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(03/27/95 10:00am)
The decision to scrap the Revlon Center appears to have sounded a death knell for the northern development of campus, leaving students and area businesses north of Walnut Street wondering about the future of their area. "We are intent at looking at every opportunity for development," Vice President for Facilities Management Arthur Gravina said. "We have not abandoned the opportunity. We are continuing to investigate." According to Gravina, north campus is bounded by Drexel University to the northeast, and the University City Science Center to the north. As a result, he said, the issue is not of expansion but of development, because the University owns so much of the land in the area. He added that the University currently has no intention of moving its "center of gravity," and that the best opportunities for development lie to the east of campus. "We are not prepared to move west due to our commitment to the community," he stated. Some campus groups located in the north campus, however, hope the University will continue northern expansion. "[The Revlon Center] was going to connect us better," Assistant Director of the Newman Center Bob Cardie said. "Right now, we feel isolated. Anything that could better connect us would be an improvement." Cardie said that he thought more students would use the Newman Center -- which is located at 37th and Chestnut streets -- if student traffic in the area increased. "We definitely were disappointed," he said. "It was obvious this would be a strong thoroughfare." And although the Revlon Center plan has been scrapped, local business owners have their own suggestions as to what would improve the area. "I would like to see them continue with the feel of Sansom street," White Dog Cafe owner Judy Wicks said. "The area has no feel, like Georgetown or Cambridge." She added that the area features several cultural attractions, but they are often isolated. She also emphasized the role of commercial activity in the neighborhood as a means to improve its atmosphere. And Wicks said that she thinks there is a dire need for more parking. She added that she hopes that the University's future construction will be more attractive than most of the buildings which have been constructed in the past 30 years.
(03/27/95 10:00am)
The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has reached an impasse, said an Israeli official Friday, but those involved are discussing options to kick-start the negotiations. Ahaz Ben-Ari, legal advisor to the office of the Prime Minster of Israel, spoke to University Law students about these efforts. "We cannot go on unless we witness a serious Palestinian endeavor to cope with terrorism effectively," Ben-Ari said. Ben-Ari said Arafat's Palestinian Authority has failed "to do what is expected as a reasonable way of ensuring security" in Gaza and Jericho. He began his talk with a lesson on the geographical, historical and political problems that comprise the Arab-Israeli conflict. As he spoke about Israel's wars, Ben-Ari drew a map of the Middle East, modifying it according to changes in the region's political and geographic boundaries. He explained that according to international law, Israel was required to set up a military government in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. "This is a sign that the territory has not been annexed," he said. "The territory should be subject to a political solution." Israel is not required to withdraw from the formerly Syrian–controlled Golan Heights until a peace agreement is reached, he argued. Turning from legal to political issues, Ben-Ari focused on the problems Israel faced administering a military government. "The contradiction between democracy and a military government put a constant strain on Israel's domestic policy and public debate," he said. Israel is focusing its attention on the P.A.'s handling of security and economic issues, which Israel views as the main obstacles to peace, Ben-Ari explained. Viewing the P.A. as "an experience in future administration," the Israelis want Arafat to crack down on Hamas -- the Islamic Resistance Movement -- and try to improve the standard of living. "If the people are very impoverished [and] the economic situation deteriorates, this might be the end of the process despite the efforts being made in the political channels," Ben-Ari said. He commented on Israeli disappointment with the government's efforts at peace. "They started in May, which is long enough to start doing things but not enough time to judge the results," he said. "The alternative is a Hamas movement that waits to see everything collapse and brings more members to support the idea of a total destruction of Israel." After his presentation, Ben-Ari commented on his participation in the negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel. Ben-Ari noted that, originally, the Palestinian and Jordanian delegations to the peace talks did not include lawyers. "It seemed as if the feeling was that it was not so important to go into the words, [but] that it was going to be a general discussion without a product," he said. Ben-Ari chaired the Israeli committee that drafted the Gaza-Jericho agreement. "The feeling that maybe you shall be blamed for a failure or part of a success is a burden," he explained. "These are questions that only history will judge with respect to me."
(03/27/95 10:00am)
The early bird gets the single. That's what students seeking dormitory rooms learned Saturday at Residential Living's Grand Arena. Starting at 9 a.m., students began lining up in front of the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall according to their lottery numbers, which ranged from one to 622. Students were assigned their lottery draws last Monday. On the postcard that assigned the numbers, students also received the time they should arrive at the Arena in order t o reduce congestion and waiting time. Within half an hour all high rise singles were taken, leaving only singles in the Graduate Towers and the Quad. By 10:30 a.m., only seven high rise triples remained while all 18 quads left had no kitchens. Surprisingly, 90 doubles were still available. College sophomore Kristen Lovelace had wanted to rent a single in the high rises, but is now going to live in the Grad Towers next year. "I wanted to get an apartment in the high rises but I figured they'd be gone," she said. "[The Grad Towers] are really not that bad." But when Engineering freshman Ginlei Liu didn't get the single she wanted, she decided to look off campus for housing. By 11:30 a.m., the quads had run out and at 1 p.m. there was just one triple left. And although the process was running a little slow around noon, the scheduled lunch break allowed time for catching up. After not getting the quad she wanted, College freshman Keely Tolley placed her name on the waiting list and said she was going to "hope for the best." She said that although she was frustrated, she didn't blame the system. "I understand how the Arena works," she said. "I'm a little concerned about what I'm going to do in the summer months. It's a little stressing not knowing where you're going to live next year." Near the end of the day almost every student began placing their names on the waiting lists. Some annoyed students began blaming the Arena process as a whole. "It was poorly run, [poorly] organized as well," College junior Brendan Cahill said. "The student [volunteers] were particularly incompetent and sometimes rude -- even more so than I expected." He added that he thought the system is outdated and would like to see room selection done over electronic mail. "For a school that's supposed to be in the 21st Century, this is really some of sort of nightmare," he said. Many students said Residential Living should give preference to upperclassmen in assigning rooms, while others said preference should be given to students with special needs, such as dietary concerns. "I wish you could talk about your preferences before you get your lottery number," Wharton freshman Priyanka Chamaria said. "Because now if we don't get [a room], we have to shift off-campus and then there are safety problems." Ellie Rupsis, associate director of Residential Living, felt that Saturday's Arena was one of the best organized in recent years. "It went very well," she said. "There weren't any problems. I think it seemed less stressful this year. I think we had more people go through other processes." Rupsis said that this year more students retained their current dorm rooms or selected apartments through community living. Rupsis added that students still interested in living on campus should definitely place their names on the waiting lists, which are available until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
(03/27/95 10:00am)
The next few days may be historic ones for the University's student government. Voters tomorrow and Wednesday will have the chance to vote on two full constitutional proposals, as well as two amendments to the current constitution -- and the usual slate of candidates for office. In order for any of the referenda to be binding, 20 percent of undergraduates must vote in the elections. Students who do not like either of the constitutional proposals will have the option of voting for neither, while still voting on the amendments.
