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(06/17/99 9:00am)
After a team-record 28 losses, head baseball coach Bob Seddon and pitching coach Bill Wagner must have known that there was nowhere for the Quakers to go but up. Little did they know that the Ivy League champion football team might just hand them a quarterback. A quarterback who can throw an 88 mile per hour fastball. In what initially seems to be an unfortunate break for Seddon and Wagner, incoming freshman Jonathan Searles might just be a bit too good throwing the baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected the quarterback/pitcher in the eighth round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. The rule certainly limits Searles' opportunities, but the upside for Seddon is enormous. "He has three professional pitches," Seddon said. "He has a straight change, a curveball, and a big-time fastball. He's got a great arm and great talent...[but] there's no rhyme or reason why [Searles] should sign. He's an eighth-rounder." Seddon hopes to build Searles' skills at Penn to increase his draft value coming out of college while also building Penn's program back up from last season's futility. "The only danger is injury," Seddon said. "He's gonna be worth more after [his] junior year. If you get into the Wharton School, and you have a chance to play football and baseball in college, you will be worth a lot more in the end of your junior year." However much the rule can help Searles' future value and Penn's baseball program in this instance, it does not make sense to have such a mandate in the Ivy League. As classical values promote a sound mind and a sound body, what greater showing of soundness could there be than to excel as a student and play football at a Division I-AA level, all while climbing the ranks of a professional baseball organization? No one stops an aspiring painter from stepping onto a field of play and writing poetry about his experiences. No one tells a math major that she can't go to the observatory to chart the stars after soccer practice. It is both unfair and nonsensical to treat Searles' multiple talents any differently. If he could somehow successfully balance all of the demands of such activities, then more power to him. If Searles should spend his summer tossing baseballs in the Pirates system, how different would that be from Penn basketball guard Lamar Plummer working in Philadelphia Mayor Edward Rendell's office last summer while hooping it up in the Sonny Hill League? Many people wonder why the Ivy League no longer turns out athletes like Lou Gehrig and Sid Luckman, why the Ancient Eight now produces Doug Glanvilles and Joe Nieuwendyks -- athletes who are certainly good at the professional level, but not among the greats of their games. While the eight Ivies provide excellent academic opportunities, they are really unable to accommodate the needs of athletes. It is impossible to say where John Searles will be in four years. If he signs with the Pirates, he could make his way through a minor league system that is known for its development of pitchers. If he stays at Penn, Searles could develop as a football player. He could become an even better baseball player and increase his future draft value. There is also the risk that Searles could incur an injury. And he would then have to rely only on his mind not just his arm -- to make his way in the world. The good part of the bargain for Searles is that there is no wrong decision. The shame is on the Ivy League for creating this dilemma for Searles.
(05/27/99 9:00am)
Graduation weekend was a time of celebration and joy for many graduating seniors. Bright futures lie ahead and vivid memories will be left behind. The Baccalaureate Service -- which took place the Sunday before Commencement -- traditionally separates itself from the normal graduation weekend ceremonies as a celebration aimed at the entire Penn community. While many of the other Commencement events glorify the academic and extracurricular achievements of the seniors, Baccalaureate tries to celebrate the diversity of culture and religion that exists at Penn. With performances by two a capella groups, speeches by University administrators and readings of varied religious texts, the service offered a taste of the cultural diversity that can be said to define institutions like Penn. But you have to wonder: For how many seniors was this the first taste of that diversity? All too often, students wander through four years of school without exploring the cultural diversity that our school offers. And it may be the single greatest resource a student can choose to ignore. It is possible to go back later and read the historical or scientific lessons that we may have neglected in our college careers. But the unique setting that college provides will never again be available. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to find the same sheer diversity in a small accessible area like the Penn campus. University President Judith Rodin said these "life lessons" are often as important as scholarly pursuits of classroom and laboratories. But we have to try and utilize the experiences available at Penn. For example, how many of the 1000 people in attendance at the service, who were not Muslim, had ever heard a reading from the Koran? Gerald Wolpe, who was the event's featured speaker and the senior rabbi of Har Zion Congregation in Philadelphia since 1969, relayed the importance of open-minded thinking to his audience. He told the crowd that he sees the quest for "self-identification" occupying society's thoughts. He believes this causes people to undervalue their heritage and ancestry, focusing solely on themselves. More importantly, Wolpe added, there is a failure to consider the heritage and history of others. It is equally important to understand different cultures because they have affected the development of all groups occupying this globe. The ability to interact with and tolerate all types of groups may be the best lesson we can learn at such a diverse university. The Glee Club and Counterparts represent a valuable contingency of the performing arts sector of the University -- a large part of the cultural experience at Penn. However, performing arts groups are certainly more visible in the Penn community than many other culturally diverse activities. Students need to expand their horizons and venture into other religious and cultural experiences. This is not to say that religious communities have a lack of participation -- but more importantly a lack of cross-participation. Why can't someone who isn't religious take the time to visit Chaplain William Gibson and learn about his faith and beliefs? Or, why shouldn't a devout Catholic speak with Rabbi Levine and try to comprehend the differences between Catholicism and Judaism? Regardless of how you mold your beliefs, your interaction with others will inevitably change after experiencing the cultural diversity that Penn has to offer. These may be the most important lessons people teach themselves at Penn and it would be a shame if you didn't open the text book until the weekend before you leave.
