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With yesterday's accidental death of College junior Abraham Huang sending shockwaves through the Penn community, friends of the 20-year-old transfer student found themselves in disbelief.
Following the start of attacks against Taliban and al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan, Muslim and Arab students at Penn are voicing concerns about the ramifications of the military actions.
When College freshman Kate Winterkorn heard the later-debunked rumor that a car bomb had exploded outside the State Department, right near where her mother works, she felt utterly alone.
It is said that Timothy McVeigh walked away from the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, after having dropped off the Ryder van which contained the deadly explosives, and saw the baby's cribs that were situated in the day care center. I have no doubt that McVeigh -- who murdered 168 completely innocent people in his false and warped hope of starting an anti-government uprising -- did not deserve to live.
Penn Students Against Sweatshops is giving the University community one more reason to pay attention to the largest track and field event in the world -- only, instead of athletes, the group's focus will be on the companies that outfit them. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as the Penn Relays are in full swing at Franklin Field, PSAS will be protesting against Nike's involvement in the athletic event. The group will also be acting in opposition to Penn's choice to make John Capriotti, the director of Nike's track and field and running division, an honorary referee at the Relays. The protest will take the form of a small tent city -- a group of about three tents -- just outside Franklin Field near the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. "We're not doing this against any of the athletes," PSAS member and College of General Studies student Melissa Byrne said. Byrne added that PSAS is protesting working conditions at the Kukdong factory, which manufactures Nike merchandise in the Puebla state in Mexico, although the company does not own this factory. "Nike still violates the spirit of the code of conduct," Byrne said about the code of conduct established by Penn's Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility. PSAS first gained notoriety last February when the group staged a nine-day sit-in in College Hall, demanding that the University withdraw from Fair Labor Association and join the Worker Rights Consortium, a rival labor monitoring organization. Penn now belongs to both groups. PSAS members will be distributing information about Nike and sweatshops in general, and will urge students and passersby alike to either discard or cover up their Nike "Swooshes" to keep from advertising for the company. Penn Athletic Department officials said that they were not aware of plans for the protest. "This is the first that we've heard of this, and we have no knowledge of these events," Athletic Department spokeswoman Carla Shultzberg said. PSAS members also criticized Penn for its decision to honor a Nike official. Organizers also said there would likely be other activity throughout the weekend. Not only may a banner be dropped on Franklin Field, but a "barefoot for justice march" on Locust Walk may take place with former St. John's University soccer coach Jim Keady, who was fired for opposing Nike's involvement with merchandise at his former school.
Despite a day of rain, men and women marched and chanted together last night to show their support for the fight against sexual violence. The annual "Take Back the Night" rally drew nearly 100 students and other members of the Penn and Philadelphia communities to the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall last night. Students also marched through campus and chanted against violence. Along with singing performances by Penn's female a capella group Quaker Notes, professionals familiar with sexual violence -- such as rape or acquaintance rape -- and victims of sexual aggression shared their experiences and views. "We are here to end the violence," Penn Feminists co-chairwoman and College junior Ellie Lobovits said at the start of the rally. "We are here to take back the night." University Special Services Director Patricia Brennan made sure to distinguish her office from the University Police Department, which are housed in the same facility at 4040 Chestnut Street. "When you come to our office, you are not reporting a crime to the police department," Brennan said. Brennan finished her remarks by emphasizing that even if crimes are not always reported, many are still occurring. "Let's start reporting our real statistics and stop hiding behind [the false statistics]," she said. Penn Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi discussed the importance of a 1973 sit-in at College Hall, which demanded increased security on campus, especially for women. "In doing so, Penn was really put on the map as a national leader," DiLapi said. "Women walk through much of their lives in danger and on top of that, we believe it's our fault," she added. Laughter and loud responses were then elicited when psychologist and sexual abuse specialist Karen Smith of Philadelphia's Renfrew Center asked attendees to practice saying the words "yes" and "no" in assertive ways. "'Yes' and 'no' are the basis of all social interaction," Smith said. Those in attendance spoke reacted positively to "Take Back the Night." "It can change things in a lot of ways," Germantown resident John Landis said. "You cannot just wink your eye at things this bad." The rally drew to a close after the campus march in the rain -- complete with megaphone and a speak-out by those affected by sexual violence -- ended back at Houston Hall. "The definition of rape is not totally... digested," College sophomore Rya Conrad-Bradshaw said. Jane Jolis, a College sophomore, praised the women who spoke about their experiences with sexual violence. "I came to listen to these women speak because I think they have immense courage," Jolis said. Lobovits said she thought "Take Back the Night" was especially important for freshmen who may not be that familiar with the problem of sexual violence on campus and with Penn's resources which aim to prevent it. She also highlighted the need for increased involvement at the upper levels of the University. "This has never really been directly addressed by the administration," Lobovits said. "I think Penn should take a more active role."
