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(02/03/99 10:00am)
Probation deal finalized for SAM rush violation The fraternity will be on probation for two years, including a one-year social probation in which all social events must be alcohol-free. In addition, the brothers are implementing alcohol-free programming throughout campus in coordination with the Drug and Alcohol Resource Team and committing themselves to community service activities. The SAM national office and local alumni will monitor the chapter with "educational and advisory programming." Aaron Girson, SAM's national executive director, said he is committed to "addressing the cultural change that is necessary." -- Aliya Sternstein
(04/22/98 9:00am)
The Daily Northwestern EVANSTON, Ill. (U-WIRE) -- Wearing a double-breasted navy blazer, olive slacks and a terse expression, former Northwestern men's basketball player Kenneth Lee pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago to charges related to point shaving during the 1994-95 season. Also on Monday, Judge Charles Norgle Sr. scheduled another status hearing in the cases of former NU basketball player Dewey Williams and alleged gambler Brian Irving for May 4. In court, Irving's attorney, Gene Steingold, raised the possibility that his client would settle the case out of court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins confirmed that fact but declined further comment. Lee, 24, of Louisville, Ky., entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit sports bribery. After Monday's arraignment, Lee was released on a $4,500 personal recognizance bond. Lee is expected to testify against Williams and Irving in exchange for the government's recommendation for a reduced sentence. In a separate case, Lee may also testify against former NU football player Brian Ballarini. According to the grand jury's original indictment, Ballarini allegedly threatened Lee with physical harm if Lee did not pay off gambling debts owed to Ballarini. As part of his plea agreement, Lee also agreed to cooperate with the FBI and NCAA for up to five years on programs designed to educate students and athletes about the dangers of gambling. Without a recommendation for downward departure by prosecutors, Lee could face from 10 to 16 months in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Lee agreed to postpone his sentencing until after all other trials related to the case are concluded. Lee and his attorney, Paul Wagner, left the Dirksen Federal Building through as secured exit and could not be reached for comment. Prosecutors, though, said the guilty plea was significant. "Now we have the first student-athlete involved in this conspiracy pleading guilty," Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Vogel said. "From that standpoint, we now have people on both sides of the scheme." Lee is the second man to plead guilty to charges of plotting to fix three NU basketball games in February and March 1995. On April 9, Kevin Pendergast, the scheme's alleged ringleader, also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sports bribery. In their respective plea agreements, Pendergast and Lee each admitted to having participated in an arrangement whereby Lee would ensure that NU lost selected games by more than the posted point spreads in exchange for cash payments from Pendergast. Lee averaged just 6.3 points in the three fixed games, well below his 13.1 scoring average in Big 10 games that season. And despite being NU's best three-point shooter that year, Lee converted only 1-of-8 shots from beyond the arc in the three games in question. Moreover, Lee admitted to having recruited Williams and another teammate -- unindicted co-conspirator Matthew Purdy -- to help with the point shaving scheme in exchange for cash payoffs. On March 1, 1995, with Pendergast and other gamblers having bet up to $20,000 on the game, the Cats lost to Michigan by less than the posted point spread and, from there, the scheme unravelled. Prosecutors said that on or around the date of the Michigan game was the last time Lee and Pendergast were in contact. Lee began cooperating with the government's investigation in June 1997. "From the government's standpoint, gambling has become a serious problem on college campuses," Vogel said. "It's particularly dangerous because students have access to other student-athletes. How many people can approach Michael Jordan -- not many."
(09/23/97 9:00am)
The Johns Hopkins News-Letter BALTIMORE (U-WIRE) -- Delta Lambda Phi, the only national gay fraternity, began its fall rush last week for its new Baltimore chapter. The membership will consist of male students of all sexual orientations from colleges and universities in the Baltimore area. Founded in 1986, DLF already has 17 other chapters across the nation, mostly concentrated along the West Coast. The idea of a "progressive" fraternity, said Wade Price, governor for the northeast region and an alumnus of DLF's original chapter in Washington, D.C., arose in response to a lack of social outlets for gay college men. Traditionally, gay bars have provided the only major social outlet for such students, but "DLF provides an alternative to that for meeting friends," Price said. The fraternity is "modeled on the Greek system" of other fraternities, continuing the tradition of rush, pledging and initiation into the brotherhood. But there is a strict no-hazing policy. "Gay men are hazed, in a sense, by society as a whole," Price said. Another variance from the traditional fraternity archetype is that many chapters are based regionally and not on specific campuses. For example, Price, who graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1991, was a member of the D.C.-area chapter. One side effect of this multi-college emphasis is that very few chapters have a fraternity house in the conventional sense. "In established chapters, we'll have a house or apartment, where at least two brothers live, that serves as a focal point for the group to hold meetings and host social events," Price said. In Washington, D.C., for example, seven DLF brothers live in two adjacent rowhouses, forming an ad hoc fraternity house. With few exceptions, DLF chapters have encountered very little homophobic reaction from campuses around the country, Price said. Ironically, it is the "traditional" gay community that provides the most resistance to the notion of a gay fraternity, he said. "There have been some negative reactions [from the gay community], but not a lot," Price said. "Some say it is wrong to impose an 'oppressive' structure on a gay environment. Some are opposed to fraternities on the basis of their being exclusionary and discriminatory." Delta Lambda Phi, however, "does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation." While Price was a member of the Washington, D.C., chapter, there was one bisexual DLF brother and even two straight members. "They were friends of the brothers and didn't like the straight fraternities on campus," he said. "They even brought their girlfriends to fraternity events."
