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(06/01/98 9:00am)
But the campus was rocked by a number of high-profile incidents. Bishop Ireton High School '96 Alexandria, Va. But while robberies were down by nearly 30 percent, high-profile crimes hit Penn's campus hard yet again, climaxing in a March 1 shooting outside the Palestra that killed a North Philadelphia man and wounded three others, including a College senior. The year was also punctuated by the evening shooting of College senior James McCormack in November; the early-morning assault of a Penn Health System secretary inside her office in January; and the morning stabbing of a Penn groundskeeper outside the Wawa at 38th and Spruce streets in February, two days before the Palestra shooting. That shooting, which made national headlines, was a late-afternoon gunfight on 33rd Street outside Hill House following the Philadelphia Public League basketball championship. College senior John La Bombard, 22, was struck in his left thigh by a stray bullet that penetrated the thin walls of the Blauhaus, a blue fine-arts building on 33rd Street near the site of the shooting. La Bombard, interviewed later that week, said, "I'm just glad it didn't hit my penis." Philadelphia Police have arrested two South Philadelphia men in the shooting. Detectives with the city's homicide unit say the shooters had a preconceived plan to kill Anthony Davis, 22, a convicted drug dealer from North Philadelphia who had "bad blood" with a group of men from South Philadelphia. Kyle McLemore, 21, of the Grays Ferry section of South Philadelphia, turned himself in two weeks after the shooting under the counsel of his lawyer. He was held on charges of murder, conspiracy, aggravated assault and related charges at a hearing March 26. Meanwhile, police with the Philadelphia Police fugitive unit arrested another 21-year-old South Philadelphian, Nate Ortiz, on May 12, after pursuing him for more than a month. While detectives said the dispute between Davis and the South Philadelphia "gang" was over a girl the North Philadelphian was dating, McLemore's lawyer Charles Peruto, who maintains his client's innocence, called the dispute a "drug war." Davis, McLemore and Ortiz all had lengthy criminal records which included drug charges and weapons violations. They had been feuding for weeks prior to the basketball game, according to witnesses at McLemore's hearing, and had even been thrown out of the Palestra for a fistfight at the beginning of the second game in the girls-boys doubleheader. But the incident brought mass media attention to Penn and to the Public League championships, which brought gunfire -- but no injuries -- to the area around the Palestra last year. Riots have occurred at the games in the recent past. The University is still evaluating whether hosting the championships again next year at the Palestra -- which had to install metal detectors for the championship this year -- presents a security risk too grave to undertake. The stabbing of Broderick Barnville, a 31-year-old University groundskeeper, at 7 a.m. February 27, also brought local media attention to campus -- and a change in the policies of the Wawa, the 24-hour convenience store outside of which the stabbing occurred. Once a place where homeless, panhandlers and patients of nearby rehabilitation centers like the Veterans Administration Medical Center methadone clinic could gather for morning coffee and conversation, Wawa now closes off its bathroom and seating area to customers between the hours of 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. -- as per the request of its landlord, the University. According to a manager at the Wawa, the order came in early March, shortly after Barnville was stabbed -- by a man witnesses said was a "regular" who was possibly homeless or mentally ill. But University Police have yet to find the man who sliced one of Barnville's major arteries, nearly killing him. Two other suspects in high-profile crimes of the 1997-98 school year currently await trial. Larry Ray, 28, was arrested in February after allegedly assaulting Penn Health System secretary Toby Laiken, 53, at about 5:15 a.m. January 19 inside her office in the Penn Tower Hotel, which Ray was allegedly burglarizing. And Keith Schofield, 33, awaits trial after allegedly shooting McCormack in the abdomen during a failed carjacking outside of the student's girlfriend's house on the 4200 block of Pine Street as he was leaving at about 9 p.m. November 24.
(06/01/98 9:00am)
Freehold Township High School '97 Marlboro, N.J. And in some respects this past year, it did. The student-run Social Planning and Events Committee organized an eclectic mix of concerts this spring, bringing in acts ranging from banjo player Bela Fleck to hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes. The headline event of the season, however, had a distinctly "funky" air to it. Touted as a "Funk Music Festival," the annual Spring Fling concert was led by saxophone great Maceo Parker, who played with James Brown and George Clinton before going solo eight years ago. Also featured on the bill were the New York-based Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, 1980s punk mainstay Fishbone and the Five Fingers of Funk, a 10-person hip hop and rap ensemble from Portland, Ore. Moved indoors from Hill Field to the Palestra because of the threat of inclement weather, concertgoers complained of poor acoustics and low attendance, and the show itself received mixed reviews. Only about 1,500 students came to the five-hour show. The heads of SPEC's Spring Fling and Concerts Committee had hoped to sell about 4,000 tickets. The show also suffered from negative public reaction to the announced band line-up. Many students had not heard of the acts or were upset about a lack of diversity among the largely funk, blues and hip hop-inspired artists. SPEC's announcement of the concert schedule -- made only three weeks before the show -- came on the heals of failed attempts by the organizers to lure top acts to campus for Fling. Penn had tried to bring the Mighty Mighty Bosstones in to headline the show, but the band's agents instead chose to sign with Princeton University that weekend. Far and away, Parker drew the highest praise from those in attendance. His showcase of varied musical talents and danceable rhythms impressed concertgoers greatly. "Maceo really blew everyone away," then-College senior Stephanie Klupinski said. "I'm just upset more people didn't go." Opinion on the opening acts was mixed. While most students liked Fishbone's enthusiastic performance -- replete with wild stage dives from lead singer Angelo Moore -- the Five Fingers of Funk and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion suffered from low student interest and poor sound quality, respectively. Meanwhile, other SPEC groups had greater success in booking widely-acclaimed acts. In February, SPEC Jazz brought the Grammy Award-winning Bela Fleck and the Flecktones to the University Museum's Harrison Auditorium. The band thrilled the sell-out crowd with their unique mix of country, jazz, funk and rock. Banjo player Fleck led his quartet on a 2 1/2-hour jaunt that pleased not only the diverse audience, but the performers themselves. "Playing in Philadelphia's always cool," he said. "I just loved the show because we were playing to such a mixed audience -- a real listening crowd that really got into the music." A month later, SPEC Jazz scored another coup as famed bassist and West Philadelphia native Christian McBride jazzed up an audience of 450 in the University Museum. Additionally, SPEC To Represent Undergraduate Minorities succeeded in bringing a major act to campus when hip hop and rap performer Busta Rhymes signed on to headline SPEC-TRUM's fourth annual concert, scheduled to coincide with the Penn Relays athletic event. Although a minor altercation involving his opening acts disrupted his performance early on, concertgoers danced to hits like "Dangerous" and "Woo Hah!! (Got You All In Check)" -- despite the show's location in the unfriendly confines of the Annenberg Center's Zellerbach Auditorium. "The last thing I'm tolerating is disrespect at my show," the shirtless, dreadlocked rapper told the audience after the fight was broken up.
