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(04/28/93 9:00am)
Finals are just around the corner and once again, students have started their pre-examination trek to the various popular study areas around campus for intensive, all-night cram sessions. The obvious choice, of course, is the Rosengarten Reserve Room in the basement of Van Pelt Library. Since Rosengarten began staying open round-the-clock -- actually, it closes between 6:45 and 8:30 in the morning -- students have taken advantage of the peculiar benefits of studying in what some people call the "Kindergarten Reserve Room." "Rosengarten is a good place to study," Wharton junior Rebecca Coleman said. "It's quiet enough to study but it's still a social place. If you want to be seen but you have to study, you go to Rosengarten." Steinberg-Deitrich Hall has its own allure, however, as students who cannot get through the night without their caffeine and sugar fixes have discovered. For study connoisseurs, Furness presents the greatest potential as a place to get work done. But beware -- the beautiful, soaring ceilings have an embarrassing effect of amplifying your voice if you attempt to carry on a conversation. "]I have a home gym in my room[ and if my roommate has to workout, I go to Furness," Wharton freshman Steven Siegal said. "It's very quiet and there are no annoying people who talk all the time." Watch out, though, these librarians are serious. No food or drink in the library. While it may seem that noise is the main concern of many, others expressed a less commonly mentioned worry. "There are too many people there during finals," College junior Morgan Lowry said. "They're loud, noisy, rude and sick. It's a breeding ground for germs so I study at home." The Van Pelt and Lippincott libraries have extended hours during finals. The main University library will stay open until 11:45 p.m. Tomorrow, the libraries will both be open from 10 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Rosengarten will also be open for extended hours. Instead of closing at 8 tonight, Rosengarten will stay open until 1:45 a.m. Tomorrow's hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 a.m. On Sunday, Rosengarten will open at 10:00 a.m. and stay open until 6:45 a.m. Wharton will be on its normal 24-hour schedule and as of yesterday, Furness librarians were not sure whether hours would change for exams.
(04/08/93 9:00am)
Addressing the tensions which exist between Western and Islamic cultures, a professor from Holy Cross University spoke Monday night to over 50 people about possible Western stereotypes of Islamic politics. John Esposito, author of The Islamic Threat, said that Westerners typically believe the mixture of politics and religion in Islamic societies is dangerous. In his lecture, titled The Challenge of Islam, Esposito addressed the confusion and misunderstanding that surrounds the nature of Islamic organizations. Many Westerners equate Islamic politics with terrorism, Esposito said. But he warned the audience about stereotyping all Muslim groups and governments as "fundamentalist extremists." Esposito explained that the press and the Western analysts have contributed to this "selective" view of Islamic organizations. "A minority got confused with the majority," he said. In fact, Esposito said, there are now many Muslim-based organizations that have "gone mainstream," offering public services. Esposito pointed to the 1979 coup d'etat in Iran as the event that triggered the current Western paranoia. "For many in the West, the image was a sudden Islamic resurgence, which meant a revolution, which meant Americans held hostage," Esposito said. "[Now] we see organizations demonstrate that they are willing to participate within the social framework," he said. "This has changed the challenge of Islam." Esposito said in the past that the West felt threatened by the violence of radical Islamic groups. Now that these once-radical groups have entered the mainstream of Islamic society, he added, they are seen as even more of a threat. "In recent literature, Islam has been presented as a triple threat -- a demographic threat in Europe and America as well as a political and civilizational threat," Esposito said. Esposito also spoke about the double standard that exists in the press, saying that the media perpetuates stereotypes about Islam. He said people would be offended if the same approach were taken with Judaism or Christianity. According to Esposito, the West has to be careful not to group all Islamic movements together. "We have to learn to distinguish between the majority who want to separate politics and religion and the minority that are anti-system," he said. "By our inability to judge populace movements by their actions, we may decapitate a movement but may in the long term splinter it and make it more radical." The lecture was followed by a question and answer session and a reception at the Faculty Club. Many in the audience said they were impressed by Esposito's lecture and students from other area universities attended the event.
(03/19/93 10:00am)
Almost 40 years after the execution of his parents, Robert Meeropol is still crusading to clear their names of blame. Meeropol's parents, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, were executed on June 5, 1953 on charges of conspiracy to commit espionage. Their alleged crime was passing the secret of the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. Meeropol is executive director of the Rosenberg Fund for Children, which helps children whose parents have been targeted for their progressive activities. Meeropol, who was adopted and goes by his adoptive last name, told 30 people in Logan Hall last night that while the Cold War is over, his battle is far from complete. His parents were found guilty solely on the basis of oral testimony of other members of a spy ring that supposedly stretched from the United States to England and into the Soviet Union, he said. Because they were charged with conspiracy rather than treason or espionage, no physical evidence was produced at the trial except for atomic bomb plans that the Rosenbergs apparently hired another man to steal, Meeropol said. Later analysis revealed the plans to be of no use and expert assessments described them to be "uselessly crude" and "a baby drawing," he added. "How could they conduct a trial or an execution like this if the material taken was of no use?" Meeropol said. Under the Freedom of Information Act, Meeropol brought a suit against the government in the 1970s. His lawyers subpoenaed secret FBI files which revealed that at all stages of the case, the Justice Department secured the cooperation of the judges, including Supreme Court justices, he said. There were documented meetings before, during and after the trial. The disturbing evidence also included files containing questions the FBI had planned to ask Julius Rosenberg if he confessed. The final question, Meeropol said, would have been: "Was Mrs. Rosenberg involved?" Neither confessed, however, and Ethel Rosenberg was executed despite some doubt about her involvement, Meeropol said. Meeropol also noted that the government refused the Rosenbergs' plea to delay the execution because it was scheduled for a Friday, the Jewish Sabbath. Instead, they were electrocuted and pronounced dead one minute before the Sabbath began. "My parents were framed to prove a political point," Meeropol said. "They were also framed to cover up the inadequacy of our own security and to sell the Cold War mentality to the public." The speech was co-sponsored by Connaissance and the Penn Political Union.
