighbor is a convicted sex offender: Students can better protect themselves if they know who their classmates are. At least three universities in Ohio -- Miami of Ohio, the University of Dayton and Ashland University -- have already used the new law to begin releasing students' judicial records, Goldfarb said. According to Beeman, releasing students' names is not a clear-cut issue. Administrators want to be sure that infringing on someone's rights to privacy would guarantee a safer community. "It needs to be proven to me that we can positively contribute to the health, safety and well-being of our undergraduates by departing from our present policy," Beeman said. "If it could be proven to me that by releasing the names we would substantially reduce the number of crimes of violence or substantially reduce the incidents of non-forcible sexual offenses, then we'd have something to talk about," he added. The law defines crimes of violence as circumstances in which a person uses or threatens physical force against a person or a person's property. According to Goldfarb, the large majority of violent crimes that occur at the University are assaults, threats, hazing and incidents of vandalism. About 15 to 20 of the accused students each year are brought before a disciplinary panel and the rest reach settlements with the University. Incidents that reach the criminal justice system are routinely open to the public, and many who support the legislation suggest that universities should similarly release information about severe misconduct that occurs on campus. But both Beeman and Goldfarb stressed that universities should not be forced to adhere to those exact protocols. "Those in the press who would like for us to open up our records tend to regard universities as being an exact equivalent of a civil society," Beeman said. "My rather strong belief is that universities are neither replicas of civil society nor are they families. "Merely to equate the judicial processes of our academic community with the judicial processes of the City of Philadelphia is just wrong. We are different institutions," he added. Added Goldfarb: "We don't serve the same purposes. We don't have the same processes. Our missions are entirely different." The committee, which consists of faculty members, students and administrators, was convened last March after Congress passed an amendment to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act that authorized universities to notify parents of students who violate their school's drug and alcohol policies. It also enabled schools to release the names of students found to have committed violent crimes and non-forcible sexual offenses. The committee is currently meeting with various undergraduate constituencies, including representatives from the Undergraduate Assembly.
Task force focuses on bike safety
(11/30/99 10:00am)
Bicycle safety has been pushed to the forefront after two fatal bike accidents occurred on campus. The task force on bicycle and pedestrian safety appointed by University President Judith Rodin at this month's University Council meeting has been meeting regularly for the past few weeks to find ways for Penn to increase safety for bicyclists. The issue has gained particular prominence this year following two fatal bicycle accidents in October that both occurred at busy intersections on the eastern end of campus. "The issue of bicycle safety against vehicular traffic -- and indeed of pedestrian safety against bicycle traffic -- is very much on people's minds," Rodin told the Council two weeks ago. The committee, chaired by Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman and Vice President for Public Safety Thomas Seamon, has considered methods ranging from the installation of permanent bike lanes to 30-second all-way stops at busy intersections. "The question really for us is how we can find ways to make one of the preferred modes of transportation safer," Scheman said yesterday. Of particular importance to the committee, according to Scheman, is the issue of intersections, which are considered by many to be the most dangerous place for bicyclists. Wharton freshman Michael Yang was killed last month when the bicycle he was riding collided with a truck at the intersection of 33rd and Spruce streets. And just a week before, 70-year-old Benjamin Tencer, who was taking classes at Penn as part of a special program for senior citizens, died two days after being hit by a car at the intersection of 34th and Walnut streets. In both incidents, officials stressed that bicycle lanes would likely not have prevented the accidents, so the committee is focusing on ways to slow down traffic at some of the area's busiest intersections. An all-way stop lasting for about 30 seconds, for instance, would simultaneously turn all traffic lights red at particularly busy intersections, allowing all pedestrians to cross at a certain time. The city also has rules -- though not always obeyed -- forbidding cars to make right turns on red lights and forcing them to yield to pedestrians. According to Scheman, the University has been in contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and other city officials since many of the roads that cut through campus -- including Walnut and Chestnut streets -- are state highways. Scheman also noted that bicyclists should make sure they are taking precautions to ensure their own safety by wearing bright clothing in the evening, stopping at intersections and yielding to pedestrians. "We have to get students to behave the way they behaved when they were at home and were five [years old]," she said. "The most important and immediate thing is that people on bikes realize that they are outweighed by cars and need to be careful." The committee also includes University Director of Community Relations Glenn Bryan, Director of University Communications Ken Wildes, Vice President for Facilities Omar Blaik, Transportation Professor Vukan Vuchic and Wharton junior Jon Glick, who chairs the Facilities Committee of the Undergraduate Assembly. Glick, who noted that the UA has set up a focus group of its own to explore the issue, said members of the Penn community should be aware of the risks of living in and traveling throughout a busy urban campus. "You have to be safe and pay attention to where you're walking," Glick said. "There is a great need for a pedestrian-friendly campus, and hopefully, changes will be made as soon as possible."