(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.
(02/06/98 10:00am)
Clinton's new mentoring initiative is based on Penn and Philadelphia outreach programs. President Clinton unveiled an initiative Wednesday to give children from poor families a chance to pair up with mentors, tutors and counselors. The intent of the $140 million plan is to gear students toward college from as early as grade six. For Penn, such programs are old hat. The Kite and Key Society's Step-One tutoring project, which pairs University students with Philadelphia grade schoolers, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Penn students work with children at Lea Elementary School at 47th and Locust streets, meeting weekly to tutor them in math and reading, among other subjects. Ninety-two percent of Lea's 1,100 students are at or below the poverty level. They are able to look to their tutors as success stories. Additionally, the University's West Philadelphia Tutoring Project has been providing academic and social support for children in grades K-12 for the last 11 years. Involving over 370 University students, the program lends help to children often living in single family homes at or below the poverty line. Studies have shown that the average amount spent per pupil in Philadelphia is $2,000 less than the average spent in surrounding suburban districts. The city's schools simply don't have the money to provide students with an adequate education, and it is clear that they are in need of vast improvement. But in the interim, Penn volunteers are helping to make up the difference through their outreach efforts. We hope the president's plan meets with similar success.
(11/18/96 10:00am)
Jordan Smith, Commentary If you've been to a Penn football game, listened to one on the radio, watched UTV or read about the team in the newspaper, you know who Jasen Scott is. The senior tailback has been nothing short of outstanding this season. Despite playing in a a dull, predictable offense with a weak passing attack (at least until last week), Scott has managed to rush for over 1000 yards. When it comes to slipping through a tiny hole and making a gain where there is seemingly none to be had, no back in Ivy League can match him. For that reason, Penn has called his number a grueling 89 times in the last two weeks alone. But if you ask what senior Quakers tailback led the team in rushing yards in 1995, the answer is not Scott, but Aman Abye. In that year, Abye edged his classmate by 9 yards (694 to Scott's 685). This year they were once again expected to share the rushing duties. So why was it that one of the featured backs of 1995 has scored only one touchdown -- and that on a pass reception in the first quarter of the last home game of the year? Nothing has gone right for Abye from the very start. The difficulties started on opening day in Dartmouth when he sustained a concussion early on. Rightfully protecting him, the Penn coaches gave Abye no playing time in the next two games against Colgate and Bucknell. But by the time Abye was ready for action, his status as Scott's partner had been revised. Three 100-yard efforts had made Scott the No. 1 tailback and Abye a forgotten man. "It's been extremely tough," Abye said. "Coming into the season, I had great expectations coming off of last year being the leading rusher on the team. For the season to pan out the way it did is extremely disappointing." That's why it was so fitting that when the dust settled from Penn's first touchdown Saturday, it was No. 32 celebrating. On a little bootleg, Abye got open underneath and freshman quarterback Brian Russell got him the ball. Abye flashed some rarely-seen moves and sprinted for the left corner. On a personal level, those six points salvaged his season. "I'm pretty excited about it," said Abye, who indicated that this score meant more to him in the season's context. "I guess if there's any way to go out you've got to go out scoring a touchdown in your last home game." No one was happier to see Abye score than Scott. "Me and Aman are best friends -- that was great because of all the things he's gone through and a lot of emotions the team has gone through," Scott said. "That was the best thing for him, in his last game, to get in the end zone. It's like everyone scored on that play." There was more than just an injury and Scott's play to Abye's disappearing act. The presence of Rick Granata, the junior transfer from Eastern Michigan, also changed matters. Now the Quakers could complement the slashing Scott, 5-foot-10 and 171 pounds, with the rugged 220-pound Granata. Abye only made life more difficult for himself by making a key fumble against Columbia. The only consolation Abye can draw is that the man getting the snaps is Scott. It typifies Abye's season, though, that his first major contribution of the year is overshadowed by Scott. This time he went for 149 yards and scored the game-sealing touchdown, crossing the 1000-yard barrier in the process. Some guys have all the luck. Aman Abye isn't one of those guys.
