U.-funded school raises debate
(06/01/00 9:00am)
Newton High School '97
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Residents stumped by fallen trees
(04/26/00 9:00am)
Local residents say Penn students are responsible for two trees cut down before their time on Baltimore Avenue. If a tree is chopped down on Baltimore Avenue and no one is around to see it, will the perpetrator still be caught? That is the question on the minds of the many community members in University City who are outraged that two saplings were cut down on the 3900 block of Baltimore Avenue early in the morning on April 20. "The reaction was one of total fury," said Mike Hardy, a project team member for Baltimore in Bloom, a group that has spent countless hours planting trees and flowers in the area. "Does someone have to burn the building down before people look into this type of behavior?" The trees have special meaning for many residents because they were planted by 25 neighbors and Penn students as part of one of the first joint projects between Baltimore in Bloom and UC Green, a University initiative aimed at improving West Philadelphia through planting and gardening. The two saplings were part of a set of 10 purchased by University City Housing two years ago to line Baltimore Avenue. "We're doing a lot of work to beautify the neighborhood and this kind of thing really touches a nerve with us," UC Green Director Esaul Sanchez said. Eugene Dempsey, one of the few permanent residents of the 3900 block of Baltimore Avenue, was the first to discover the damage when he came home from work at 2 a.m. and saw the two Honey Locust trees lying on the ground. Dempsey questioned a student -- who, at the time, was sitting by himself on the porch of one of the two houses that faced the saplings -- but the student denied seeing anyone touch the trees. He insists, however, that as he was speaking to the student, he heard a chopping sound coming from the back of the house. Dempsey then retreated into his house to call the police. Both the Philadelphia and University Police departments responded within minutes and investigated the scene. The Penn Police detective assigned to the case was unable to be reached for comment last night. "We saw trees that were chopped in the backyard," said Dempsey, who accompanied the officers in back of the houses. College senior Max Good, the student who was sitting on the porch at 2 a.m. Thursday night and spoke to Dempsey, said that he heard nothing. "I was actually sitting on the porch and we went inside," Good said. "When we came back out, we saw that it had been done." College junior Chad Parmet, a resident of the house in question, said he went to bed early that night and didn't hear any chopping noises. "We didn't hear anything," Parmet said. "I got woken up when a couple of cops accosted us." University Police are investigating the crime and have been questioning residents of the 3900 block of Baltimore about the vandalism. In the meantime, many community members are fuming and have already decided, despite the lack of conclusive evidence, that students cut down the trees. "This was perpetrated by the students," Sanchez said. "The community decided that students are responsible, but landlords are also responsible." Sanchez, who is an area resident, said that residents made several angry phone calls to the landlord who owns the house in question. University Enterprises, which manages the twin house across from one of the trees that was chopped down, has agreed to cover the costs of replacing the trees. "We certainly want to keep the neighborhood looking beautiful," said University Enterprises Owner Steve Herman, who denied that paying for new trees was an admission of the students' guilt. "It could have been anyone. I don't think it really matters at this point. They were down and they should be replaced," he added.
Updike draws big audience
(04/14/00 9:00am)
the author came to speak at Penn about his remake of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet.' Famed American author John Updike came to Penn yesterday to talk about his most recent and arguably most challenging work ever -- a refashioning of Shakespeare's Hamlet. A crowd of more than 300 people filled Logan Hall yesterday, some crouching in the aisles or standing up in back to hear Updike, 68, read three excerpts from his newly released novel Gertrude and Claudius. The author appeared as part of the School of Arts and Sciences' annual Dean's Forum. But Updike's story isn't what one might expect from reading Shakespeare's version of Hamlet -- the classic tale of a prince, Hamlet, tortured by the murder of his father at the hands his uncle, Claudius, who marries Hamlet's mother Gertrude. Gertrude and Claudius tells a sympathetic story of the royal couple, while Hamlet and his father are portrayed more negatively than in the original. "I was curious about some of the questions Hamlet himself raises. Did they [Gertrude and Claudius] have an affair while she was still married to Hamlet's father?" Updike asked. "I decided to take a stab at answering them." SAS Dean Samuel Preston opened the forum by naming 19 undergraduates and graduate students as 2000 Dean's Scholars and speaking about featured speaker. "Updike is not only one of the greatest living American writers, he is also one of the most wide-ranging," Preston said. Following Preston's introduction, Updike began to read from the first few pages of his novel, in which Gertrude's father Rorik is convincing her to marry the elder Hamlet. Updike briefly explained that Gertrude eventually bows to her father's will and marries Hamlet, leaving herself in an unhappy marriage. He then read the scene where Gertrude begins the affair with her husband's brother, Claudius. Gertrude succumbs to Claudius after he gives her a rare and beautiful silk robe. "She touched that shimmering cloth and in that touch was her undoing," Updike read. When the king discovers their affair, Claudius murders him by pouring poison into his ear as he slept. From this point in the novel on, Updike is rewriting Shakespeare -- an experience no author has undertaken lightly. "Once you begin [writing], it's intimidating but also exhilarating to be in the same universe as Shakespeare," Updike said. After reading, Updike accepted questions from the crowd about topics including the author's responsibility, academic criticism and his views on writing short stories. The audience of students, professors, staff and community members listened attentively and showered Updike with enthusiastic applause when he finished. "You first hear about someone trying to do a prequel to Shakespeare," College junior Sara Honig said, "but only this man could pull it off." And History graduate student and Dean's Scholar Elizabeth Pollard said, "I thought he was a fantastic speaker." She added that she enjoyed the first passage the most -- especially looking at Gertrude as a heroine. A Pennsylvania native, Updike has published 19 novels over the last 40 years. Rabbit Run (1960) and The Witches of Eastwick (1984) are among his best known. He has won numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes, and received the National Medal of Arts in 1989 from then-President George Bush. When Updike was asked whether he'll write more novels after taking on the Shakespeare re-write, he smiled. "I've written 19," he said and paused. "20 is a good number, isn't it?"