(03/20/96 10:00am)
Student Health ServicesStudent Health Servicesreceives mixed feedbackStudent Health Servicesreceives mixed feedbackfrom its patients Cassidy, who said she used Student Health last semester when she was diagnosed with mono, recalled that she almost didn't visit the office. "I was afraid to go because of all the horror stories I'd heard from my friends," she said. But Cassidy was luckier than her peers. She said she had a fairly good experience with Student Health. "I ended up with a really good doctor, so I got that up close and personal feeling that made me feel comfortable," she explained. Most students' experiences at Student Health fall under this category of "fairly good" experiences, according to Engineering senior Vivek Rao, former chairperson of the Student Health Advisory Board. "In general, Student Health has a pretty good reputation," Rao said. "Most of the time, the complaints we get aren't very severe." There is, of course, the occasional exception to the rule. Judging from the buzz among the University community, no matter what Rao said, most students feel the negatives outnumber the positives. Wharton freshman Neysan Rassekh said he began to feel extremely drowsy and ill during his first week at the University. Student Health doctors told him to take Tylenol and get some rest. When that didn't help, he went back again, only to receive the same advice. While out of town, Rassekh became violently ill, ending up in the Georgetown University Medical Center, where he underwent surgery for a rare infection. Physicians at Georgetown told him, that had he been properly diagnosed from the start, surgery would not have been necessary. Cases like these seem to pop up more often than not when the words "Student Health" are mentioned to a group of students. Administrators at Student Health and SHAB members argue that their satisfaction rates are quite high among students, particularly those who have visited the office repeatedly. According to Rao, most of the rumors floating around about Student Health are just that -- rumors. "When something bad happens, that's when you hear about it," he said. "People tell their friends and then the friends tell friends. Before you know it, it's circulating all over campus and every version of the story is different." Rao added that most people who warn others about the service have not actually had a negative experience. "But they do know people who had an awful time there," he added. Rao speculated that the main problems between Student Health and its patients arise from "different expectations of what a student health service should do." Collins said that many students come to college having never had an experience with any doctor other than their family physician. "A lot of problems arise when they expect the same individualized attention and relationship they had with their doctor at home," she said. Collins added that most students' loyalties lay with their family physician until their ties with home have been loosened. In The Beginning? Student Health was founded sometime in the early 1950s, according to Student Health Director Marjeanne Collins. Medical School graduate Paul Schrode was the first director of Student Health, serving for nearly 30 years before retiring in 1976. Since its inception, the service has been a fundamental part of the University health system, providing care to thousands of students and faculty members, Collins said. All Student Health physicians have an appointment in the School of Medicine and hold credentials recognized by the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to Collins. This double accreditation leaves little room for finding fault with Student Health doctors' credentials, she added. Collins explained that doctors must not only meet Student Health standards -- they must also live up to the expectations of the Medical School and HUP. In addition to licensed physicians, Student Health also employs a number of nurse practitioners who handle less serious cases. Student Health offers clinical services in primary care, sexual health care, psychiatry, women's health, orthopedics, sports medicine, dermatology and podiatry, in addition to its emergency services. In addition, Student Health offers preventive services including allergy shots, weight control, cholesterol and blood pressure screening and various other measures to ensure the physical well being of its patients. Student Health works jointly with HUP to provide lab services to students free of charge. Checkups, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and other primary care appointments are also free to Penn students. "All they are charged for is medication or any in-depth testing they might have to undergo," Collins said. Although Collins said she encourages students to make appointments before coming in, walk-in patients are also welcomed. Student Health attempts to see 50 percent of walk-ins within a half hour of their arrival. However, as many infuriated students will vouch, the wait can end up being anywhere from 15 minutes to more than two hours. College freshman Anton Metlitsky said he walked into Student Health with a cough and signed the patient roster. He was told there were two people in front of him. Two and a half hours later, he was still waiting. When he went to ask about the delay, receptionists told him there was still one person scheduled ahead of him. Student Health officials claim it is operating within appropriate boundaries. In fact, according to Collins, the service actually has higher rates of timeliness than the standards. She also said students who are the sickest take priority within a group of walk-ins. Measures of Improvement The Student Health Advisory Board was formed to handle all complaints filed against Student Health. According to Rao, the majority of the complaints aren't "concrete." "They deal with things like long waits, rude receptionists, physicians who don't devote their full attention to the patient -- things like that," he said. Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta noted that receptionists received the lowest ratings out of all Student Health employees. SHAB, which is made up of students who apply to the board, has the jurisdiction to "get rid of nurses or physicians who aren't living up to Student Health standards," according to Rao. The board administers random surveys to gauge students reactions to their Student Health experiences. In the most recent survey, Student Health scored extremely high in the area of "empathy of health care providers" and fairly well in the area of "timeliness of care." In the reception category, however, scores were significantly lower. In response to this obvious displeasure expressed by students, Student Health underwent a complete receptionist staff change over the last two years. It also requires all employees to undergo a quality improvement program which stresses attitudes towards patients, courtesy and eye contact. In addition to SHAB, Student Health is reviewed by its Medical Advisory Board. Also, Student Health implemented a community advisory board made up of students, faculty and staff this year. Student Health Associate Director for Clinical Medicine Evelyn Weiner is in charge of the Quality Assurance Program, one of the systems which continually monitors Student Health's reliability. "[QAP] looks at how we provide care and whether we are meeting the requirements for our service," she said. Weiner added that QAP also monitors medication prescription, watching to make sure medicine is doled out appropriately. The Question of Antibiotics Although telling Rassekh to take Tylenol and get some rest turned out not to be the best advice, many other students hear the similar responses from Student Health. And, as a result, they complain too. A good number of the complaints dealing with medication that Student Health receives read something like, "I went in feeling ill and they didn't give me any medicine," according to Collins. However, according to Brian Strom, who chairs the Medical School's Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, this advice is by far the best to give. "Antibiotics tend to be grossly overprescribed," said Strom, who is also the director of the Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology. According to Strom, viral infections like the "common cold" are not treatable by antibiotics. Penicillin and similar medications are only effective on bacterial infections like strep throat, sinusitis and bronchitis. He said he feels the overprescription of drugs stems from the extreme pressure doctors feel from people who complain that their doctors don't give them medication when they're sick. "They feel like if they don't prescribe the medication, they are going to lose their patients," he explained. Strom added that there are two major downsides to overprescription besides the high prices of the medication. "The first is the extreme risk of adverse effects such as nausea and skin rashes," he said. "Antibiotics are the leading cause of adverse reactions." He added that adverse reactions are very likely to show up in college-age students. The second downfall to overprescription of antibiotics is "the question of changing the natural flora of bacteria," according to Strom. He explained that a new wave of bacteria -- that seems to be unaffected by any sort of antibiotics -- has made itself known in the recent past. "These cases aren't just few and far between anymore," he said. "They're becoming a major problem." Strom added that organisms once vulnerable to drugs such as penicillin are now immune. Collins said Student Health is following the new prevailing trend of not prescribing antibiotics for everyday ailments. "We save those medications for really serious illnesses, those which must have this sort of treatment to get better," she said. Collins added that although Student Health does not have a list of drugs they regularly prescribe, there are approximately 25 drugs that are commonly accepted as being standard treatments. "We keep these items in stock at all times, since we use them a lot," she said. "Most of the students have basic needs we can treat with these drugs." What About Misdiagnosis? Student Health generally has a good reputation for making the correct diagnoses in the majority of cases the office sees, according to Moneta. However, there are occasional mishaps, like Rassekh's case. "I feel these incidents, which are isolated, are probably a simple lack of realization that minor symptoms can progress to major illnesses if not treated," Collins said. Moneta added that misdiagnoses happen once in a while in every health care facility that treats as many patients as Student Health does. "The bottom line is, problems happen, but they happen everywhere," he added. "The number of minuses pale in comparison to the number of people who have had great experiences at [Student Health]."