Rodin's salary tops among presidents
(11/23/99 10:00am)
President Rodin's salary was the highest for all university presidents in fiscal year 1997-98, says a new report. Pulling in nearly $550,000 in salary and benefits, University President Judith Rodin once again ranked as one of the five highest-paid college presidents in the country. Rodin's $529,677 in salary alone was the highest of any college president in fiscal year 1997-98, according to a report this week in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Her $18,697 in benefits gave her a combined salary and compensation package of $548,374 -- the fifth-highest compensation package among college and university presidents -- for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998. The annual article is based on the federal tax filings of 475 private colleges and universities. The 1998 package represents a 6.2 percent increase from the $514,878 that Rodin received in the 1997 fiscal year. That year, her $498,536 salary also ranked first among the nation's college presidents and her total compensation package ranked third nationally. Rodin, 55, was one of three Ivy League presidents whose compensations ranked among the top 10. Richard Levin, president of Yale University, received $372,500 in pay and $123,323 in benefits for a total package of $495,283. And George Rupp of Columbia University rounded out the top 10 with his $477,383 compensation package. "We believe that [Rodin's] compensation is competitive for the responsibilities that she is expected to assume," University spokesperson Ken Wildes said last night, adding that many presidents at peer institutions are given a "much narrower" range of responsibility. Unlike most college presidents, Rodin is responsible for overseeing a multi-billion dollar health system in addition to the academic side of the university. Rodin said last month that she was "grateful" for the "confidence and support" she has received from the University Trustees, who annually determine the president's salary. The president who received the largest compensation package in the 1997-98 fiscal year is former Washington and Jefferson College President Howard Burnett, who earned $1,082,624 upon resigning in June of 1998. Burnett received his regular salary of $223,100 and $29,951 in benefits, but received a deferred compensation bonus of $587,573 -- awarded to him for his 28 years of service to the school -- that pushed him to the top of the listing. He also earned $242,000 for one year's sabbatical in his final year. The special payments made to him when he stepped down were funded entirely by endowment earnings, rather than tuition dollars, according to Matt Conn, the director of college relations at Washington and Jefferson. "You won't see W & J on the top 10 list next year because it's a one-time thing," Conn said yesterday. The second-highest compensated president was Orley Herron, president of National-Louis University in Chicago. Herron received $639,694 in pay and an additional $289,604 in benefits. The Chronicle reported that Herron's $639,694 total compensation package was an "inducement to resign" following his 20-year presidency. Rockefeller University President Torsten Wiesel, the 1981 Nobel Prize winner in medicine and recipient of the largest compensation in 1996-1997, dropped to third with his $555,864 total package. New York University President Jay Oliva earned a total package of $555,372 following a large raise of $100,000 -- enough to make him the fourth-highest paid president. The Chronicle reported that salaries of university presidents remain on the rise, as eight leaders earned more than $500,000 in pay and benefits. An additional 13 presidents received packages that topped the $400,000 mark. And 61 presidents earned between $300,000 and $400,000, up from 33 the year before. But even though Rodin's salary is the highest in the nation, it is not even the highest among fellow Penn administrators. That honor belongs to William Kelley, who serves both as the Penn Health System chief executive officer and dean of the Medical School. Kelley's salary and benefits totaled $1.2 million in the last fiscal year. In September, Rodin announced that she had recommended that neither she nor Kelley receive salary increases in the current fiscal year due to the Health System's recent financial crisis, which includes an estimated $150 million deficit for the fiscal year that ended in June.