West Phila. community also gearing up for Fling
(04/13/00 9:00am)
Neighboring residents say Spring Fling weekend is normally a trying time due to loud, late-night parties. For many area residents and bar owners, the prospect of Spring Fling isn't as exciting as it might be to students gearing up for this weekend's activities. The annual event is characteristically marked by rowdy, drunken hordes of students migrating from party to party on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Due to strict liquor controls in fraternities, much of the partying has been pushed off campus. And while Fling means different things for local bar owners and community members, they both agree it's far from the average weekend on campus. For those permanent residents of University City who live next door to houses packed with undergraduates, Spring Fling can mean a much louder, messier weekend. According to Joe Lasprogata, a homeowner on the 4100 block of Pine Street, littering, screaming, urination, vandalism and even fire have all been part of this weekend in the past. "One of the favorite stunts is for men to urinate on the sidewalks, which has now been emulated by the young ladies," he said. Today, Lasprogata added, he saw six kegs of beer delivered to one house. And when the students get drunk, they tend to start screaming until 2 or 3 a.m., he said. Although Lasprogata says he has appealed to the University for help, no one has responded. "No one will come out here at 2 o'clock in the morning to witness it," he said. "If they don't believe what I say, then come spend the night with me." When Pine Street resident Mary Goldman, Lasprogata's neighbor, learned that this weekend was Spring Fling, her immediate response was "Oh my. And I'm not going to be away." Goldman claimed that one of the biggest problems for neighbors about Spring Fling was that students tend to party late -- long after the rest of the world has gone to bed. "When they don't start Fling until midnight, it gets to be problematic," Goldman said. "It's when the music is put outside and played until 5 o'clock in the morning that people get a little distressed. And that's an understatement." Closer to campus, bar owners are making preparations for this weekend. Although the owners of many campus bars say there's not a dramatic increase or decrease in customers, they do notice a difference. Smokey Joe's owner Paul Ryan said he actually gets less business during Spring Fling, and the customers he does get are more likely to be students from other schools who have come to party at Penn. "It's not like a normal weekend because there's so much else to do," Ryan said. "We're a little slower, but the more people you can draw down to the campus to see how nice it is, the better." Meanwhile, the owners of both Cavanaugh's and The Blarney Stone said they will be stepping up security because of Spring Fling weekend. Blarney Stone owner Rich Roller said he expects an increase in business, but that it will be offset by the extra measures the bar will take to ensure safety -- including more employees and more bouncers. "We like to err on the side of caution," Roller explained. "Usually, when you have more people standing around with staff shirts on, it's a deterrent." Bill Pawlicvek, owner of Cav's, also remarked that he expects slightly more business in the next couple of days because of fewer parties on campus -- and that he intends to take extra caution for Spring Fling. "Everybody's on their toes because of the [Liquor Control Enforcement board]," Pawlicvek said. "You might not give someone the benefit of the doubt." He also added that the presence of off-campus parties draws a lot of students away from the bars. "If they're all at a party on Spring Fling weekend, then they don't have to worry about minor friends not being able to drink," Pawlicvek said.
Students provide 'corp' services
(04/11/00 9:00am)
Several hundred people participated in Quaker Corps, a program designed to unite Penn with the West Philadelphia community. The streets surrounding campus were filled with students carrying trash bags, toting shovels and lifting saplings on Saturday as several hundred people rolled up their sleeves and headed out into West Philadelphia for the first-ever national Ivy League volunteer day. Students from the Undergraduate Assembly joined forces with UC Green -- a Penn initiative that seeks to improve University City's appearance by planting and gardening -- and Penn's Greek community to amass equipment and labor for the day-long activities. The event, Quaker Corps, was composed of four greening and building projects that were all part of a larger Ivy League plan, Ivy Corps, designed to unite each university with its surrounding neighborhood. Four different projects were spread over five sites, including the construction of a pavilion between University City High School and Drew School at 37th and Lancaster streets and the building of a brick path at 39th Street and Baltimore Avenue. Some members from Habitat for Humanity arrived at University City High School at 6:30 a.m. to begin the day's work of erecting a garden pavilion where only an empty lot had existed. Thirteen hours later, the huge construction project was 80 percent completed, according to College freshman David Levin, who helped organize Quaker Corps. "It was a momentous change bringing people together for this project," Levin said. "It changes our relationship with University City High School and Drew." Meanwhile, 15 workers toiled in the warm noon sun at the intersection of Baltimore and Woodland avenues -- the area known as the "Gateway to West Philadelphia," according to the site's project coordinator and recent College of General Studies graduate Alex Schlachterman. Penn undergraduates, graduate students and high school students, along with community members -- and even Tom Lussenhop, a Penn real estate official -- toted wheelbarrows filled with dirt in an effort to clear 225 square feet for a brick path. "'At first my friends were like, 'We can't even move wheelbarrows,'" laughed volunteer Vanesa Sanchez, a student at Germantown Friends Academy and the daughter of the director of UC Green. "But now they're like, 'Wheelbarrows are the fun part.'" Engineering freshman Shuo-Ju Chou helped two high school girls that were navigating a load down the sidewalk. Chou said he volunteered because he wanted to help out the community -- and discovered that, though rewarding, the work was pretty hard. "[The event] goes until two," Chou said. "I'll see if I can last until two." By noon, the cleanup was already in full swing in front of fraternity and sorority houses on Spruce and Walnut streets in conjunction with Greek Weekend. Dozens of students scoured the sidewalks with trash bags, while others used equipment to clean up the broken concrete and still others lounged on their porches -- taking a break from the hot sun and tough work. Directing his fellow fraternity brothers, John Buchanan, IFC executive vice president and Phi Psi brother, stepped back for a few minutes to soak in the scene. "No one takes care of this," Buchanan explained, shaking his head. "You have to take care of grass. That hasn't been done so we're replacing it with gravel. We wanted it to look clean and neat." Buchanan cited high attendance rates among the Greeks, with almost every sorority house and over a third of fraternities participating. And Jenny Turner, chair of the Panhellenic Council's Civic Committee, described the overall mood of the afternoon as positive. "I think everyone's having fun," Turner said. "It's a nice day."
