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(03/22/95 10:00am)
The University may not be getting the Revlon Center, but there is a brand new Clinique counter at The Book Store. The addition is not the consolation prize it seems, though -- it is The Book Store's attempt to give students what they want. And the Clinique counter is a soft touch amidst the usual text books and t-shirts. It has white formica counters with mirror trim and sterile rows of liquids in pastel pink, green, yellow and purple. But it is not just pretty, it is smart, too. The 100 square-foot booth will sell the company's full line of skin-care products and make-up at the suggested retail price and offer students a convenient place to pick up the usual promotions. And it will go one step further. The University's Clinique counter will offer "Cyberface," an interactive guide to skin care and makeup. The company will distribute Cyberface floppy disks to all customers. The program, which can be used with a Macintosh or IBM DOS/Windows, will evaluate a customer's skin type and offer suggestions about skin care and makeup. Cyberface facilitates the search for the perfect cosmetic by making product listings and prices available with just the touch of a mouse. "It offers us a unique opportunity to bring in cosmetics with people who know what they're doing," The Book Store Director Mike Knezic said. "Education of students to the whole of skin care is what they're looking for." Clinique has successfully initiated similar ventures at universities across the country, including Yale and Princeton Universities and the University of California, Berkeley. And if purchase receipts from Monday, the counter's first day of operation, are any indicator of the company's future prospects at The Book Store, Clinique can add one more university to its success list. Knezic said the counter sold about $1,000 in products Monday even though the counter's opening was unpublicized. The project was initiated in November when Clinique approached the University about selling its products on campus. Revlon, another cosmetics company, contacted the University with a similar proposal at about the same time. And the timing was right. The Book Store had just finalized the plans for a partnership with My Favorite Muffin, the coffee shop projected to open in the store by the end of the month. And when they began renovating to accommodate the 750 square foot shop, it was clear that some rearranging could easily make room for the cosmetic center. So, books moved and walls were pushed back to make room for the Clinique counter -- as well as 16 feet of pegboard for Revlon products.
(03/22/95 10:00am)
The prospect of Walt Disney Co. creating a multi-million dollar theme park at the Philadelphia Naval Yard is now dead in the water. According to Disney Development Co. Communications Manager Michael Johnson, Disney America has decided that it will not open a facility here under any conditions. "There's nothing to the Philadelphia possibility," Johnson said. "It's never been on the drawing board. There's nothing to any possible theme park or Disney America participation in that region of the country." Speculation that Philadelphia and Disney were discussing the possibility of Disney America coming to the Philadelphia Naval Yard originated in early October when City Councilman Joseph Vignola sent a letter formally asking Disney to build its newest theme park in Philadelphia. Vignola has now confirmed that Disney is not coming to the city. "All I know is that Disney is not going anywhere," Vignola said. "I think there is a very good opportunity we could get some major entertainment group here on our side of the Delaware River." And Terry Gillern, the city's deputy commerce director, said that Disney and the city were never involved in formal discussions. "I think negotiations would not be the right word," Gillern said. "I don't think we got into anything that would roughly approximate negotiations. I'm not sure if anyone from the city ever talked to Disney." Gillern said Disney "gave the proposal a look" and added that they would rather consider the metropolitan Washington/Virginia area. She also said the weather in Philadelphia is not conducive to a Disney operation. And she said theme parks do not create many "direct" jobs, but are beneficial to the tourism industry. Rather than a theme park, it appears the Naval Yard might be home to two private shipbuilding firms that would employ approximately 2,750 workers, Gillern said. The Disney America theme park and housing development -- originally slated to be built in Manassas, Va. -- was scrapped last September when environmentalists and landowners protested the proposal. In spite of these set-backs, Disney has not given up on their plan to construct the new complex, Johnson said. "The whole Disney America concept has gone back to the drawing boards to determine the best way to deal with that," he said. "Despite the setback from 1994 in the Virginia area, the Disney America concept is something that the company is very interested in portraying for the American consumer public." And Disney is still moving ahead with other developments. Last week, Disney announced plans for a new resort in Florida called the Disney Institute. According to Johnson, the Disney Institute will be an "intense hands-on vacation experience." Johnson said the facility will have recreational activities such as swimming, boating and food combined with seminars ranging from nutrition to French literature. "It is a very interesting concept. If we get enough people interested in 19th century art in France, then there will be a course for that," he said.