(02/23/93 10:00am)
The near capacity attendance and the lines at the door of the University Museum were testament to the popular interest in the fate of Haiti and its exiled president, ex-Catholic priest Jean--Bertrand Aristide. Since being elected to office with 67 percent of the vote in December 1990, Aristide has survived nine assasination attempts and a military coup that eventually sent him into exile only eight months after assuming the presidency. With this behind him, Aristide engaged in a dialogue at the Harrison Auditorium with over 700 students and area residents yesterday. Aristide emphasized the vital role students have had and continue to play in politics and reform. "Students can heal the world when they put the person first," he said. "First before the money, first before the power." President Clinton's campaign promises and the heavy media coverage that followed have thrown Haiti and Aristide -- the first democratically elected Haitian President in 187 years -- back into the media spotlight that began to fade a few months after the bloody coup that deposed him in 1991. Aristide has been called the "most beloved man in Haiti" and since his departure, over 40,000 people have attempted the dangerous 600-mile journey to flee the new Haitian government and seek safe haven in the United States. The United States, the Organization of American States and the United Nations have since been cooperating in an economic and political embargo that has crippled the Haitian economy. Aristide defended the embargo, saying that the people realize it is necessary, despite its economic consequences for the poor. "The Haitians support the embargo," he said. "The poor of Haiti are only poor in terms of money, they are rich in terms of life. They are clever enough to distinguish from the political embargo that is the instrument of the international community to say they support us." He was also optimistic about the prospects of his return to power in Haiti. "We hope [the UN] will pass the resolution that will allow them to send observers to Haiti," he said. "Then in two or three months I will have to be back in Haiti." The Vatican was the first country to acknowledge the de facto government that deposed Aristide and with this in mind, some in the audience asked him to describe his strained relations with the Catholic Church and, in particular, with the pope. "The Vatican is the only state in the world which blessed the criminals instead of taking care of the victims of Haiti," Aristide said. "But you don't have merit if you only love the people who love you. That's why I love the pope." Aristide was asked about the apparent cooperation of the wealthiest one percent of the population with the military in the coup. "After 200 years there is an army of 7,000 with 40 percent of the budget," he said. "One percent of the population owns 45 percent of the wealth. The weapons and the dollars kept these people on the social table and the majority under the table." Violence was another important issue raised by the audience. The allegation that Aristide himself ordered violent acts against Haitians was not well received by the pro-Aristide crowd. Hecklers booed the student that mentioned "necklacing," the practice of wrapping a tire around a person's neck and setting him on fire. "I like your questions because they will give me a chance to practice democracy," he said. "With all the respect I have for you, I have to tell you the formulation of that question is wrong." "They put my sentences out of context to use against me," he said. "Once I took office nobody could find a single case of necklacing." Aristide's parting remark was to a student leaving for Haiti. "Tell them, we will be back," he said. "Alone we are weak, together we are strong, altogether we are Lavalas [a deluge]." The forum was followed by a private reception at which the President mingled with students and received several gifts and awards from other local universities. Aristide was asked if there could be democracy in Haiti without him and if there would be repercussions on the army that deposed him. "Without me in those elections where 67.7 percent of the people voted for me it would be impossible to have democracy in Haiti today," he said. "I am not indispensible as a person but in terms of the results, I am." "Let's free [the army] from the drug dealers by removing them," he said. "Then I can only ask justice to work. I am not interested in seeing them in jail or out of the country." The event was co-orgainzed by Conaissance, the Philomathean Society and the president's office.
(02/15/93 10:00am)
Former Nation of Islam minister and Malcolm X friend Abdul Malik Muhammad addressed the history and progress of Islam in the United States before nearly 40 students and area residents Saturday. Muhammad, who worked with Malcolm X in the 1960s, called Spike Lee's film on Malcolm a "big P.R. thing," adding the controversial minister's family is "still in the same condition as they were before [Malcolm's] assassination." The forum, sponsored by the Muslim Students Association, began with a reading from the Koran. Muhammad spoke for an hour and a half before opening up the forum to questions from his audience. Muhammad spoke on topics ranging from the increased awareness of Islam in the black community to the role American Muslims today should take. Muhammad said he found it difficult, however, to elaborate on his relationship with Malcolm. "I wish I could read every mind and tell you what you want me to say [about Malcolm ]," Muhammad said, adding that, for him Malcolm X was not a celebrity. "I thought [of him as] just someone else in the workforce," he said, adding that it was only later that he realized that Malcolm had become a celebrity. Muhammad, who works to further Islamic culture in Philadelphia, described Malcolm's spiritual development after his return from Mecca. Malcolm, who was known as El Hajj Malik Shabazz after his pilgrimage to Mecca, recanted many of his separatist statements. Muhammad asked the audience to think about the meaning of the movie and the renewed interest in Malcolm. "Why did they come at this time?" he said. "Do you know how much money has been made? The movie was just advertising for merchandise. What did it do in terms of religion?" "Will the movie be the powder keg waiting for someone to push the plunger?" he asked. "Will you say 'by any means necessary' ?" Muhammad discussed what he called the Western bias of the the American public school system. "Someone has used the educational system to become a great money maker," he said. "From pre-school to college and on -- nothing but money -- and when you're complete, what are you looking for? A job for the Western system." Muhammad is currently involved in a project to devise a curriculum for the public school system that would allow Muslim holidays to be observed. Speaking on religious conversion, Muhammad asked audience members if they "believed in God." "All you have to take out of the Jew is his egotism because he thinks he's the chosen one," Muhammad said. "All you have to do to the Jew is take away his materialism. You've got to teach him to be honest in his business dealings." "The reason [Muslims] are not making progress is because we're not doing it," he said. "The Jewish people have had an impact on the school system. We need to band together [like the Jewish community] and get our holidays observed." The question and answer session which followed the speech was a lively exchange between the audience and Muhammad. Not all the questions had been answered at the end of the three hour event and many audience members stayed to speak to Muhammad privately. "I thought it was a good talk," event co-organizer and College junior Kashif Munir said. "He was thought provoking and he tried to get people to think. He was a powerful speaker." "He gave depth and breadth to the Spike Lee Hollywood version of Malcolm X," said Social Work graduate student Christine Emry. "His portrayal of the Islamic religion was warm, inviting and intelligent." "It was even worth missing the basketball game," she added.