(04/15/98 9:00am)
Every spring it seems to happen. Someone writes an editorial or column about black separatism and segregation, and W.E.B. DuBois College House becomes its symbolic bastion. Then a flood of letters pours in from everyone in the University community. Some stand up and argue for the need of such a place, but far more prop up their DuBois effigy and quickly topple it over. In this most frustrating of discourses, the finger is casually pointed in one direction. Blacks are viewed as paranoid retreatists, running from non-existent fears, while whites are constructed as the lamentable victims of black protectionism and insecurity. What no one seems to do is closely examine the most segregated group on campus. The group more compartmented and self-segregated than any other. No one talks about the fraternities that consider prospective members based on their parents' income, or the fraternities that are 90 percent Jewish, or those that are 90 percent crew team members or 90 percent Anglo-Saxoned old money, etc. etc. etc. Of course these fraternities don't admit that they are geared toward these sub-groups. And undoubtedly there is the occasional exception -- a black member or the odd Asian member -- in the same way that DuBois has a few white residents. But whites are clearly not flocking to DuBois, and blacks are not scrambling to join Alpha Epsilon Pi. We don't question the need for wealthy, white Protestant young men to belong to the same club and socialize together. We don't question the need for conservative Jews to want to live together and socialize with one another. These desires seem viable and are perhaps socially and psychologically justified. So what of DuBois? What's more, a significant number of black students on this campus attend white fraternity and sorority parties, and a smaller number even belong to some. We go to these parties and dance and have a lot of fun, drink as least as much and share similar hangovers in the morning. When a reporter once asked Ghandi what he thought of Western civilization, he famously replied, "I think it would be a great idea." This same should be said of "integration" at Penn, or anywhere else for that matter. The word "integration"comes from the Latin "integratum" or "made whole." That information may not do anything for my argument, but I would humbly submit that the only way to make something whole is through a coming together of every disparate part. Believe it or not, we're not upset. We see when you preach integration but return every night to your own enclaves. We are not offended, but we do smile to each other and shake our heads sometimes. We look for you at our parties and when you don't show up, we're not altogether surprised. I whisper to my friend that he is lucky you guys don't come because once you saw him dance, you would probably lose your fear of coming to black parties. In the meantime, though, life goes on. Phish and the Grateful Dead will continue to be heard on Locust Walk and big, funny-looking dogs will continue to get walked. And if you don't do anything different, nothing will change. But maybe that's just how things are supposed to be. See you at the Tri-Delt party.
(04/07/98 9:00am)
Think to yourself what would happen if you were suddenly evicted from your room, house or apartment. With exams on the horizon and in the midst of searching for a summer or permanent job, you must pack up your belongings and move to a new residence. As many of you read today, Phi Sigma Kappa's Mu chapter lost its fraternity status yesterday and was subsequently forced out of its house on Locust Walk. I'm not here to contest our national alumni's decision to revoke our charter, although I do not agree that such a decision should have been made without representation by one of our chapter members. I understand that we violated our Risk Management policies, and as a result, we deserve to be punished. But as a brotherhood, we believe that asking us to leave the chapter house before our lease expires is unreasonable. If history is any credit, we have certainly not been a "problem" chapter on this campus. In fact, just last Friday we sponsored a concert to benefit the Penn Leukemia Society. And while several other fraternities at the University have received negative press as a result of high-profile incidents, we are guilty of comparably minor charges: illegal kegs and an offensive homepage. Phi Sig brothers were already planning to move out in June to make way for large-scale renovations -- a project scheduled to take more than a year. And we have offered to pay for any potential damage that occurs to the chapter house in the meantime. One wouldn't think that allowing us to remain in the house for the remaining month of the semester would be too much to ask. But the University has been unresponsive to our requests. Administrators explain that our only alternative is to appeal the decision to revoke our charter. According to our Grand Chapter's bylaws, however, since our chapter has only been suspended we cannot make an appeal. Therefore, we have no way to block the implementation of the University's policy. Our National has every intention of returning to this campus in the near future, yet it will not support us right now. That the University has also turned its back on us is unfair. As a community, we must protest this treatment by appealing to the offices of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the Vice Provost for University Life. After all, you never know when it may be your turn to pack up.
(02/27/98 10:00am)
Groups must put an end to their complaints abount plans for the food plaza locations. It is hypocritical for students, faculty and staff to claim to want cheap, convenient vending options, while objecting to nearly every proposed food plaza site. Already, complaints have prompted administrators to pursue replacements for two sites: one adjacent to Bennett Hall at 34th and Chancellor streets and another behind Van Pelt Library on the 3400 block of Walnut street. We grant that concerns about the Chancellor site were well-founded, as noise from vending trucks would have made teaching in nearby Bennett classrooms difficult. Thus far, administrators have been willing to accommodate concerns. But now Hill House dormitory residents have come out against a proposed site at 34th and Walnut streets, citing problems ranging from noise and odors to rats and delivery disruption. To the residents of Hill and all others who support University City vending -- as long as it's not next to their building -- we say, "Enough is enough." This process has gone on too long already. And the complaints over the last couple weeks have delayed indefinitely any finalization of the plaza plans. There is, possibly, no spot for a vending plaza that would satisfy everyone. But, as members of the University community have asserted the importance of preserving vending in the area, they must now be willing to settle with the least problematic plan.