(03/22/95 10:00am)
Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, discussed her organization's efforts to advance the cause of gay and lesbian rights last night in Stiteler Hall as part of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian Awareness Days. Birch has been in her current position at HRCF -- the largest gay and lesbian political organization in the country -- for just eight weeks. This was her first visit to a college campus in that capacity. Birch, who formerly served as Worldwide Director of Litigation and Human Resources council for Apple Computer, said this move allows her to bring "very exciting, 21st century tools to the gay and lesbian movement." She spoke about her realization that she was a lesbian -- which came very early in her life while she lived in Canada. "I am one of those children that knew very, very early on about my sexuality, and it was unusual because I felt enormously special about it," she said. "Literally, I sprung whole on the Canadian prairie as a little tiny lesbian," Birch quipped to an audience of approximately 35. In speaking about her work, Birch said HRCF works within the political realm. HRCF "is about amassing power within the conventional American legislative and electoral processes," Birch said. She added that it is necessary for gays and lesbians to be able to influence legislators in both the Democratic and Republican parties. Birch also said gays and lesbians should work on establishing a political field operation in the United States, something which she said has not been done before. "We have never laid down the magical grid, so that?at the congressional district level, we build critical masses around each member [of Congress] to alter behavior at the top," Birch said. She explained that working to increase funding for AIDS research is among HRCF's top legislative priorities for the 104th Congress. In addition, Birch said HRCF will work to have the Employment Non-Discrimination Act introduced. She said that although she does not expect it to pass in the current session of Congress, it serves as an educational tool, and therefore could be passed in the future. Birch added that HRCF is trying to bring moderate Republicans to support their cause. She also said the best way to promote a bipartisan support is by talking about gays and lesbians in the workplace. "It is our best, most fertile ground to organize on right now," she said. She added that this is "an extremely hopeful time" for gays and lesbians in the United States. "This country is way ahead of Congress in terms of gay and lesbian and bisexual issues," she said. "This country has been transformed in the last two years." Birch pointed to the corporate world -- which she called "a very conservative part of American society" -- for evidence of this. She noted that more than half of the Fortune 1000 companies have non-discrimination policies, and about half of these have been implemented in the last year and a half.
(03/22/95 10:00am)
A change in the University of Pennsylvania Student Federal Credit Union's funds-availability policy last month left a biomedical sciences doctoral student and her husband without any change to spare. Marc Turner and his wife Julie have a joint account at UPSFCU. He said last night that in 1991, they opened the account because the organization's fee structure was lower than those advertised by competing city banks. But according to Turner, UPSFCU began holding out-of-state checks for five business days instead of just two on Feb. 22. He said he never received notice that the Credit Union's policy would be altered, and as a result bounced three checks to retailers that should have been covered by a Feb. 23 deposit. In addition, Julie Turner's stipend payments -- which are direct-deposited by the University -- were taking an extra day to clear, her husband said. "That's sort of check-kiting [because] they're getting the interest for the deposit," he added. "The money is in your account but it's not available to you." Credit union officials, however, maintain that the policy adjustment was made to insure UPSFCU's compliance with National Credit Union Association regulations. By law, banks are permitted to hold funds for up to five business days following deposit, although many banks in the area have a two-day turnaround time. Wharton junior Deborah Scharf, UPSFCU chief financial officer, said last night that all customers were made aware of the policy revisions at least 30 days in advance through information mailed with their monthly statements. Signs explaining the new policy were also posted at UPSFCU's office in Houston Hall, she said. "If there are any problems, they're being dealt with by member services representatives," Scharf added. Account executives are telephoning customers involved in cases like the Turners' on a case-by-case basis. But the Turners said the situation has not yet been resolved to their satisfaction. "Out of a $400 deposit, they took $100" in non-sufficient funds fees, Marc Turner said. The couple has written to the National Credit Union Association, which has given UPSFCU until April 21 to respond to their complaint. University President Judith Rodin has also promised to look into the matter, Turner said.