(03/27/95 10:00am)
Issue second warrant A Drexel University student turned himself in Friday afternoon -- and another suspect remains at large -- after being charged with the ethnic intimidation of two South Asian University students. Gregory Rosenbaum, a Drexel University student, is charged with ethnic intimidation, harassment, conspiracy, disorderly conduct and open lewdness, Philadelphia Police Sergeant Charles McMullin said. Another suspect charged in the incident on Friday, Victor Vencus, had yet to turn himself in as of Sunday night, according to McMullin. Philadelphia Police Sergeant Joe Descher said that he had expected Vencus to turn himself in on Friday. No warrants have been issued for the other three men who were involved in the incident. Hamilton Court residents College senior Bela Shah and Wharton senior Monika Parikh have accused the five men -- four of whom are Drexel students -- of repeatedly shouting racial slurs at them after the group left Cavanaugh's Restaurant at 39th and Sansom streets Thursday morning at about 2 a.m. Shah and Parikh, who are South Asian, said they were called "dotheads" and "Indian bitches," and told to "go back to [their] country." In addition, Shah said the case has been "mishandled" by police and she is planning to file a complaint against Philadelphia Police Southwest Detectives. According to Shah, four University Police officers and one Philadelphia Police officer responded to the scene, two of whom attempted to dismiss the case. University Police Officer Rudy Palmer, however, insisted on pursing the suspects. Of the five suspects, only Rosenbaum and Vencus were taken into custody by police, but were later released when no charges were filed, Shah said. She added that Southwest Detectives did not interview Parikh, Palmer or her while the suspects were in custody. Director of Victim Support and Special Services Maureen Rush met with Parikh and Shah later Thursday. After hearing their account of the incident, Rush said she called Southwest Detectives, which reopened the case later that day. Parikh and Shah's statements were then taken by Southwest Detectives on Thursday at about 4:30 p.m., over 14 hours after the incident occurred, Shah said. "We think that officer Rudy Palmer of Penn Police handled [the situation] well," Shah added. "We do not think that Philadelphia Police and Southwest Detectives handled it well."
(03/27/95 10:00am)
Student government leaders are now questioning the constitutionality of a plan to fund parties sponsored by various Greek organizations and the Social Planning and Events Committee. At its budget meeting last Sunday, the UA voted to allocate SPEC $10,080 to fund open "Bring Your Own Beer" parties at fraternities and Houston Hall next fall. But a clause in the current UA constitution indicates that the UA should follow the "funding procedures" of the Student Activities Council. And some have equated this phrase with the SAC Funding Guidelines -- which prevent the funding of "social programs, parties or refreshments for meetings." "I think it's outrageous that they ignore parts of the constitution that pertain to funding," said SAC Finance Chairperson David Shapiro, a College sophomore. And UA Chairperson and Wharton junior Dan Debicella admitted the UA does not follow certain sections of its constitution. "That's an anachronistic part of the constitution," he said. "People become much too anal about all the constitutional crap -- it's not the U.S. Constitution or something." Debicella added that if the clause was true, the UA could not fund many of SPEC's other events, including Spring Fling. The complications involved in the clause lead to various interpretations, SAC Chairperson Richard Chow said. "Fling is a tradition so it's different," the Wharton senior added. "But it's difficult for me to have the UA setting this new precedent." But Director of Student Life Activities and Facilities Fran Walker said she interprets the constitution differently. "I would not interpret it as 'guidelines,' " she said, adding that "procedures" could simply mean how the budget process takes place. And SPEC President Lissette Monge, a College senior, said the clause is not problematic because most money does not go toward food or drink at SPEC events. "We have thrown parties that don't involve food or drinks," she said, adding that the parties' individual cost of up to $700 would pay for music and decorations. According to Chow, the budgetary decision should be reconsidered for reasons other than the constitution. Students have not been consulted, he said, and may not want their tuition money going towards open fraternity parties. Debicella, however, argued that the body made a decision to benefit the student body -- which superceded the constitution's specific clauses. "We do things that are right for students," he said. "The thing that people shouldn't do is run around pointing out anachronistic clauses in the constitution that have never been followed for 23 years." Shapiro said UA members may have had motives beyond making basic funding decisions when voting to pay for the parties. "I just think it's interesting that the constitutional reformers and Dan Schorr get over $10,000 for the fraternities and the fraternities endorse their proposals," he added. Schorr has denied that he made any such deal with the InterFraternity Council, which later endorsed a plan for constitutional reform he helped author. Chow said the UA's decision is an example of a continuous internal disregard for its constitutional policies. According to the UA constitution, for instance, the UA Steering Committee must give a copy of its budget to the SAC Finance Committee by February 1 of each year so SAC can make recommendations to the UA. But Chow said this process "is not really followed." Debicella said students who do not approve of the decision should approach the new UA with their concerns, or gather enough signatures to form a referendum to overturn the UA decision.