Street gives OK to school uniforms
(04/07/00 9:00am)
The buildings may be crumbling and supplies may be virtually non-existent. But Mayor John Street has another concern on his to-do list for the ailing Philadelphia public school system -- fashion. Last week, the mayor introduced a new plan that would require all students in the city's public school system to don uniforms. The proposal, which could affect all 259 district schools, is the latest step in Street's push to improve education in schools across the city. At Street's request, members of the school board -- who thanks to a 1998 state law can require school uniforms in all Philadelphia schools -- will be discussing the possibility of mandating uniforms for students at an Education Committee meeting today. Street has expressed strong support for uniforms, saying that they will improve discipline and order in the downtrodden, underfunded public school system. Issues regarding school uniforms are often hotly contested between parents, students and administrators. And although the principals of several West Philadelphia schools say they approve of Street's plan, they also foresee complications the policy could cause. Cheryl Hazzard, principal of the Lea School at 47th and Locust Streets, expressed her strong support for a system of uniforms in public schools. "I think that uniforms are a good idea. Who's going to fight in dress up clothes?" Hazzard asked. "Nobody's going to get their good clothes messed up." She has experienced the benefits of school uniforms first-hand, having worked at a public school where the majority of children wore the same outfit. The results were an increase in school spirit and less competition among students, Hazzard said. However, other local administrators are skeptical of the mayor's plan to bring uniforms into their schools. "I'm not sure I see the connection between uniforms and children's behavior," said March Neff, principal of Powelton Village's Powel Elementary School, which houses grades K-4. Neff has also worked at a school where the students were encouraged to wear a simple uniform, and said that she perceived no visible difference from Powel in terms of discipline. Although Neff said she would be receptive to the idea of uniforms, she added that the clothes would have to allow children to play and get messy -- meaning no skirts for girls. "There are so many more important things we need to be concerned about in this city about public education," Neff said. Both Powel and Lea -- which has students in grades K-8 -- have younger students, which, the principals say, decreases the need for uniforms. A standard dress code is especially helpful in a high school environment, where the pressure to wear designer labels is far more intense, they added. University City High School Assistant Principal Ethelyn Young said that she "would love to see uniforms throughout the school system." "It will cut down on the name calling and the low self-esteem," Young explained. "Some children cannot afford to wear the most up-to-date clothing." However, Young also said that while she supports the plan, it will be difficult to get high school students to agree to wear uniforms. "You'd have a large outcry," Young said. "You're going to have a fight on your hands in the high schools."
Construction delayed for new Penn-assisted school
(03/30/00 10:00am)
Officials originally hoped to start building the controversial public school early this month. Construction of the new Penn-assisted public school in West Philadelphia remains on hold nearly a month after its scheduled groundbreaking. Work on the pre-K-8 neighborhood school was slated to begin March 1, and some officials have speculated that if the delay continues long enough, the school's scheduled fall 2001 opening may be pushed back. The University has played a key role in developing plans for the school since Penn and the Philadelphia Board of Education announced the joint effort in the summer of 1998. Penn has promised to contribute $700,000 a year -- $1,000 per student -- to the project for 10 years, as well as to provide technological and teaching support from its Graduate School of Education. Glenn Bryan, Penn's top community relations official, attributed the back-up to the Philadelphia school board's extended deliberation process to decide the catchment area -- which will determine who can attend the school. "We are waiting for the school board to decide what the catchment area will be," Bryan said. "It does threaten the school opening -- we are very much wanting the school board to make this decision." The board's Education Committee has been working to define the controversial catchment area since last December and early this year held several widely attended community meetings -- where angry and concerned area residents voiced their thoughts on both the school and the catchment area. Mayor John Street's overhaul of the school board earlier this month, in which he replaced five board members, also significantly delayed the process. Since the new appointments, there have been no public meetings to discuss the school and a spokeswoman from the Board of Education said there will be no new information released regarding the issue in the immediate future. School Board President Pedro Ramos could not be reached for comment. Steve Schutt, Penn's pointman on the project, said as long as the catchment area is determined this spring, it should not have much effect on the school's scheduled opening. He attributed the delay to logistical issues. "Our architects are working on some details of the design that have to be resolved for us to complete construction plans and schedules," Schutt said in an e-mail early this week. He added that the team expects to break ground in the near future. Bryan said it is a "definite priority" for the school to open on its scheduled date of fall 2001. Neither Schutt nor Bryan gave an estimated date when construction would begin. The school board must decide whether to assign to the school a specific neighborhood -- which Penn wants -- or to use a lottery system. The controversy has pitted neighborhood against neighborhood, with residents wanting to ensure that their children are eligible to attend. The catchment area will also likely have large implications for property values in the area. Meanwhile, community members said they are unsure about the project's status. "It's dropped off the radar screen," Spruce Hill Community Association President Barry Grossbach said. "Last thing we heard, the school board was supposed to make a decision in January." The three institutions occupying the block at 42nd and Locust streets where the new school will be built -- University City New School, Penn Infant Center and Penn's Children Center -- are still proceeding with their relocations as planned, although they remain uncertain about the updated construction schedule. Betty Ratay, principal of University City New School, was told by Penn officials to prepare for construction at the beginning of the month. "All the people in the parking lot had to be reassigned as of March 1. Then March 1 came, then March 2, then March 3," said Ratay, who is currently looking for a new location for UCNS. "Nothing happened. I don't know why." And Marni Sweet, director of the Penn Infant Center, said the day care center still intends to move to a new building on the same block during the summer and fall of 2001.