(06/30/94 9:00am)
Fox Chapel Area High School '93 Pittsburgh, Pa. With a revised constitution and a new executive board, the United Minorities Council is looking ahead to another year as the voice of minority students on campus. The UMC represents many campus cultural groups, including the Chinese Students Association, El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, South Asia Society and Black Student League. Other UMC organizations are the Vietnamese Students Association, Japan Cultural Society, Asociacion Cultural de Estudiantes Latino Americanos, Hong Kong Club and Caribbean American Students Association. Six Directions, the University's Native American student group, was added to the UMC this spring, bringing to 10 the total number of constituent groups. "It's wonderful that they have joined [the UMC]," said College senior and former UMC Chairperson Jun Bang. "I think they can contribute things other groups do not have, namely the Native American culture." There has never been a cap on the number of groups allowed to join the UMC, but Bang said she expected the executive board elected last semester to debate the question. The executive board will serve during the upcoming academic year. It was elected under a new procedure developed during the semester-long revision of the UMC's constitution which occurred this spring. In addition, the UMC executive board decided to change the qualifications for membership because its description of minority groups at the University rested on an "ethnic and cultural, not racial" basis, she said. Bang added that the clarification should result in "more focus and cohesiveness" among the UMC's member groups. The constitution also provides for election of the UMC chairperson and vice chairperson about one month before the remainder of the executive board each spring, to insure that new leaders have adequate time to learn from their predecessors, Bang said. Current UMC Chairperson Liz Melendez, a College junior, is the first chairperson chosen under the new system. She said it made her transition much easier. And Wharton senior Jenny Ho, vice chairperson of the UMC, said she is happy with the constitutional changes. "I'm really ecstatic that we were able to put [them] into place before the new year began," she said. "It gives us a really strong base from which to work." The new constitution also creates the non-voting position of member-at-large for "minority" students who want to be involved in the UMC without joining one of its constituent groups, the document states. Finally, the constitution calls for the formation of standing committees which will handle admissions, the celebration of cultures and programs. This year's celebration, co-sponsored by the Greenfield Intercultural Center and the Social Planning and Events Committee, was the largest of the five which have happened on campus, Bang said. This spring, the UMC's Admissions Committee also worked to coordinate Minority Scholars Invitational Weekend. Other UMC members helped to plan a resource fair for students of color, which included dinner, speakers and information from various University departments, and the opportunity to interact informally with administrators.
(03/06/92 10:00am)
The SEPTA subway-surface line and four blocks of Spruce Street were closed yesterday morning because of a gas leak investigators think began at the Getty gas station on 39th and Baltimore streets. Lieutenant Richard Brooks of the Philadelphia Fire Department said SEPTA called the department at approximately 4 a.m. After the on-site fire commander determined that the gasoline was not at an explosive level, he decided that evacuating the University buildings surrounding the area was not necessary, Brooks said. However, officials did decide to halt traffic on Spruce Street between 34th and 38th streets and to close the subway-surface line for the second straight day. Maser added yesterday that the gas leak was unrelated to Wednesday's SEPTA accident, in which 23 people were injured when two trolleys collided underneath Market Street. Jim Miller, University director of fire and occupational safety, who was called to the site early yesterday morning, said investigators knew the source of the leak came from "west of 38th Street." Therefore, he said, the "most likely cause was the Getty station." Miller added that he has been at the University for 11 years and that, to his knowledge, this is the "first time [a gas leak] happened." When notified of the gas leak, the Getty station immediately began pumping the gas out of its underground tanks, Getty Petroleum Engineer Alan Mack said yesterday at the station. After the tanks were emptied, the fire department flushed water through the tanks and the lines that run from the tanks to the pumps. The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections took over the fire department's investigation late this morning, overseeing a private contractors' testing of the station. John Millard, Getty territory sales manager, said that by 5 p.m., investigators determined that the lines were not leaking, but had not yet ruled out the underground tanks. Tests to determine if the tanks were indeed the cause of the leak were still continuing last night. Miller said that if the Getty station was not the source of the fumes then it will be a "long hard process to try to determine where the leak happened from." Millard said last night that the Getty station's tanks were inspected last summer, and that the station hopes to be open today. While the experts were trying to determine the source of the leak, trolley cars ran above ground on the outskirts of campus, bikes whizzed down barren Spruce Street, and students heading home for Spring Break were inconvenienced. "It pretty much destructs my whole schedule," said Wharton freshman Doug Lipton. "I can't even get a taxi close to where I am now. I have to walk close to four blocks." Staff writers Melissa Fragnito and Gayle Meyers contributed to this story.