Rodin named to Street's mayoral transition team
(11/16/99 10:00am)
President Rodin is one of five chosen to ease Street's move into office. Mayor-elect John Street announced yesterday that University President Judith Rodin will serve as one of five chairpersons of his transition team, a city-wide committee charged with helping the Democrat ease into office with a comprehensive, long-range vision for the city. The five chairpersons are responsible for leading teams evaluating the city government's structure and operations and recruiting top personnel to work in the Street administration. With Penn -- the largest private employer in the city -- contributing roughly $2.5 billion to the state's economy each year, the University has had an influential voice in city-wide affairs for years. Rodin's appointment to Street's team likely indicates that Penn will continue to enjoy some of the clout it held during the eight years of the Ed Rendell administration. The transition team will include at least 12 task forces with about 15 members each. City Hall officials are expecting the staffing and overall activities of the team to cost $150,000. "There is no secret that we have enjoyed great momentum as a city over the past eight years," Street said in a statement released yesterday. "Our mission, through the implementation of a successful transition program, will be to build upon that momentum, and to establish a plan that will bring even greater efficiency, expanded development and job creation, improved public education and a comprehensive revitalization strategy for our neighborhoods," he added. Joining Rodin as transition team chairpersons are former Temple University Law School Dean Carl Singley, public education advocate Dorothy Summers Rush, prominent attorney Leonard Klehr and Patricia De Carlo, a neighborhood development expert who serves as executive director of the Norris Square Civic Association. Caroline Brobile, a spokesperson for Street, explained that the mayor-elect was looking for a "wide cross-section" of Philadelphians to serve as heads of the transition team. Rodin, in particular, was chosen because she is well known as an "accomplished woman" in a high-profile position, Brobile said. "I appreciate the confidence Mayor-elect Street has in me," Rodin said yesterday. "We are grateful for this opportunity to assist him and the city in this important work." Street, the former City Council president, narrowly defeated his Republican challenger Sam Katz in the mayoral race two weeks ago.
Ford Motor gives $2m. grant to U.
(11/15/99 10:00am)
The Ford Motor Co. will donate $1.5 million to Wharton and $500,000 to Engineering over the next five years. Ford Motor Co. last week gave a $2 million donation to the University that will be shared between the Wharton School and the Engineering School, officials announced Friday. Wharton will receive $1.5 million, while the remaining $500,000 will go to the School of Engineering and Applied Science, each over the next five years, University President Judith Rodin said. In a statement released last week, Rodin lauded Ford for continuing its "long-standing and productive relationship" with Wharton and for beginning a new connection with the Engineering School. "The programs and activities made possible through this generosity are not only important to these schools, but represent support for programs and activities that are essential components of the University's vision for the future," Rodin said. The donation to Wharton will support various minority programs and fellowships, the LEAD Program for minority high school students, the Forum on Electronic Commerce, the Global Consulting Practicum and the Environmental Management Program. The $1.5 million gift represents one of the largest single grants to the school from a publicly traded company. "This generous gift demonstrates Ford Motor Company's continuing support of Wharton's educational initiatives and the business leaders of tomorrow," Interim Wharton Dean Patrick Harker said Friday. "This contribution? enables Wharton to maintain excellence in management education," he added. The Engineering School will use its share of the donation for minority fellowships, the Student Leadership Fund, the Virtual Laboratory, the annual Solar Car project, Career Day activities and the Coaching to Success Program. Ford's donation comes a month after 1956 Wharton graduate Jay Baker donated $8 million to the business school toward construction of Huntsman Hall, the new Wharton building being built at 38th Street and Locust Walk, and an additional $3 million for undergraduate scholarships. Ford President and Chief Executive Officer Jacques Nasser has long involved himself with the University personally and financially. Last month, he came to Penn to see Independence, the student-built solar car which raced from Indianapolis to Colorado Springs, Colo., in Sunrayce 97, the largest solar electric vehicle race in North America. "These initiatives at [Penn] illustrate our continuing corporate commitment to higher education and our belief that academia and business should work more closely together to ensure that? students are prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly competitive business environment," Nasser said in a statement.