(03/27/95 10:00am)
Children across America now need to come up with a new excuse to miss a week or two of school. After over a decade of research and testing, the Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine for chicken pox on March 17th. Approximately 95 percent of United States children have suffered from chicken pox, the last significant childhood disease for which no vaccine exists. Following the spread of the vaccination, American children will no longer experience the symptoms of chicken pox -- ranging from itchy blisters to fever to death in the worst of cases. The vaccine will also prevent the more serious adult consequences of the disease, including pneumonia and brain swelling. The vaccine is considered safe with a 70 to 90 percent rate of effectiveness in preventing chicken pox. However, the remaining percentage of the population may develop a weak form of the disease from the shot with about 50 blisters -- 10 times less than in a normal case. The vaccine is considered to be very low risk. "The advancements in medical research over the past few years have truly been amazing," College freshman Amy Gross said. "As soon as the new vaccine is available, I'll be one of the first in line." For those, like Gross, who have never suffered through the chicken pox, vaccination will require two shots. Children under 12 years of age will only need to receive one shot. The vaccine, known as Varivax, is manufactured by Merck & Co. Inc. of West Point, in Montgomery County. It should be available to doctors for $39 a dose, in six to eight weeks, according to Merck virologist Alan Shaw. If the vaccine is recommended by the national Centers for Disease Control, the costs will be covered by Medicaid for low-income Americans. Varivax works by introducing the varicella virus into the recipient where it will remain for the life of the individual. The presence of the virus will allow the body's own immune system to build up defenses against the disease. Long-term affects of the vaccine are still being studied. However, the same vaccine may also be able to eliminate shingles from the population, due to the body's new build-up resistances.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
WASHINGTON -- It looked like any other press conference here in the East Room of the White House. President Bill Clinton stood behind the podium bearing the official seal of the President of the United States, while eager reporters scrawled notes and scrambled to get their questions answered by the nation's Chief Executive. But these newshounds were not the usual Beltway insiders who follow the President's every move like a group of starved vultures. The President had extended an invitation to students who worked for college newspapers across the country to attend a day of speeches from cabinet members, White House staff members and the U.S. Attorney General. Clinton, as well as Secretary of Education Richard Riley and Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, warned that the agenda of Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and other Republicans in Congress will threaten federal aid to universities. Former University president Sheldon Hackney, now chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, also attended. But the college reporters had to perform for an audience. United Press International's veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas and the rest of the Washington press core watched the aggressive young journalists barrage Clinton with questions ranging from affirmative action to immigration. "I don't believe we should cut [aid to universities], certainly not to pay for tax cuts, and not even to reduce the deficit," Clinton said. "We do not have to cut education to reduce the deficit." The President organized yesterday's first-ever student journalism day in an effort to lure students to Washington to provide information about the possible Republican cuts in funding to higher education. Clinton focused on Republican plans both to cut financial aid in the form of subsidies for interest on college loans and also to curtail direct loans, which provide aid to students without intermediary agencies, such as banks. "The American people said they wanted a different sort of debate here in Washington last November, and so we are having it," Clinton said. "Now, I believe that nothing will more clearly define the contours of this debate than what we decide to do in the area of education and training. "Look, I wouldn't be standing here today, no way in the world would I be standing here today, if it hadn't been for the opportunities America gave me through education," he added. The President told the student journalists, who had made trips from as far as Alaska to see Clinton, that education is more important to the general welfare of America now than when he was young. Clinton also addressed the issue of political correctness on college campuses. "I've been really quite concerned about the challenges that both students and faculty members face in this so-called political correctness atmosphere," he said. "I think we need to encourage people to say what they really think, but to do it in an atmosphere that is more tolerant." He said that he thought universities should be the "laboratories" for people to air their opinions.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Students in High Rise South have two new complaints about the aging and slow elevators in the building -- graffiti and the smell of wet paint. Over the last few weeks, various words, scrawls and names have been found written on the walls of the elevators. And each time, the Residential Maintenance workers have painted over the graffiti. According to Gordon Rickards, assistant director of residential safety, security and facilities, this is another example of residential vandalism that is currently costing the University $2,000 a week. Even though Residential Maintenance has been diligent about repainting the elevators' walls, vandals have gone so far as to scratch graffiti right into the wet paint. Students and administrators have expressed outrage about the ongoing problem, although they disagreed about how often it has occurred. According to Rickards, the vandalism most recently appeared last week and on Tuesday. But College sophomore Jeff Gerson said the problem has been occurring at least twice a week since late February. And College sophomore Lauren Askinazi said she thinks the elevator graffiti has occurred "almost every day." While students said they could not read most of the graffiti, Gerson said he could make out "Raiders" and "Pepper Boy." For example, on Tuesday night, maintenance employees repainted an elevator after new graffiti had been found in it. But as of Wednesday morning, "Raiders" was scratched into the paint, Gerson said. "By 11 a.m., it had been painted over again," he added. Rickards said water-based paint is being used to cover the graffiti, although eventually, he would like to see a tar-based paint which is more difficult to write on and carve. But Rickards added that the change in paint would be a long-term project. Constant painting in this case is costly in dollars and manpower that could be used elsewhere in the system. Director of Residential Living Gigi Simeone said she is concerned about the ongoing vandalism. "It is demoralizing for students to live in places where the residents in the community trash the place," she said. High Rise South residents said they think the graffiti is childish. "It's the stuff you see in grammar school," College sophomore John Capalbo said. "I thought we moved beyond that." Residential Living employee Richard Wagner, who works at the High Rise South front desk, said he could not understand why people were vandalizing the elevators. Although most students said they were unsure as to the vandal's motive, Wharton sophomore Christine Padlan offered one possibility. "Maybe they were drunk," she said. "I think it's stupid that people would do stuff like that." Rickards said the problems with the elevator walls will be part of the elevator overhaul scheduled to occur in the high rises over the next three years. The elevators in High Rise South are slated to be renovated this summer.