(02/12/98 10:00am)
The Associated Press NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- Following Princeton's lead, Yale University is overhauling its financial aid policy to make it easier for middle-class families to send their children to college without dipping into retirement savings or further mortgaging the house. The changes are expected to pressure other highly selective schools, including the other Ivies, into taking similar action. Yale has decided to exempt up to $150,000 of a family's savings, home equity and other assets from consideration in determining what parents are expected to contribute toward their child's education. No such exemption now exists at Yale, where tuition, room and board will top $30,000 next year. For years, Ivy League schools have admitted students on a ''need-blind'' basis, meaning that finances are not a consideration in admission. When a poor or middle-income student gets an offer of admission, the schools works out a financial aid package, typically a mix of grants, bank loans, contributions from parents and work-study options. Yale's grant portion of the mix averaged about $13,000 a year in 1997. The change means that parents of middle-class students will not be penalized for having sunk all of their money into paying off their mortgage or saving for retirement. Princeton decided to stop counting home equity for most families with incomes below $90,000. The school's plan also would alter financial aid packages to increase grants and decrease loans for students with family incomes between $40,000 and $57,500. Additionally, Princeton will replace loans with grants for students whose family incomes are below $40,000. Experts said other top colleges may have no choice but to make similar changes. ''I imagine a number of schools, mainly their competitors, would follow suit,'' said Lawrence Zaglaniczny of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Yale expects half of the students on financial aid to benefit from the new formula, with an extra $1,400 on average being awarded by the school. Princeton expects awards to increase by $3,000 to $4,000 annually. About 2,000 students at both schools receive financial aid. Princeton has approximately 4,600 undergraduates; Yale has about 5,200. Penn, by contrast, has slightly less than 10,000 undergraduates, 4,000 of whom receive financial aid.
(04/04/97 10:00am)
To the Editor: Specifically, what actually seems relevant is not whether the current A-3 board has done something bad, but whether A-3 employees are missing out on having a functional forum for solidarity. The reason this saga is pertinent to University Council is that it raises questions of consistency, and Council just happens to have at its disposal some means to help break the paralysis. Isolated A-3 employees are the ones losing out, as are, for instance, isolated graduate and professional students who are not served by their purported student 'government,' which some of us happen to be handing over to to the next bunch really soon. This actually interests me still far more than the aforementioned analog, and should be of no little interest to about 10,000 other people. Now that I'm on to my axe, let me grind it briefly. There is frequently a dearth of students willing and/or able to make significant input into the political structures at Penn -- potentially functional structures worth using and nurturing from within several constituencies. Alex Welte SAS doctoral student GAPSA Chairperson Insight on SPEC To the Editor: This is in response to the grossly ignorant editorial "The 'mother' of all concerts?" DP, 4/1/97. Before the DP intends to criticize the efforts of the Spring Fling or any other Social Planning and Events Committee, I strongly suggest they make the effort to actually find out about the hours invested and frustrations endured by these individuals over the past several months. A good start may be interviewing people who are actually members of a SPEC committee, unlike Howie Blumenstein. Perhaps the DP could have written more insightfully about the time and energy put in speaking to agents, organizing subcommittees, processing contracts, etc. to bring the best possible event they complain about. SPEC directors do not get their kicks from keeping bands secret or by disappointing students. In fact, the only reward we receive is seeing the events well-received by as much of the University community as possible. Melissa Muniz College '97 SPEC President
(12/12/96 10:00am)
· The people and events that affected our lives · The Blizzard of '96 covered the campus with more snow than the East Coast had seen in a decade and left many students stranded at airports and train stations across the country as they tried to return for the spring term. An all-time high of almost 16,000 applications poured into the Office of Admissions, making the Class of 2000 the most selective in the University's history. And Houston Hall -- the oldest student union in the United States -- celebrated its 100th birthday. The event coincided with the commencement of preliminary work on Perelman Quadrangle -- a revitalization project targeting Irvine Auditorium and Houston, Logan and Williams Halls. On the Greek scene, the InterFraternity Council offered bids to 507 potential brothers in its first-ever spring rush and Panhel gave bids to 355 freshman and sophomore women. The University received national recognition, as the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that Penn was selected as one of three alternate sites for a presidential debate in the fall. There were several changes in the administration as Managing Director of Public Safety Thomas Season eliminated the post of police chief. George Clisby, the former chief, took on the post of director of administration and former Director of Victim Support Maureen Rush was named director of police operations. Additionally, Chaplain Stanley Johnson stepped down after 35 years at the University, and eight-year director of Penn Relays Timothy Baker turned in his resignation. At the end of the month, jury selection began in the trail of two defendants accused of murdering fifth-year Mathematics graduate student Al-Moez Alimohamed. -- Marisa Katz February marked the end of an era, as the men's basketball team suffered its first conference loss in 49 games against Dartmouth. The Quakers lost to the Big Green 54-53 in the final seconds of the game -- bringing an end to the team's winning streak. But there was cause for celebration, as Vice President Al Gore made a Valentine's Day visit to the University in honor of the 50th anniversary of ENIAC -- the first modern computer. The University showed off its campus and technological savvy to Gore, who switched on ENIAC for the first time in decades and spoke about the federal government's commitment to furthering science and technological research. Tom Stoppard, author of Arcadia, also made an appearance on campus in February to discuss his play with members of the Class of 1999, who had read the play for the Penn Reading Project. During his three-day visit, Stoppard led several major public events, attended various classes and received an official proclamation from Mayor Ed Rendell -- a keychain to the city. Also in February, problems with mail theft that had plagued the campus for years concluded with the arrest of 30th Street Postal Clerk Gerald Ricca. Ricca was charged with and eventually convicted of one count of