(02/24/92 10:00am)
The first group of Joseph Wharton Scholars is scheduled to graduate in May and program advisor Bill Whitney is proud -- not only of what these 40 students have done, but of where they are going. According to Whitney, they have excelled academically, occupied some of the top leadership positions on campus, become a cohesive social unit and received some of the best job offers on campus. The scholars' program has also served as a curriculum trendsetter, with much of the JWS curriculum for the class of 1992 being incorporated into the standard Wharton curriculum for the class of 1995. "These 40 students have participated in the pilot phase of an honors program that is aimed at maximizing the liberal arts half of the Wharton curriculum and producing an honors section of introductory business courses," said Whitney, associate director of Wharton's undergradute division. Originally, JWS members were chosen from the top one-tenth of the incoming freshman class. However, during the past three years, several students have later been let into the program based on their academic record. "As we have become more well-known, there is more interest," Whitney said. "But I am a one-person operation and the program has begun to overpopulate and outgrow the administrative capacity." Because of this, the JWS program will again be limited to only incoming freshmen starting next year. In tune with the current attitude of Wharton, the scholars are globally-minded. "We don't have a specific requirement," Whitney said. "But in choosing what they wanted to do, they've been internationally-minded." With graduation quickly approaching, many of the students are deciding what they are going to do with their lives. Five are going to law school, three of those to Harvard University, and the rest are planning to enter the job market. "It's obvious that they are landing some of the most highly demanded entry level positions," Whitney said. Jeff Pearson said he disagrees with Whitney, saying that most of his interviews have been comparable to those of other Wharton students. "As the program develops, it might help people get better interviews," Pearson said. "We are the first class and the program is still a little sketchy. As the program gets more widely-recognized, it might help people in the future." Aside from the after college part of the program, Pearson said he thinks he is a more well-rounded person than he would have been had he not been involved in the JWS program. The liberal arts requirement for the program closely resembles that of the College, as does the foreign language requirement. "I think it made us take better, more challenging courses, but the biggest thing is how well-rounded we are in the liberal arts," Pearson said. JWS Katie Cheng said the social aspect of the program was important to her. "I got a good friend and a roommate out of it," Cheng said. "Also, because we all take a lot of classes together, we got to know each other really well. I have four or five really good friends that I wouldn't have made without JWS." "The really exceptional accomplishments come through the students finding their own intellectual path," Whitney said. "It's not what we impose on them -- it's what they find for themselves. And almost all of the 40 have found something to give their enthusiasm to."
(12/05/91 10:00am)
A new federal "right-to-die" statute that took effect last week will not have a significant impact on HUP's day-to-day operations, University officials said this week. The new law requires all health institutions -- hospitals, nursing homes and HMOs -- to ask in-patients for "advance directives" in case they become incapacitated and are only being kept alive through life-support systems. Failure to comply with the regulation, passed in November 1990, may result in the loss of Medicare and Medicaid payments for the institution. "HUP has always been sensitive to patients' rights and autonomy," Forrest said. "In clinical practice there's been no real change at the hospital." She added that the law, formally titled the Patient Self-Determination Act, is intended to "increase patient autonomy and to reduce costs by withholding care to people who don't want it." Because the act was passed by Congress a year ago, hospitals have had over a year to implement programs which provide information about advance directives. The Act says that when patients are admitted to a hospital, the hospital must tell the patient about advance directives such as a living will, which indicates in writing the conditions under which the patients would refuse certain treatment. Another example of an advanced directive is a "durable power of attorney" document which gives another person the right to make medical decisions if the patient becomes unable to make decisions for themselves. "My personal opinion is that the proxy option is the safest way to carry on your autonomy," Forrest said. The new law also requires that the patient be told about hospital policy concerning advance directives and that hospital employees should be be educated about patients' rights. According to Forrest, HUP patients have shown a lot of interest in composing living wills. "Since Sunday, one-third of patients [at HUP] have asked for additional information," Forrest said. According to Associate Medicine Professor Paul Lanken, a former Chairman of the HUP Ethics Committee, the act was passed in response to a June 1990 U.S. Supreme Court decision which said that Missouri officials were correct to require "clear and convincing evidence" of the patient's wishes regarding the right-to-die. The family of the patient in the case, Nancy Cruzan, wanted to stop feeding Cruzan through a feeding tube which was sustaining her life, but doctors were prevented from carrying out their wishes by state law when she lapsed into a vegetable state without a living will. Although Cruzan's family eventually convinced the courts that she had previously requested life-support not be used, the Supreme Court decision indicated the need for patients to be encouraged to write living wills or grant proxies to ensure their wishes be fulfilled. "If you're in a state which requires evidence of your intentions, like Missouri, it's best to carry a living will to have it in writing," Lanken said. According to Forrest, Pennsylvania is the only state without a state law concerning patients' rights. Lanken said that such a bill is currently before the state legislature, but added that it has met strong opposition because it has a clause which prevents pregnant women from refusing life-support. The greatest impact of the new law will fall on nursing homes and HMO's, according to Lanken. "Nursing homes are not strong advocates of patient autonomy, but they will be required to comply," Lanken said. "Hospitals basically already respect patient autonomy."
(11/19/91 10:00am)
Forget the sleds and the reindeer. When it comes to CHOP's annual toy drive, Santa's helpers ride motorcycles -- big and loud. And over 1400 of them with their engines revving, roared down Broad Street on Saturday to bring holiday gifts to the patients at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. This was the 11th year that the Association of Bikers Aimed Towards Education has sponsored the "Toy Run for Tots." The group has donated over 75,000 new toys to CHOP over the last ten years. According to CHOP Special Events Coordinator Lydia Sermons, the annual event was coordinated by several CHOP employees who are members of the ABATE motorcycle organization. "It's great -- each person brings a toy," Sermons said. "They strap them onto their bikes and bring them [to CHOP]." Among the motorcyclists bearing gifts was CHOP President Edmond Notebaert, who rode in the event for the first time. Notebaert drove his 1991 Harley Daytona in the parade, right alongside "Santa Claus." Silvestri said that the parade is intended to draw attention to the Children's Hospital and to "abolish some of the negative images of bikers." "It went great -- the best ever," Silvestri said. In addition to the many toys which were collected, CHOP received several donations from sponsors such as Chevron and Atomic Tires. Earlier this month the members of ABATE held their first-ever local telethon, which raised over $8,000 for the "Toys for Tots" program. This year's parade was dedicated to the memory of Mike Hagerty, a road captain of ABATE who was one of the principal planners of the annual "Toy Run."