If Penn's incoming freshmen want to get their money's worth in their first semester, they will now have to visit the dining hall 17 times each week. Starting with the class of 2005, all first-year students will be required to subscribe to Campus Dining Services's "Penn Titanium Meal Plan," which provides students with 17 all-you-can-eat meals and 150 Dining Dollars. University officials said that the decision was motivated by the desire to foster a community atmosphere among freshmen, account for fluctuating finances within Dining Services and increase dining offerings for students. The new policy gives "the opportunity to offer a more robust food program," Campus Dining Services Managing Director Peg Lacey said. Lacey pointed to many factors for the decision, including student input in various surveys taken throughout the year. She also said that Campus Dining Services wished to account for shifts in revenue between fall and spring semesters. Often, she said, students downgrade their meal plans at the start of this year's spring semester, leaving Dining Services with less revenue in the spring than the fall. "We wanted some stability there," Lacey added. Associate Vice President of Campus Services Larry Moneta said the decision was partly based on the recommendations of college house representatives, who said that meal plans can be used to create community among the different houses. "Half of [the new plan] came from our work with the college houses," Moneta said. Director of College Houses and Academic Services David Brownlee said that the new policy will contribute to "a stable financial foundation and a stable foundation for house-based programming." Brownlee said he thought that freshmen should not have to focus on how they are going to get meals and instead concentrate on getting acclimated to college life. "I think it's important for freshmen to focus on their studies," Brownlee said. Moneta also pointed to the desire to create "strong financial stability" within Dining Services. He added, however, that profit-making was not a motivation for Campus Services. "There is no profit," Moneta said. "There is no [net] revenue generating here." According to Moneta, all of the funds brought in by meal plans go toward maintaining the expenses of Campus Services, including hiring staff. Penn officials said that the financial aid office has taken the cost of the 17-meal per week plan into account in designing student aid packages. While all freshman must stick to the 17-meal per week plan for their first semester, they will have the option to upgrade to the 19-meal per week plan or downgrade to the 14-meal per week plan. Students may not, however, subscribe to any meal plan which provides fewer than 14 meals per week at any point in the freshman year. Some students, however, criticized the new policy. "I chose 19 first semester, and I probably ate 5 meals a week," College freshman Luke Panza said. "Truthfully, I really think Penn is making people waste their money," Panza added. "I don't see why it should be mandatory." Other students agreed with Panza. "I think it's ridiculous," College freshman Rory Levine said. "I think it doesn't make any sense." "On a campus where the food is pretty lousy to begin with, I think it's unfair that they would require freshmen to pay for meals that, chances, are, they won't go to," said Levine, a member of the Kite and Key Club, who arranges for prospective Penn students to be hosted by current students on overnight visits. Other students echoed Levine and Panza's views. "I think it's a waste of money for the incoming freshmen," College Freshman Rachel Josue said. "I never eat in the dining hall," she said, adding that she has only used 80 meals this semester with her declining meal plan. For students commuting to Penn, the 17-meal per week plan will not be required; instead, a Commuter Plan offers 5 meals per week to accommodate these students.