mail theft for stealing mail addressed to University dormitories. He is believed to be responsible stealing mail from the 30th Street Post Office since 1992. -- Mark Fiore While students looked forward to plans for spring break, March was a busy month at the University. Police found marijuana and a gun in the car of Donald Gaines, a staff assistant to University President Judith Rodin. Charges were dropped because of accusations that the search was illegal, but Gaines was fired from his post. Provost Stanley Chodorow agreed to modify the University's Judicial Charter, making rules about open hearings and confidentiality more flexible in response to student and faculty concerns. Headlining sports news, men's basketball lost to Princeton in a playoff game, giving Princeton the Ivy League bid to the NCAA Tournament. U.S. News and World Report ranked nine of Penn's graduate programs in the top 25. The Wharton School of Business ranked third, while the School of Medicine placed sixth and the Law School was eighth. In faculty news, popular English Professor Gregg Camfield was denied tenure for a second and final time, leading him to leave the University. And the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences lost a faculty member with the death of Mechanical Engineering Professor Jacob Abel, who had spent 30 years at the school. On the financial front, the the University's Board of Trustees approved a 5.5 percent tuition increase and the University paid an estimated $2.48 million to help cover the costs of other investors in the bankrupt New Era charity. Thirty-four students ran for 25 spots on the Undergraduate Assembly, and all three of the referenda on the ballot failed. Students who voted were entered into a raffle for tickets to the Billy Joel concert. The Student Activities Council elected eight members to the Executive Committee. The group chose Engineering senior Paul Wilder as chairperson. In Greek life, student leaders released a preliminary 21st Century Report, the Panhellenic Council rejected a Sigma Kappa sorority bid to colonize, and the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity was put on a two month social probation after an unregistered mixer. And in performing arts, the Glee Club went to Broadway to serenade Sunset Boulevard star Betty Buckley, while 1996 College Graduate Paul Shore directed God as an independent study project. -- Shannon Burke For some University students, April was only three hours and 25 minutes long. Or at least that's what they'll remember. For one spring night, Billy Joel captivated more than 1,800 lucky fans -- a full house at Irvine Auditorium --with renditions of his classic songs and anecdotes about his life. Earlier that month, former College senior Eden Jacobowitz announced he would sue the University for personal damages incurred during the judicial proceedings of the 1993 "water buffalo" incident. And it was Spring Fling with a twist this year, as the Pennsylvania Liquor Control and Enforcement Bureau made an appearance on Penn's campus -- at the invitation of the University. The LCE dampened the spirits of 94 students, who were cited for underage drinking and fake ID violations over the weekend. As the spring semester wound down, University President Judith Rodin agreed to step back into the classroom, announcing that she would teach a freshman seminar in the Psychology Department this fall. And University officials released plans for a new Barnes & Noble superstore at 36th and Walnut streets, replacing The Book Store. Barnes & Noble took over operations at the current store over the summer, and the new one is slated to open in fall 1998. At Columbia University, 200 students seized control of a campus building, demanding that the school create an Ethnic Studies Department. The protest ended after 15 days with the students' demands unanswered. Back on the Penn campus, officials said low enrollment would prevent two of the four proposed virtual college pilot programs from opening this fall. And when the U.S. Department of Defense announced it would not agree to a new arrangement for the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps, the University announced it would not make changes to its own ROTC program -- Tammy Reiss It was a summer of confusion, construction and shakeups as the University's administration began work on many large-scale projects. As part of ongoing efforts to cut costs on campus, Executive Vice President John Fry announced that he would consider outsourcing all departments. He stressed, however, that this year's efforts will focus on residential and dining services. The University fired 160 employees last year due to outsourcing and restructuring, prompting widespread fears as to the effects of future downsizing. Major shake-ups hit the two-month-old Department of Housing and Residence in August, as Gigi Simeone, who served as Residential Living director for almost 10 years, and Zoila Airall, associate director of staff and programming, both left the University. As a result of the personnel changes and departmental reorganization, the consulting firm Biddison Hier was contracted to review all of the University's residential operations. Construction workers were a common sight on campus over the summer, beginning work to transform the former Theta Xi fraternity house at 3643 Locust Walk into the Penn Women's Center and to replace Locust Walk's bluestones with bituminous paver. Both projects continued into the school year. Several new projects were announced over the summer. Security Director Chris Algard unveiled the idea of installing biometric hand readers into University residences and the possibility of a multi-million contract with Sensormatic Security Corporation. University Police began carrying semi-automatic weapons and commenced a search for a new headquarters. And efforts began to make a new debit card system more user-friendly to the University community. The usual summer appointments added to the chaos. William Gipson, former associate dean of religious life at Princeton University, was named Penn's new chaplain, while Physics Professor Ralph Amado was formally named vice provost for research, after serving in the position on an interim basis since September of 1995. Medical School Dean William Kelley, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Gregory Farrington and Wharton School Dean Thomas Gerrity were all reappointed as the final part of the review process. Additionally, 1980 University Graduate John Prendergast was named the new editor of the Pennsylvania Gazette. James O'Donnell, a Classical Studies professor and faculty fellow in Van Pelt College House, became the new faculty master for Hill College House. And Michael Diorka was appointed director of the University's Intramural Recreation Sports, giving him the opportunity to make large-scale changes to the department. -- Jaclyn LaPlaca As students returned to school in September, the University began to take on the feel of a campus under siege. Thirty armed robberies occurred on or around campus during the month, culminating in a robbery gone bad September 24 that saw College senior Patrick Leroy shot in the back. The alleged gunman, Wilmington, Del. resident Chris Crawford, was arrested by Philadelphia Police within an hour of the shooting. The other two suspects were arrested in the following two weeks. Two days after the incident, University President Judith Rodin announced