(01/14/93 10:00am)
Terra Maya, a photo exhibit on the centrality of nature in Mayan culture, opened at the University Museum last week. Anthropologist and photographer Peter Harrison composed the photographic study of the Central American Maya culture from pictures he took in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize over 21 years. The mix of color and black and white photographs captures the beauty of the local scenery, but the exhibition attempts to go beyond simple visual presentation. With his choice of subject matter, Harrison tries to give the viewer a clearer understanding of the closely linked relationship that existed between the Mayan and nature. The collection shows the depth of the effect of the land on religion, sustenance and shelter. Mayan adaptations to the environment is a key subject Harrison deals with. An example is seen in the sacred place Mayans gave to the ceiba tree -- the tree of life -- as portrayed in the exhibition of the lone ceiba tree in the middle of land cleared for agriculture. The intricate stonework featured in Harrison's collection shows the Mayan fascination with the darker side of nature. The deadly jaguar, regarded as the "king of beasts" and the symbol of royalty, is prominent among the natural motifs used by the Mayan craftsmen. The most dangerous animals of the jungle are likewise merged into an ultimate beast used by the Mayans to decorate their facades. The sacrificial themes in Mayan art can also be seen in the photographs on display. By visually cataloging the close harmony between the Mayans and nature, the exhibition employs pictures in an attempt to explain how the powerful empire eventually collapsed from the mismanagement of the land. The exhibition will be at the Museum until April 4.
(11/24/92 10:00am)
The students who arrived early to view Beauty and the Beast in the rooftop lounge of High Rise South last night would have interrupted the previous program, but no one attended the discussion on rape that was supposed to take place. The Residential Advisors of HRS arranged the forum on "Rape and Rape Issues" in conjunction with Officer Pat Chadd of Victim Support Services. They had planned to start with the screening of the 1987 film, The Accused, and use that as a catalyst for discussion. The event was geared towards HRS residents and a small showing was expected. The fact that absolutely none of the residents were attracted, however, was a disappointment to the organizers. College senior Joy Hamilton, one of the organizers, and Chadd had different responses to the poor attendance at the event. "I'm not surprised," Hamilton said. "It was advertised, but so many other organizations on campus have focused on these issues. Also, maybe [no one came] because we didn't have pizza." "I'm surprised that nobody showed up," Chadd said. "I think that there was a big focus in the media, and once the focus was off -- students moved on to the next controversial event." Hamilton also suggested that many residents of the upperclassman dormitory had already seen the movie and that perhaps there would have been a better response in another residence. "If we were in a freshman dorm, not so many people would have already seen it," Hamilton said. "Maybe there we could discuss it." Hamilton and Chadd both acknowledged that most students have a full schedule at the end of the semester, but that leaves the question of why Beauty and the Beast drew a crowd. "Students like more recreational events," Hamilton said. "Stress relievers have a better showing." Chadd warns, however, that students should not let the lull in media coverage of rape fool them into a false sense of safety. "If it's not on the front page or on TV students are not interested," he said. "When William Kennedy Smith was on trial, rape was a big issue but now, students are getting complacent." "They shouldn't be, because date rape is still apt to happen." Chadd added.
(11/13/92 10:00am)
This weekend, you can walk through 5000 years of man's existence with Theater Arts' rendition of Thornton Wilder's nightmare--daydream play, The Skin Of Our Teeth. The production, which opens tonight, portrays human beings' evolutionary journey and their survival in the face of the problems they have encountered. The three-act play takes the audience from the onset of the Ice Age, through the Great Flood to the modern day. The dialogue covers topics ranging from unemployment and women's rights to dodging the draft and adultery. Starting to sound like Campaign 1992? There is much more. The second act sees Wilder's Clintonesque male lead character, Anthropology graduate student Brett Meroney, elected to the Presidency of Mankind. Rather than simply following the obvious storyline, however, Director and College senior James Rubin encourages the audience to view the play with a broader application and interpretation. "It's about you, me and all of us," Rubin said. During their journey through progress and evolution, the characters confront wars and natural disasters. The cast members said the important thing to remember is that man eventually prevails. "I think the whole play is absurd," cast member and College sophomore Andrea Kemp said. "But overall, a message of hope comes through." Wilder used a unique style in writing the play. There are "breaks" written in which require the actors to step out of their stage personae and speak directly to the audience. In this way, the audience feels part of, rather than isolated from, the events onstage. This format also puts a lot pressure on the actors because all the actor--audience dialogue is ad--lib. During last night's dress rehearsal, however, most of the improvisation was greeted with cheers and applause, especially the raunchier remarks. "We came up with our own script breaks," Rubin said. "There was a lot of improvisation by the actors." The audience was noticeably pleased with the preview presented last night. Inside jokes referring specifically to the University were particularly well-received. "I thought it was very well executed," College senior Lesley Wolff said. "The fact that they brought in all those contemporary things will make people feel it's a timeless play." This Theater Arts Workshop Production will run tonight and Saturday night at the Studio Theater in the Annenberg Center.