Passing up an early start to their weekends, a large crowd of Penn students crowded into Logan Hall last Friday afternoon to hear about Cuban-American relations. Charles Shapiro, the coordinator of the Office of Cuban Affairs at the State Department in Washington, drew nearly 70 faculty members and students from Penn and other nearby schools. The talk was part of last week's Festival Latino, which saw the appearance of many notable speakers, including author Juila Alvarez and comedienne Marga Gomez. "The United States and Cuba have been intimately related since before the United States was a country," Shapiro said. Shapiro stressed the tough economic times facing many Cubans as a result of the country's more than 30 percent economic decline in the years between 1991 and 1994. "People benefitted from the revolution," Shapiro said, explaining that the poorer an individual was, the more advantages Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution brought. Shapiro devoted some of his address to a discussion of Cuban political and social repression. "There's no opposition because the government doesn't allow opposition," Shapiro said. "The Bush administration is very concerned about Cuba and about human rights in Cuba," he added. To change Cuban-American relations, Shapiro felt that students should lobby for what they feel strongly about. "I would urge those people who are interested in Cuba to be as skeptical toward the Cuban government as they are toward me," Shapiro said. He also discussed Fidel Castro's brother and proposed successor Raul Castro and his threat to attempt to form a Cuban democratic government after the reigning Castro dies. "This guy is a force to be reckoned with in political terms," Shapiro said. For the organizers of Shapiro's address, Cuban-American relations were something they wanted to pursue because of their controversial nature. "Cuba was such an evocative issue," said College senior and event organizer Isabel Rioja-Scott, who interned in Shapiro's office last summer. While those who attended enjoyed hearing the viewpoint of a foreign service worker well-acquainted with Cuba, some criticized his remarks. "I find it troublesome that someone who works for the U.S. government is so unquestioning," College senior Alicia Blum-Ross said. Yet Rioja-Scott pointed out that even if Shapiro did disagree with U.S. policy, it is difficult for him to express this viewpoint because his job is to execute American policy toward Cuba. "He's bound by a certain set of restrictions that are U.S. law," Rioja-Scott said. Others criticized U.S. policy toward Cuba itself. "I essentially disagree with the policy that the U.S. is having towards Cuba," Penn alumnus Julio Gonzalez said. "The Clinton administration allowed the kidnapping of a boy because the Cuban-Americans are powerful," he said, referring to the long stay of Elian Gonzalez in the U.S. before he was returned to his father in Cuba. Julio Gonzalez said he thought that Shapiro was "very knowledgeable about American policy and the kind of argument that goes behind it." Some students said they enjoyed Shapiro's honest analysis of the present state of foreign relations. "He tried to engage people in the controversial issues surrounding this topic without being overly preoccupied with being politically correct," College junior and organizer Lourenco Bustani said. "We have so many people with conflicting agendas," Bustani added about the varying opinions that were expressed.