(06/30/96 9:00am)
Chevy Chase, MD No, the most successful Quakers team over the winter was the underappreciated Penn wrestling squad. This year's team blitzed its way to a 10-0 dual-meet season against Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association foes, then conquered a 14-team field at the season-ending EIWA championship meet. That tournament was the climax of a metamorphosis for the ages. In the early 1980s, when now-coach Roger Reina wrestled for the Quakers, things were so bad that serious rumors swirled that the program would be dropped. The big turning point came in 1986, when Reina was hired as head coach. Penn finished with a dual-meet record of 6-14 in Reina's first season as coach. But the year after that, with his own recruits comprising a majority of the team, the Quakers leaped to 10-8-1. Talk to Reina about the improvement of the program since then and the word "pioneer" will come up multiple times. It is an apt metaphor: a few good men delving into the confused wilderness that was Ivy League wrestling and paving the way for those who would follow. That is why, when asked to talk about the heroes of this year's championship, Reina brought up three guys not even on the team anymore -- 1995 graduates Gary Baker, Brian Butler and Gonz Medina. Those were the guys who decided to come aboard in 1991, when the team was still struggling to escape from the cloud of mediocrity that had enveloped it since the mid-'70s. What a run that cast had. In 1994, they led Penn to its first Ivy League title since 1972. Last year, the senior season for the trio, the Quakers had serious notions of an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championship-meet title for the first time in school history. But of the five Penn wrestlers that reached the semifinals at Easterns, only one advanced. The Quakers finished fifth. "It was a heartbreaking way for them to end their careers," Reina said. "But they certainly left their mark." The '94 team set a standard for the teams that followed in more ways than one. Of approximately 200 wrestling programs across the nations, the Quakers had the fourth-highest cumulative GPA. The team was as proud of that as it was of its first Ivy title in 20 years. More proud, maybe. It was an achievement in keeping with the philosophy Reina drills in his wrestlers from the moment he recruits them. Every wrestler will be expected to make a full commitment to academics in addition to doing everything he can to improve as an athlete. The resulting program is proof positive that success in athletics and success in academics are not entirely irreconcilable after all. It is because of all this work and sacrifice that goes into being a wrestler that the team does notice the lack of attention and appreciation on the part of the Penn community at large. Having conquered the EIWA, Penn then set its sights on the nation's elite. Seven wrestlers competed in the NCAA nation-championship tournament this season, the most they have sent in recent memory. But Penn seemed overwhelmed by the surroundings, finishing a disappointing 33rd. Now Reina wants to be a force to be reckoned with on the national level. Next year looks like it could be the year. Each of the past three seasons, Reina has brought in a top-20 recruiting class. This year's recruits are shaping up to be of similar caliber. Next year, then, the Quakers should have as talented a roster from top to bottom as they have ever had. It is the just desserts for a program that has undergone nearly two decades of misery, for all the work and sacrifice put in by Reina and the "pioneers". It could truly be a year to remember. The question is, Will anyone be watching?
(05/23/96 9:00am)
University students must seek stimulus outside the bounds of campus. Did you ever get the feeling that the walls of your bedroom are closing in around you? Does Locust Walk seem to be getting narrower each passing day, only to squeeze you into the stronghold of campus, never to be set free? Did you ever just get a burning desire to hop on a train with a one-way ticket to nowhere, or a place called "anywhere but here?" Are you ready for an escape? My apologies for sounding like shameless ad campaign for a local travel agency. However, my point still remains: do you ever leave the confines of campus? Now that you may have officially established West Philadelphia as your home, doesn't it seem time for a long overdue, well deserved break? So, lose yourself in the music. Drown in the words of someone's distant past. Immerse yourself in the diversity. And open your eyes and ears to the world of people and art that exist outside of Penn.
(03/15/95 10:00am)
Penn senior guard Jerome Allen is perhaps the most dominant player to wear a Penn uniform in the last decade. You could think of all the times he has taken over a game with 8,700 fans cheering his every move and say that the Palestra is, and always will be, Jerome Allen's house. But perhaps this image is more telling: A hard afternoon's practice has just concluded, but the guys are having way too much fun to leave the Palestra floor. No one is enjoying himself more than Allen. The 22-year-old is a little kid, horsing around with his teammates while engaged in some goofy pickup game. They jaw back and forth. A group led by Ira Bowman has heard enough, and the chase is on. Allen, a huge grin on his face, eludes his pursuers for a while, but eventually they catch him and playfully wrestle him down. Allen appears to be having the time of his life. This is a place in which he feels totally comfortable and secure; a place where he can put the world's daily grind aside and just relax and enjoy life; a place where he is with people he loves, people who love him. You think about all that and realize the Palestra is more than just Jerome Allen's house. It is his home. · If it is his home, then his teammates and coaches are his family. Eleven teammates and four coaches would seem to be a rather large family, but actually it's hardly any bigger than the one in which Allen grew up. The crowded, undersized house in the mean streets of Germantown was home to all sorts of family members. Uncles, aunts and cousins. His mother and a sister. But no father to speak of. Early in Allen's childhood, his dad left the family. "With his father not around, they really had to bond when he was growing up," says Matt Maloney, Allen's fellow senior guard. "They really work hard for each other. That's one of the things that motivates both of them. You really can't ask for a better relationship." One of the things that impressed Penn coach Fran Dunphy most about Allen back when he was recruiting him was his interaction with his mom. "You could see the respect he had for her," Dunphy says. "You would suspect that it would carry over into how he lived his life and how he would be in a team structure." For her part, Nuble cared enough to put in long, sweat-filled hours doing housekeeping and working in various hotels in order to support her son. All along she had one goal in mind for both Allen and his sister -- she wanted them to obtain college degrees. "It would do me real proud to see both of them get their degrees," she says. "I never had that chance. None of my sisters and brothers ever had a chance." While Allen prepares to graduate in May, his sister is in her freshman year at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. · Before Allen got to college there was the matter of high school. He enrolled at the prestigious Episcopal Academy in Marion as a freshman and set about making a name for himself as a basketball player and as a student. His high school basketball coach, Dan Dougherty, says Allen may have had a hard time making the transition from his old neighborhood to the prep-school atmosphere of Episcopal. But whatever problems he had didn't faze him for long. Dougherty taught math to Allen in both his freshman and senior years, so he got a first-hand view of the progress Allen made through his high school career in the classroom. What impressed Dougherty most was the