a slew of new safety initiatives at a town meeting held to deal with the crimes. Rodin spent two hours hearing and trying to alleviate student concerns about safety. In response, the University increased the number of foot and bike patrols around campus and added 66 new blue light phones. Also in September, School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens resigned after serving as dean for five years. She is now on an academic leave of absence until September 1997. Physics Professor Walter Wales is currently serving as interim dean. The month also saw the first of several major financial commitments to facilities initiatives. The Board of Trustees approved a $15 million deal to buy the Sheraton Hotel on 36th and Chestnut streets. The University intends to use the building as swing space for students once several dormitories undergo renovations. The University also sold the building located at 3025 Walnut Street for $1.45 million to a gene-therapy company started by an Engineering School professor. And Rodin announced her commitment of $20 million to a minority permanence plan -- outlined as part of the University's strategic goals in the Agenda for Excellence. Whartonites filled with pride again when the undergraduate business program was ranked first in the nation in U.S. News and World Report's annual rankings. But the University overall slipped two spots to number 13 -- prompting statements from administrators discounting the importance of such rankings. -- Andrea Ahles Vladimir Sled celebrated his 38th birthday near the end of October. But with less than an hour left in the month, the University biochemist was stabbed to death on 43rd Street and Larchwood Avenue. Sled's death tragically concluded a month which had more than its fair share of headline-grabbing events. Kathy Change -- the local activist whose dancing, flag waving and skimpy clothing were familiar to the entire University -- immolated herself in front of the peace symbol on College Green. Change wanted her suicide -- which she had planned for more than a year -- to call attention to her political beliefs advocating a peaceful "transformation" of society. Attempting to get the University community to consider her ideas more seriously, she immolated herself outside Van Pelt Library. In the final week of the presidential election campaign, two of the three major-party candidates stumped for votes at the University. Thousands packed Hill Field for a rally featuring President Clinton. The next day, Reform Party candidate Ross Perot spoke at Irvine Auditorium and challenged Clinton to a one-on-one debate -- only to be brushed off by the White House. The University of Michigan, in search of a new president, chose Penn Provost Stanley Chodorow as one of four finalists for the job. Chodorow impressed students and faculty when he visited Ann Arbor as part of the interview process. Safety matters were a top concern throughout the month. Public Safety Managing Director Thomas Seamon announced a $3 million-plus contract with Sensormatic Electronics Corporation. The company will install a high-tech security system in all University residences. Public Safety, which includes the University Police department, also said that it would consolidate its three current locations into a new, state-of-the-art facility near 40th and Chestnut streets. Less than one week after the announcement, however, a woman shot and wounded a man outside the future police station. Popular television college basketball analyst Dick Vitale also visited Penn during October, leading a rally and giving an inspirational speech at the Palestra. And real estate tycoon and Wharton alumnus Donald Trump told a crowd of current Whartonites they could "be kicking my ass in the near future." -- Scott Lanman November began on a tragic note, as news of University biochemist Vladimir Sled's October 31 murder shocked a University community still reeling from the September shooting of College senior Patrick Leroy. The status quo came out on top during November, as voters across the country re-elected Democratic President Bill Clinton, while giving Republicans control of Congress for the second straight term. Five University alumni will be heading to Washington as part of the 105th U.S. House of Representatives -- including its youngest member, 26-year-old Harold Ford Jr., who graduated from the University in 1992. Locally, University President Judith Rodin announced a master plan for the campus's facilities calling for the acquisition of land -- such as the Civic Center -- near the University's eastern and southern borders. The land would be used for new recreational facilities and laboratories. Rodin's plan also includes closing off 36th Street between Walnut and Chestnut streets to create an upscale "urban park," building new residences on the north side of campus and demolishing or renovating the high rises and graduate towers. University administrators were quick to add, however, that the implementation of Rodin's plan is at least "a few years away." The University's relationship with Drexel was called into question after an 18-year-old Drexel student fell 13 stories while rappelling from Graduate Tower B, where she had lived as part of a pilot program between the two schools. Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said the University would reevaluate the program in response to the incident. And the Admissions Department revealed that early decision applications to the University fell by 10.4 percent, decreasing to 1,832 from last year's mark of 2,046. But Admissions Dean Lee Stetson stressed that the decrease wouldn't affect the selectiveness or quality of the Class of 2001. -- Yochi Dreazen Safety-related programs continued to be a University priority in December. The University began its lighting improvement pilot plan by unveiling new residential lighting on the 4100 block of Pine Street. The plan encourages residents to replace the lights near their homes. Those who do so will be reimbursed for 50 percent of the new lighting costs through a $25,000 fund established by the University and local landlords. Additionally, the 40th Street Task Force -- comprised of administrators and students -- continued its work on the western edge of campus by painting the University City Shopping Center and beginning the process of repaving the street. The Task Force also announced plans to extend the improvements to the area between Baltimore Avenue and Sansom Street. The District Attorney's office announced that it will probably seek the death penalty for all three suspects in the October 31 murder of Medical Center research associate Vladimir Sled. Concentrating on its plans to overhaul the retail on and around campus, the University signed a contract to acquire full leasing responsibilities for the 3401 Walnut shopping complex. Officials will examine the current residents and work to fill existing vacancies. December was also a big month for Greek life on campus. Members of the three Greek umbrella organizations signed their 21st Century Report for an Ivy League Greek System. The report focuses on new initiatives and current programs in eight areas, including common academic initiative for the three groups. University administrators and the InterFraternity Council broke their deadlock in negotiations over reforming the group's alcohol policy. The two groups agreed to work together to form a fundraising alternative to the current cover charging system for parties. A graduate student monitor program for parties will also begin this spring. -- Suzanne Albers