The wait is finally over. After months of discussion, the Nominations and Elections Committee has selected three student organizations to fill the three open seats on the University Council that the Undergraduate Assembly recently relinquished. The NEC selected the Latino Coalition, the InterFraternity Council and UMOJA, a coalition of 23 student organizations representing students of the African diaspora, to occupy the Council seats. "People are happy, although there's still a lot to be done on campus," UMOJA Political Action and Research Committee Coordinator Kimberly Noble said. "This is just a small step, but we're happy to be taking it," the College sophomore added. The three student groups will each serve a one-year renewable term on Council. In February, the UA decided to reallocate four of its 15 seats on Council after the Latino Coalition requested its own seat on the body, comprised of students, faculty and administrators. Three were slated to go to underrepresented student groups and one seat was given to the NEC itself. "In terms of the decision, we really did base it on what our bylaws state," NEC Chairman Nick Goad said. To be considered for the open Council seats, interested student groups were required to submit a proposal to the NEC and then go through a round of interviews. Eleven organizations applied for the slots. "We're very excited about next year," said Latino Coalition spokesman Randy Quezada, a College senior. "We're looking forward to a very productive year." The Latino Coalition lost representation on Council when it withdrew from the United Minorities Council, which already has seats on the body. In addition to the three groups ultimately selected, the NEC interviewed the Civic House Associates Coalition, Penn Environmental Group, the University Honor Council and the Asian Pacific Students Coalition. "We will be working closely with the other minority coalitions," said APSC chairwoman Olivia Chung, who is also a Daily Pennsylvanian staff writer. "But still, they cannot be expected to completely voice the interests of our constituents." Chung voiced her opposition to the rules imposed on the selected groups. "I honestly believe that student groups who speak to underrepresented issues should not have to be squeezed into three seats on a yearly basis," she added. Also vying for seats, but not interviewed by the NEC, were the Penn Mauritian Society, Penn Students Against Sweatshops, the Engineering Dean's Advisory Board and the Black Wharton Undergraduate Association. Goad said that the selection of the three organizations was "based on their ability to effectively represent a relatively large, underrepresented constituency of the undergraduate population and on their ability to benefit from the decision making process of the University Council." "The three groups that we chose better satisfied those. qualifications," Goad said, explaining why the APSC was not selected. "I was disappointed to see the results," Chung said. "I think we had clearly shown that we had a lot of issues to bring to the table." "Ideally, I feel like there should be more seats," Chung added, criticizing the availability of three seats. "What I find interesting is that Asian-Pacific-American students make up approximately 25 percent of the University," Chung said. "So if they're trying to tell us that our voice doesn't matter by denying us a seat, they are denying 25 percent of the students. input in decision-making." Noble stressed the teamwork in UMOJA's campaign for the seat. "When we put something out like the application, it really is a collective work," Noble said. She stressed that this is an improvement in the University's recognition of the African-American student population. "It is a time we are guaranteed to be in the same room with a lot of the decision makers of this University," she said.
Nearly 70 people came together yesterday for a rally on College Green as part of Penn's Bisexual Gay Lesbian Transgender Awareness Days, listening to a handful of speakers discuss issues concerning the LGBT community. Speaking to an often cheering audience, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Provost Robert Barchi highlighted the panel of speakers. During the rally, Barchi pointed out that while the University community has become more tolerant of sexual minorities, problems still exist. "We're still at a time when the occasional hate mail is received," Barchi said. Students who attended the rally praised Barchi's appearance and appreciated his knowledge of B-GLAD on campus. "It was nice that he was so willing and ready to speak," B-GLAD Planning Committee co-chair and College sophomore Karim Javeri said. "He knew what the calendar was like," Javeri added. Frank's remarks centered on his belief that political involvement is necessary to further the awareness of LGBT issues not only on college campuses, but throughout the country. "We need to do a much better job of participating politically," said Frank, one of the few openly gay members of Congress. "We have done a much better job of winning the cultural war than winning the political war," he added. Frank stressed that while attending events like the B-GLAD rally is important, political participation is most crucial in working for social change. "I'm glad to see people here at this rally," Frank said. "But I'll be honest with you, I'd be even gladder to know that you all vote religiously in primaries and... elections." Prior to the event, Frank said he came to Penn to help students talk openly about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. "I feel a particular obligation to talk to student groups," Frank said."Obviously, there are particular problems with students facing homophobia and not yet being fully protected." Greenfield Intercultural Center Associate Director Karlene Burrell-McRae stressed the importance of student activism and alliances between different groups. "I am an ally and I come to share my thoughts to you today as an ally of the queer community," Burrell-McRae said. Later in the rally, College senior Michael Hartwyk told those in attendance that he had experienced two incidents of harassment just last weekend. "I felt completely like an outsider," Hartwyk said. Yet Hartwyk was positive overall about his experience as an openly gay man here at Penn and hopeful for the future. "I'm delighted to be passing the torch to some very fine activists," he said. Frank also stressed that many Americans are tolerant of gay and lesbian issues. "Straight people suddenly realized that they really weren't homophobic, they just thought they were supposed to be," Frank said. He was, however, critical of the new Bush administration. "There's no significant Republican support of any of our rights," he said. For those in attendance, the rally was a largely positive experience. "I thought it was absolutely terrific," Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center Director Robert Schoenberg said of the rally. "Every speaker was thoughtful, moving, inspiring." "I thought Barney Frank was great," Engineering junior Michael Krouse added. "I was especially moved by the people who shared their own experiences," he added.