(03/22/95 10:00am)
Leslie Seymore, an American Civil Liberties Union board member, told an audience of more than 20 last night that "the powers that be are pitting minority groups against each other for their own personal gain." At the first annual Distinguished Speakers Forum, sponsored by Aetna Scholars, Seymore and three other panelists discussed the benefits of affirmative action. She said there are still Philadelphia police units lacking black and female members. Seymore also explained that she was a plaintiff in two different lawsuits against the city -- both of which succeeded in showing that Philadelphia hired its police force according to race and sex. Seymore defined affirmative action as the "legal redress of proven discrimination." She added that Philadelphia has been proven to be discriminatory in its hiring. For example, one court ordered the police department to meet a quota of 30 percent female officers by 1986 -- 10 years following the court's decision, she said. But almost 20 years later, the city has not yet met this quota. Seymore added that 75 percent of management jobs in utility companies are occupied by white males, while only six percent are occupied by minority females. Sociology Professor Elijah Anderson offered another definition of affirmative action. It "is a redistribution of opportunities," he said. "It incorporates people into the system." "The system" was also referred to by Angel Ortiz, a Philadelphia city councilman, who said that it "systematically made you ashamed of?your culture and heritage?and stereotyped you into a box." He recounted an experience when he was told he could not run for City Council because he is Puerto Rican. Ortiz added that he is proud to have eventually run for office and to have been elected. Kevin Vaughn, the executive director of the Philadelphia Commission of Human Relations, was worried that the government might end affirmative action programs. If it is abolished, Vaughn said he believes that the government should "criminalize discrimination" as another form of promoting equality of opportunity. Major Barnett, a graduate student in the School of Social Work, agreed that affirmative action is necessary to "promote equality and fairness in society." Wharton freshman David Lu said that without affirmative action "a white male–dominated society will continue." He said that being Asian, he was against affirmative action "in terms of college admissions." "If it was based on meritocracy there would be a majority of Asians," he explained.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
The next time you turn on your television, the University's White Women Against Racism support group might be the topic of conversation on the Montel Williams show. Officials affiliated with the nationally syndicated talk-show have contacted Engineering junior Janali Davis about a possible appearance on the program, she said. "I will accept the offer to go on if they get back in touch with me," Davis said. After WWAR barred her from attending a WWAR support group meeting last month, Davis had planned to file a complaint with the Office of Affirmative Action, but was instead advised by affirmative action officials to first speak with the Penn's Women's Center. Davis has an appointment scheduled with the Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi for this Wednesday. If the issue is not resolved in that meeting, University officials told Davis that she should speak with the Office of University Life. "[Affirmative Action officials] said if I didn't get anywhere with that then to go through and file an official complaint," Davis said. Affirmative Action would then proceed with an investigation to see if the University's nondiscrimination policy was violated at the WWAR meeting. Recommendations resulting from the investigation would be sanctioned to the Women's Center. Davis has already spoken with Gloria Gay, Women's Center associate director, about the WWAR's policy of excluding blacks. Thus far, reactions to the incident have been mixed. According to Black Student League President and College senior Robyn Kent, several students support Davis's complaint. But she said those familiar with the Women's Center policies and programs understand the reasons for the exclusion policy. Davis said she has received numerous phone calls and electronic mail messages supporting her position. DiLapi did not return several calls placed to her home and office yesterday.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