Service-learning conference draws education enthusiasts
(11/15/99 10:00am)
For local college students interested in getting more involved in community service, this weekend's third annual gathering of the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development provided just the opportunity. PHENND consists of 38 colleges and universities in the region, including Penn. The network's conference, entitled "Service, Education, and Activism: Finding Common Ground," is designed to "bring the various constituents of PHENND together to talk about service and service-learning," said Hillary Aisenstein, the network's assistant director and a 1999 College graduate. Karl Nass, the director of PHENND, called the conference a chance for participants to assess their effectiveness in "solving the core problems of the communities." Friday's events, which drew about 40 area college students, featured Nadinne Cruz, the director of Stanford University's Haas Center for Public Service, as the keynote speaker. Haas' talk discussed various community service programs that have been implemented at Stanford and stressed that the mere intention of giving to the community is often not enough. "A lot of people came up afterwards" to say they enjoyed the talk, Aisentein said. "It went over very well." The participants then split up into 13 different workshops, which, according to Aisenstein, ranged from discussions about "practical" issues -- like "How to Build an America Reads" information session -- to the more theoretical debates -- like why the majority of people involved in community service are white females. In the pre-conference activities of PHENND's conference, community members, college students and staff gathered Thursday evening at Drexel University's Creese Student Center to discuss the connections between institutions of higher education and their surrounding communities. After serving themselves food in a buffet-style dinner to start the 1 1/2-day conference, 70 area residents settled in for an evening of discussion about serving communities. Before the participants split up into different workshops, they listened to a keynote speech from Alba Martinez, executive director of Congreso de Latinos Unidos, in the center's Grand Hall. Martinez began the evening's program by describing her experiences with her organization, which serves a community in North Philadelphia, and stressed that such organizations need help from neighboring universities. To be effective, she explained, "Congreso requires alliances.? Many of the alliances we need are with institutions outside of our community." Schools, colleges and universities have what the organization needs, such as resources to be used for training staff members and people who "generate great ideas" on how to solve problems, she said. "Our partnerships with higher education institutions need to be much, much stronger," Martinez said. After the speech, the three workshops began. In one, entitled "Student Action for Change," students described their experiences running service programs. One student, Ann Yerenink of Bryn Mawr College, said she hopes to form a coalition of area groups interested in social change. A simultaneous workshop's topic was the effect that service-learning programs have on faculty members up for promotion or tenure. According to Frances Hart, director of the service-learning program at St. Joseph's University, when colleges and universities judge faculty, they are more concerned with the "scholarly activities" seen as service to the institution than with service that faculty may help provide to the communities themselves.
Rodin to give annual 'State of the U.' talk
(11/10/99 10:00am)
University President Judith Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi will deliver their annual "State of the University" addresses at today's University Council meeting in the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall. The speeches, mandated by Council's bylaws, are traditionally given in October or November and are intended to update students, faculty, staff members and other administrators about some of Penn's most pressing issues. "It's an opportunity for them to tell us all about the wonderful things that have been happening? and some of the problems they've been having," said Faculty Senate Chairperson John Keene, who is also the head of Council's steering committee. "I think most people don't know much about what's going on at the University," added Keene, a professor of City and Regional Planning. Rodin's speech could include mention of the recent financial problems of the Penn Health System, a progress update on the various construction projects around campus and a discussion of both the Wharton School and Law School dean searches, according to Keene. "I hope it's informative," Keene added. "Some people will have more of an idea what they're talking about than others." Barchi said his speech would focus on some major academic issues currently confronting the University. "I will provide an update on the core academic mission of the University and strategic planning as it relates to that mission," Barchi said. "My report will include highlights of our most recent academic accomplishments and our goals going forward." The last "State of the University" addresses were given in October of 1998. This year, however, the October meeting was devoted to a lengthy presentation and discussion of Penn's financial aid policy. Also on today's agenda is a five-minute update on the Charitable Giving Campaign by Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman. Scheman was unavailable for comment yesterday. The chairs of three of Council's 13 standing committees -- Research, Personnel Benefits and Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics -- will also give their 1998-99 year-end reports at the meeting. Today's meeting is the third of the academic year for Council, a University-wide advisory board comprised of 92 students, faculty and staff members and administrators that meets monthly to discuss relevant issues to the Penn community. Next month's meeting will be the annual open forum, at which any member of the University community can address a question, complaint or issue in front of the entire body.