Corporate responsibility in monitoring workers' rights was once again a hot topic at Penn on Friday. Nearly 50 people gathered in Houston Hall's Hall of Flags for a conference on "Corporate Social Responsibility and Sweatshops." The audience of students, faculty and members of the Philadelphia community listened to the views of speakers representing the different sides of the sweatshops issue. Two question-and-answer panels were also held, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, in which audience members could interact with the speakers. "It's good business to be socially responsible," International Labor Organization representative Nikolai Rogovsky said at the start of the day-long conference. Rogovsky, who is the ILO's principal officer of the Voluntary Private Initiatives Program in Geneva, Switzerland, pointed out that the focus of his work is not on the quality of corporate codes of conduct but on what those codes mean for multinationals and the supply chain. "No worker should be treated like a slave," said Chie Abad, a former sweatshop worker on the island of Saipan, a United States possession. Abad, a campaign organizer at the non-profit Global Exchange, used a hidden camera for the television program 20/20 to record some of the abuses taking place in her sweatshop. Abad pointed out that the mostly male supervisors will at times manipulate the largely female staff so they can keep their labor contracts. "What the boss will ask is for sex in exchange for the contract," Abad said. Corporations were also represented at the conference. "We have a culture that encourages and supports ethical business," Phillips-Van Heusen Vice President of Human Rights Programs Marcela Manubens said. Bruce Raynor, international secretary-treasurer and vice president of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, criticized corporations for deceiving the public about their labor practices. "They try to use smoke and mirrors to burnish their image," Raynor said. He also criticized the Fair Labor Association, one of several organizations that monitors factory working conditions. "The FLA was another ruse to protect the companies from the pressure of the public," Raynor said. Penn joined the FLA and the newly-formed Worker Rights Consortium last December. The University had withdrawn from the FLA last February following a nine-day student sit-in at College Hall, where Penn Students Against Sweatshops were demanding that the University pull out of the FLA and join the WRC. Brian Kelly, who participated in the PSAS sit-in, expressed his ongoing disapproval at the University's membership in the FLA. "I feel like it's illegitimate for us to be in the FLA," the Wharton junior said at the conference. Gregory Possehl, the chairman of Penn's Committee on Manufacturers' Responsibility, said that in November, the committee sent letters to the companies who manufacture Penn-logo apparel to help them evaluate whether they are adequately protecting workers' rights. "Our next task is to read and evaluate those letters and to assure ourselves that our vendors are actually responding to the questions that we asked them, and that their responses actually are adequate in terms of their compliance," Possehl said "I'm quite confident that we'll have this behind us before classes end," he added.