(11/04/92 10:00am)
The University Museum unveiled an extensive 300-piece exhibition called "Ancient Nubia: Egypt's Rival in Africa" last month. The collection traces the 3500-year history of Nubia, an ancient civilization which was located between modern day Egypt and the Republic of the Sudan. The relics have not been displayed for at least fifteen years, according to Egyptian Section Curator David O'Connor. The collection is owned by the University Museum and most of the 7000 artifacts were unearthed in a 1907 excavation by David MacIver and Leonard Woolley, former curator and assistant curator of the Egyptian Section of the University Museum respectively. After an additional excavation in 1961 and a small exchange with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the University owns one of the most important collections of ancient Nubian art and archaeology in the U.S., according to O'Connor, an Asian and Middle Eastern Studies professor. The exhibition will run at the University Museum for a year after which it will go on tour around the country. The seven-museum travelling schedule has already been booked and there are 20 museums on the waiting list. The University Museum is trying to heighten interest and awareness in the ancient Nubian civilization in the Delaware Valley with this year-long exhibition, O'Connor added. By letting it travel, however, the Museum also hopes that other parts of the country can enjoy the high quality of the collection, according to O'Connor. "The exhibition's final spread will therefore be a wide one," O'Connor said. The exhibit is designed to demonstrate that ancient Egypt was not the only important Nile River-based civilization. The absence of pyramidal structures in Ancient Nubia often leads people to believe that Nubia was inferior to Egyptian civilization, O'Connor said. But he said the exhibit demonstrates that Nubia was similar to Egypt in social complexity. Much of the earlier Nubian architecture lacked the scale of the Egyptian pyramids. O'Connor said the civilizations differed in the way they chose to "manifest grandeur." The artifacts are testament to the high volume of interaction between Egypt and Nubia. There are parallels in the style of the artwork and there is evidence of trade and political liaisons between Egypt and Nubia. O'Connor said he encourages University students to take this unique opportunity to look at the collection. "[Students should see this] because it is about a hidden culture that very few people know about that, in its way, was just as important as ancient Egypt," O'Connor said. "It is a hidden treasure of the Museum that has not been seen in years and can only be seen for a year before it goes travelling." University Museum spokesperson Pam Kosty also said she encourages students to attend and said the exhibit is free for members of the University community with a PennCard.
(11/04/92 10:00am)
The Class of 1937 is giving gifts left and right on the fifth floor of Van Pelt Library. This weekend the class dedicated a new computer room on the fifth floor of Van Pelt for their 55th reunion gift -- just around the corner from their 25th reunion gift, the Memorial Reading Room. Class of 1937 President Craig Sweeten, jokingly referred to by his classmates as "Your Highness," started the opening with a short speech. Other alumni spoke after him and dedicated the computer lab "respectfully in memory of those of all our classmates who have died." Twenty new computers including 12 Macintosh and eight IBM computers, new carpeting, additional lighting and carrels were given to the library by the class. In addition to having the usual word processing functions, the computers have been integrated into the library's network and students will be able to tap into any of the available systems conveniently. "We wanted to build a small, complete office," Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Paul Mosher said. "We wanted them to be able to do all the work in one place instead of running all around the bloody place." The financial target set for the computerized annex was exceeded and the excess funds will be used to maintain both the computer facility and the Memorial Reading Room. Mosher congratulated the class for their generosity and their "farsightedness" in setting up a separate fund for the maintenance of their gifts. "It was clear that many of the library facilities were aging," Mosher said. "Our students did not have the facilities to do their work." "The Class of 1937 has been the leaders in filling this building," Mosher added. "They are the pacesetters." Mosher also thanked the class on behalf of the University. "For all your help, for all your vision," Mosher said. "From all the generations of students who will benefit, thank you." Class of 1937 alumna Virginia Knauer said she was pleased with the donation and happy they exceeded their goal. "I am happy to be part of the Class of 1937," Knauer said. "I am also delighted that our class is so modern-minded that we realized that a computer room was necessary for the young people here at Penn."
(10/13/92 9:00am)
As election day draws nearer, University students discussed the strengths and shortcomings last night of the three presidential candidates with American Civilization adjunct professor Frank Luntz. Luntz, who served as pollster and consultant for independent candidate Ross Perot during his initial bid for the presidency, told the students that President Bush will not be re-elected. Luntz also said he believes Perot would garner about 15 percent of the vote. Luntz outlined all of the candidates during his brief summary he titled "Election 1992, What Went Wrong?" "Bush never should have said 'Read my lips'," Luntz said. "When he was told [by his advisors] that he could break his promise -- that was the beginning of the end for Bush." Luntz, who also served as a pollster for Patrick Buchanan during the Republican primaries, predicted that Gov. Bill Clinton would win the election. But he noted that the Democratic presidential candidate's integrity was questionable. "Clinton got around -- up until the year he ran -- more than Ted Kennedy," Luntz added. "Some people said he inhaled, some people say he never exhaled." Luntz also spoke about his disappointment about the way Perot dropped out of the race. "The public reason he gave for getting out was crap," he said. "He said in private that it was a brutal process and he did not want his family involved. Why do you tell people one thing and mean another?" Luntz examined Clinton's reported moral indiscretions and Bush's strategy of highlighting them. "No one cares about Bill Clinton's private life right now. They're comfortable with it," Luntz said. "Bush gives us no positive reasons to vote for him. All of his discussion is why Clinton is wrong -- not why Bush is right." Luntz said the public's perception of the U.S. is so negative that voters are looking towards change. "The reason Bush is losing so badly is because he is losing your parents," Luntz said. The lecture was held in seminar style and students were encouraged to discuss the issues. To many of the students, Luntz and his reputation was the major attraction to attend. "There are a lot of people who see Frank Luntz as a political buffoon," College sophomore Valerie Cashour said. "But I think after sitting here in a small casual group situation, he comes across as a more respectable person -- we got to see where his opinion comes from."