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Searching through each other's closets for something to wear, a group of freshman women eagerly discuss sorority rush. With anxious anticipation, they compare which houses they like already and what event they are going to tonight. Hearing the excitement down the hall, one woman tries to block out the noise, but cannot. She likes the idea of joining a sorority, but as a lesbian, she cannot envision a place for herself in the Greek System. While the members of the Greek System, during the last few years, have advertised their multiculturalism, many gay, lesbian and bisexual students say they do not feel that this diversity extends to sexual orientation. And those gays who decided against rushing say the nature of fraternities or sororities, which often hold mixers and date parties, is not conducive to having homosexual members. For those who do rush, choosing a house becomes a complicated process. They must decide whether to discuss their sexuality during rush, and risk getting cut because of it, or wait until after rush and hope that no one will hold it against them. When College freshman Gary Reddick, a Daily Pennsylvanian staff writer, rushed fraternities, he initially did not mention that he was gay. But, as Reddick became friends with some of the brothers and found out that they were planning a date party, he felt he had to say something. "I told a couple of the brothers that I was gay and asked them how they would feel about having a gay brother," Reddick said. "I was surprised at their reaction. They said they didn't think it would be a problem, and said they would bounce the idea off of some other brothers without mentioning my name." When Reddick saw the brothers again they told him that a few said they might feel uncomfortable, but overall, most people did not mind. The brothers also told Reddick that he could bring a man to the date party. Reddick said he was pleased that the brothers seemed so accepting, but went to the date party alone. "I thought it would pose less of a risk of confrontation if I didn't take anyone," Reddick said. Soon after the party, Reddick said he dropped rush, not because of anything the brothers did, but because of possible tension he thought his sexuality might cause in the future. "People in the house could have felt that it's one thing to have a gay brother, but it's another thing to live with him or share a room with him," Reddick said. Other students have found that whether people in the Greek system accept their sexuality depends on how comfortable they are with themselves. When Jodi Bromberg, a 1994 University graduate, rushed now-disbanded Kappa Delta, she never discussed it with the sisters. "I was afraid of the repercussions," Bromberg said. "I was with friends I had only met six months before, and wasn't sure how they would react. I was scared I would lose the friends I had made." Later that year, Bromberg decided to tell her big sister that she was a lesbian and asked if that would affect her standing as a pledge. "She told me that the only way it would affect my standing is if it prevented me from becoming a sister of hers," Bromberg said. "It was the most supportive answer I could have asked for." After Bromberg wrote about her sexuality in the supplement for Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Awareness Days her sophomore year, she said that many sisters were eager to discuss the article with her. By her senior year, Bromberg was dating a woman and took her girlfriend to the formal. "I had a great time," Bromberg said. "It took a while to get to that point. I'm not sure I would have been comfortable doing that my sophomore year and I'm not sure the sisters would have been either. If you're uncomfortable with your sexuality then other people will be as well, because they will sense that." But Bromberg said that there are not many people who have met such tolerance and added that the InterFraternity and Panhellenic Councils must take an active role to make the Greek system more inclusive. "The system is inherently heterosexual," Bromberg said. "There are formals and crush parties, and many people who join houses for who they have mixers with. If the Greek system is going to be more welcoming [to gays] then the IFC and Panhel have to have programming. They have to reach out and say it's okay to be gay and bring someone of the same sex. "Fraternity and sorority members also have to stop the faggot jokes and the homophobic remarks. But, I'm not sure that will stop any time soon," she added. In past years, the Greek Social Action Committee has sponsored programs such as, "My Best Friend is Gay," according to Tricia Phaup, director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Because GSAC is currently restructuring, Phaup said, it has not scheduled any outreach programs this semester. Phaup added that next semester she will encourage GSAC to sponsor workshops where students can look at the issues that surround sexuality and ensure that the system is "open-minded." Many have found that such workshops are sorely needed. After attending some fraternity parties, College sophomore Rob Faunce said that he confirmed his notion that homosexuals would not fit into the Greek System. "I've gone to fraternity parties and talked to some of the brothers about the house," Faunce said. "They talked about brotherhood and then always made some comment to one another about 'finding chicks.' There's an assumption of heterosexuality that isn't comfortable for me." In 1987, gay men from Washington who wanted the experience of joining a fraternity, but did not feel they would be accepted at typically heterosexual houses, formed their own fraternity, Delta Lambda Phi. Men from around the city, including college students and graduates, joined the organization that now has 25 active members. Now, there are Delta Lambda Phi chapters based at universities and in cities across the country. Similar to traditionally heterosexual fraternities, Delta Lambda Phi conducts a formal rush and pledging process, according to fraternity president Keith Lutman, a 1990 University graduate. Hazing is prohibited. Serving largely as a social organization, the fraternity hosts parties and activities for brothers only, including rock climbing, softball and dinners. Besides helping brothers get to know each other, the many activities provide an alternative to the gay bars, Lutman said. While the fraternity was not originally designed as a support group, Lutman said, the fraternity becomes a natural place for brothers to turn when they need help dealing with the painful issues that often surround being gay. For example, younger members, who are often still at college, are just coming out and look to the older brothers for guidance. Frequently, the men who are coming out do not feel comfortable going to gay bars, so the fraternity serves as a less conspicuous place to make gay friends. To maintain the fraternity's stability, Lutman said the brothers instituted a "Hands Off" policy, forbidding pledges from becoming involved with brothers and discouraging them from dating each other. While the fraternity does not prohibit brothers from becoming romantically involved, Lutman said such relationships rarely happen and are usually frowned upon. "By the end of pledging you know each other so well that you're not interested in dating the person you might have been interested in at the beginning," Lutman said. "That's not what we're about." Joining Delta Lambda Phi allowed Lutman to experience brotherhood, which he says he could have never found at the University. "I wasn't out in the beginning of college, but I knew enough to know that I couldn't fake my way through the questions, like, 'how many women have you had,' " Lutman said. "I know that's not the only part of fraternity life, but that's one of the myths I heard. "If I had heard about a gay fraternity at Penn," he added, "I would've been there." But many students said they have found social outlets through the University and by exploring the city. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Association sponsors open dances every other week downtown. Gays from around Philadelphia and New Jersey attend the functions. Center City, with Giovanni's Room -- one of the world's largest gay bookstores -- and several gay clubs has also become a meeting ground for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. "It's the only place where I can dance with another gay man and not feel bad," Reddick said.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
With a passion born of experience, guest speaker Alvenia Albright urged an audience of more than 40 students to embrace and encourage diversity. Albright, the vice-president of development for the Chicago Urban League, warned at Wednesday night's Campus Organized Lectures on Racial Sensitivity forum that failure to do so could be disastrous. "If America is to survive, it has to change," Albright said. But she maintained a hopeful tone throughout her speech. "Some progress has been made on this journey to appreciate rather than scorn our diversity," Albright said. And her message, while at times challenging to her audience, was never divisive. "We must work together to eliminate racism in America," she said. "No one racial group can do that." Albright also addressed America's economic and educational problems. She emphasized that poverty and lack of education are major determinants of criminal behavior, and so end up affecting everyone. She warned the assembled students that they would have to get involved in order to stop the deterioration of the education system. "It requires a local initiative," Albright said. "Not an initiative from Washington." She also associated America's deteriorating race relations with economic problems. Albright came armed with an array of statistics highlighting the widening gap between the nation's rich and poor, and noted that the vast majority of top positions in business remain in the hands of white males. She finished her speech by asking the audience to think about their behavior and to try to educate themselves about people of different backgrounds. "Most hate is based on fear, and fear is bred in lack of knowledge and lack of experience," she said. Albright also stressed that today's attitudes will have an effect for generations to come. "You have the ability to make the change in your children who will see your behavior and imitate it," Albright said. "America's rich diversity should be cause for us to celebrate and brag," she added. Wharton senior Biren Johnson, co-chairperson of COLORS 1995, has known Albright for many years. "She is a great person and extremely knowledgeable," he said. "I knew she would be perfect for this." COLORS 1995 will continue tonight with a series of skits put on by Bloomers, Kite & Key and the Intercollegiate Coalition to End Discrimination. COLORS, a program aimed at improving campus race relations, is co-sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Chi fraternities.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Internet surfers are flooding the University's modem lines with a rising wave of calls. And this summer, in order to meet the students' continually growing demand, Data Communications and Computing Services will establish a faster modem pool with a higher ratio of modems to users, according to Dan Updegrove, executive director of DCCS. DCCS will augment the current set of 300 modems with 100 new modems and phone lines, he added. Approximately 60 of these will be set aside for a new modem pool which will run at 28,800 bits per second -- double the speed at which the regular modem pool now runs. The number of modems ultimately assigned to each pool will depend on how many people sign up for the faster service -- which will cost $200 per year. The slower pool will still be available to students and faculty at no charge, Updegrove said. The new modems will be connected at 14,400 bps but will all be switched to a 28,800 bps setting over the summer. Faster modems will gradually take the place of all the 14,400 bps modems in the regular pool, according to George McKenna, director of Network Operations and Engineering. This switch will also reduce the amount of air-conditioning needed to keep the modems from over heating. The new modems are one-fourth the size of the old modems, require less power and therefore generate less heat, he added. Updegrove said DCCS has added 60 modems each semester for the last four semesters. Despite this, students wishing to connect to PennNet often have to wait while their modems redial five or six times. Approximately 900 people dial PennNet each hour, and a modem becomes free every 4 or 5 seconds, according to Updegrove. The addition of this modem pool is just one of the changes DCCS is making to facilitate Internet access for the University community. In September, Dubois House, Hill House, Mayer Hall, Stouffer Triangle and Van Pelt House will be wired for ResNet, allowing more students to access PennNet using an ethernet card, bypassing the modem pools altogether. Updegrove urged students who will live in ResNet buildings next year to buy and use an Ethernet card. Students who need help obtaining or installing Ethernet software -- which is available at no extra charge -- should call the PennNet Help desk. "I used to use a modem, but then I put away childish things," said Engineering junior Meng Weng Wong, an Internet expert, adding that the slowest ethernet card is 350 times faster than the fastest modem. DCCS is also in the preliminary stages of discussion with Wade and Comcast Cable companies, which may one day provide the equivalent of Ethernet access, via television networks, to students and faculty off-campus. In the future, University students may also have wireless access to the Internet. Receivers at high altitudes --such as the tops of buildings -- would relay signals between the Internet and personal computers.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Members of the University's American Medical Student Association went into South Philadelphia on Saturday to help administer the hepatitis B immunization to Southeast Asian children. As part of AMSA's national project promoting childhood immunization, 35 volunteers went to the United Community Center to assist the Philadelphia Department of Health. "The Department of Health was impressed with our group," said AMSA President Anu Sharma, a post-baccalaureate student. Students participated by advertising the immunization to area children, educating their families about the hepatitis B vaccine and registering the children. AMSA members also provided refreshments and entertainment. "It was cool to help out by painting the kids' hands and faces because it took some pressure off of them receiving shots," College junior Jeanine Makara said. Because of the language barrier, many students had to work with translators. "This whole program really gave students exposure to working with children of another culture in a community outreach program," Sharma said. "It worked out really well and it was a wonderful opportunity for all involved. The University's AMSA chapter is also working on initiating an "Adopt-A-Kid" program to further the immunization project.