Skimmer on for this Saturday
(03/27/00 10:00am)
The sophomore class is sponsorin the annual day on the Schuylkill River, back for a third year in a row. The band and a cappella groups are ready, the food is ordered, the dunk tank is reserved -- all that's left for this year's Skimmer organizers to do is to pray for sun. Skimmer, an annual spring event that occurs off the banks of the Schuylkill River, will take place on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. on West River Drive. The attendance rate for Skimmer has varied over the last two years, since it was reinstated on campus after a 20-year hiatus. But this year's sponsor, the Sophomore Class Board, is determined to attract a large but manageable number of students to the event. "We're hoping for about 1,500 to 2,000 people," said Sophomore Class President Alex Tolbert. Although Penn's crew team will not be having a regatta on Saturday, Skimmer will boast a series of concerts, free food and even Brother Stephen White -- a widely known campus evangelist -- in a dunk tank, said Tolbert, a Wharton sophomore. "I think the focus of this year's Skimmer is to have a lot of entertainment there," said Wharton sophomore Dana Becker, secretary for the Sophomore Class Board. "We want to make it a fun afternoon that will engage a lot of the population." The headlining band will be the Philadelphia-based group Burnt Sienna, who will play a "wide range of popular covers," according to Tolbert. In addition, other performers for Skimmer will include Penn a cappella groups Counterparts, Penny Loafers and Dischord. Buses will be leaving the Upper Quad Gate every 15-to-20 minutes to transport Penn students to Skimmer. Skimmer was wildly popular among Penn students until 1972, when the University and the City of Philadelphia banned the event due to reckless, alcohol-related behavior. But two years ago, the Senior Class Board decided to bring Skimmer back as part of the Penn experience and, so far, the results have been mixed. In 1998, the 5,000 students that came to the banks of the river devoured the free food and pushed and shoved their way onto a limited number of buses. But last year, Skimmer's turnout dropped significantly to only about 650 students. Many of the Junior Class Board organizers attributed the decrease in attendance to the University's stricter alcohol policy that was enforced that spring. The 10 members of the Sophomore Class Board who have worked to put this year's Skimmer into action are optimistic. "I think last year, the whole campus was depressed," Tolbert said. "We're thinking it will be better this year." She added that there would be no alcohol served at Skimmer. Another difficulty in past years was persuading the City of Philadelphia to grant a permit for Skimmer -- because of its history of chaotic behavior. In response, a Skimmer Committee was created that successfully secured a permit for Saturday's event. Skimmer is also funded by the Junior Class Board, the Undergraduate Assembly and the Tangible Change Committee.
Initiative to beautify W. Philadelphia area
(03/24/00 10:00am)
The University City District has a new initiative to beautify the neighborhood -- and getting rid of "nasty couches" is part of the plan. But clearing out old sofas is just one segment of a three-pronged effort by the UCD to rehabilitate and preserve local houses, apartments and businesses. Trash on the sidewalks, dim lighting, chipped paint and leaking roofs are all coming under attack by the 3-month-old Neighborhood Rehabilitation Initiative. Led by D-L Wormley, who arrived at the UCD in January after managing Penn's community housing programs for nearly two years, the initiative is intended to improve the physical appearance of the neighborhood. "You wouldn't want to invest in a neighborhood that looked terrible," Wormley said. To this end, Wormley said she plans to hold workshops instructing landowners about home improvement, organize area landlords and provide technical assistance for local businesses. By focusing on making University City "clean and safe," the UCD as a whole has already put safety ambassadors on patrol, hired workers to clean the sidewalks and planted new trees along 40th Street. But the Neighborhood Rehabilitation Initiative will take these goals a step further, explained UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke, because the improvements will now be taking place in homes and businesses -- and not just on streets and sidewalks. Steinke explained that the addition of Wormley "gave us the opportunity to affect the private environment." In January and February, Wormley began surveying community members to determine their concerns about the neighborhood in order to determine the focus of the program. The survey revealed that the primary issue on the minds of University City landowners is selecting and working with contractors. In response to the community's concerns, the UCD will host a series of workshops in early May on contracting, roof maintenance and window repair. Business owners also voiced their concerns about what assistance UCD could provide. Many were curious as to how to improve the attractiveness of their storefronts, while others had practical concerns, such as installing more lighting. "A lot of small entrepreneurs need access to technical help," Wormley said. "Our role is to act as a facilitator to help businesses link into this assistance at no cost." UCD will not directly fund these improvements. Instead, Wormley will assist the businesses by finding and targeting foundations that offer grants for such projects. The Wharton Small Business Center will also provide advice regarding technical problems and marketing questions. Additionally, the initiative seeks to unite University City landlords in order to make neighborhood sidewalks trash-free and the houses well-lit, clean and attractive. Landlord Dan Bernstein, president of Sherman Properties, said he believes that part of the initiative will be "wildly successful" because it unifies the efforts the landlords have already been making. "We need to make sure that we continue to make University City a community that attracts people to visit it," Bernstein said. "The efforts of UCD will only help the situation and should provide some structure."
Funds raised to beautify Clark Park
(03/21/00 10:00am)
Despite the chilly temperatures, government officials and community organization members ushered in spring yesterday morning by announcing their plans for funding to improve Clark Park, University City's largest public space. The Clark Park Renewal Project -- a joint effort by the University City District and the Friends of Clark Park -- is designed to increase the level of maintenance in the nine-acre park, located at 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue, by raising $70,000 to hire private landscapers. "We have found out that everybody is willing to come together and make [this project] all that it could be," City Council majority leader Jannie Blackwell, whose district represents West Philadelphia, told the approximately 25 leaders of community organizations present. A sum of $25,000 has already been donated by many local organizations and businesses, including Penn. The Drumcliff Foundation -- a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization that supports environmental causes -- has pledged $20,000 for the next five years if the partnership sells $20,000 worth of tickets for the "Party for the Park" on May 4. "I'm not only optimistic that we're going to get to the $70,000. I think we're going to blow right past it," said John Fry, the chairman of UCD's board of directors and Penn's executive vice president. UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke cited the collaboration between a city agency, a community organization and a special services district as integral to the implementation of the renewal project. "Today, our partnership blossoms on the first day of spring, right here in Clark Park," Steinke said. Up until a month ago, Clark Park was maintained by the Philadelphia Department of Recreation and volunteers from the Friends of Clark Park, who continually planted, watered and weeded. But according to District 9 Manager of the Department of Recreation Vincent Pancetta, applications for permits have shot up over the last year. Pancetta pointed out that the park's popularity has increased, as it is now home to a Farmer's Market, local soccer leagues, festivals and a large number of neighbors who come to enjoy the open space, trees and flowers. "Those of us who live in West Philadelphia recognize the good things we have," said State Rep. James Roebuck, who was at the briefing. "Clark Park is one of those good things." However, as more community members frequent Clark Park, wear and tear on the green spaces also increased. So in 1999, the Philadelphia Department of Recreation approved a plan constructed by the Friends of Clark Park and UCD that is going into action this month. Moon Site Management was selected through a bidding process as the new private landscape contractor for Clark Park. Cynthia Roberts, president of the Friends of Clark Park, said Moon Site Management will supplement the work provided by the Department of Recreation by trimming, mulching and pruning the greenery. "This is just one step of many, many steps in creating the kind of community we want to have in West Philadelphia," University of the Sciences President Philip Gerbino said.