(10/06/92 9:00am)
Hundreds of area residents attended the third annual Cultural Celebration of Native Americans Saturday at the University Museum. Representatives from numerous tribes travelled from around the country to show how their ancestors lived in the "old days" with arts and crafts displays, video presentations, dances, storytelling sessions and films. Louella Johnson, a Crow Indian from Montana, demonstrated tribal lullabies during the event. "[If others] learn more about us and what we're about, we'll reach a greater understanding and we can get along better," Johnson said. The diverse representation of tribal art included the intricate beadwork of the Chippewa, the porcupine quill work of the Crow Indians and the hand woven rugs of the Navajo. Museum visitors were given the opportunity to see the creation of the art and to purchase several pieces. The artwork was important in another sense, however, as it showed the living spirit of the Indians. "I think the Indians are still alive," said Yoruba, an artist with Peace Tools. "Their art of living is still alive." Some of the people who attended said they were surprised that so many people attended the exhibit. "I've lived in Pennsylvania for 14 years," said Karen Walsh, an area resident. "It's only been in the last couple of years that I've seen any interest at all in Native American culture." There was some speculation that the increased awareness could stem from the publicity surrounding the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the New World. Many events were designed specifically for children who could learn firsthand about Native American artwork. There were workshops that taught sand painting, making masks and Iroquois "talking sticks." "We're delighted by the turnout," said Pam Kosty, University Museum spokesperson. "It's great for us to see a lot of people since it's rare for us to be able to bring Native Americans from all around the country and from so far away." The visiting Indians strove for an authentic rather than a carnival atmosphere. "We're pleased with the high quality of the presentations we were able to offer," Kosty added. "We'd like to invite Penn students to find out about the additional world culture days and the film series, exhibitions and lectures coming later on in the year." The event was co-sponsored by the American Indian College Fund, an organization that raises awareness and funds for the 26 American Indian tribal colleges around the U.S.
(10/02/92 9:00am)
The numbers weren't good enough for them. They had to go with the Latin. Villanova University, Pennsylvania's oldest Catholic college, is currently celebrating its sesquicentennial, not its 150th anniversary, with a yearlong agenda of events and academic symposia. This anniversary marks the 150th year since the Augustinian priests founded the university as an institution of Catholic higher education for young men. The 220-acre campus was set on the estate of John Rudolph, a revolutionary war officer and merchant. Despite its closeness to Philadelphia -- the campus is only a 20 minute train ride from 30th Street Station -- Villanova has retained much of its original suburban plan. Grassy knolls abound throughout the campus, and instead of paved roads, paths wander over the campus. And the sprawling campus has retained much of the beautiful original stonework. As part of the celebrations, renovations have been made on two buildings and commemorative plaques were placed on 26 of the oldest buildings on campus. The university has always tried to give the students a strong sense of scholarship in addition to a firm belief in values and the Catholic religion. To put this into context, 92 percent of Villanova's class of 1995 are Catholic. The year started spiritually with a mass that united the campus and the parish communities. The Church of St. Thomas of Villanova, whose twin spires serve as the sesquicentennial's symbols, was one of the renovated buildings and was the site of the Mass and Rite of Blessing. In true Catholic style, a procession followed the service. The celebrations started off with a grand Opening Weekend organized to coincide with the annual Parents' Weekend. As a result, over 4000 students, parents and alumni were present to enjoy the festivities. The university was put on show from the 19th to the 22nd of September as guests were offered both walking and horse drawn trolley tours of the campus. The deans of the colleges held introductory lectures for those who wanted to find out about the university, and parents were encouraged to attend classes with their children. The Sesquicentennial Opening parade officially kicked off the anniversary celebration, with the president of the university, the Reverend Edmund Dobbin, delivering a welcoming address. The past 150 years of fashion, music and transportation was paraded down the center of campus. The weekend met planners' expectations and the ten planning committees responsible for the sesquicentennial were happy with the results of over two and a half years of their work. "We had a very successful Opening Weekend," Christine Lysionek, managing director of the sesquicentennial said. "Everyone here was very pleased." An exhibit showing various memorabilia from the early days at Villanova was unveiled in the Connelly Center, Villanova's student union. The displays include letters from successful alumni, a rusty lock from John Rudolph's original estate and a letter from a mother to her son telling him to "continue to improve his studies." The exhibit will remain on show for the next year. A "Scale Model of Villanova University" was also switched on for the first time during the opening weekend. The model features a sixteen minute voice-over narrating the school's history and as each period in history is covered, the campus buildings of the era light up. The theme for the sequicentennial is "Make 'Nova Your Universe" and a "Constellation of Events" have been planned for the next year. The planned activities over Opening Weekend included an alfresco luncheon they called "Everything Under The Sun" and a moonlight "Dance Under The Stars." Literally every minute was scheduled for an event and there was often more than one event taking place at a time. Unlike the University's 250th anniversary, however, Villanova's celebrations will continue throughout the next academic year. The university has invited top speakers from around the country to hold several academic symposia. The topics to be discussed are diverse but are of special interest to the largely Catholic student body. For example, the first forum discusses the importance of a Catholic higher education in today's world. Later events touch on subjects such as the environment, the elections and the holocaust. A series of forums on human values in politics and corporations may, however, prove to be quite brief. The ten committees that organized the sesquicentennial celebrations aim both to remind the students about the school's legacy as well as add to the existing heritage of Villanova. To this end, the exhibits and lectures on the birth of Villanova show the changes that the university has undergone in the past century and a half. At the same time, the plaques and renovations represent this generation's addition to the history of Villanova. "One of the goals of the Subcommittee of Historical Exhibits was to leave the campus with some permanent legacies," Lysionek said. "Things that will endure beyond the celebrations." This large scale expenditure in a time of economic hardship may strike some people as decadent. Villanova students, however, generally did not feel this way. "It's special to be here while it's happening," said Dana Gaskin, president of the Blue Key Society and Villanova junior. "They've dedicated new buildings and you see the heart of the tradition here at Villanova. When an institution has been around for 150 years you need upkeep. If this is one party they can have for it - that's great!" Any gripes? Of course. Would a student body be complete without them? "They had a lot of good ideas but some of the things didn't fall into place," Villanova sophomore and Sigma Alpha Epsilon brother Rob Capone said. "The luncheon they had was $12 per person and they served boxed lunches . . . but I heard the dance was nice." On the whole, however, the students have taken pride in their school's spruced up appearance. How big a deal is this celebration? Let's put it this way, the entire Villanova campus has learned to say sesquicentennial with a smile.