(11/18/91 10:00am)
Instead of letting their fingers do the walking, students are now letting their fingers do more talking and learning. The University has seen an startling upsurge recently in the number and variety of student phone services available -- from the FUNNLine to the RAPLine to the Weather Line -- and for now, this phone-friendly communications trend is thriving. "[Penntrex] saw a need for small groups, such as Hillel, to have voice mailboxes, and we wanted to address that need," Yamin said. "Our goal is to provide competitive, state-of-the-art communication tools at a reasonable cost." Yamin said more groups are now using the voicemail systems in more creative and diverse ways and for many different reasons. "People are now getting creative ideas on how they can use voicemail to serve their own purposes," Yamin said. "It's becoming a popular communications tool." Currently, student groups like FUNNLine, several fraternity and sorority lines, several Hillel lines, and the former Desert Storm Hotline use the new system. Other groups run through the administrative level of Penntrex include the Weather Line and the RAPLine, which is designed to provide emotional support to students and to offer referals to the University's professional counseling services. The most recent addition to the slew of lines is the WQHS-Penntrex Concertline -- 573-3CRT -- which gives information on the local Philadelphia music scene, catering to the more alternative tastes of WQHS listeners. Doug Randall, WQHS development director, said the ConcertLine, which is co-sponsored by Penntrex, brings several advantages to the student-run radio station. The ConcertLine tells students about events, increases publicity for WQHS and gives the station a more professional image, which may eventually lead to a broadcasting license. "If you look at technology, information phone lines are the future . . . people are becoming more accustomed to electronic medium," Randall said. "People have less patience. They don't want to listen to the radio for 40 minutes to get facts, so they call up and that's what they get -- concerts and no b.s." According to students who run phone lines, University students are responding heartily to the opportunity to make their lives easier over the phone. Neil Vogel, one of the founders of the FUNNLine, which primarily provides information on local and city bars and restaurants, said that Penntrex calculated that over 950 people called the FUNNLine voice mailbox in its first week of operation. "Students sure do call [the phone lines]," Yamin said. "But I'm not sure whether or not they will continue to call, or whether they are a novelty." And while the number of specialized phonelines is increasing, organizers aren't worried that the lines will result in increased competition. "Proliferation of phone lines can only help us. If people get used to getting info by phone, they will think of the FUNNLine," said Vogel. Randall agreed, saying, "We are not fighting for same markets right now. We are not competitors."
(09/27/91 9:00am)
The September Philadelphia magazine cover story "Doctor, Doctor" contains the results of a survey that tried to determine which local doctors are most respected by their peers. The magazine surveyed 3000 doctors and nurses throughout the Delaware Valley to select the 344 doctors worthy of the title "Top Doctors." Overall, there are 15,700 physicians in the Delaware Valley. The participants in the survey were each asked the following question: "If a member of your family had a medical or surgical problem, to whom would you send him for the best care and treatment?" Although there are over three dozen health care institutions in the Delaware Valley, approximately 20 percent of the physicians recognized are attending physicians at HUP. The article separates the 344 physicians into 33 specialties ranging from Allergy and Immunology to Vascular Surgery. HUP has at least one representative in virtually all of the listed specialties. David Goldmann, an internist at HUP and an associate professor at the Medical School, said he was surprised by his selection. "I came back from vacation and my neighbor drove up and said, 'Congratulations,' " Goldmann said. "I didn't know what he was talking about. No one had interviewed me or talked to me about it." Since his selection, Goldmann said he has received a lot of phone calls and notes from patients and colleagues offering congratulations. Recently, he received an invitation to tea at the Bellevue Hotel. "It's been a nice experience, even though it doesn't have much in the way of academic meaning," he said. Goldmann, who has been at the University for 20 years, said he hopes the attention will be good publicity for the University. "Penn is working to make a good impression as a medical center, and if this helps, I think it's great," said Goldmann. Gerald Lazarus, a professor and chairman of the Dermatology Department, said he was pleased that of the 12 dermatologists cited by the magazine, six are attending physicians at HUP. "One of the reasons so many physicians at HUP are recognized is because they are working on cutting edge kind of things," he said. Lazarus said that the physicians selected generally were good choices. "I think that there probably is some relevance to reality. Almost all of the physicians on the list are very good physicians," he said. Associate Dermatology Professor Edward Bondi, who has been at the University since 1975, said that his honor is to be shared with the rest of the Medical Center. "I'm honored, certainly. Recognition by fellow physicians is always nice," said Bondi, who does clinical work in dermatology with an emphasis in treating skin cancer and pigmented lesions. "The recognition is good for the University, the hospital and my department, but at the same time we have to keep it in perspective." Associate Medicine Professor Seth Braunstein, a specialist in diabetology at HUP, was proud of the recognition. "It makes me pleased to see that my name is recognized in the Philadelphia community," he said. John Haddad, an endocrinologist and associate medicine professor, was excited that he and two other members of his department were on the list. The three HUP doctors make up one third of the nine doctors cited in endocrinology. "I'm not sure that it means anything at all, but it's always nice to be recognized by your peers," he said.
(09/25/91 9:00am)
It all started when Engineering junior Tobias Dengel decided to go to Czechoslovakia for the semester. Dengel is a third-year Undergraduate Assembly member, one of three students representing the Engineering School, and one of only three students who ran for that position last spring. Now he's gone, and the UA is left with only 23 attending members. But as it turns out, Dengel is not even a student and the UA has spent the last few weeks possibly breaking its own rules to keep him in student government. Dengel agreed last night to resign his post, but for a young UA administration trying to figure out how the process works, Dengel's absence has proven to be a test, that many -- within the UA and outside -- say the UA has failed. "If things continue on this road, this is the beginning of the end of proper representation at this University," UA Steering Committee member You-Lee Kim said Monday. If a matter as relatively minor as the status of one representative can tear the UA apart, there is no telling what will happen when members start to debate bigger issues like the diversity on the Walk report or ROTC. Already UA members have concentrated on this issue while letting diversity on the Walk fall by the wayside. Until Dengel let the UA back out of the corner last night, the issue promised to continue, with more UA time spent on this internal matter while the rest of the University waited to hear what members think about issues outside the family. · In an emergency meeting Monday night, the UA decided to allow Dengel to vote by proxy through his friend, Engineering junior Eric Spence. Spence, who did not run for a seat on the UA last spring, was supposed to call Czechoslovakia before every meeting to find out how Dengel would vote on the issues up for debate. However, there is no mention of a proxy vote in the UA's constitution. UA Chairperson Mitch Winston interpreted the by-laws to allow for the proxy, a privilege the 17-year-old constitution gives to the student government head. But the UA's decision may have broken other articles of its constitution. But Janet Ansert, an assistant to the University registrar, said yesterday that Dengel is on a leave of absence, and is therefore "not a full-time undergraduate at the University." Ansert also said the registrar's office is the definitive source on student status. This means that the UA voted to keep a representative who is not enrolled at the University on the UA. The by-laws also state that if there is no next-highest vote-getter from the last election, as in Dengel's case, the NEC "will conduct a special election to fill the vacant seat." The UA side-stepped