Penn Natl. Commission meets at U.
(11/09/99 10:00am)
The high-profile group was convened by Judith Rodin to study incivility. In films, moviegoers often prefer an action-heavy plot with straightforward action and clear-cut heroes and villains. In politics, similarly, Americans often prefer drama to substantive issues and are more interested in which politicians win and which lose than in how they get there. So said renowned movie critic Neal Gabler yesterday to a crowd of about 25 members of the Penn National Commission on Society, Culture and Community. Gabler's talk at Irvine Auditorium, entitled "Modeling Public Discourse in Popular Culture" kicked off the Commission's two-day-long session on campus. In his talk, which was followed by a 45-minute open discussion with Commission members, Gabler explained that the media's coverage of political issues tends to be cinematic in nature, with an emphasis on an oversimplified plot, constant action and a powerful hero that emerges victorious by defeating his foes. Gabler said it's rare to see civil discourse and non-violent confrontation in films, just as it is rare to see in-depth analysis of substantive issues in the media. The American public, he argued, tends to be less interested in the intricacies of policies and debates than it is in the final outcome. He used the example of the recent Senate rejection of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in which, according to Gabler, the media gave more coverage to the political gamesmanship between President Clinton and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) than to the treaty itself. "Discourse, particularly rational discourse, isn't exactly going to be nail-biting suspense," Gabler said. "Anyone who negotiates is a nerd or wimp," he added. "In short, pluralistic democracy makes for a terrible plot." Gabler showed clips from three films -- Jimmy Stewart's 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and the more recent Field of Dreams and Bulworth -- as three examples that chronicle public discourse particularly well. The event was part of the sixth and final gathering of the Commission, a group of 45 academics, writers, political leaders and experts convened by University President Judith Rodin in December 1996. The Commission, which includes among its members Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley and Annenberg School for Communication Dean Kathleen Hall Jamieson, was charged to examine incivility in today's society and to propose ways in which public discourse can be improved. Rodin, who addressed the crowd first, stressed the importance of taking the theoretical ideas proposed in the sessions and carrying them forward into society. "Our eye has really been focused on what we could do that would be transformative," Rodin said. An afternoon session focused on communications in the world of cyberspace, as three panelists discussed the emergence of Internet communities. Author Julian Dibell, joined by Marc Ewing, the chief technology consultant of Red Hat Software Inc., and Ken Deutsch, an Internet campaign consultant, discussed the increase in text-based chat systems that allow fellow Internet users to interact with one another. "People will spend up to 30, 40, 50, and in extreme cases 70 hours a week, hanging out in this place," Dibell said. "The environment is rich and gets richer all the time." Last night, as part of the proceedings, outgoing Philadelphia Mayor and Democratic Party chief Ed Rendell spoke to the Commission members at the University Museum. And today, four Commission members -- Jamieson, former Texas gubernatorial candidate Tom Luce, Democratic presidential campaign strategist Paul Begala and Karl Rove, the presidential campaign manager for Texas Gov. George Bush -- will lead a conversation on improving public discourse in the 21st century.