(06/30/92 9:00am)
A summertime on campus may not make everyone happy, but for AL Wang, it doesn't get any better than this. "I think it's incredible," the Wissahickon High School senior said. "The best five weeks I've had in my life." Wang is one of 64 high school students participating in the highly competitive Governor's School for Business program, through which he is taking specially designed classes at the Wharton School. Sponsored by the state's Department of Education, the program exposes students to stock market simulations and takes them on trips to businesses in the Delaware Valley. Hundreds of other high school students are also on campus this summer, living it up away from home in the name of higher academic pursuits. They are enrolled in one of a number of summer conferences aimed at exposing high school students to college-level academics and the social aspects of residential living. Like Wang, many pariticpants said they have found time to enjoy their first taste of independent living, despite the fact that they are enrolled in intense summer courses. The University hosts more than 45 programs during the two summer sessions, many of which are geared toward high school students. Such programs include the Pre-College program, Summer Science Academy, Lean and Upward Bound. The Lead program was established in 1980 in conjunction with A Better Chance and McNeil Consumer Products to encourage minority students to consider pursuing higher education in business. A Better Chance selects 30 talented high school students each year to take second session summer classes at Wharton. There is an emphasis on the role of business in everyday life and students are taken on observation trips to major corporations in Philadelphia and New York. "These are the top minority students in the country who have been chosen," Wharton junior and head Lead counselor Deanna Brannon said. "It exposes them to the business world and makes them realize that every profession is essentially a business." Upward Bound targets first generation college bound students form Low-Income families in Philadelphia high schools for an "academic summer camp" at the University. Students in the program are given the opportunity to adjust to college life early with specially designed classes and activities. For 89 ninth- and tenth-graders, their four weeks at the University have been devoted to lectures and lab sessions in either mathematics or science. Called the Summer Science Academy, their program is geared to younger high school students. In addition all of the students take ethics and computer science classes. This is the sixth summer of the program and the application process has become more competitive over the years. "This is the best group we've ever had," said David Reibstein, assistant director of the College of General Studies and the program's director. "We've received more applications than ever before." High school juniors in the twelve-year old Pre-College Program are enrolled in ordinary summer school classes at the University. The professors teaching the classes are not told about the students so that the 84 participants are given the opportunity to experience a real college course for which they will receive credit. "The program has risen over the years," program coordinator Sue McNamara said. "But it is slightly down in enrollment this year, probably due to the economic situation." While the summer conferences all have academic components, organizers say they are also very important in teaching the students about college life beyond the books. Students are allowed to experience the independence of being away from home while residential advisors, or prefects, are still present to advise them. "It's an opportunity for high school students to have a college experience while they still have the security of a program geared to their age level," McNamara said.
(03/03/92 10:00am)
The Finance Club sponsored a well-attended forum last week held by Arthur Andersen to inform students of the wide range of opportunities available with the firm after graduation. There is great diversity among Andersen employees in terms of their scholastic backgrounds and fields of interests, Director of Recruiting Doug Dickel said. Around 47 students attended the event, which started with ten-minute presentations by representatives from different departments within the firm and was followed by a brief question and answer session. Jeff Smith from the Litigation Support Services, John Lombardi from Corporate Recovery Services, Rachel Dreyfus and Yoli Toth from Business Consulting Services and William Christopher from Business Systems Consulting spoke about their respective departments. They outlined projects during their presentations to illustrate the scope of Andersen's activities. The emphasis was on the corporation's flexibility. Students were told that Andersen employees are extremely mobile and are encouraged to transfer to the departments in which they feel they can be most productive. In addition, the speakers said that the firm accepts a wide range of projects on which employees have an opportunity to work. "There is no typical project, there is no one thing we do," Dickel said. "We are very responsive to the market. We don't go in with blinders." Dickel also said that one of the most important characteristics the firm seeks in future employees is competence dealing with people. "The work is very people intensive and people skills are very important," Dickel said. "We need to be able to deal with many different kinds of people." In general, students said they found the event both stimulating and informative. "This was really informative," Wharton and College senior Hana Lowy said. "It was really important to find out that Arthur Andersen is doing more than accounting . . . it's a consulting firm, really. You don't have to have an accounting degree."