(11/04/96 10:00am)
Over time, things change. Even traditions need to change when they obstruct the path to a more just world. Traditions that had been popular or the norm die when they become or are recognized as exclusionary and discriminatory, and new principles emerge in their place. We have control over and responsibility for the direction of this change. We need to take an active role in the construction of positive, inclusive new principles. At one time, women and many racial and ethnic minorities could not attend the University because of its -- and America's -- discriminatory traditions. But over the past 50 years, the demographics of this campus have been dramatically transformed, reflecting inevitable change. These efforts are sorely lacking, as evidenced by University President Judith Rodin's recent statement -- in announcing her plan for minority permanence -- that a significant number of minorities leave campus each year. If Rodin and her administration want to understand this problem, they -- and everyone else on campus -- must look deeper than statistics, to fundamental structures. Take, for example, Locust Walk. It is the heart of the University, symbolic of the vitality of student life. A location on the Walk signifies a group or department's prominence and acceptance by the University community. This sense of acceptance is what Rodin is attempting to address through her minority permanence initiative. In the past, tradition dictated that Locust Walk was inhabited only by a wealthy, white male population. This may have been satisfactory when the University accepted only white males, but now white males are only one facet of campus life. The addition of the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Center, African-American Resource Center, Women's Center, and the Community Service Living-Learning Program housed in the Castle have not only begun to diversify the Walk, but have created an atmosphere conducive to dialogue about and recognition of Penn's diversity. Things need to continue to change. The Women's Center fought for a decade for its new, prominent location on the Walk, the same prominence the Castle may soon lose. The Castle, a place where all students may eat, hold meetings and events and learn about the community, could soon be retuned to its original use, housing a fraternity -- a private, all-male club. This change would be a step backward from the goal of building a diverse community on the Walk. Still, the Walk is a good place to start the process of lasting change at the University, which will require tough decisions on the administration's part. The administration's responsibility is to build a learning community that puts diversity into action. It needs resist pressure from the fraternity and keep the Castle functioning a residence open to all. This is not a fraternity versus administration issue, but an issue of vision for the future direction of campus. Students need to take a stand, too. Our leadership and vision are necessary for directing change. We should be aware of the incredible diversity at the University and support activities and organizations like the Castle that bring us together. If the Castle is to remain on the Walk as a resource, it needs student support and continuing interest in its activities. As leaders of tomorrow, we must challenge ourselves to learn lessons of diversity today. We have seen the disasters brought about by ethnic conflict and discrimination -- church burnings, segregated cities, job discrimination. These problems stem from a lack of understanding and caring about diversity. We call upon the University's students, faculty and administration to come together and use our power to make diversity work. We don't have another choice.
(11/08/93 10:00am)
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Maybe for trees. When the subject turns to defensive players, a different maxim usually holds true – the bigger they are, the harder they hit. Yet, last year's small Quaker defense limited opponents to 14.4 points per game and registered two shutouts. Penn paced the Ivy League in scoring defense, total defense, and passing defense. Defensive coordinator Michael Toop cites Johnson as an illustration of the Quakers' ability to compensate for size. "[Johnson] has an absolutely tremendous work ethic," Toop said. "He is relentless. He had performed extremely well on high school films, but because of his size people backed off him. He is a kid who has always been told that he is too small. I think that no question his burning desire to succeed is because people have told him that he is not big enough. He is extremely strong, one of our strongest kids on the team. He moves extremely well. I wouldn't trade him for anybody – well maybe Reggie White." Next to Johnson on either side will be seniors Wayne Droesser and Kelly Tolton. Betten and junior Michael "Pup" Turner, who combined for 20 sacks last season, will start at the two defensive ends in the Quakers '5-2' scheme. On almost every play, either Turner or Betten will drop back into a linebacker position. The quarterback, however, does not know which one is retreating and which one is rushing until the play begins. "The whole object is that we want the quarterback to recognize the defense after the snap as opposed to prior to the snap," Toop said. Two faces from the Penn linebacking corps will definitely be recognized by Ivy quarterbacks – junior Pat Goodwillie and senior Andy Berlin. Goodwillie was in hot pursuit last season more often than anybody since The Dukes of Hazzard's Roscoe P. Coltrane. Unlike Roscoe, Goodwillie usually caught his man. The Ivy League Sophomore of the Year racked up 127 tackles, and the scary part is he didn't feel comfortable with the new defensive scheme early in the season. "Last year I personally did not have a clue at the beginning of the season what was going on," Goodwillie said. "Slowly as the season developed, we got more into the plays." Berlin recovered from an early injury to tally 72 tackles. Berlin, like Goodwillie, was named to the second team all-Ivy League defense. "Last year coming in he was more of a finesse kid," Toop said of the 6-2, 235-pound Berlin. "He became more of a physical player after the injury." "Our defense is designed pretty much for the inside linebackers to make the tackles," Goodwillie said. "Usually we should have an inside linebacker being the leading tackler on this team. With Andy healthy we should split the difference." While Goodwillie and Berlin are the strength of the defense, the weakness is the secondary at least in terms of experience. Senior strong safety Jim Magallanes is the only returning starter. Junior James Daniels, who returned an interception 91 yards for a touchdown against Columbia in limited action as a nickel back last year, will start the season at right cornerback. Sophomore Sheldon Philip-Guide, who performed as a kick returner, punt returner and kicker for last season's freshman squad will start at free safety. Sophomore Kevin Allen rounds out the secondary at left cornerback. For the secondary not to get burned early and often this season, especially tomorrow against Jay Fiedler and Dartmouth, Magallanes will have to help the young cornerbacks. "Mags has to make sure those kids don't get their heads down