Wharton prof a dean candidate, magazine says
(11/09/99 10:00am)
Kenneth Shropshire said he didn't know if he was up for the vacant post. In its November issue, Philadelphia Magazine reported that Legal Studies Professor Kenneth Shropshire, who is Penn's representative to the NCAA, is a possible candidate for the vacant Wharton deanship. The magazine ranked Shropshire the 60th most powerful Philadelphian in its special "Power 100" section. University President Judith Rodin was ranked seventh on the list, and Penn Health System CEO William Kelley was ranked 21st. Reached at home for comment last night, Shropshire, 44, denied that he was a leading candidate and said he did not know if he was even a candidate at all. "I'm not, as far as I know, a candidate," Shropshire said. "I wouldn't have that information." He said he has not been privy to the highly confidential "determinations" of the search committee charged with finding a new dean. When asked, however, if he had been interviewed by the search committee, chaired by Graduate School of Fine Arts Dean Gary Hack, Shropshire refused to comment. Still, he maintained that he has "no idea what the committee is doing," adding that candidates themselves are often not kept abreast of any search committee's proceedings. The committee submitted a short list of candidates to Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi in late October. Shropshire's name is the only one to have publicly surfaced since the search began last fall. Hack did not return repeated phone messages left at his office and his house yesterday. Shropshire said he is perfectly content to remain as a professor but added that he would certainly be "flattered if someone asked" him to be dean. Several of Shropshire's colleagues in Wharton's Legal Studies Department said yesterday that they were not aware if Shropshire was a candidate or not. "I don't have any information," Legal Studies Department Chairperson Richard Shell said. "I've got no idea." The search has been ongoing since last November, when Rodin and then-Interim Provost Michael Wachter appointed a 12-member search committee to search for a replacement for former Wharton dean Thomas Gerrity. An interim dean, Patrick Harker, was appointed over the summer. Shropshire arrived at Penn as an assistant professor in 1986. He received a bachelor's degree from Stanford University in 1977 and graduated from the Columbia University School of Law in 1980. A sports industry consultant, Shropshire developed the soon-to-be-launched Wharton Institute for Professional Athletes. He also sits on U.S. Olympic Committee's budget committee. Shropshire's areas of research include the sports industry, sports law, entertainment law and real estate transactions. Two years ago, Shropshire was a significant player in the academic ineligibility scandal concerning star defensive tackle Mitch Marrow, which forced the Penn football team to forfeit five of its six wins on the season. Two weeks before the end of the 1997 season, Shropshire agreed to oversee an independent study course for Marrow after Athletic Department officials realized that the fifth-year senior was ineligible to play. Marrow had previously dropped two classes during a bout with mononucleosis, unwittingly becoming a part-time student and ineligible to play under NCAA rules. Marrow had been denied an independent seminar by the History Department before going to Shropshire. Then-College of Arts and Sciences Dean Robert Rescorla reversed Shropshire's decision. An investigation conducted by then-Provost Stanley Chodorow did not place the blame on any one official and Shropshire's actions were largely defended by the administration.
Glandt named permanent Engineering dean
(11/05/99 10:00am)
A Chemical Engineering prof, Glandt had served temporarily since 1998. Sometimes what you're looking for is right beneath your nose. University President Judith Rodin named Eduardo Glandt -- who had been serving in an interim capacity since July 1998 -- as the Engineering School's permanent dean on Friday, capping an exhaustive search process that examined more than 200 possible candidates and spanned more than an entire academic year. "After a very long and appropriate search, we've come to realize that the most appropriate person to lead this school in the future is Eduardo Glandt," Rodin said, addressing a crowd of about 200 students and faculty members outside of the Towne Building Friday afternoon. Glandt was named interim dean following the departure of Gregory Farrington, who left Penn in May 1998 to assume the presidency of Lehigh University. Glandt, a Chemical Engineering professor who received both his master's and doctoral degrees from Penn in the mid-1970s, said that his more than two decades worth of experience at the University will serve him well in his position. "I feel like it's almost cheating -- coming into the deanship and knowing the school so well," Glandt said on Friday. Last November, Rodin and then-Interim Provost Michael Wachter appointed an 11-member search committee, chaired by Operations and Information Management Professor Morris Cohen, to find a new dean. The committee considered both internal and external candidates and submitted a list of finalists to Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi earlier this fall. The two administrators were ultimately responsible for selecting Glandt. "He was always a