(02/28/92 10:00am)
Cole Porter would have been pleased with the Law School Light Opera Company's rendition of his Anything Goes. Thirty Law School students shed their inhibitions and went all out to surprise the audience with the performance. The musical is set on board a ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and the itinerary is complete with romance, deception, religion and crime. The main plot is about a man trying to steal an old love away from her current fiance. The acting was superb and sometimes tended to overshadow the singing. The singers represented a wide spectrum in terms of quality, ranging from the very bad to the excellent. Several people are especially worth watching. Second-year Law student Shannon Louden's role as Reno Sweeney, an evangelist turned nightclub singer, allowed her to maximize the use of her strong voice. On the other hand, first-year Law student Gabrielle Roventini's performance as the undecided bride-to-be made most of the audience wince. Her voice changed abruptly from a baritone to a falsetto several times. Second-year Law student Jim Bramson as Moonface Martin threatened to steal the show. His one-liners were excellently delivered, and while his singing was mediocre, his acting more than compensated. It was a shame that third-year Law student Patty Carroll's role as Eliza Whitney did not allow her to sing until the show was almost over. Her performance in "Take Me Back To Manhattan" was proof of her talent. Unfortunately, that was the only number in which she sang a solo. Two hapless professors from the Law School were given "supporting" roles in the musical. While neither had to dance or sing, they had to act as gamblers cheating people on board the ship. The costume and set designers deserve congratulations. The set was ingenious, and the running crew was able to make over eight set changes smoothly. The costumes were equally admirable. The variety the designers had to produce was in itself impressive. The dance sequences were made mainly for the women cast members, and the men were tucked discreetly in the back of the chorus line. The effect was mostly comic, however, and the choreography by Lisa Washington was entertaining. The audience found the evening enjoyable. Many audience members may have had the added pleasure of seeing friends and professors in an awkward situation, but the content and delivery of the musical are good enough that anybody can enjoy the evening. Anything Goes continues this Saturday in the Annenberg School Theatre. Performances are at 8:00 p.m. and tickets are available at the Annenberg Box Office.
(02/24/92 10:00am)
CORRECTION: (3/3/92) Last Monday's story about minority concerns relating to Spring Fling contained several errors. Last week, SPEC's forum on diversifying Spring Fling was poorly attended, and over the weekend, it was heavily criticized by the minority leaders it hoped to attract. The directors of the Social Planning and Events Committee's Spring Fling and Minority Concerns Committees said they want to involve more students in the planning process, but Fling's theme, prices and major concert band have already been decided and, in the eyes of many, these are the most critical factors involved in minority participation in Fling. "Those are some of the most important aspects of Fling. The theme itself has a lot to do with it," College junior and President of the United Minorities Council You Lee Kim said. "Most of the themes are not themes that touch the entire the whole University . . . And I would have hoped that this year they would have made an effort to have a theme that would appeal to everyone." Spring Fling Committee Chairpeople Wharton senior Stacey Kossow and College juniors Joshua Perelman and Erik Sulman said at the diversity forum last Wednesday that it was not too late for minority groups to get involved in the organization of booths and bands, and they restated this in a written statement made by the three Spring Fling Committee chairpeople after the forum. "Many different areas for group involvement in Fling were discussed," the statement said. "In addition, the Spring Fling general meetings, which meet every three weeks, were indicated as an opportunity for individual input in the planning process of Fling. But the forum only drew 20 people, and Kim said that she declined to attend the forum because she felt that the organizers of Spring Fling were insincere about their intentions to diversify the event. "They've put on the pretension of having reached out to the minority community and it's just not true," Kim said. "For all intents and purposes, all the plans for Spring Fling have already been laid down and no matter what anyone said on Wednesday night, it wouldn't have made a difference." This sentiment was echoed by College sophomore William Gray, president of the University's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "The issue as it appears is that the Social Planning and Events Committee has made up a program for Fling and after they've made up most of it, they're trying to diversify it," Gray said. SPEC has made efforts to work with the Black Student League to increase minority participation in Fling, and both parties are optimistic. The Spring Fling Committee members added that they are also concerned with the involvement of the other minority groups. "The issues of involvement were brought up, and questions were answered," the statement said. "We are very pleased with the interest this diversity meeting has sparked but are in no way done with our task." Minority leaders and members of the Minority Concerns Committee have complained that the composition of SPEC and its committees is part of the reason for the apparent lack of consideration of minority issues in the decisions made. "You have to remember who controls SPEC and who controls Spring Fling." Kim said. "For the past three years since its founding, the president has always been a Tri-Delt woman. Maybe it's time for a change to get a wider perspective." The representatives of the Spring Fling Committee said, however, that the lack of minority applicants result in the lack of minority leaders in the organization of Spring Fling. Kim, however, differed in opinion and said that the problem was not apathy among the minorities. "The charge that minorities are not interested is blatantly false." Kim said. "We have Lincoln Singleton who worked his butt off but the message that came across when it was time for executive board elections was that if you're not white and you're not Greek, it's going to be a hell of a battle." Singleton, a Wharton junior and vice president of the Black Wharton Undergraduates, remains positive about Fling and said he thinks SPEC has made some big changes recently. "SPEC as a whole has tried to diversify greatly in order to diversify student events," he said. "It's a vicious cycle because a lot of minorities don't participate because there aren't enough activities that appeal to them and the reason for that is that there aren't many minorities in the planning."