that rule Monday night. During the debate over Dengel's status on the UA, many advocates said that because Dengel has done a lot for the UA, he deserves to be on it next semester. Others countered that these people are missing the point and that they should fulfill their responsibility to the students, not to each other. So this is how the new UA has spent much of its time since their campaigns last spring: Day 1 of deciding Dengel's case: September 6. UA Chairperson Mitch Winston stopped debate over Dengel, saying UA by-laws state that a student's removal from the assembly will only be discussed after one-third of the members sign a petition. Day 2: September 22. At the second UA meeting on Sunday, College sophomore Jo Jo Graves presented a petition signed by 11 UA members asking the UA to ask Dengel to resign his position. Winston interpreted UA by-laws to say that the petition can only be discussed in a special meeting after Dengel has been informed, and arranged an emergency meeting for Monday night. As it turns out, the by-laws do not state that. The constitution does not say the UA must inform people they are the topic of debate. It does say, however, that a meeting is to be held "no sooner than five academic days and not later than 10 school days" after the UA receives the petition. By holding the meeting on Monday, only one day after the petition, the UA broke its constitution yet again. The members, who wanted to save time in order to make a Nominations and Elections Committee deadline, could have voted at Sunday night's meeting with the same effect. Later that night, UA Secretary Beth Azia called Dengel in Czechoslovakia to find out if he would resign his position if the UA asked him to. Dengel refused, prompting a new petition to kick him out of the assembly. Meanwhile, the NEC's deadline for organizing freshman elections was rapidly approaching. If Dengel had been thrown off the assembly, the NEC would have added his position to the ballot in the first week of October. His resignation will allow the NEC to do this. Day 3: September 23. UA members met Monday night so they could make a decision in time for the NEC to complete pre-election arrangements. Several members came to the meeting with conflicting reports from various administrators on Dengel's status as a student at the University. Despite a written note from Ansert, UA members said Dengel's status is up for debate. So they debated. What finally came out of Monday's meeting was what Winston called a "compromise" solution, passed with a vote of 14 to five, with four abstentions. But letting Spence hold a proxy vote is not a compromise at all -- it is a move to allow Dengel to remain on the UA, giving his supporters what they wanted. The whole issue bodes badly for the new UA -- it not only shows that members do not know their own constitution, but it also indicates that their priorities are in the wrong places. Most important, the debate over Dengel has led to a rift in the UA, a bad sign within the first three weeks of the semester. UA Steering members left Monday's meeting angry at each other, and at UA members on the other side of the issue. "This is the most disgusting display of cronyism I have ever witnessed," Kim said after the meeting. "The UA has just voted to trash its constitution and that's all because some members of UA Steering do not even know the constitution." UA Secretary Beth Azia, who fought to keep Dengel on the assembly, said the people who want to kick Dengel off the UA are not being reasonable. "I think it's really a shame that people have to listen to themselves speak and are sitting there doubting the fact and not looking at the big picture," Azia said.
(04/24/91 9:00am)
Student health insurance premiums will increase over $200 next year to $930, in by far the largest increase of the past six years, Student Health Director MarJeanne Collins said. The decision, which will mainly effect graduate students, effectively ends a year-long debate on the issue which has been a main point of contention for the graduate student leaders. Collins said the large jump was due mainly to the escalating costs of claims, but added that students will also be receiving additional benefits from the more expensive insurance plan. She said the only alternatives to raising the premiums would have been to reduce benefits or increase the deductible -- choices that both graduate students and administrators did not care to do. Since graduate students make up 80 percent of the over 5500 students on University health insurance, steps were taken to involve them in this year's decision-making process. Graduate Student Associations Council President Michael Polgar said last night various graduate student leaders have been meeting with the Student Health insurance administration since the fall and that this week's announcement culminated that process. As a result, this year's insurance plan will also allow students leaving the University to convert to their own individual plans. The University is also switching health insurance companies for the second year in a row, this time from Accordia to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maryland in order to reduce premiums. According to Collins, a similar plan submitted by Accordia was over $1000. She said the average insurance claim by students has increased by over 100 percent since 1985 -- jumping from $386.76 in 1985 to this year's $792. "HUP is an on-the-frontier hospital," said Collins. "Where there are advances, they are using them." Collins also blamed the high premiums on the national health care inflation rate. Graduate students both criticized and praised the new insurance policy with some saying that students were not adequately consulted. Incoming Graduate and Professional Students Assembly Chair Michael Goldstein said last night he was disturbed by the high cost of the premium and blamed University administration. "People aren't concentrating on the issue partially because those who are making the decisions are not those that get saddled with the increasing premiums," said Goldstein. But Polgar said that while he was disturbed with the high cost, it was "the best of a difficult situation." "The policy is obviously very expensive, and the expense reflects the high cost of medical care, the fairly high level of coverage, as well as the relatively small risk pool," Polgar said. Goldstein said he felt students were consulted too late in the process and were left no option but to take the offered plan. Besides the $50,000 base plan, a $100 yearly deductible, as well as a plan that has the insurance company pay 80 percent of a claim with students paying 20 percent, the new policy also includes $250,000 catastrophic coverage and allows for 30 days inpatient hospitalization at full pay in any member hospital nationwide inluding less expensive Philadelphia hospitals. The new plan also includes a list of contracted providers, which are physicians and specialists who agree to accept insurance payment as satisfying 80 percent of the charges.
(04/23/91 9:00am)
Judicial Inquiry Officer Constance Goodman will begin investigating today a weekend incident in which a male University student was accused of lassoing a female Georgetown University student. Goodman said that she knows the name of the student under investigation, but would not release it. According to University Police, the Georgetown student reported that a man had tried to lasso her with a yellow nylon rope as she walked past Phi Delt's fraternity house with her boyfriend. University Police Lieutenant Susan Holmes said last night that her department responded to the call in front of Phi Delt's 3700 Locust Walk house at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night. Holmes said the officers interviewed the female student and her boyfriend, who is a Phi Delt brother. The boyfriend told the officers he thought he recognized the man with the lasso as a student. He gave police a possible name and address for the student, Holmes said. The police then visited the address given to them by the boyfriend, which was another fraternity house, and were told by residents that the student lived there but was not home at the time, Holmes said. Holmes would not release the name of the fraternity or its address. She said that later that evening, the alleged lassoer went to University Police headquarters saying he had heard police were looking for him. The student admitted to having used a lasso in front of Phi Delt's house. The student also said that he had tried to lasso only his friends but might have inadvertently lassoed a few people he didn't know. Holmes said the police referred the incident to the JIO rather than handling it as a normal criminal investigation. University Police generally do not arrest students unless the crimes are extremely serious, preferring instead to let the University handle cases before they reach the court system. Goodman said she will be contacting the student tomorrow but would not say whether the student is a member of any fraternity.