leading candidate throughout the process," Cohen said. "The longer he was interim dean, the clearer it became." One of the main priorities of his tenure, Glandt said in an interview Friday, is to bring together academic disciplines within the Engineering field. "I think the school is underutilized from the point of view of synergism," Glandt said. "Developing alliances between different parts of the school -- partnering all of our strengths -- is the responsibility of the administration." He also noted that he wanted to further develop programs in entrepreneurial engineering and increase "wet space" facilities -- special laboratory space with unique ventilation capabilities. During his tenure as interim dean, Glandt announced the construction of a computer science facility and focused on expanding the school's interdisciplinary programs. The conclusion of the search means that the University now has two high-profile deanships left to fill. Both the Wharton School and the Law School have been without permanent leadership since this summer, when Thomas Gerrity and Colin Diver left their respective positions. The search is comparable in length to the 13 months that it took to name Barchi as provost and the 15 months that it took to appoint School of Arts and Sciences Dean Samuel Preston. "There was no point when the provost and the president expressed impatience with us," Cohen said. "We didn't have to be reminded of the fact that it was taking time." Cohen said the committee had been looking for a person of international stature, a "person of recognized capabilities" who could communicate equally well with students and potential donors. "We wanted someone who is going to be creative and exciting. I think Eduardo satisfied all of those criteria," Cohen said. The advantage of an internal candidate like Glandt, according to Cohen, is that he can "hit the ground running" and does not have to spend time learning the ins and outs of the school. Glandt, who received his bachelor's degree from the University of Buenos Aires in 1968, has been a member of the Penn faculty since 1975. He served as chairperson of Chemical Engineering Department from 1991 to 1994 and is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and several other professional societies. "I think that someone who doesn't have the word 'interim' in front of his name has much more credibility -- with donors, with government sponsors and certainly in recruiting [faculty]" Glandt said. "I'm here for the duration," he added. "Penn has been my home for a quarter-century and I just can't see myself going anywhere else."
Rodin to personally fund prizes for top TAs
(11/05/99 10:00am)
Ten graduate student teaching assistants nominated by undergraduates will be awarded $500 scholarships. Those teaching assistants who spend hours of their time outside of class working with their undergraduate students can now receive more than just personal satisfaction. They can receive a financial reward as well. To reward those TAs who make a particularly strong impact on undergraduates' academic careers, University President Judith Rodin will offer $500 scholarships to 10 TAs who receive special recognition from their students. The prizes are good in any University school and TAs in all Penn courses -- from Art History to Biology to Marketing -- are eligible. And this year, Rodin said she will fund the scholarships herself. "There are a lot of wonderful, hard-working TAs that the undergraduates appreciate," Rodin said. The awards will be based on undergraduates' recommendations as opposed to professors' nominations. For future years, the Graduate Students Activities Council will look for alternative sources of funding. GSAC President Eric Eisenstein, a Wharton doctoral student, approached Rodin last year with the idea that undergraduates, in addition to professors, could have the chance to rate their teaching assistants. "What GSAC realized last year was that no one was giving any awards for teaching based on undergraduates' ratings," Eisenstein said. "TA prizes, historically, have been nominated by professors," he added. Eisenstein, who TAs an Introduction to Marketing course, lauded Rodin for her willingness to fund the awards this year, calling it an "unprecedented move in modern academic history." "This is something that just makes the University better for every constituency," he said. While Rodin also acknowledged that there have been grumblings among undergraduates about certain TAs, she said the awards will honor those who are particularly outstanding. "The cultural change might be more important than the monetary significance [of the award]" Eisenstein said, explaining that having the award can initiate a greater overall sense of recognition for TAs which could give them an incentive to improve. Eisenstein met yesterday with Deputy Provost Peter Conn to flesh out some of the details, including what criteria students will use in rating their TAs. Eisenstein said yesterday that it is important that the ratings be more than simply "uniform" fill-in-the-bubble sheets. Undergraduates interested in nominating their TAs might have to write paragraphs, for instance, describing the ways in which their TA has benefitted them. The cash prize, Eisenstein said, is something that nearly all graduate students would welcome. "From the point of view of graduate students, [$500] is no joke at all," Eisenstein said.