U. students planning for area cleanup
(03/02/00 10:00am)
Penn has taken the Ivy Council's community service day and turned it into a month-long volunteer effort. They'll be painting, planting, hammering and running -- all in the name of community service. For the first time ever, the Ivy Council -- a group of 40 representatives from all eight Ivy League universities -- has officially proclaimed April 8 as "Ivy Corps," when students will devote their energy and resources to help their surrounding communities. But for Penn's Undergraduate Assembly, one day of community service isn't enough, according to Dana Becker, co-chair of the UA's West Philadelphia Committee. So the Penn "Quaker Corps" branch has scheduled projects for three additional dates. "We're hoping for this to be the first year of something that Penn continues," said Becker, a Wharton sophomore. "We hope to make more of commitment to community service, to see that it is fun and rewarding." The students have teamed up with UC Green -- a Penn initiative aimed at beautifying University City through planting and gardening -- to bring an expected 700 students and dozens of area residents out into West Philadelphia neighborhoods over the next month to work on five different projects, which include tree planting and neighborhood cleanup. UC Green Director Esaul Sanchez said he expects hundreds of fraternity brothers will join in the effort by cleaning the area surrounding their houses. "We in the community feel that fraternities must take responsibility for their property," he said. Kicking off Quaker Corps on March 25, the UA and the United Minorities Council will combine forces with community groups to plant over 50 trees in neighborhoods throughout University City. The following weekend, Penn students will participate in a massive cleanup and greening project at a playground at 45th and Sansom streets. On April 8 -- the official Ivy Corps day -- the InterFraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council and the Bi-Cultural InterGreek Council will volunteer in conjunction with Greek Week to help clean up the area, IFC Executive Vice President John Buchanan said. Buchanan, a member of Phi Kappa Psi, said the Greeks will focus on the 3800 and 4000 blocks of Walnut Street and the 3900 block of Spruce Street. "It's a good way for fraternity and sorority members to get out and help the greater University City community," the College junior said. Also on April 8, students, with the help of some teachers who have some carpentry know-how, will build a pavilion between the Lea School and West Philadelphia High School, both located on 47th Street. Finally, Becker said that the UA is trying to arrange a 5-K run on April 9 through the "Greenbelt"of West Philadelphia -- the area UC Green has focused its energy on during the past year and a half -- and will donate the proceeds to a yet-to-be-determined local school. The UA has been working with Civic House and a variety of student groups to recruit volunteers for Quaker Corps. Becker admitted that organizing a project this massive is difficult, but both she and Sanchez said they certainly expect it to have its payoffs. "To define success, we would have every single volunteer go there and do a meaningful job," Sanchez said. "You are going to say, 'Something good happened here.'"
Mayor talks on Phila. public school system
(03/01/00 10:00am)
When Mayor John Street entered the Sayre Middle School auditorium last night to discuss public education in West Philadelphia, the crowd rose to its feet with thunderous applause. About 300 parents, students, teachers and other concerned community members packed the auditorium for the chance to hear Street's agenda for improving the public school system. Street, who in January dubbed 2000 the "Year of the Child," has won strong support in many communities -- including West Philadelphia -- for his pledges to reform the city's severely underfunded and poorly staffed school system. "We can't have a world class city with a second class educational system," Street said, adding that he intended to visit every cluster -- groups of area schools -- in the Philadelphia area to share ideas. Decreasing classroom size, increasing teacher salaries and opening up the schools for extracurricular activities topped the mayor's list of priorities for helping West Philadelphia schools succeed. The audience anxiously awaited Street's belated arrival, listening to Cluster Leader Janice Butler discuss improvements that would most benefit the group of 13 schools that makes up the West Philadelphia Cluster. "Our children deserve quality teachers providing them with quality education," Butler said. "I am delighted to introduce a mayor who is saying what we need to hear." Street began his speech by saying that he will use his new power to choose school board members to replace certain board members, although he maintained that he will not remove the current president and vice president. Furthermore, Street stressed that he would not cut educational programs from the city budget. However, he acknowledged that certain proposed initiatives for the public schools might be difficult to implement due to a lack of funding in the city budget. "We have a deficit and the deficit is getting bigger, and one day we're going to run out of money," Street admitted to the crowd. "When we run out of money, then you're going to have to decide what is really important to you. Are you ready to fight for public education?" Many of the audience members showed support for Street's plans and said they shared his concern about the state of public education but worry if certain plans are actually practical. "[Street] hit on all the things we've been talking about, but we're already spending at a deficit. And it all comes down to dollars and cents," said John Lay, a 30-year teacher at West Philadelphia High School. Others voiced their concern about discipline problems that plague the schools, coupled with the lack of teacher and non-teacher support, that create an environment in which learning is difficult. Lily Connor, whose 7-year-old daughter attends Harrington School, says that the playground at recess "looks like a Roman War. I see that they are totally out of control -- they don't listen to the teachers." Street said he hopes to add cultural programs and make school athletic facilities and computers available to students year-round -- suggestions many audience members agreed with. "There should be something for the children to do during the summer," said Willicent Wise, mother of two girls who attend school in the West Philadelphia Cluster.