(02/21/92 10:00am)
Reacting to concerns that Spring Fling traditionally attracts few minority students, the Social Planning and Events Committee held a forum Wednesday night to discuss ways of making Spring Fling more diverse. The forum, which was organized by SPEC's Minority Concerns and Spring Fling Committees, was attended by 20 students, a turnout that disappointed both organizers and participants. "Spring Fling didn't really work out last year," College junior and Minority Concerns Committee co-director Joseph Kim said. "We want to get input from minorities to diversify Spring Fling. Traditionally it hasn't been that diverse." The students who attended the forum generally felt that Spring Fling isolates itself from minorities. "Freshman year I was thinking 'Oh, wow, something to add to Penn Relays,' but when it came around I noticed it was mostly a white fling," Wharton junior and co-director of the Minority Concerns Committee Terence Alford said. This year, however, the Spring Fling Committee is determined to change attitudes. By making the activities more diverse, the Committee hopes to break the old trend of black students going to Penn Relays and white students going to Spring Fling. "This year is important because there's a hiatus between Fling and the Relays," Kim said. "This year they're two weeks apart, and minorities won't be in a situation where they have to make a choice. If we can make Fling more attractive to minorities, we can start a new trend." Both Asian and Latino students were poorly represented at the forum, as only one student from each minority group attended. They made proposals on how Fling could be expanded so that both these communities could take on more active roles. "I'd really like to know more from the Asians," College junior Nora Munoz said. "I've seen some Asian groups at Fling but they're always food stuff. There's a lot of different things and cultures within the Asian population. We tend to lump Asians together." There was also a concern that the location of Fling was an additional deterrent to minority groups. Some students felt that the Quad was not the ideal place because unless students lived there or had friends there, they would not have a reason to go there. In addition to this, they remarked that the area was too "enclosed." The Spring Fling Committee acknowledged this, but said that there is no other place on campus where access could be effectively limited to University students only. The organizers promised, however, that they would continue the practice of organizing at least one event outside the Quad. The Spring Fling Committee appealed to those who were present to go back to their organizations and report the issues that were discussed in the forum. They stressed that it is not too late to get involved in the organization of Fling, and the forum wound down with the organizers saying they hoped that future Flings will be more diverse. "We don't want it to be a token gesture." College junior and Spring Fling Committee co-chair Josh Perelman said. "We are very open to any suggestions from any group on campus and we're taking any we can possibly get." "We don't want to accommodate only what the white people want," Wharton senior and Spring Fling Committee co-chair Stacey Kossow said. "We want to accommodate what everybody wants." Anne Todd, College junior and SPEC president, said that the organizers of Fling are committed to making this a Fling for everyone. "Our hope is that these wonderful suggestions will not stop as soon as the forum ends," Todd said in a statement. "We want everyone's input so this will be everyone's Fling." Anyone interested in taking part in the organization of Fling should contact the SPEC office at 898-4444.
(02/21/92 10:00am)
Holy Family College History Professor Larry Riley tried to provoke students into speculating on the future of the now defunct Soviet Union last Thursday at the Newman Center. "The window of opportunity has opened upon us," he said. "It could close. What we do now has greater impact than in the past." Riley called the present situation a chance for Americans to change the world view that countries are still divided into two separate camps. He expressed his hope that a more unified world would be left in the wake of the Soviet Union's breakup. "We were locked in a mortal conflict, now we seem to have a second chance," he said. "The Cold War, the mutually destructive approach, can be avoided." After a short presentation on the history of the Soviet Union, Riley asked the students for their insights on the current political situation. The 20 students present asked questions and exchanged opinions with Riley. "Sooner or later the window will close because you will become middle class, move to the suburbs and become as conservative as I am," he said. "Your life is going to be more concerned with trivia. You'll get more and more conservative. Now is the time." The other important theme that Riley tackled was the issue of whether modernization was possible without Westernization. While the topic at hand was serious, Riley managed to keep conversation flowing and the mood light. The discussion ended with Riley expressing his hope that the audience had gained something from the experience. "Maybe we'll leave here a little more sensitive . . . even the people from Wharton," he said. Riley is associated with the Graduate Christian Fellowship, which sponsored the event.
(02/18/92 10:00am)
Last week's Eroticizing Safer Sex Workshops enjoyed greater attendance than the AIDS Awareness Workshops even though both were part of HIV/AIDS Awareness Week. The Student Health Office of Health Education organized both informational sessions and workshops, which dealt specifically with making safer sex more pleasurable. The organizers planned the sessions so that each workshop was targeted toward people of the same sexual orientation and race to facilitate the flow of discussion. "It was really effective. Different types of people are affected by AIDS in different ways," College junior Keisha Dennard, a member of Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health, one of the event's sponsors said. Heterosexual people would not have been as tolerant of different ideas or issues that were discussed in the workshop for homosexual and bisexual people." she added. Kate Webster, health educator and the primary organizer of the workshops, said she has been criticized for the structure of the workshops. She said that the choice of categories were made in an effort to be "culturally sensitive." "I'm doing something racially sensitive and I'm being criticized. They're preaching to the reformed." she said. Students who attended the workshops said they felt the separation by color and sexual orientation was a good idea. "This made a lot of people who came comfortable since sex is so personal and a lot of the discussion was graphic," College junior You Lee Kim said. "This helped people be open about questions they had in their mind. Webster said the workshops on the whole were a success, and more than 70 women attended the Workshop for Straight Women. There was, however, a noticeably smaller turnout at the sessions for men. "It was really embarrassing to be helping out at these events because there were only five to six men there," Wharton junior Steve Foecking, a FLASH member said. "Maybe everybody gets it -- I don't think so." Webster said. She jokingly added that perhaps the coincidence of AIDS Awareness Week with the Olympics could help account for the low turnout. While both organizers and students said some of the material was already common knowledge, the workshop provided people with a different perspective of the old material. FLASH representatives demonstrated the use of several new methods of protection and different ways of making old methods more enjoyable. "For a lot of women, it was the first time they'd seen a dental dam," Kim said. "They come in bubble gum flavor, too." she added. Webster said that while she was pleased that there was a healthy amount of interest in the workshops, she was concerned about people in the University who are exposed to the risk of infection and did not attend. "It's interesting that people like to say 'I'm not gay, I'm not an IV drug user, I'm not colored. So, therefore, statistically, I'm not likely to get it,' " she said. "On the other hand, there are people on campus shooting steroids and sharing needles who don't consider themselves IV drug users." Webster emphasized the fact that everyone must be aware of the risks of contracting AIDS. "The virus doesn't know who you are. They just hitch rides on blood and semen," she said. She added that she thinks that the University should broaden its program of AIDS education. "We need to be doing something every day, every week and for everyone. Students cannot go to one workshop in February and think they've learned all they have to. It's ongoing." Webster said. This series of seminars was co-sponsored by the Graduate Students Activities Council, FLASH and the Vice Provost for University Life.