From today until next Friday, Penn will host its annual Bisexual Gay Lesbian Transgender Awareness Days, featuring various speakers, programs and workshops. This year's B-GLAD, titled "B-GLAD 2001: A Queer Odyssey," seeks to inform Penn about the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at Penn and all over the world. "I think it's a very impressive array of speakers and programs and activities," Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center Director Bob Shoenberg said. Democratic Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts will speak at a College Green rally on Monday. He will be joined by Provost Robert Barchi. "The rally is notable because it provides a forum in the heart of our campus to discuss issues of importance to the LGBT community," Barchi said in an e-mail statement. Other events will include a dance, a film series and a speaker series called "20 Minutes on...," which will highlight LGBT community issues presented by Penn staff and faculty. The series will be featured four times throughout the week at the Houston Hall Bistro. "I'm really excited about it this year," B-GLAD Planning Committee co-chairwoman and College senior Nina Harris said. "It's a diverse array of events that reflect the diversity of the community," Harris added. Two of the more notable appearances are keynote speaker Leslie Feinberg and comedian Marga Gomez, who is appearing in collaboration with the upcoming Festival Latino. Feinberg, a transgender author and activist, will appear in Logan Hall on Thursday. "Penn is a place that she really hasn't accessed yet," Harris said, noting that now was an especially appropriate time for Feinberg to appear at the University. "A lot of it was just coordinated between our group and other groups," B-GLAD Planning Committee co-chair and College sophomore Karim Javeri said about the integrated aspect of much of the week. Those responsible for planning the week's events see an increasing level of University administrative outreach to the LGBT community at Penn in recent years. "Part of that increase is because of increasing awareness and increasing respect for the queer community," Javeri said, noting that the number of B-GLAD events has increased from a small number a decade ago to over 20 this year. "It was important that we have effective members of the community speaking," Javeri added. He stressed the importance of having "speakers who have contributed to the queer community and at the same time reflect the spirit of B-GLAD on this campus." Those involved with the week's events said that B-GLAD is designed to increase awareness about LGBT issues on campus. "I expect that the entire week of events will contribute to the awareness of the LGBT community on the Penn campus," Shoenberg said.
It's job search time for Penn students. So, last night at Logan Hall, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center and Career Services together sponsored "Out in the Workplace." The program of panel discussions was geared towards students who are looking for work and are open about their sexual orientations. The program, which began in the mid-1980s and runs every other year, drew around 25 attendees. "We chose the focuses of the panels based on the professions that tend to be chosen most often by Penn students," LGBT Center Director Bob Shoenberg said. There were two separate panels -- one with lawyers and public servants and one with professors. The first speaker, Kathryn Kolbert, a public interest lawyer, spoke about many issues confronting gays and lesbians, including parenthood. "Having children as lesbians has been a fabulous experience," she said referring to her two children with co-panelist and partner Joann Hyle. Kolbert, a graduate of Temple University Law School, has dealt with women's rights litigation and is credited with helping to save the Roe v. Wade abortion decision in her arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. Hyle, an attorney at the prestigious Philadelphia corporate firm Pepper Hamilton, discussed the openness of her current working environment. Her firm, she was eager to point out, is a "fine place for a lesbian who is also a lawyer." And panelist Kevin Vaughan, the former regional director for Health and Human Services for the Mid-Atlantic states, echoed the other speakers' thoughts about working in a comfortable setting. "I don't want to go someplace or work someplace that won't accept me for who I am," Vaughan said. Vaughan himself is embarking on a job search, since his Clinton administration position has ended. He discussed job searches from a hands-on viewpoint. Another panelist, Marc Stein, a history professor at York University in Toronto, Canada, spoke about his experiences in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a doctoral student at Penn. "When I came to Penn, I was coming out of a queer workplace," Stein said, referring to his job as an editor at a Boston magazine geared towards the gay and lesbian community. "Penn proved to be a positive workplace for me," he added. Stein discussed the "problems and horrors of the job market," after he graduated from Penn. Stein searched for a steady position for five years, enduring 25 interviews before finally landing a job with his current employer. Another panelist spoke about the difficulty she faces in teaching a class as both a lesbian and an African-American woman. "It barely feels safe to be black," Beaver College Psychology Professor Angela Gillem said. Many of those in attendance gave the session positive reviews. College senior Michael Hartwyk, for one, praised the discussion. "It was very informative." Hartwyk said. "[The organizers] made a good effort in getting different perspectives." The second part of the program continues next Wednesday, with speakers from the corporate and health care professions.