Getting around in U. City gets easier
(02/23/00 10:00am)
This spring, new signs will help both pedestrians and drivers as they pass through the city. The University City District sponsored the plan. Helpful signs designed to direct University City visitors to local attractions will be coming to street corners all over the area beginning this spring. "There's a lot of great institutions here in University City," said Eric Goldstein, the University City District's director of capitol projects. "We wanted this mapping system in place to help people find their way around this great neighborhood." The two types of maps have distinctly different purposes -- Walk Philadelphia is designed to help pedestrians, and Direction Philadelphia is for the drivers navigating West Philadelphia's streets. The Walk Philadelphia signs will be on every intersection from the Schuylkill River westward to 40th Street, north to Market Street and south to Woodland Avenue. The Direction Philadelphia signs will be placed strategically in the middle of every block in the same locations. Included on the Walk Philadelphia signs will be important landmarks such as 30th Street Station, Drexel University, Penn, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. "A system of directional signage was one of our primary goals," UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke said. "Our plan was to make the neighborhood more accessible and user-friendly to those who come to University City." The initiative is one of the District's latest efforts to both beautify University City and attract residents from throughout the region to the area. The maps aiming to help visitors on foot find their way around University City employ a unique method called "heads-up mapping." Instead of the top of the map always reading "North," these new maps always face the same direction that the pedestrian faces. Although this technique dates back to 1675, Philadelphia designer Joel Katz perfected the system for use in Center City's maps. He stressed that this particular "heads-up" system really helps people navigate their way around an urban setting. "Maps and directions are no good if you don't know where you are," Katz said. "Orientation is just as important as direction." In addition to the maps, there will also be signs that read "University City," welcoming visitors who drive into the neighborhood. The Walk Philadelphia and Direction Philadelphia signs are based on maps that began sprouting up in Center City in 1997, as a way to highlight various tourist districts. And the UCD has eagerly followed the Center City District's example, obtaining funding for the signage system from the Philadelphia Department of Streets. Currently, there are 490 Walk and Direction Philadelphia signs in Center City. According to CCD Public Spaces Manager Darren Fava, the program's extension into West Philadelphia really makes this a one-of-a-kind endeavor. "This is one of the most comprehensive systems of its kind in the country," Fava said. Although the City of Philadelphia is funding the maps' creation, UCD still must appeal to their Board of Executives to grant maintenance funding to keep them graffiti-free. "We're hoping that all the stakeholders will all see the value and support of our maintenance efforts," Goldstein said.
Staff, faculty reflect on Kelley's tenure
(02/18/00 10:00am)
Word spread quickly through the hallways yesterday at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania that William Kelley's 10-year tenure as chief executive officer and dean was over. By the time faculty arrived at a 5 p.m. meeting to officially hear the news, most had already found out about the changing of the guard. They knew that Kelley was out and that Department of Medicine Chairman Peter Traber would be temporarily taking over. And the students, faculty and staff at one of the nation's premier health care establishments expressed mixed emotions about the ousting of Kelley. Some praised the job Kelley had done, noting his vision and passion for improving the institution. But others noted the all-too-evident financial problems the Health System is fighting -- problems that may only be solved by a new leader. "As they say 'the king is dead, long live the king,'" Neurology Department Vice Chairman Howard Hurtig said. "[Kelley] was a visionary, strong leader. He built the system, he brought it from the brink of insignificance." With his insightful vision of the Penn Medical Center's future, Kelley created a lasting reputation among students, faculty and doctors. Under his leadership, UPHS was created through his purchase of three area hospitals and the Medical School's academic prestige dramatically increased, moving the school to the No. 2 mark in National Institutes of Health funding. But over the past two years, the Health System lost nearly $300 million, forcing massive cost-cutting and speculation about Kelley's future at the University. "Kelley certainly had a strong vision and I think he succeeded in moving the health care system in that direction," said Daniel Skovronsky, a sixth-year doctoral student. "Due to factors that seemed beyond anyone's control, things didn't work out that well." "The Medical Center had it's problems -- although well intentioned," said a Medical School student, who refused to give his name. "I don't know if it worked out as well as [Kelley] expected." Top Penn administrators, including University President Judith Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi, announced the administration changes to faculty yesterday in Stemmler Hall. After the meeting, some doctors noted that they feel the Health System has faced too many challenges and difficulties and believe that now is the right time for a change in the administration. "I'm optimistic [about the change] -- we seem to be heading for new things," one HUP doctor said. "Everybody hopes that it's going to be for the very best," Allery and Immunology Professor Andrea Apter said. She added that "it's a very difficult time for the Health System. I really do have the sense that the faculty supports the change." Anna Grosz, a third-year Medical School student, expressed her frustration with the situation. "Does it really matter who's in charge of the Health System?" Grosz asked. "If they have no money, it doesn't matter." Daily Pennsylvanian staff writers Michael Sonsino and Aliya Sternstein contributed to this story.
Sampling Phila. culture on Thursdays
(02/17/00 10:00am)
Go West! for two-for-one dinners, for tacos de pollo asado, for grape leaves, for naked films and for an evening of unparalleled culinary and artistic enjoyment in University City. Go West! for Third Thursday is sponsoring "Dinner & a Movie Night," which features many local restaurants offering special two-for-the-price-of-one deals and half-price tickets for the Margaret Mead Film Festival held at the University Museum. "It's winter, it would be nice to go out to dinner -- and it's the opening night of this internationally renowned film festival," said Alison Kelsey, marketing director of the University City District, explaining this month's theme. The seven participating restaurants are very enthusiastic to be included in the "Dinner" section of tonight's festivities, according to UCD Marketing Coordinator Elizabeth Nash. In fact, the Food and Beverage Manager at Cafe Bon Appetit, Elizabeth Walsh, was so delighted with the idea that she suggested the establishment host a pre-party. "We're hoping to attract all sorts of West Philadelphia residents, more than just the University community," Walsh said. So from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. today, Cafe Bon Appetit will be serving up complimentary appetizers at its location in the International House at 36th and Chestnut streets. Then, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Cafe Bon Appetit, La Terrasse, Marigold Dining Room, Palladium Restaurant, Rana Middle East Cuisine, The Restaurant School and Zocalo will all be inviting diners to order two entrZes for the price of one. Each of the restaurants will give a Third Thursday button to participants, which entitles them to half-price admission at the Film Festival. This Festival is "the largest showcase for cultural documentaries in the United States," according to a press release from UCD. Beginning at the University Museum at 7:30 p.m., a series of four short films will explore the theme, "Body Art: Marks of Identity." One film, entitled To Walk Naked, focuses on a group of South African women who protested the destruction of their homes by taking off all their clothes in defiance of the Afrikaner National Government. Stoney Knows How is a short film about a man who, crippled with arthritis from his childhood, is a skilled tattoo artist. The University City District, a 2 1/2 year old non-profit organization created to beautify the area and promote it to residents from throughout the region, started the Third Thursday program in September 1998 as a way to showcase the area's artistic and cultural venues.