and are ready to play the next play," Toop said. The biggest help to the young secondary would be a consistent pass rush. As a unit Penn notched 41 sacks last year. Yet Berlin says there is pressure on the secondary regardless of how much pressure the front seven puts on the quarterback. "The defensive backs are going to have to do their jobs no matter what," Berlin said. Last year's defense allowed opponents a paltry 145.3 yards per game in the air. Graduating from that defense were Maceo Grant, Tom Gibbs and Michael Turner. Toop will likely shuttle a lot of players into the game to keep the front seven from wearing out. Juniors Woody Paik and J.C. Lee both started games last year, and should see time at defensive tackle. Junior Kevin DeLuca should add depth at defensive end. In the secondary, junior Corbin Rheault and senior Jerel Hopkins both saw limited action last season. Depth could be a problem in the opener against Dartmouth because coach Bagnoli is not allowed to play his freshmen. But the Quakers are a universe away from last year in terms of being prepared for Dartmouth. "Last year we were trying to get the kids to line up right half the time," Toop said of the Quakers 36-17 loss in Hanover. "We weren't where we wanted to be from a preparation standpoint. Now the kids know the defense, and it will be a matter of executing the defense." "At the end of last year [the defense was] looking to shut people out," Toop said. "Every Saturday I will tell the defensive kids that the first goal is no points and the second goal is turnovers." While Toop says the defense is not yet where he would like to see it in terms of size, he does like the attitude. "We'd like bigger frames," Toop said. "I was with [Bagnoli] at Union for a couple of years and we had 6-4 or 6-5 kids at defensive tackle – but by the same token we also had kids like Chris Johnson."
(11/20/91 10:00am)
In 1979, Michael Wall and a small group of scientists had an idea to produce medical products previously produced only in university laboratories. They opened a business at 36th and Market streets and in 1980 the firm moved to suburban Malvern. Today, their firm, Centercor, is a leader in the fast-moving field of biotechnology and is worth $1.6 billion. While Centocor may be one of the biggest success stories, it is only one of over 150 area firms that got a start at the University City Science Center. · The center serves as an incubator for infant business ventures in the areas of science and technology, which mostly originate with the faculty and students of its member universities. Now the 26-year-old center is in the hands of Louis Padulo, who said he hopes to expand its size and foster something unique in the university community -- cooperation. "We don't have to teach them how to compete with each other, their used to doing that," Padulo said. "The cooperating is the hard part, and that's what I think we can help them with." The 54-year old Padulo, who took over as president in October, said he wants to pool member universities' expertise and market jointly produced services to government and private corporations. Additionally, Padulo hopes that the center will be used as a neutral ground through which members can share high-tech government gifts such as supercomputers which would otherwise be to costly too give to any one institution. University administrators and Science Center management said they are pleased with Padulo and his familiarity with both university administration and research. "He understands intellectual property and technology transfer, and how to make that intellectual property pay off for the individual institutions, the consortium of institutions and the city of Philadelphia," said University Senior Vice President Marna Whittington, who sits on the Science Center's board. Though pleased with Padulo's credentials, most University administrators and center officers said they are taking a "wait and see" stance on what long term changes Padulo will bring to the center. · Padulo replaced Lawrence Chakrin, who resigned as Science Center president last November. Padulo most recently served for two years as president of the University of Alabama at Huntsville, until he was fired in the summer of 1990. Padulo also served as dean of Boston University's School of Engineering for 11 years before taking the Alabama-Huntsville presidency. Padulo has also taught at Stanford University, Moorehouse College, and Georgia Tech University, where he earned his doctorate in electrical engineering. John Herndon, the president of Huntsville's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, said recently in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer that Padulo "tried to build bridges between the black community and the white community . . . some people felt uncomfortable with that." "That was the reason he was asked to leave," Herndon said. "The chancellor pulled the rug out from under him, but there was strong support for him in the community." · The science park, located on Market Street between 34th and 38th streets, was founded in 1963 by 23 local colleges and universities, with a combined investment of $500,000. The University owns a 42 percent share of the center, but members receive no dividends and provide no funding. The center bills itself as the oldest business incubator and the first and largest research center in the country. To date, the center has spawned 153 new companies including enterprises such as Centocor, SMG -- a designer of computer simulated job training software, rated by Inc. Magazine as one of fastest growing privately-held firms in the country, and Human Design Systems -- a computer maker. Science Center users say that they are happy with the resources and business atmosphere the center provides. "It's a very nice collaborative atmosphere in which to do business," said SMG founder and Management Lecturer Michael Aronson. "The companies here try to help each other . . . and employees like being part of the university community." For the price of office space, the center offers industry-supplied experts who evaluate the quality of an inventor's technology, its marketability, production plans, and even finance and sell the product or company to interested parties. In addition, the center offers tenants such amenities as daycare services and athletic facilities. To provide such services, the center has built, and maintains, an extensive network of ties within the finance, and technology industries, in part through its industry supplied experts, Padulo said. In addition to being a business incubator, the center assists in renewal of urban property and offers temporary office and research space to its member universities for overflow and politically sensitive research. Padulo said the center is largely self-sufficient -- using profits earned from real estate development done for the private sector, financial services provided to the private sector, and a 100 percent return on venture capital supplied to its succesful fledgling firms. Padulo claims that the center is a good deal for all parties involved, noting that it employs 6000 tax-paying employees, has spruced up Market Street, and attracts high-tech industry to Philadelphia away from established centers such as suburban Boston and Silicon Valley. Member universities benefit from receiving royalties on technology developed by their faculty that might otherwise be left in the university labs.