The national energy crunch has caught the attention of many Penn students living off campus, who may have to turn down their heat just a bit more and brave the cold. With the cold winter at hand, heating in off-campus apartments and houses is a rapidly growing concern for a large number of students. And as gas prices increase to almost double what they once were, students are either feeling the chilly or paying the price. "I'm wearing more clothes around the house," second-year Wharton MBA student Melissa Pearce explained. She added that her electric bills are "pretty hefty," and that to compensate she is trying hard to keep the heat off in her apartment. Pearce has considered using the services of discount electricity providers like Utility.com and vows to do so once she finishes her studies here at Penn. College junior Peggy Mycek, who lives in a five-bedroom house on Sansom Street, has seen an increase in her heating bill from $250 to $350 for the month of December. And according to Mycek, things are just going to get worse since only one person was occupying the house during that period because of winter break. "It almost makes me want to move back on campus," Mycek said with a tinge of humor. For students living on-campus, the energy cost hikes are a non-issue at this point, since they do not have to shell out extra money for utilities. But a new University policy, which will lower temperatures by five degrees in many campus buildings to conserve energy, could ultimately affect on-campus dormitories. The vast majority of those Penn students who opt for off-campus living will have to foot the bill for their heat. "Our heating bills were absolutely ridiculous," College junior Kristin Moon complained. And for Moon and her housemates, bills running up to several hundred dollars will continue to rise this year as well. She cautions those who have not yet experienced a cold winter in off-campus housing to "be prepared." And preparation seems the only option because it is virtually impossible to avoid the price increases. Now the winter finds many students coping with an altered lifestyle of low heat and warm clothing. "We've been trying to get used to it being cold," said Engineering junior Benjamin Raskob, who has seen his heating bills increase from $130 dollars to $200 dollars in recent months. But Raskob joked that even if the gas bills are a little high, it's worth the price to live in an off-campus house.
Equality was a dream in 1963, and some students came together last night to say that the dream still exists. Yesterday evening, students were treated to a town meeting entitled "Having Our Say." The event, held in Houston Hall, was part of the University's ongoing observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Speakers from various organizations around campus and West Philadelphia lent the audience of about 30 people their views on the legacy of King and his celebrated "I Have a Dream" speech. "I'm really excited to see students reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King," College sophomore and UMOJA International Relations Coordinator Tayo Akingbe said prior to the event. UMOJA is an umbrella organization for several African American student groups. Penn Women's Center Associate Director Gloria Gay, who moderated the event, kicked off the evening with some words from King's famous speech. "This is not the time to engage in the luxury of cooling off," Gay said, quoting King. But although she began with a call to action, Gay soon went on to thank the audience of mostly Penn students for their activism. "You have made some of those things a reality," she added, referring to the accomplishments of the students. College senior and Latino Coalition spokesperson Randy Quezada called King's 1963 speech from the march on Washington a "call to arms." He later said that now is a very appropriate time to revisit the slain civil rights leader's words. The continued lack of an equal playing field for minorities was a running topic of the evening's speeches. "America continues to default on citizens' rights," said College senior James Yoo, from the Asian-Pacific Student Coalition. Then Yoo brought the issue home, by criticizing the University's treatment of the campus food trucks, which are often operated by immigrants. "This University does not seem to view them in a positive light," he said. Nicole Andrewin, a Wharton sophomore and member of UMOJA, said she was disappointed with the low turnout for the evening's event. "If not now, then I don't know when [students will begin taking initiative]," Andrewin noted. At certain points in the event, the topic turned to the recent election of President George W. Bush. Playing on a familiar portion of King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Gay said that "we will not be satisfied until we have some voting reform." College sophomore and United Minorities Council member Trina Dasgupta called for individuals of different backgrounds to work together. "Intercultural work is just as important today as it has ever been," she said. Mamie Young, of West Philadelphia's Spruce Hill Community Association, moved the audience by breaking into song. Young's most crucial message was the greater community's need for student involvement. "We need you," she said.