Residents clamor for U. funding
(02/17/00 10:00am)
W. Phila. residents want Penn money for other neighborhood schools. For members of the Walnut Hill Community Association, it is a matter of equality -- for their children and for their neighborhood. With a brand new Penn-assisted public school scheduled to be built in University City, residents of the Walnut Hill section of West Philadelphia are demanding that Penn and the state government provide money to their Lea School, at 47th and Locust streets, in addition to the millions of dollars the University is already pouring into the construction and operation of the new pre-K-8 public school. Betty Reavis, president of the Walnut Hill Community Association, said she intends to present Mayor John Street with a petition signed by more than 1,000 signatures of concerned area residents within the next 10 days. "It is very unfair for Penn to offer land to the Board of Education to build a public school," Reavis said. "If Penn and the Board of Education can do this, then they can do something for the other schools in the area." The petition requests five principle points -- the first being that the University and the state of Pennsylvania each raise $5 million to renovate the Lea School and improve the Powell, Drew and Wilson schools. Additionally, the petition advocates that as students transfer to the Penn-assisted school from Lea, the enrollment at Lea should remain low to prevent crowded classrooms. Furthermore, the petition states that the $700,000 yearly subsidy Penn has granted to the new school should instead be transferred to the Lea School, in order to hire teachers with more on-the-job experience. "Penn has not committed a single dollar for teachers or programs at the Lea School," says the petition, written by Reavis. "Many people have complained that this is an injustice and an insult to those residents of University City who would not be able to attend the new school." Glenn Bryan, Penn's top community relations official, said Penn has not been presented with the petition but heard it being discussed in town meetings. Though he refused to comment on whether Penn would consider acceding to Walnut Hill's request, Bryan emphasized that the University remains committed to the other area schools. "We have been working with the community attempting to bring resources to the area schools," Bryan said. In the past, Penn has provided area schools, including Lea, with assistance through grant money, tutoring and various other programs. At a Walnut Hill member meeting held on February 7, Philadelphia School Board member Michael Karp showed up to lend his support as a longtime West Philadelphia resident for the efforts of the Walnut Hill community, which extends from 45th to 52nd streets, and from Market to Spruce streets. Karp said that all of University City's children should have access to improved resources, not just those who will attend the new public school. "It is not right to have a brand new school building and leave the existing Lea School in the condition that it's in," Karp said. "We shouldn't have one school get $21 million and the other kids get zero." According to Annette Campbell, a doctoral degree candidate at Penn and a volunteer at Lea, the school has no library or playground and uses two small rooms as cafeterias. "It's an urban public school. It needs a lot," Campbell said. "When you see children not having anything to play with at lunchtime, it's disconcerting." Horace Patterson, first vice president for Walnut Hill Community Association, viewed support for the Lea school as a necessary outcome of the new school project. "Anybody with a moral conscience would be against this school," Patterson said. "How can the Board of Education spend $20 million when Lea doesn't have a library, doesn't have a cafeteria?" Also, Karp stressed that Walnut Hill was the only neighborhood in West Philadelphia that would not fall into the proposed catchment area -- increasing the need for improvements at the Lea School. Reavis said community members are still in the process of collecting signatures to deliver to Street. "We're just hoping that the mayor will take a good look at this [petition] and understand that he must do something for this community," Reavis said.
Famous Pennstitution offers tasty American fare
(02/16/00 10:00am)
Smokey Joe's has been a part of Penn's campus since 1933. For University students, it's a regular hangout with lines stretching out the doors even on weeknights. Visitors to the campus from far and wide often make it a necessary stop on their "must-see" list. Most people pack into the medium-sized establishment on 40th Street after 11 p.m. for the bar scene, leaving the restaurant section largely empty at dinner. But the wide selection of burgers, hot and cold sandwiches and traditional dinners is so reasonably priced that the menu rivals other local institutions like New Deck Tavern or Cavanaugh's. Smoke's truly lives up to its reputation as a campus establishment, with red and blue decor lining the dining room and bar area. Pictures of Penn athletes from as far back as the 1950s and '60s hang on the walls, and the menu boasts such authentic Philadelphia specialties as the "Ben Franklin" and "Frank Rizzo" burgers. Ask any Smoke's regular, and they'll tell you the best bargain on the menu is the "Franklin Field Deal," which, for $7.99, gets you a selected appetizer, entree and bottomless soft drink. As an appetizer, sample the jalapeno poppers ($3.25) -- a lightly breaded spicy pepper filled with creamy cheddar cheese and marinara dipping sauce. Another popular favorite is a heaping platter of buffalo wings, drenched with Smoke's own hot sauce and accompanied by a creamy blue cheese dressing. Our waitress highly recommended the hamburgers, so we sampled the "Ben Franklin" -- a 1/2 lb. beef patty covered with diced onions, mushrooms and peppers with a serving of crispy steak fries. Although the meat wasn't prime filet, what more can you ask for $4.95? Larger entrZes on the menu include the Barbequed Baby Back Ribs, a rack of hearty ribs slathered in a smokey, southern-style sauce. For $7.95, this dish included a side order of a steaming baked potato, cole slaw and sauteed spinach. Don't come to Smoke's expecting dessert -- apparently most people don't order it, our waitress informed us. Luckily, there happened to be an extra apple pie in the kitchen that the chef happily heated up and served with a dollop of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.