dedication. Allen, he says never had to go to study hall. He was always off in the library studying on his own or going to his teachers for extra help. "He was truly an overachiever," Dougherty says. Allen surpassed expectations in the athletic realm as well. His most surprising accomplishments came not on the court, where he did excel, but on the football field. He only joined the team because, according to school rules, he had to spend his autumns doing something athletically. But by senior year his ability to run the option and throw the ball had earned him the starting job at quarterback. Any university that dreamed of making him a two-sport star a la Charlie Ward, however, had its hopes dashed when Allen announced he was hanging up the pads for good after his final high school game. Basketball had been Allen's true love ever since he was three years old, when he took up the game as a safe and relaxing way to get out of the house, and he wanted to concentrate all his time and energy on it. "If you could open up his chest," his mother says, "you wouldn't see a heart. You would see a basketball." Before either he or Allen came to Penn, Quakers center Tim Krug knew all too well what kind of competitor Allen was. When Allen was a high school junior, he caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Jeb Shanahan to boost Episcopal to a last-second victory over Penn Charter, Krug's alma mater. Four months later, Allen broke Penn Charter's hearts with a little help from Shanahan once again, this time on the hardwood. With sophomore Krug on the opposing side, Allen took a full-court pass from Shanahan and banked in a shot in the final seconds to give Episcopal the win. When it was all over, Allen and current Quakers teammate Eric Moore had led Episcopal's basketball team to a combined record of 53-3 in their final two seasons. Dougherty will never forget what they meant to his program. "In 37 years as a coach, I've had a lot of great players," he said. "I've never seen two kids push themselves to their limit more than those two did. I'm very proud of them as a coach." · Looking back on the four years he has spent with Allen, Dunphy also has much to be proud about. What pleases Dunphy as much as Allen's accomplishments on the court is his growth as a person. He has made immense strides from the time he was a shy, insecure freshman who appeared somewhat overwhelmed by his surroundings. "I see somebody who knows he is a good person, somebody who is not afraid to speak up and not afraid to challenge his teammates," Dunphy says. "He's also quite comfortable challenging himself, and that's the true sign of somebody who wants to be the best he can." Most who know Allen say he is normally rather reserved and quiet. When the time is right, though, he is eager to step up and take charge. Often times in practice, Allen will make suggestions as to how to run a particular set on offense or on defense. Dunphy is more than willing to listen. "At this point," Dunphy says, "I would be foolish not to trust in his judgment." "He's a very good leader," Maloney says. "He's just a terrific guy. He'll help you out any way he can. He always keeps in touch with everyone and looks out for his teammates." Senior forward Shawn Trice, Allen's roommate for three years, knows that as well as anybody. Trice was taken in by the Allen household and treated as one of their own upon his arrival in West Philadelphia. Allen showed him around town and provided a second home for the Detroit native stuck 1,500 miles away from his real home. Trice was also invited to stay with Allen and his family for the summer after their freshman year and last year so the two of them could work on their basketball and conditioning together at Penn. "It just shows what kind of people he and his family are," Trice says. "He's the most caring person, the most sharing person I've known." · Allen is every bit as sharing on the court as he is off it. He led the Ivies in assists this year with 5.8 per game, demonstrating an unselfishness that has NBA scouts salivating as much as his ability to slash right through defenses. Senior forward Scott Kegler says when he gets open shots, nine times out of 10 it's because Allen is getting him those shots. "He doesn't get caught up with scoring points and doing well statistically," Kegler says. "He really dictates how the game is going to go. A great player makes everyone around him better, and that's what he does." He does it because winning means everything to him. Sometimes that does mean he has to forget about his teammates and shoulder the load himself. That's why he took -- and hit -- most of the shots down the stretch a year ago at Temple when the rest of the Quakers seemed awed just by being on the same court as Eddie Jones and Aaron McKie. That's why, with the entire team struggling to find shots in the final minutes at Michigan, Allen chose not to follow the play Dunphy called -- which had Allen passing the ball back out to Maloney or Kegler for a three-point shot -- after he penetrated past Jimmy King. Allen wanted the team to win or lose the game with him. He put up what Krug called "a 10-foot, one-handed, hook-shot leaner" that swished through the net to give the Quakers one of their biggest wins in a long time. That's also why former USC coach George Raveling selected Allen to be part of an elite corps of 12 of the best collegiate players in the country representing the United States in the Goodwill Games this past summer. Players with far more notoriety were passed over, because Raveling knew Allen could do one thing -- win. Playing time was less than what Allen was used to, but he made the most of every opportunity. "He's very culturable," Raveling says. "He hung in there against difficult odds. We all got more and more confidence in him as time went on." Raveling says Allen's unselfish play at the point against Russia in the bronze medal game was one of the prime reasons the U.S. was able to come out on top. The next stop for Allen, according to most in the know, is the NBA. Last season, Raveling called Allen a potential lottery pick. Dunphy was unsure where Allen would be picked, but he did know what the team that drafts Allen will be getting. "To me he'll have a 10- or 12-year career," Dunphy says. "He may not be the leading scorer on his team, but he'll help his team win. That's the biggest value he'll have to an organization -- the ability to help it win." Moore figures Allen will quickly earn enough money to retire on. "But he's not just about that," Moore says. "He really wants to play and do well. He's a good individual and that's hard to find in the NBA these days." · But money does mean a little something, of course. Money will be needed for Allen to buy his mom her dream house and allow her to take it easy after all the work she has done for him. "That makes me feel proud," Janet Nuble says. "I'd have to keep working, though. I wouldn't just live off my child. He's worked hard for that. He's earned it and it's his." Allen's relationship with his mother illustrates perhaps the most significant aspect of his personality. More than anything, more than money or winning championships, more even than the game of basketball itself, Allen values human relationships. It is why, when he graduates, he will miss his teammates more than anything else -- passing the time with them on the bus ride up to Dartmouth with a blizzard raging outside; hanging out with Trice and Maloney during the summers; horsing around with Bowman after a long afternoon's practice. The affection could not be more mutual. "He's definitely one of the people I've met throughout my life that I'm really glad to have been a part of his life," Maloney says. "It's going to benefit me in pretty much every part of my life just knowing him, knowing where he's come from, what he's been through and how successful he's been." "I've cherished every moment that kid has brought to our basketball program," Dunphy says. "He will always have a special little space in my heart." Here at Penn, he will always have a home.