Equality was a dream in 1963, and some students came together last night to say that the dream still exists. Yesterday evening, students were treated to a town meeting entitled "Having Our Say." The event, held in Houston Hall, was part of the University's ongoing observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Speakers from various organizations around campus and West Philadelphia lent the audience of about 30 people their views on the legacy of King and his celebrated "I Have a Dream" speech. "I'm really excited to see students reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King," College sophomore and UMOJA International Relations Coordinator Tayo Akingbe said prior to the event. UMOJA is an umbrella organization for several African American student groups. Penn Women's Center Associate Director Gloria Gay, who moderated the event, kicked off the evening with some words from King's famous speech. "This is not the time to engage in the luxury of cooling off," Gay said, quoting King. But although she began with a call to action, Gay soon went on to thank the audience of mostly Penn students for their activism. "You have made some of those things a reality," she added, referring to the accomplishments of the students. College senior and Latino Coalition spokesperson Randy Quezada called King's 1963 speech from the march on Washington a "call to arms." He later said that now is a very appropriate time to revisit the slain civil rights leader's words. The continued lack of an equal playing field for minorities was a running topic of the evening's speeches. "America continues to default on citizens' rights," said College senior James Yoo, from the Asian-Pacific Student Coalition. Then Yoo brought the issue home, by criticizing the University's treatment of the campus food trucks, which are often operated by immigrants. "This University does not seem to view them in a positive light," he said. Nicole Andrewin, a Wharton sophomore and member of UMOJA, said she was disappointed with the low turnout for the evening's event. "If not now, then I don't know when [students will begin taking initiative]," Andrewin noted. At certain points in the event, the topic turned to the recent election of President George W. Bush. Playing on a familiar portion of King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Gay said that "we will not be satisfied until we have some voting reform." College sophomore and United Minorities Council member Trina Dasgupta called for individuals of different backgrounds to work together. "Intercultural work is just as important today as it has ever been," she said. Mamie Young, of West Philadelphia's Spruce Hill Community Association, moved the audience by breaking into song. Young's most crucial message was the greater community's need for student involvement. "We need you," she said.
Christmas is a time for giving and receiving. And right now, several Penn faculty and staff are emphasizing giving. Operation Santa Claus will bring gifts to elderly Philadelphians and disabled children next week. The charity event was started 13 years ago by Yvonne Oronzio, an executive secretary in Student Financial Services, and John DeLong, an SFS senior director. On December 13, the recipients of this year's community service project will gather at the Sheraton University City Hotel, where they will be treated to a holiday meal and live entertainment. The hotel will donate the space and refreshments for the event. Children from the Delta School for mentally and physically challenged youth and senior citizens from three West Philadelphia nursing homes will receive the gifts donated by various Penn community members. According to Oronzio, Operation Santa Claus would not be possible without the efforts of Penn staff -- from employees at Facilities Services to the Registrar's Office. This year, a Facilities Services worker will play the crucial role of Santa Claus on the occasion. One instrumental donor is Alice Kelley, assistant dean of advising in the College. "This is my favorite part of Christmas," Kelley said, adding that she is extremely grateful to Oronzio, who she said carries out the event "with love, energy and continued enthusiasm." Both Oronzio and Kelley noted the absence of student involvement in the project. Kelley said that more should be done to solicit the help of students, like placing flyers around College Houses. Oronzio was quick to praise the Sheraton, which agreed to donate its staff and ballroom for the first year ever. "They told me not to worry about a thing," Oronzio said. The project has grown rapidly since its inception, evolving from a simple gathering of gifts to the full-scale community-based event that it is today. Operation Santa Claus should once again prove beneficial to the surrounding community, Oronzio said. "It's so rewarding," Oronzio said. Adding that she feels very committed to the annual event, Oronzio said, "I couldn't possibly have my own Christmas [without it]."