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Two University students were ethnically harassed by drunk Drexel University students early yesterday morning. And the students claim University and Philadelphia police mishandled the situation. At 2 a.m. yesterday, four Drexel students and another man made an unusually loud drunken exit from Cavanaugh's restaurant. When a Hamilton Court resident, awakened by the noise, asked them to be quiet, they began slinging racial epithets at him. Hamilton Court residents College senior Bela Shah and Wharton senior Monika Parikh, who had also been sleeping, woke up when they heard a racial slur containing the words "Indian" and "7-11," and looked out the window. They also asked the Drexel students to lower their voices. But instead of complying, the Drexel students proceeded to harangue them with more racial epithets for about 15 minutes, until University police arrived on the scene in response to approximately eight phone calls complaining about the noise. Shah said four University Police officers along with one Philadelphia police officer questioned individuals at the scene. Next, she said, two of the police officers tried to dismiss the case altogether, but the one African-American University Police officer, Rudy Palmer, insisted on pursuing the suspects. Shah said University Police took two Drexel students named Gregory Rosenbaum and Victor Vencus into custody and drove them to the Philadelphia Police Southwest Detectives. Shah and Parikh were also escorted to the station to answer questions. Once at the police station, however, Shah said she was not interviewed by any detectives. She said she heard a discussion in the next room in which one person was urging another to release the students. Parikh said that Palmer had informed her that the father of one of the suspects is an area police officer. "I heard them in the other room saying, 'Those guys are college kids, they don't need a permanent record,' " Parikh said. At around 6 a.m. the students were released, with no charges pressed. The victims were told that for the suspects to be charged with ethnic intimidation, a police officer must have been on the scene to witness it. According to Victim Support and Special Services Director Maureen Rush this explanation is inaccurate. "No, that is not true," she said. "Bad guys don't usually want to stand there for cops to be there for them to say these things." Rush said that in truth, for a charge of ethnic intimidation to be pressed, the victim must be verbally assaulted on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. There must also be a physical threat of some type -- which in this case would be the fact that the students could not escape the verbal assault because they were in their home. "They live there, they can't leave," she said. "They could have gotten out of that apartment, but they would have been fearful of that." Rush added that the University Police were trained about ethnic intimidation this summer. After Rush met with Shah and Parikh, she called Southwest Detectives. They then decided to reopen the case and are presently working with the District Attorney's Office to obtain warrants for the arrest of the two students detained, Rush said. Shah and Parikh said they think the police acted inappropriately. "It was absolutely ridiculous," Shah said. "As soon as we got in there we heard [the Philadelphia Police] for a half an hour rationalize why there was no case. A few of the Penn Police were wrong for letting [the Drexel students] go and putting the whole thing on [Palmer]." Parikh thought that the questionable manner in which the incident was handled rivaled the incident itself. "I don't know what was worse," Parikh said. "The slurs or the treatment afterward." Shah also said race was a factor in the way the police treated the incident. "Privileged treatment to the white students was attributable to race," she said. "The white cops letting them go, the detectives saying, '[the matter] is not racial.' Yesterday they didn't give us the time of day and I do attribute that to race." Associate Vice-Provost for University Life Barbara Cassel said she was sorry the incident happened. "I feel very bad that it happened and doubly bad for the students that they did not get appropriate response from the police," she said. University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich, however, said his officers "took appropriate actions based on the circumstances found there." The two students said they were thankful to Palmer, who was supportive throughout the entire incident. "Had he not been there, I think this whole thing would have been pushed under the rug," Shah said. "It's only because of our persistence that this got moved any further." The DA's office will decide tomorrow whether to issue warrants for the arrest of the suspects.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
SAS decision stuns Camfield A School of Arts and Sciences committee voted to deny tenure to Gregg Camfield, an English professor well-liked by many students. Camfield said he was stunned by this decision. "I did absolutely everything I was supposed to do and to have this happen is quite surprising," he said yesterday. And many students and English professors -- including Department Chair John Richetti -- said they were upset by what they see as a great injustice. "I myself feel that Gregg deserved tenure," he said. "I would say that he did absolutely everything that he should do to get tenure at the University of Pennsylvania." This is not the only recent case of a popular professor being denied tenure. A few weeks ago, Geology Professor George Boyajian was voted down by the Personnel Committee -- although he received a unanimous vote of support from his department. According to Richetti, the requirements for tenure are teaching, scholarship and service -- all of which Camfield said he had fulfilled. Last May, Camfield received the English Undergraduate Advisory Board's first annual teaching award. Also, he has published one book and has a second book under contract. And Camfield served on the writing committee in the College which helped institute the writing requirement. Undergraduate English Chair Al Filreis described Camfield as "just the sort of faculty member we need to retain." He added that Camfield was especially popular among his students, mentioning that his evaluations in the Penn Course Review regularly averaged at 4.0. Richetti said that while Camfield received enough support from his department to reach the next step in tenure evaluation -- the SAS Personnel Committee -- not every faculty member was in favor of his tenure. And the SAS committee, comprised of distinguished members of the arts and sciences community, chose to reject his dossier, according to Richetti. But he added that SAS Dean Rosemary Stevens is not obligated to follow the advice of this committee. Stevens, however, said she believes that "deans rightly have a hands-off role in this stage of personnel determination." "My philosophy is not to override the decisions of this committee," she said. "I think they do a very good job and this is where the responsibility rests in the faculty for making judgements." Yet Stevens said she