(02/09/95 10:00am)
From Shawn Klein's, "Jedi Mind Tricks," Fall '95 From Shawn Klein's, "Jedi Mind Tricks," Fall '95For a large, often impersonable institution, Penn has its fair share of respectable annual traditions. Events like Hey Day (which I was just ecstatic to miss thanks to the MCATs), the Econ Midnight Scream, Spring Fling, Senior Screamers and the festivities of Senior Week come to mind. And these streakers are really something. After all, it's one thing to go outside in the cold. It's another thing to go outside naked. But to go outside naked when it's cold, well, that's truly admirable. This year, the streak started at the Quad nipple. The eighteen participants took off their clothes, presumably stretched out (after all in this cold one could easily pull something), and counted down from ten. All they left on were their sneakers and some scarves to cover up embarrassing hickies. They then proceeded to take a lap around the Quad, screaming for everyone to "Wake up!" and inadvertently championing the size does-not-matter issue with their in-your-face style. As usual, token female runners joined in the manly birthday-suit bash. But one can't help but wonder what would motivate them to do that. They might be the kind of girls which the other sixteen male runners have already seen naked at other occasions. (As any good scientist would, I'll refuse to consider the people that got woken up. This is because there is a good chance all of them have not seen these two naked before, which might punch holes in my theory.) But who am I to speculate. There is no good basis for it. This year there were two women and one of them was apparently cute (!). (There was, however, no way to be certain as early morning eye boogars can blur one's vision. The picture in the DP will have to serve as arbiter.) Not a bad showing, but unfortunately, still lacking. And lacking in a gutwrenching way. I remember the days when there was a female streak. Sadly, you freshman never even knew of such a time. (It's a little like meeting a kid who when asked what year he was born says "1984" and you say: "Jesus, I remember 1984.") You no doubt would think of a female streak as the stuff of collegiate legend, no more real than the Hiberian Age of Conan fame. You may think that it never even happened. But I swear to you that it did. Truth to tell, it was just two years ago. What has happened to our proud tradition? Penn is in disarray. We no longer know who and what we are. Our Revlon dreams are laid to waste. M.A.C.H.O., a club to support sensitive men, has come to campus. We have fallen out of the Top 25, perhaps for the rest of regular hoops season play. And, now Whartonites can minor in the College. As concerned, moral Penn students, we must take a stand. The first strong step: The reinstitution of the female streak. You crazy Tri-Delts figure out for yourselves who will lead it. I have no personal preference. As long as it is done and done with enthusiasm and drama. Help us rise up and reclaim our former glory. You can make this school feel like the proud Ivy League institution we all know it can be once again. Just as your male counterparts did their lap of lewdness, with all possible floppy virility, so too must you. Men and women are different yet equal. You cannot let this campus forget that. It is time to take pride and do what must be done. The groundhog has seen his shadow. Six more weeks of winter are on the way, plenty of time to get one or a couple of laps in. A quick couple of points of advice: First, if it's cold do not make sharp turns. Someone could lose an eye. Second, make sure that the DP gets a frontal shot. (This could be ensured by putting legible signs on your backs which read: "Don't bother buying advertising spots in the DP. No one looks at them.") It puts more emphasis on the point. Third, stretch out. You have no control if non-participants pull something while your running, but there is no reason why you should. Lastly, after the completed lap, take time to meet and greet with the fans who were courteous enough to root you on. It's just good PR. Let's keep this in perspective and not be silly. A female streak will not fix all of the problems on this campus. But it may fix a lot of them.:-) Shawn Klein is a senior biological basis of behavior major from Livingston, N.J. Jedi Mind Tricks appears alternate Thursdays.
(01/18/95 10:00am)
From Ian Blake's "Church of the Poisoned Mind," Fall '95 The department store was packed, people were fussing and fighting over purchasing inanimate objects that were in all likelihood going to be returned in a few days anyway. It was Christmas Eve, and I was frantically searching for that "special gift" to give my girl. Okay, she wasn't my girl?yet! But, with the crumpled twenty some odd dollars I had scrapped together by rummaging through my apartments' sofa and "guilt tripping" my mother, that diamond necklace was as good as mine/her's. At first, I didn't pay much attention to the garbled message of the department store's public address system because I was concentrating on purchasing "the perfect gift." Of course, being a realist, the twenty dollars I possessed fell just a little out of the costumed jewelry price range. Cubic zirconias might as well be real diamonds when one has only a few dollars to spend, so I was off to a more choicer (read: cheaper) section of the store. I was rummaging through a few stylish purses in the Women's Accessories Department (actually, I was looking for one with a reasonable price tag), when this leather jacket clad, white male ambled along side me and began fondling the purses on the rack directly adjacent to mine. We made brief eye contact, then being the macho guys that we were, continued our separate tasks. Personally, I was embarrassed, being the man's man that I am. It wasn't easy for me to venture into the female section of the store, let alone purchase a woman's item. But, I was desperate, and my prospective wife deserved the best money could buy. So my machismo went on temporary hold as I jostled with other women for that perfect purse. At that moment, my leather clad companion did the unthinkable. He spoke to me. "Say, man, don't you think these prices are down right bogus? I got a good mind to just lift one of these suckers right on out of here without shellin' out a nickel!" As he finished this declaration, I turned, looked him up and down and cracked a slight smile from the outer rim of my face. I wasn't smiling because I was thinking about what he had said, I was smiling because this fellow shopper's walkie-talkie was peering out from just underneath his jacket. You guessed it-- I was talking to a member of the "department store fuzz." I looked up and down the aisle and realized that besides this store detective, I was the only other Mr. in the aisle. I also remembered the "see Mr. Brown in aisle seven" announcements. Sadly, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. The announcement had been a euphemism for, "suspected black male shoplifter in aisle seven." I surmised this in the span of 15 seconds and almost burst into a fit of melancholic laughter. This rent-a-cop was trying to cajole me into stealing. I say I almost laughed, but as the reality hit me, I was overcome with despair. The holiday spirit quickly left me. Now there was only one thought on my mind, VENGEANCE. The smile was still spray painted on my face as I slid over to him and said in the highest effeminate voice I could muster, "You know, my boyfriend has pretty blue eyes, but yours are prettier. You don't have to steal that purse, I'll buy it for you if you'd like." As I said this, I caressed his arm lovingly and rubbed his back. Picture this, a huge black man with a high pitched voice touching and making loud advances to a white leather clad male in the middle of Macy's. Pretty scary stuff, huh. The detective looked at me like he was going to throw-up. I probably spoke a little too loud, because people were beginning to stare. But I didn't care, my Macy's adventure had begun. The detective, abruptly rejected my offer, and beat a hasty retreat out of aisle seven, but "Mr. Brown" wasn't going to let this fish get away. I snatched up the purse I had decided to buy and bounded after my new boyfriend. "Hi my name is Toni, what's yours?" I said. Again, picture this, a huge black man switching up and down a department store making loud advances to a white man dressed in leather. I know, still pretty scary. Anyway, I skipped around the store with him for two minutes still offering to buy him the purse. I finally, tired of the charade, and as we passed a large group of onlookers, I loudly declared, "This gentleman wanted me to steal a purse for him, and he stole a radio that's hidden underneath his jacket, quick, SOMEBODY CALL SECURITY!" The store detective's face turned holiday festive red, then he shouted, "I am store security!" A thunderstorm was coming. The day was getting late, and it was time to go. My rhetorical civil rights lesson had been effectively taught. The warm rain felt good as it rolled down my face while I left the store laughing to myself. My Macy's performance had been so hilarious, God had been driven to tears. I wonder if I'll ever see my boyfriend again. It's probable, if not, there will always be "others" waiting for Mr. Brown in aisle seven.