(04/01/91 10:00am)
Alan Rachins was not a model Wharton student. Rachins, better known as Douglas Brackman, the uptight and insecure attorney on the hit TV series L.A. Law, did not go into finance or management. In fact, he did not even graduate. But nearly three decades after leaving the University, Rachins will return to campus May 18 to deliver the keynote address at the Ivy Day ceremony to be held at Irvine Auditorium. Every year on Ivy Day, which is traditionally held the Saturday before commencement, four male and four female members of the senior class are recognized for outstanding accomplishments during their undergraduate careers. It is also the day each year's Ivy Stone is unveiled. Rachins left the University after two and a half years in 1963 to pursue an acting career. Despite landing only relatively minor Broadway stage roles for 10 years and then taking a six-year break from acting to pursue a screenwriting career, Rachins eventually landed a leading role in the film Always. And four years ago, he got the part on L.A. Law. Rachins, who also attended Ivy Day two years ago, said he is interested in speaking because of the good memories of the event he has from his time as a student at the University. "I had just a great time at Ivy Day 25 years ago," he said. "There were a lot of memories for the potential of what those four years could have been, had I not been so conflictive about my own direction." Rachins' conflict centered on differences he had with his father. While he dreamed of becoming an actor, his father planned for him to take over the family business and pushed him into going to Wharton. So when the younger Rachins made the decision to withdraw from school, his father was not pleased. "He said, 'You're nuts'," Rachins recalled Friday. "There was a whole life that was very safe and secure. We had a food manufacturing company in Salem, Mass., making ice cream toppings and cake decorations." Rachins said he enjoyed his time at the University, but decided to leave because he felt the school was propelling him towards his father's business and because he had set his sights on becoming a professional actor. But, unlike many actors who get their starts during college, Rachins said he did not act while at the University because he feared that if he did not "do great on the college scene," he would have no chance at making acting his career. Instead, he said, he "just wanted to sustain his dream." With the success of L.A. Law and the end of a long and winding road to stardom, Rachins has finally realized that dream. "I like my character a lot because he has a very interesting life," Rachins said. "He has a lot of different sides to him and they've let him be a lot of things: wrong, right, sometimes the fool, sometimes the one who comes out on top." "And he has an interesting social life," he added. "A little desperate, but with some bizarre and interesting relationships with lovely and interesting and strange women." The fictional Brackman's most recent female interest was Vanna White, whom he met while "competing" on the game show Wheel of Fortune. Rachins, who said the on-screen relationship has since come to an end, described White as "very sweet and really nice." "I felt like I was with the head cheerleader from high school," he said. But Rachins quickly added that he and his character share almost no similarities. "Nobody who knows me thinks I'm like this person," he said. "But if I get pushed into a corner . . . " Rachins, who plans to return next year for his fifth season on L.A. Law, praised the show's scriptwriters for their ability to entertain viewers while incorporating timely social issues into the plots. "We deal with stuff from both the imagination and issues right out of the headlines," he said. "I think it's terrific to have these things explored in the way that we do." He said plans are already in the works for an episode dealing with police brutality, an issue recently brought to the nation's attention when several Los Angeles police officers were filmed beating an unarmed man they had arrested for speeding. Rachins would not divulge any other secrets about upcoming story lines except to say that the conflict over who ultimately assumes the senior partnership of the law firm will be a "continuing theme." He did say, however, that his character will finally leave the confines of McKenzie-Brackman and try a case himself. Despite the expected departures next year of stars Susan Dey, Harry Hamlin and Jimmy Smits, Rachins said he is not concerned about the future of L.A. Law. While not downplaying their significance to the show, he said the addition of three new castmembers will help to offset the loss. Rachins added that he considers the quality of the writing to be one of the real strengths of the show. "I think the writing has a greater impact than the individual performers," he said. "If the writing were to go down, I think that would be missed."
(02/11/91 10:00am)
A female University student was a victim of indecent assault Friday night on 40th Street near Chestnut Street, according to University Police. In an unrelated incident, a West Philadelphia resident was shot in the hip during a robbery on Saturday morning at 40th and Baltimore streets. According to University Police Sergeant Michael Fink, in the first incident, a man not affiliated with the University "went off" into an angry tirade on the 100 block of 40th Street around 7:42 p.m. Friday evening and pushed around several pedestrians. Fink added that the man then grabbed the student, who requested that her name be withheld, and pushed her to the ground. The assailant then punched the student several times and "fondled her." University Police Officers Keith Christian and David Ball, who were in plainclothes at the time, observed the incident from their unmarked car, Fink said yesterday. The assailant was arrested by the plainclothes officers and taken to the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit located at 17th and Patterson Streets where he was charged with one count of indecent assault and one count of simple assault. Fink added that other pedestrians, who had also been pushed around by the assailant, fled the scene before they could be questioned by the officers. Fink did not know at what amount bail had been set, but added that it is likely that the assailant had a bail hearing shortly after his arrest. Officers at the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit could not be reached for comment yesterday. In the other incident, a man was attacked at 2:32 a.m. Saturday morning by two men on 40th Street and Baltimore Avenue, and was shot in the hip by one of them. Fink said that police did not know whether the victim was shot before or after the robbery, and did not know what was taken from the victim. Philadelphia Police Officer Tracy Griffin said yesterday that her department had no information on the incident. Both assailants fled the scene and no arrests were made. One of the men wore a brown leather jacket and the other was described as wearing dark clothing, Fink said. Police do not know which of the men carried the gun. Fink added that the police did not have any information on the victim's condition.
(02/01/91 10:00am)
In an effort to show support for U.S. troops in the Middle East, Temple University administrators announced last week that the school would offer free classes to Persian Gulf war veterans. "This is part of what Temple is about," Gosliner said this week. Temple officials also said that they will provide scholarships to families of veterans, the spokesperson said. Dependents of veterans who are killed, listed as missing in action, taken prisoner, or permanently disabled will be eligible to receive a four-semester scholarship covering tuition. The family members must meet admission criteran to the North Philadelphia school to qualify for the scholarship. Currently, 50 members of the Temple community are serving in the Gulf, according to a statement. They include 38 graduate and undergraduate students, one professor and 11 Temple University Hospital workers. "When our own are going to war we wanted to see what we could do for them," Gosliner said. "Then we thought about how we could expand that and asked what we could do for those returning from the war." According to a Temple statement, students and faculty who are called to active duty during the conflict will receive an extension of health benefits coverage for six months instead of the federally mandated 30 days. All Temple faculty and students who are called to action or enlist in the military during the war will be granted a military leave of absence, which can last for up to four years. The scholarships will also apply to Pennsylvania residents who are permanently disabled during the conflict. "We are always very much engaged in the community," Gosliner said. "It's part of our mission to go beyond our immediate family, to see what we can do for the community, for North Philadelphia." Lieutenant Colonel David Carraway, who works in the Temple ROTC program, said that this move will provide returning veterans with an opportunity to start an education. "It will show that people are more appreciative of the returning vets than they were in Vietnam," Carraway said. Another Temple spokesperson, George Ingram, said that the Temple administration wanted to show support for the troops fighting in the Gulf. "We didn't want to just pass a resolution in support," Ingram said. "This will make things easier for returning vets, unlike what happened in Vietnam and Korea."