has not received a formal notification of the committee's decision in this case. Camfield said he will not be leaving the University before his time is up. "I have another year before they kick me out, so I will definitely be here another year," he said. Many members of the English UAB who have had Camfield as a professor said they were extremely disappointed at hearing the news of his rejection. "Outraged doesn't even begin to cover it," said College senior Liz Fekete. "Gregg Camfield is one of the best teachers at this University and I think the fact is incontestable." She added that she feels the administration acted in a hypocritical fashion. "Maybe I was wrong to believe that this University meant what it said when they said they were going to support teaching and undergraduate education," Fekete said. "But they have proven by this case that they didn't mean a word they said." College senior Michelle Falkoff said she was crushed by the decision. "I have absolutely no idea why they would have decided this," she said. "From what I understand the bulk of student opinion of him has been overwhelming." Fekete said the UAB is not going to let the decision go uncontested. "We are going to write letters, try to meet with the Dean -- we are going to do everything we can because he is too valuable to let leave," she said. Boyajian said last night that he was not terribly surprised by the SAS committee's decision to deny him tenure. "I have felt from day one that tenure was a crap shoot," he said. "Some people that deserve it probably don't get it; some people who get it don't deserve it." He added that he thinks he is an "above average" teacher and that as a researcher, his colleagues rank him in the top five of his peers. "If the University doesn't want that, that's up to them," Boyajian said.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Student leaders accomplished little at an "emergency" Student Activities Council meeting last night. They spent much of the meeting -- which was scheduled for a discussion on constitutional reform -- complaining they were wasting their time. They adjourned before completing their agenda. In a startling move as the meeting was being adjourned, however, Wharton junior and Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Dan Debicella told the body not to vote in next week's election. He later clarified his views, saying he wants people to vote for UA candidates but does not want people to vote on the referenda because they would create an "all powerful UA called the Undergraduate Senate." But College senior Dan Schorr, a UA member, said Debicella was advocating apathy. "It would be unfortunate if our attempt to fight apathy was killed by apathy," Schorr said. And College junior Mike Nadel, a Daily Pennsylvanian columnist, said he was appalled and disgusted by Debicella's remarks. Only slightly more than half of SAC attended the unplanned meeting, although most representatives had learned about it Monday. And although SAC Chairperson Richard Chow called the meeting to discuss proposals for student government constitutional reform, SAC representatives did not focus on the content of the actual referenda. Chow, a Wharton senior, had enlisted the Nominations and Elections Committee to make an "unbiased" presentation on each of the four referenda that will appear on next week's ballot. But some had called the NEC's objectivity into question since one of the constitutional proposals abolishes the body. Before the meeting began, Chow ruled that none of the referenda's authors could speak or answer questions, because he said, he did not want the meeting to be a "beauty contest." This became a point of contention later in the relatively brief meeting, after SAC representatives expressed dissatisfaction with the NEC presentation. Difficulties began when NEC Chairperson and College senior Rick Gresh presented referendum "B" -- a proposed amendment regarding electoral reform. SAC representatives requested specifics on the plan, proposed by Debicella, which would create geographic voting districts. They were told, however, that the NEC did not have that information. "I can only give what is factually stated in the document," Gresh said. "It is not my job to do interpretation." This became the theme for the rest of the meeting, as representatives became frustrated with the answers and information they received. After College freshman and NEC member Diane Casteel began to read aloud sections of the A1 constitution -- authored by Schorr and Nadel -- representatives began to call the discussion "useless." Citing the public availability of both proposals, College junior and SAC representative Michael Rutner asked if the body could overturn Chow's decision to prevent the authors from speaking. Although Nadel and Schorr were present to speak for the A1 constitution, no one took responsibility for the A2 proposal. College senior Sharon Jindal, who has admitted that she contributed to the A2 proposal, was present at the meeting, but said afterward she felt she could not "properly represent the entire proposal." "I came as a SAC representative and nothing else," Jindal said, adding she was upset that her proposal was never discussed during the meeting. A motion to overturn Chow's ruling overwhelmingly failed. College junior Paul Pimentel, a SAC representative for Penn Players, then motioned to adjourn the meeting. The body was practically unanimous in agreement. Elections will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday. To pass any of the referenda, 20 percent of undergraduates must vote and a majority of them must be in favor of the proposals.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Wharton junior Kendrick Cox was elected president of the Black Student League for the next academic year at a BSL meeting last night in DuBois College House. Cox defeated College junior Onyx Finney, College junior William Walton and College sophomore Obinna Adibe, who was later elected treasurer. College sophomore Anika Francis was elected vice president, also defeating Walton and Adibe. Cox, making his pitch to an audience of about 50 students -- 20 of whom are full members of the BSL and have voting privileges -- said his vision for the coming term is "Alive in '95." Cox said the BSL must increase its membership to make itself a more effective voice for African-American students. "I'm talking about a membership that cares," said Cox, who served as the BSL representative to the United Minorities Council in his freshman and sophomore years. Cox told the audience that he wants a membership drive at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters to help achieve his goal. He also said he will try to bring together various African-American organizations at the University to form a tutoring project, through which African-American students can tutor each other. Cox added that it is necessary for African-American students to take more leadership roles on campus so they can be leaders in the future. "How can we be future leaders if we're not leaders right now?" Cox asked. Outgoing BSL President Robyn Kent, a College senior, was enthusiastic about Cox's election. "As president, I think he'd represent the Black Student League and the black students here on campus very well," Kent said. "Hopefully, he will continue a lot of what was implemented in the last year, and in addition to that, add new things to what was done last year." Cox said he is "elated" by his victory, adding that he competed with "a great field" of candidates. "When you have four people running for one position alone, it's unprecedented," he said. Others elected to the BSL board include College freshman Kenna Wyllie, who will serve as the BSL representative to the Student Activities Council, and College sophomore Sean Coleman, who will be the BSL's United Minorities Council representative.