(01/18/95 10:00am)
From Ian Blake's "Church of the Poisoned Mind," Fall '95 From Ian Blake's "Church of the Poisoned Mind," Fall '95 Security, see Mr. Brown in aisle 7, see Mr. Brown in aisle seven. The department store was packed, people were fussing and fighting over purchasing inanimate objects that were in all likelihood going to be returned in a few days anyway. It was Christmas Eve, and I had been frantically searching for that "special gift" to give my girl. Okay, she wasn't my girl?yet! But, with the crumpled twenty some odd dollars I had scrapped together by rummaging through my apartment's sofa, and "guilt tripping" my mother, that diamond necklace was as good as mine/her's. I was rummaging through a few stylish purses in the Women's Accessories Department, (actually, I was looking at tthe price tags) when this leather jacket clad, white male ambled along side me and began fondling the purses on the rack directly adjacent to mine. We made brief eye contact, then being the macho guys that we were continued our separate tasks. Personally, I was embarrassed being the man's man that I am. It wasn't easy for me to venture into the female section of the store, let alone purchase a woman's item. But, I was desperate, and my prospective wife deserved the best money could buy, so my machismo went on temporary hold as I jostled with other women for that perfect purse. At that moment, my leather clad companion did the unthinkable. He began an informal chit-chat with me. "Say, man, don't you think these prices are down right bogus. I got a good mind to just lift one of these sucker's right on out of here without shellin' oul a nickel!" As he finished this declaration, I turned and looked him up and down and a slight smile cracked the outer rim of my face. I wasn't smiling because I was thinking about what he had said, I was smiling because this fellow shopper's walkie-talkie was peering out from just underneath his jacket. You guessed it, I was talking to a member of the department store fuzz. I looked up and down the aisle and realized that besides this store detective, I was the only other Mr. in the aisle. I also, remembered the, "see Mr. Brown in aisle seven" announcement. Sadly, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. The announcement had been a euphemism for, "suspected black male shoplifter in aisle seven." I surmised this in the span 15 seconds, and I almost burst into a fit of melancholic laughter. This rent-a-cop was trying to cajole me inlo stealing. I almost laughed, then anger overtook me and the holiday spirit quickly left me. Now there was only one thought on my mind, REVENGE. The smile was still spray painted on my face as I slid over to him and said in the highest effeminate voice I could muster, "You know, my boyfriend has pretty blue eyes, but yours are prettier. You don't have to steal that purse, I'll buy it for you if you'd like." As I said this, I caressed his arm lovingly and rubbed his back. Picture this, a huge black man with a high pitched voice touching and making loud advances to a white leather clad male in the middle of Macy's. Pretty scary stuff, huh. The detective looked at me like he was going to throw-up. I spoke a little too loud, because more people were beginning to stare. I didn't care, my Macy's adventure had begun. The detective, abruptly rejected my offer, and beat a hasty retreat out of aisle seven, bul "Mr. Brown" wasn't going to let this fish get away. I snatched up the purse I had decided to buy and bounded after my new boyfriend. "Hi my name is Toni, what's yours?" I said. Again, picture this, a huge black man switching up and down a department store making loud advances to a white man dressed in leather, still pretty scary. Anyway, I skipped around the store with him for two minules still offering to buy him a gift. I finally, tired of the charade and as we passed another group of onlookers, I loudly declared, "This gentleman wanted me to steal this purse for him, and he stole a radio that is hidden underneath his jacket, SOMEBODY CALL SECURITY!" The store detective's face turned holiday festive red, then he shouted, "I am store security!" A thunderstorm was coming, the day was getting late, and it was time to go. My rhetorical civil rights lesson had been taught. The warm rain felt good rolling down my face as I left the store laughing to myself. My Macy's performance had been so funny, God was driven to tears. I wonder if I'll ever see my boyfriend again. It's probable, if not, there will always be "others" waiting for Mr. Brown in aisle seven.