(11/08/91 10:00am)
"Bob the Tiger" is back. But this time, he's ready. Two years ago, during the Homecoming football game against Princeton, a group of 30 rabid Quaker fans rushed onto Franklin Field at halftime and pummeled the Princeton Tiger mascot, stealing his fuzzy head, cutting his face and brusing several ribs. While the Tiger from two years ago retired after the beating, his replacement is ready for anything and is accepting the many risks and responsibilities of his uniform. "You always have to be on your guard when you're in the suit. You can't see at all," said Princeton Sophomore Rob Dyer. "The little kids are the the nastiest." He said that although a lot of people have asked him questions about the matchup, given the sordid reputation of Quaker fans at home against their arch-rival, he dismissed it as "hype." "My roommate has a gun, but I'll let him keep it," Dyer said. "I've got claws, but they don't do much good." Dyer said that "the only violence on the field will the Quakers getting crushed."
(09/10/91 9:00am)
The Goode administration has proposed charging the University and other non-profit organizations "user fees" as one way to bail the city out of its current fiscal crisis, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Sunday. The proposed user fees -- payment for fire and police protection, sanitation and other city services -- are part of a proposed five-year plan to balance the city budget. City officials must submit this plan to a state-run commission which oversees Philadelphia's finances before the commission will approve the one-percent regional sales tax and a bond sale which will generate operating cash for the city. It is not yet certain how much the city intends to charge the University under Mayor Wilson Goode's plan. The report has not yet been released to the public, and details of the plan were not available. A 50-page report describing the plan was given Saturday to members of the authority that oversees the city's finances. A copy was obtained by the Inquirer. University administrators said yesterday they had no first-hand knowledge of the plan, adding that no direct communication between the University and city officials had taken place about the University altering its financial relationship with the city. But according to the Inquirer, the report said the city wished to receive up to $20 million a year from all the non-profit institutions in the city. Currently, the University pays a discounted rate for water it uses and dumps trash in city sites for free. It also does not have to pay property taxes on land which is used for the "educational mission" of the University. But University officials have continually stressed that the University provides the city with other benefits besides mere tax revenues. And University Budget Director Stephen Golding said yesterday the city must consider the University's maintenance of its own police force and sanitation department. "We are spending a large amount of money in order to provide these services already," Golding said. The prospect of the University and other non-profit institutions paying user fees has been bandied about by several mayoral candidates and City Council members. Mayoral candidate Edward Rendell said last week he had not determined whether or not he would demand user fees from non-profit organizations. However, if elected, the University alumnus said his administration would likely not begin assessing such fees until at least next July. A year ago last spring, the City Council passed Resolution 402 calling for a task force to look into how universities and other non-profit organizations can give back to the city in non-monetary ways. The resolution calls for the committee to explore "improving the nature and quantity of in-kind services that can be performed by certain tax-exempt entities, such as hospitals and institutions of learning." The University is also the city's largest private employer. Budget Director Golding added that although it was premature to comment on the unreleased plan, paying user fees was "certainly not something I would encourage." City Relations Director Paul Cribbins also said he would not yet comment on the draft plan, adding he is trying to obtain a copy of the report. Neither Philadelphia City Finance Director David Brenner nor members of his staff returned phone calls yesterday and City Controller Jonathan Saidel would not comment on the draft report. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(01/18/91 10:00am)
State officials have not yet decided on the appeals of two campus-area restaraunts whose liquor licenses were not renewed, an official said yesterday. LCB spokesperson Donna Pinkham said yesterday that High Rise Restaurant, whose licence was also not renewed last fall, struck a compromise with the LCB, agreeing to sell its license. Backstreet and Kelly and Cohen filed appeals shortly after the board's decision not to renew their licenses. In November, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania allowed the two establishments to serve alcohol until the LCB decides on the appeals. Pinkham said that the October findings of the board are still being investigated, adding that the findings could be overturned. The LCB rejected the license renewal applications of the establishments because of their histories of serving alcohol to minors. In the past three years, the bars were cited two or three times each and fined between $300 and $1250. Pinkham said that High Rise's agreement with the LCB states that it can hold onto its liquor license for "safe keeping" without selling any liquor or beer. However, the restaurant must sell its license within one year or must let it expire, she added. But High Rise owner Panos Bomis said yesterday that he had not reached such a compromise with the LCB. He said liquor licences are worth $25,000 to $30,000. Backstreet, Kelly and Cohen, and High Rise all have been trying to rebuild their businesses since last fall's ruling. According to Backstreet owner Mark Wright, business is slow, despite the court order allowing the bar to serve alcohol again. "In fact, it has gone down about 60 percent because people don't know that Backstreet is open and that they are serving alcohol along with snacks and sandwiches," said Wright. Wright stressed that identification of all patrons will be closely examined in order to prevent underage drinking. "It's tough because everyone has fake IDs," Wright said. According to Vinesh Vyas, owner of Kelly and Cohen, business fell after the October findings, but has recently improved. He said the need to scrutinize patrons' identification is "something we have to live with." High Rise owner Bomis said that business is strong and that food sales have been successful despite the lack of alcohol.