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan will be speaking at the Philadelphia Civic Center Monday. The event -- which is "open to males of ever race, creed and color" -- marks the second time the renowned black Muslim has been to Philadelphia this academic year. Farrakhan is also known for his radical views, which some consider anti-semitic and racist. One of Farrakhan's main messages, according to organizers of the event, will be to call on one million black men to a "March on Washington" on October 16. Although, University students had differing viewpoints on the embattled speaker, all agreed he should be given a forum. College senior and Undergraduate Assembly member Dan Schorr defended Farrakhan's right to speak. "I think he has a right to speak," Schorr said. "It's a shame everyone can't go and see it. "Some of the things he says are anti-Semitic, but he has a right to say them," he added. "It's important that people hear what he has to say so they can judge for themselves whether he's anti-Semitic or not." College junior and Black Student League Vice President Onyx Finney said the press has been unfair to Farrakhan. He added that he approves of Farrakhan limiting his speech to only men because sometimes there is a need for men to talk amongst them selves about certain issues. "People jump to conclusions when he comes," Finney said. "He's gotten a bad rap. The fact that he's speaking to men exclusively is not sexist." College sophomore and Jewish Social Action Committee Evan Weiner said that Farrakhan is entitled to free speech. But he added that he hopes to educate the public and expose myths about Farrakhan. "This is America and I believe in the freedom of speech and he has to have a forum to speak in," Weiner said. "However, the kind of hate that he expresses is against everything I stand for and America stands for. "Instead of censoring his language, I'd rather have it posted all over the media so that people can see what kind of hate he expresses," he added. And Vision editor and Engineering junior Cardell Orrin said Farrakhan brings an important message to the African-American community. "His message is positive for the people he's speaking to," Orrin said. "He's trying to help African Americans to empower themselves and to help them to fight the racism that they face everyday and to be strong in the system they live in everyday."
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Award-winning psychologist Linda Myers proposed a cultural revolution yesterday. More than 50 students, faculty and staff members at the W.E.B. DuBois College House attended Myer's speech, which discussed everything from race relations to sexual relations. As a solution to the nation's social crisis, she proposed her "optimal theory," an Afro-centric psychological approach which uses an ancient African belief system to solve modern problems. In this view of life, people are simply an extension of the universe around them, she said. "Optimal theory is not just something that I speak of, it is something that I live," Myers added. According to Myers, many of the country's problems can be attributed to the Western "sub-optimal" social system. She associated this system with a "fragmented," materialistic approach to life, and an over-reliance on the information gathered with "the five senses." She stressed that this dependence on empirical knowledge prevents people from gaining self-knowledge. "Self-knowledge and self-love are the basis of all knowledge and all love," Myers said. Self-esteem can only be gained by looking inward and rejecting the sub-optimal system, she added. Myers said that people of African descent suffer more under the sub-optimal system than those of European descent, since their own culture was based on optimal concepts. But she added that people of all races would be better off if they observed optimal teachings. "As human beings, what's really different between us is not how we look, but how we think," she said. She noted that W.E.B. DuBois himself left the United States toward the end of his life, claiming that America was hopelessly racist. Myers said she agreed with DuBois' view, and advocated the creation of separate institutions to offer alternatives to the Western system. Myers is a professor at Ohio State University and holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She was invited to campus by the Undergraduate African Studies Advisory Board.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
In a harsh critique of American advertising, author Norman Mailer warned that corporations are brainwashing the public yesterday during a colloquium entitled, "Advertising in America." Kathleen Hall Jamieson, dean of the Annenberg School for Communication, moderated the event in Meyerson Hall. Law School Professor Ed Baker and Communications Professor Joseph Turow also participated. The third in a series of events this week featuring the Pulitzer-Prize winner, the colloquium was Mailer's last scheduled appearance at the University. While advertisements were historically designed to inform consumers about a product, Mailer said that with mass production, commercials have strayed from their intended role. Using cars as an example, Mailer explained that in the 1930s, one could easily tell which company produced which car. Now, he said he has to "bend down and peer at the license plate" to make sure he is getting into the right car. But while quality may have decreased, the money companies spend on advertising has increased dramatically. Ironically, a few years ago Mailer had his own commercial debut -- which was also his last. Struggling to pay his income tax, Mailer appeared in an ad for Trump Airlines. Sitting next to boxing promoter Don King in an airplane set, Mailer said the advertisement producers instructed them to engage in an argument as fog machines pumping smoke onto the set created a "surrealistic" mood. Closing the commercial, the official slogan was, "You Never Know Who You'll Meet on Trump Airlines" fit into Mailer's depiction of the modern television ad: more theater than substance. What Mailer seemed to find even more disturbing was the power advertisers have over people and the degree that they "interrupt our aesthetic pleasure." After visiting the Soviet Union in the 1980s while doing research for his new book, Oswald's Tale: An American Mystery, Mailer said he was struck by how government propaganda compared to American advertising. "One thing I noticed was how crude the Soviet brainwashing was," Mailer said. "They would have signs that said, 'Communism is vigor and loyalty.' The kids would see it and hated it." American advertising is more subtle, Mailer said. "You get the sense of a powerful presence," Mailer said. "There's a sense that you're not controlling your life. "We're much more brainwashed than the Soviets ever were," he added. "The Soviet people were powerless to oppose the Soviet government, but they knew they did not like the people running their lives. But the corporate government does dominate us, does impinge on us, does run our lives, and has pulled off the greatest shell game in the history of shell games." But according to Turow, advertisers are interrupting less by subtly placing products in television shows and movies. "That's monstrous," Mailer said. "That implies that the product has something to do with how fast the car goes. It's confusing to a young mind." "And an old one," Turow retorted with a smile. "Just wait till I get old," Mailer replied.