(01/31/94 10:00am)
From Jillian O'Connor's "You're Nothing But a Pack of Cards!," Winter '94 From Jillian O'Connor's "You're Nothing But a Pack of Cards!," Winter '94 Whereas conflicts resulting from differences of skin color, gender, or sexual orientation attract immediate attention, subtler matters, such as the tacit condemnation of beliefs, escape most students completely unheeded. The word nonsectarian, which the University does not seem to fully comprehend, means to have no religious affiliations. Our University is officially a nonsectarian institution. This title means that our school is not and should not be partial to any religious traditions. Hmmm... Centrally locating two buildings sponsored by religious groups when innumerable other religions are represented in the student body seems just a little bit partial to me... If I were the member of a religion not represented by that favored dynamic duo, I might be pretty ticked off when I finally showed up to attend classes at my "nonsectarian" university and found out that a New Testament discussion is a hell of a lot more accessible from the Quad than my Calc recitation, or that Shabbat services are much closer than the library. That might make me feel a bit, uh, marginalized. It might also tell me that the University is ridiculously hypocritical. If my purely theoretical person then decided, perhaps, to take a sociology of religion course, it might indeed also be shocking that the only religions studied as examples are Judaism and Christianity. But, of course, my theoretical person would very probably be the only student to even notice a slight problem with this... Yes, Judaism and Christianity are the faiths claiming the most members of the University community, but that should not mean that this majority has the right to claim major footholds all around the campus. But this geographic centrality of major religious buildings isn't even considered a problem. While our status quo is busy...status quoing...no one even really notices or cares that one of the most popular mainstream on-campus hangouts (The Palladium) is actually in the Christian Association itself. Not to mention that the University employs a full-time tenured Episcopalian minister, the most Reverend Stanley Johnson, our University Chaplain, who claims to "fulfill his position in a very nonsectarian manner, as he has for the past thirty-three years." And we cut how many departments? Nor does anyone seem to notice the complete absurdity of Hillel and the Christian Association looming over the 36th Street Walk, nose-to-nose, shoulder-to-shoulder, breathing down each other's necks, looking like they might start a territorial brawl any minute. (These two buildings would never really fight, of course. I assure you that they are both buildings of the most peace-loving natures, but, hey, they're the ones staking out their claims in the absolute center of our campus!) Yet can we really expect our nice, conservative, and safe typical Penn students to notice? (We are talking about the same group that's here to get a GPA, not an education.) The really terrifying thing is, though, that we aren't even aware that we're doing it because of our phenomenal success in maintaining our contented little majority. In fact, many of us probably feel pretty damned entitled to the choicest real estate on campus, don't we? After all, most of us are either Christian or Jewish, so what's the big deal? Well, the big deal is that this university is an open place of learning, not an exclusive place of worship, and all students here should be able to see this. The glorification of two religions by the University is necessarily a belittlement of all others. Christianity and Judaism do occupy a large part of many students' lives, and I don't object to that in the least, but majority preference should never be favored by a university that seeks to maintain an objective image. I'm sure that, in keeping with this superficial "nonsectarian" resolve, the University is always gracious in accepting other religious associations on campus. It is doubtful, though, that any of these would ever be given a central location -- after all, two of the best sites on campus are already taken. Jillian O'Connor is a senior English major from Boston, Massachusetts. You're Nothing But a Pack of Cards! appears alternate Mondays.
(06/06/91 9:00am)
The University may not take home any Academy awards for its latest recruiting tape, but with the help of Blockbuster Video, it will at least be able to share shelf space with those that have. As part of a new marketing strategy to bring faraway colleges into high school students' living rooms, Blockbuster stores will this month begin renting out video tours of colleges -- including the University -- from across the country. "The opportunity to have our tape available to students through an outlet that they deal with regularly is a positive move -- without any cost to the University," Undergraduate Dean of Admissions Willis Stetson said last week. The program was developed by Virginia based Preview, Inc. who had launched a pilot test program in 50 Blockbuster stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Ohio last year. "It was very successful," said Jennifer Skoglund, a Preview spokesperson, last week. "The individual Blockbuster stores were very receptive." Preview manages video advertising for colleges across the nation, by serving as an intermediary which packages and distributes each institution's videos. Skoglund said that each tape was to be rented individually, but that in the future, sets of tapes for schools that are frequently linked together, such as the Ivy League, may be available. "While a video can't completely substitute for an actual campus tour," Skoglund said. "It comes in handy if a student is interested in 20 schools and can only afford to visit five." Stetson added that three other Ivy league schools are currently involved in the program and that he is happy with the University's decision to enter. "It is appropriate for Penn to be a part of the program from the beginning," Stetson said. "We will see what visibility it will bring."
(04/02/91 10:00am)
Vice President for Human Relations Barbara Butterfield, who has primary responsibility for overseeing the University's employees, will leave the University in June to take a similar post at Stanford University. Butterfield, who has held the position for four years, will be Stanford's first human relations vice president. In her post, she managed the second-largest workforce in the city. Butterfield said last night she "has mixed feelings" about the new position, saying she will miss her staff and the administrators she has become attached to during her tenure on campus. The human relations head said she is moving to Stanford to be near her husband, who will soon become an out-patient of a cardiology program in Palo Alto. He is currently a patient at Duke University's program, forcing Butterfield to travel between North Carolina and Philadelphia every weekend. "The position at Stanford lets me balance both sides of my life," Butterfield said. Butterfield's duties at the University include setting and accomplishing goals for the University's work environment and improving employee relations. She said she is most proud of her department's focus on ethics, equality, diversity and balance in the work place, saying those are the values she has tried to instill in the administration's human resources planning. She added that she has recently concentrated on "conservation of the University's assets." President Sheldon Hackney yesterday praised Butterfield's work at the University, calling her a "rare talent in the field of human resources in higher education." "She helped build a sense of community among University employees," Hackney said. "It's because of her set of values. She cares about how people deal with each other and she's able to transfer that to policies and programs." Hackney said Butterfield has provided University employees with more extensive career advancement activities, more rational salary policies and better equity studies. He also praised her for helping to organize diversity awareness programs. Staff and Labor Relations Director Rogers Davis, who worked in Butterfield's department, said the outgoing vice president is extraordinary at unifying employees and bringing "a positive attitude to the issue of staff relations." Stanford University Provost James Rosse, who said he hired Butterfield based on her experience and accomplishments, said she will be the highest level administrator involved in developing human resources policies and programs. He said her duties at Stanford will be roughly the same as those at the University. Hackney, who said he learned of Butterfield's resignation on Friday, said he has not yet begun to search for her replacement and said he is doubtful the administration will fill the position before Butterfield leaves in June. Hackney said he will search for someone with Butterfield's same values and abilities to bring employees together. "If I could clone her, I would do it," Hackney said.
(03/22/91 10:00am)
The School of Arts and Sciences standard stipend for teaching assistants for the 1992 fiscal year will be $8,600, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies Donald Fitts said yesterday. The stipend is $400 more than last year's, which was set at $8,200. The funding usually increases $200 to $500 annually, Fitts said. The associate dean said there was no one factor that led to the $400 increase in the stipends, which are officially set by School of Arts and Sciences Dean Hugo Sonnenschein. "It increases by what we think we can afford," Fitts said. "We try and make it a little greater than the inflationary standard, and we also watch what the competition is doing." But graduate student government leaders said they were disheartened last night by the stipend level. Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Chair Susan Garfinkel said she was upset the University did not increase the stipend by at least $500 as it has done for the past two years. The SAS stipend was $7,700 in 1990 and $7,000 in 1989. Garfinkel also noted that the proposed student health insurance for the upcoming year is approximately $950, 11 percent of a graduate student's stipend. Graduate Students Associations Council President Michael Polgar said he was disappointed the University had not given the graduate students the $10,000 stipend they had requested in previous years. According to Polgar, the University formed a committee on doctoral education two years ago which had concluded that a reasonable stipend level was $10,000. "It's better than nothing," Polgar said of the stipend increase. Individual departments may choose to supplement the stipend with their own funds, while other departments split the money so they may accommodate more students. In past years, the Biology Department has paid its teaching assistants $12,500, one of the highest stipends, while the Folklore Department, which splits its stipends among students, has one of the lowest.