Amid works of art, Opus 51 serves variety of dishes
(02/16/00 10:00am)
Opus 251 embodies artistry. Located in the Philadelphia Art Alliance, an old Italian building just off Rittenhouse Square, diners are seated next to galleries and head chef Alfonso Constrisciani's creations themselves are works of art. Though still a newcomer to Philadelphia's core of elite restaurants, Opus 251 has already claimed a devoted following -- filling up virtually every table on Friday and Saturday nights. The restaurant attracts a diverse crowd of working professionals who relax with a casual drink at the bar, and those who come to dine romantically in the new-colonial setting of the Gold and Blue rooms. The breadth of variety and sophistication of the wine list deserves special mention. Ranging in price from $28 to $190 a bottle, and region from Napa to Bordeaux, Opus 251 offers a wide variety of fine wine. A bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon's rich, bold flavor highlighted the Mediterranean based accents in the entrees. The restaurant is filled with artistic accents -- from the white, Italian arches framing the windows to the greyish mauve wind-swept trees painted on the walls. But Constrisciani's culinary creations bring art to the table as well. Each dish is elegantly prepared with careful consideration to aesthetic appearance. Constrisciani, an arrival from Brasserie Perrier, prepares a delicious selection of new-American food. The menu incorporates classic first courses, but it is not surprising to find unique creations such as a chili glazed shrimp or Oxtail soup. The basket of bread that accompanies every meal is freshly baked on the premises daily. Our selection included savory sun-dried tomato bread, a crisp french baguette and air-infused cheese puffs that were served with extra virgin olive oil, swirled with pesto. The selection for first courses is widely varied, ranging from a baby spinach salad with goat cheese polenta chips ($7.50) to a sweet onion flan with truffles ($9). We sampled the Salmon Gravalax ($12), which was accompanied by squares of tender raw tuna and caviar, lightly drizzled with a sweet coconut and wasabi sauce. Another deliciously unusual selection was the shoulder of wild Boar ($13) -- prepared with a southwestern flair and piled atop crisp corn tortillas and diced tomatoes. Michael Wightman, events coordinator of Opus 251, highly recommended the Seared Scallops and Lobster with beet cous cous, found on the main menu. We enjoyed a smooth, buttery Black Angus Steak, that came with a side portion of sauteed spinach and sliced Yukon gold potatoes. The Ahi Tuna, which Wightman and Constrisciani both suggest medium-rare, was thinly sliced and delicately laid over a bed of wild rice. Opus 251 has developed quite a reputation for their desert menu and the speciality -- the "Opus Lantern" -- is whispered about in culinary circles. This extravagant desert is actually a trio of sweets, with the crowning triumph a dense chocolate torte with a paper-thin cookie shell that encases a candle.
No decision yet on Penn school
(02/11/00 10:00am)
In the midst of ongoing debate, the Philadelphia Board of Education has not yet reached a decision regarding who will attend the Penn-assisted public school slated to be built at 42nd and Spruce streets. Steve Schutt, chief of staff to University President Judith Rodin and Penn's pointman for the project, has said that he expects a decision to be reached before the end of the month. School board members had previously said there would be a decision in December, and then that they would resolve the situation in January. "We certainly need it resolved as quickly as possible," Schutt explained, citing that construction needs to begin in March for the school to open at its expected date of September 2001. The school board is expected to hold another public meeting before voting on either a defined area from where all children would attend or a lottery where students would be chosen at random, University spokesman Ken Wildes said. Intense controversy has surrounded the school since plans for it were announced 1 1/2 years ago because it will accommodate only 700 students -- meaning it cannot serve the majority of West Philadelphia children. Residents have arrived in droves to school board meetings and town meetings to voice their opinions about a catchment area or a lottery system to determine the neighborhoods that will fall into its jurisdiction. At the last meeting on January 14, four out of the five members of the Education Committee said they were leaning toward the approval of a distinct catchment area. School board members have proposed three possible options -- one of which would determine through a lottery system which students could attend the school. The other two proposals were catchment areas, which would set definite boundaries for who may attend. The largest of these areas extends as far north as Sansom Street, south to Baltimore Avenue and stretches to 50th and Pine streets. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said she sees no reason why construction can not begin in March. She said, however, that the decision has been somewhat delayed. "I have enormous respect for those [school] board members," Scheman said. "But it takes the school board a long time to get anything done." This issue is viewed as key for the future of the neighborhood, which has been anxiously awaiting a decision. "I think its been an emotional rollercoaster of an issue," said Barry Grossbach, president of the Spruce Hill Community Association. "We all would have been better served had this decision been made a year ago." However, some community members are concerned that plans for the new school are moving along too quickly and not taking into consideration those who will be affected. "[The school board] only informed the public about the catchment area in early January," said Linda Basnage, a mother of three and a resident of the 4500 block of Locust Street. "Everything is being rushed. For me, to plan to break ground three months after they released the proposal is too soon." Basnage added that the school board has a responsibility to ensure that West Philadelphia neighborhoods are not divided in the process. "This is the thing that will make my husband and I leave the area," she said. "It's not the drug dealers. It's not the crime -- this shows us that this community doesn't belong to us, it belongs to the University."
Lawsuit accuses U. of age discrimination
(02/10/00 10:00am)
A 58-year-old former Penn employee has filed a lawsuit against the University, claiming that he was fired because of his age and replaced by someone younger and less qualified. The lawsuit -- filed in the U.S. District Court on December 3 -- alleges that Byron Dresner, first hired by Penn in 1967, was dismissed in June 1998 from his position as one of several professional academic advisors for Wharton undergraduates. But Penn claims that he violated the department's policies relating to student affairs, causing his dismissal. "His termination was the product of differential and disparate treatment based on his age," said the lawsuit. "[Dresner] was recently replaced by an associate director who is believed to be in his 30s and is believed to have far less qualifications and credentials," alleges the lawsuit, which was filed jointly with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In addition, the lawsuit claims that three of Dresner's co-workers who ranged in age from 50 to 60 years were also terminated from the Administrative Department of the Wharton School in the last two years. In its formal response, Penn denied the accusations and claimed instead that Dresner was fired because he "illicitly altered his daughter's records, including grade and class standing." Dresner's daughter is currently a Wharton student. The University's response, filed at the end of December, stated that, in addition, Dresner was dismissed because of his unsatisfactory job performance. Penn also denied the plaintiff's allegations that three of Dresner's elder co-workers were dismissed from their positions. "We believe that we took the appropriate action [in firing Dresner] and the University plans to defend itself vigorously in this lawsuit," University Associate General Council Eric Tilles said. Dresner's attorneys, however, denied Penn's accusation that their client tampered with University information. "There was no falsification of any records and the evidence will substantiate that fact," said Sidney Gold, one of two lawyers representing Dresner. Penn also denied that Dresner, a Lynwood, Pa., resident, maintained a satisfactory job performance in his position as an academic advisor, as the former employee alleges in the lawsuit. "[Dresner] engaged in illicit, insubordinate activities that demonstrated a clear conflict of interest," the University's formal response stated. The suit also claims that the University rejected Dresner's attempts to be rehired by the Penn Athletic Department, a position that he was "better qualified [for] than those persons considered." Dresner is demanding that the University compensate him $100,000 for future monetary losses, pain, inconvenience and mental anguish.