(01/29/91 10:00am)
As part of a new and unprecedented program at the University, 13 University students will have a chance to experience Soviet culture and society first hand as part of an exchange with Moscow State University this spring. Randolph said that despite the upheaval in the country, the University is still going ahead with its plans, and 13 Soviet students from Moscow State University are scheduled to visit the University in March. University students in the program will travel to Moscow after spring semester finals in May and tour the capital city as well as Leningrad. Virtually all expenses will be paid by the School of Arts and Sciences. "It is an initiative by the provost to . . . make students aware of the realities of the Soviet Union," said Slavic Studies Professor Peter Steiner yesterday. Randolph said that the program is aimed at students who have never traveled to the Soviet Union before, but have an interest in the region. Students do not need to have to have any knowledge of Russian in order to participate in the exchange program, but must supply two recommendations which indicate "a capacity to function in a foreign environment." "I think it is an interesting initiative for those not studying slavic languages," Randolph said. "It is really a familiarization program, rather than a foreign studies program." Students in good academic standing who will not graduate this year can submit applications to Slavic Languages Professor Peter Steiner. Applications must be submitted by February 8th and include a college transcript, a one page essay describing the academic benefit that the student will receive from the program, and two letters of recommendation. Selected students will serve as informal hosts for the Soviet visitors in March and will travel with the students to New York and Washington, D.C.
(11/06/90 10:00am)
Philomathean Society officers will meet today with a library administrator to discuss the removal of Philo's eight-foot-tall book of quotations, on display in the library for two weeks. Members of the society claim that it was removed because it contained a statement which some considered racist. Library officials said the book was removed because its two-week exhibition was over. Philo Moderator Jacob Cogan and First Censor Lara Nicolayevsky said last week that they will meet with Libraries Director Paul Mosher to understand why library officials removed the book. "We are questioning such a drastic move," Nicolayevsky said. "We are questioning the censorship of the book." Mosher could not be reached for comment yesterday. Patricia Renfro, the libraries' associate director for public services, said yesterday that library officials only agreed to display the quote book for two weeks. She said officials asked Philo to remove the book when the time period expired late last month. But Cogan said the book was closed and then removed from the library because of complaints about a political quotation which many people felt was racist. The book contains favorite quotations written by students, faculty and staff which Philo members solicited on Locust Walk earlier this semester. Philo members said they designed the book to represent the ideas and attitudes at the University this year. Nicolayevsky said that the library agreed to house the book of quotes "until the interest wore off." She said interest in the book has increased since a letter about the offensive quote was published in the DP. Cogan said that he received a call late last month from Carton Rogers, libraries associate director of technical services, telling him the library would no longer house the book. "He said that after receiving phone calls from individuals who felt the same way as the letter writer that they were no longer going to hold the book," Cogan said. "They said that they didn't want to deal with the issue." Rogers yesterday said that he contacted Cogan about the book, but declined to discuss the conversation. He said officials only agreed to display the book for two weeks. Cogan predicted that officials may allow the book back into the library. Both Philo officers said they are disappointed that library administrators removed the book, saying the removal undercut the intent to illustrate thoughts of people at the University. "I'm personally offended that the library would take such action," Cogan said. "I would think that the University would defend people's rights to speak and that the library in particular would." "It's disturbing for the mere fact that a book was expelled from the library for its contents," Nicolayevsky said. Nicolayevsky also said the book, which is now on the third floor of College Hall, was damaged in the move.
(10/18/90 9:00am)
After months of extensive planning and comprehensive preparation, the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness will begin its four-day conference here tonight with the hope of empowering students in the fight against poverty. The conference represents the crown jewel in the University's attempts to increase student participation in volunteer programs and to bring recognition to its efforts to improve community relations. The fourth-annual conference -- hosted in the past by Harvard, Northwestern, and American universities -- is expected to draw over 500 student representatives from universities nationwide. The weekend-long conference will include speeches, panel discussions and workshops that will center around possible solutions to homelessness, illiteracy, hunger, and poverty. Since early this year, over 70 students have worked tediously organizing everything from Dining Service meals to a speech by a U.S. Congressman. The National Campaign along with various University student organizations has been making preparations during the last nine months, including Kite and Key Society, Penn Volunteer Network, and University City Hospitality Coalition. The conference, financed by the Office of the President, Office of the Vice Provost for University Life, and the Student 250th organization, will cost several thousand dollars. But Horwitz said the event will bring innumerable benefits to the University community. She said that the conference should bring an increased awareness among University students about the problems of the homeless, adding that she hopes there will be an revival of student activism. The National Campaign has been working in concert with various Philadelphia community groups, including the Mayor's Commission on Literacy. The groups are expected to send representatives to the conference this weekend. Thelma Reese, director of the Mayor's Commission on Literacy, said yesterday that she hopes students use the conference as a stepping stone to undertaking further volunteer projects. "[Students should] become aware enough about the problems. . . [to] make some kind of commitment toward solving those problems," said Reese, who will be a panel member for one discussion. "The conference should make people aware of the high level of illeteracy which contributes to economic problems of society." According to Colleen McCauley, chairperson of the Penn Volunteer Network, the goal of the conference is to allow "students to sit at the table with people working in the community to see if and how students can get involved." She added that students "will be able to talk to a wide variety of people from the community." The conference will begin tonight with a keynote speech by Marian Wright Edelman of the Children's Defense Fund at room B-1 of Meyerson Hall at 7 p.m. It will conclude on Sunday afternoon with a speech by U.S. Representative Tony Hall, also to be held in Meyerson Hall.