(02/22/91 10:00am)
The University Museum will hold its second annual African-American Day Celebration tomorrow, assembling foods, crafts, arts, storytelling, music and dance events as part of a day-long tribute to African heritage. The celebration, one of the city's largest Black History Month events, will feature a tour of the museum's refurbished African Gallery at 1:15 p.m., showing changes made to the gallery in its recent renovation, the first major changes to the gallery since the 1950s. Kris Hardin, assistant curator for the Museum's African section, said yesterday that approximately 150 pieces were added to the African Gallery. Hardin added that descriptions of objects were updated to reflect changes in African culture, as well as in the collection's thematic organization. Demonstrations of African art and culture will be scheduled for throughout the day. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and admission is free to University faculty, staff and students.
(11/08/90 10:00am)
Less than a year after studying American politics in Stiteler Hall classrooms, Ken Fleuriet will be writing bills in a Texas statehouse. The 21-year-old University graduate won a seat in the Texas state House of Representatives Tuesday, becoming the youngest Republican ever to hold that position in Texas. He defeated Democrat Ken Medders by about 1300 votes for the 38th District seat in his home town of Harbingen, Texas. Fleuriet, a December 1989 College graduate, began his campaign several months before earning his International Relations degree. He took two independent study courses in Texas while on the primary campaign trail. Fleuriet said he has been interested in politics since high school, and political discussions with fellow University students honed his debating and analytical skills. He said he found plenty of students to argue with at the University, because of his conservative views. Fleuriet said last night that he based his campaign around his "youth and energy," adding that he is not part of the "corrupt, sleazy, old-boy system which has dominated south Texas politics for well over the past century." During his campaign, Fleuriet stressed his strong anti-drug views, saying that he will be drug dealers' "public enemy number one." His platform also called for increased funding for education in Texas school districts, and attracting new businesses and jobs to the area. Fleuriet said that he will not raise taxes. Sharon Mulholland, who works in the University Registrar's office, described Fleuriet as "self-effacing, but at the same time confident and wholesome." She said she is not surprised that he entered politics.
(09/24/90 9:00am)
All the world may be a stage, but the University's section lacks good lighting and proper acoustics. Space, or the lack of it, is a perennial gripe for the campus performing arts community. They rush to sign up for it. They negotiate with other groups for it. They can't get enough of it. Two weeks ago, the Performing Arts Council requested emergency money after Quadramics volunteered to move its fall show to the expensive Harold Prince Theatre in order to make space for other groups in cost-free Houston Hall. In fact, three of the five agenda items at the PAC meeting arose from space-related concerns: new opportunities in the Tabernacle Church and fewer openings in Arts House. The number of groups has increased rapidly in the past 10 years, and with it the demand on the five theaters and various other performance sites on campus. Finding room has become the largest administrative burden on student artists, and long-term solutions have not been found. "When I was hired two years ago, I got a clear-cut mandate from the students that I should be worried about space," said Kathryn Helene, student performing arts coordinator, in an interview this week. "So I worry about space." Helene's office is responsible for coordinating space requests from the 28 PAC-member groups, and she also helps non-member groups fill their needs. Glee Club Director Bruce Montgomery, who has been involved with University performing arts for the past 41 years, said last week that interest in performing arts mushroomed about 10 years ago. (****EDS NOTE, CORRECTION - Quaker Notes, an a cappella group were formed in 1979) "Everything sort of grew, like Topsy," Montgomery said. In response to the expanded need, the University gave groups access to space in the Annenberg School and to what Montgomery termed "less attractive spaces" such as the High Rise rathskellars. Helene said that she and Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson are currently evaluating alternatives for new space. "The University is cognizant of the fact that we need space," Montgomery said. "But they just don't have it to give." "We rehearse wherever we can get space," said Goldsmith. "There's not enough space on campus." Two years ago, the University began to rent a rehearsal room in the Tabernacle Church, and last semester Penn 6-5000 practiced in off-campus homes. Quadramics has rehearsed in classrooms and dormitory lounges. "The problem with developing new space off campus is that many students, especially undergraduates, don't want to stray too far from campus," Helene said. "There are security issues involved." The new hope for student performers is the planned campus center, which according to the most recent plan will include a black-box theater. Helene said she believes the building will eventually include an additional theater equipped with full sound and lighting facilities, as well as some rehearsal space. "One new theater would substantially help us as we stand now in 1990," she said, "but if this building is intended to be sufficient for the next 20 years, it is a practical given that it will become woefully inadequate unless things change around campus." Students complain that even the rooms they can secure for their organizations are often marginally useful, with poor acoustics or no piano. Chord On Blues President Bill Michalski said that his group would benefit most from better-equipped rooms in the campus center. "People tend to think that if youre an a cappella group, you don't need a piano," said the Engineering senior. "But you need a piano to learn the music." Helene added that the campus center committee has expressed a willingness to help identify other viable arts spaces on campus and to recommend renovations to make other areas more useful. Houston Hall is one of the most popular performing spaces because it is free for student groups, according to PAC President Stuart Gibbs, a College senior, while theaters in the Annenberg Center charge for maintenance and security personnel. According to Houston Hall Facilities Coordinator Nancy Wright, she fills four to six space requests from performing arts groups each night. Demand for performance space usually peaks at the end of each semester, leading to conflict among performing groups and a new mediating role for PAC. "PAC has more teeth than it used to," said Montgomery. "There's a tremendous feeling of cooperation that goes on between them [the groups]." Although group leaders often discuss their problem as if it were a crisis, Montgomery said they have found solutions through resourceful planning. "I don't know of any group that has had to cancel a performance because it could not find some place to go," Montgomery said.