The unifying element of Wharton senior Bill Elliott's recording studio is out the window. Really, it is. The wires that connect Elliott's board of infinite dials in the control room (a.k.a. Elliott's bedroom), to the the microphones in the second floor studio run down the side of 3721 Chestnut Street. Elliott, who plays guitar and does vocals for the Philadelphia band Splendorbin, invested in recording equipment about a year ago when the band was looking to make a demo tape and found the prices prohibitive. So, Elliot charged up $2,000 on his credit card, crammed all the equipment into his room at the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity house and fulfilled his teenage desire to have recording studio in his own home. Although the project started as a hobby, an entrepreneurial venture and an effort to help his band, the studio also serves another purpose. It offers local bands a cheaper, convenient way to produce an "improved quality" demo tape. While the band found studios charged a minimum of $20 to $25 per hour plus the charge of the tape, Elliott charges $10 per hour plus a materials fee. "I know there are a lot of bands at Penn who want to record something," he said. "This is affordable and close to them, if they don't have cars to transport the equipment." In his shoebox-like room, Elliott has all the equipment necessary to perform a process most people don't think about -- the transformation of live music to digital tape. To make a recording, he first decides which instrument will be assigned to which track, or connection. Each of the eight tracks is recorded separately, then mixed by "overdubbing" to achieve the right sound levels. The music is recorded on a reel to reel and then transferred to a digital tape. When Splendorbin recorded the tape for the seven-inch vinyl it recently released in Elliott's studio, he found it "kind of tricky" to make and mix the music at the same time. But no, he didn't run up and down the stairs really fast; he first recorded all the other instruments and then simply played with one hand while controlling the mixing equipment with the other. Sounds more than a little tricky. Elliott said he has invested between $8,000 and $9,000 in recording equipment since he first started the business. But the price is worth it if the quality improves, he added. Wearing a Fishbone t-shirt, black suede sneakers, that just-rolled-out-of-bed hairdo and nursing a squat bottle of Redstripe, Elliott switches his gaze from the street below to his soundboard. As his fingers dance across the dials, turning each one with the comfort of experience and the quickness of a pro, it is clear how much he has invested himself in the music industry. And Elliott is not undertaking the endeavor for purely economical reasons. "We just want to put some good music out that otherwise wouldn't be heard," he said. Elliott said his father seems to agree. "Then my dad calls me to find out if I've got my job on Wall Street yet," he said with a slight smile. "He's pretty much figured out that I'm not going to be considering that." Elliott explained that his father was in a band in his college days, and he opened for the Byrds. But salaries have changed since then, he added. "He says 'all you'll make is 25 for the night and all you can drink,' " Elliott said. "And all I make is 15 and three beers. But I'm happy this way."
(03/21/95 10:00am)
University President Judith Rodin will be in Harrisburg today, meeting with legislative leaders and Governor Tom Ridge's budget director to discuss the University's state appropriation for fiscal year 1996. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman, who is accompanying Rodin to the state capital, said the president's conversations will focus on funding for the Veterinary School and state financial aid for undergraduates who are also Pennsylvania residents. Scheman said the Vet School is recognized as the best school of its kind worldwide, in terms of faculty expertise, publication in respected journals and student aptitude. "It's really an extraordinary school and it needs more stability in funding," Scheman added. Currently, the Vet School receives less than 20 percent of its budget from the state, the smallest appropriation given by any state across the country for a veterinary school. Combined with the relative lack of state funding, the Vet School's steep tuition costs have forced many qualified state residents to obtain their education in animal husbandry elsewhere.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
A week-long series examining the University's gay, lesbian and bisexual community At Camden County Community College in New Jersey, Anthony Putz did not feel at home. As a gay man, he found himself completely alone. "We didn't have a visible gay presence at all," the College of General Studies student said. "There were 16,000 students and when I wanted to start a gay group, I couldn't find one faculty advisor to support me." So when looking for a graduate school, Putz was drawn to the University because of its "liberal" reputation and its supposed acceptance of homosexuality. "The reason I came was because of all of the policies Penn has to protect gays and lesbians on campus, liberal housing policies, insurance for domestic partners," said Putz, the chairperson of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Alliance. "So I expected it to be this wonderful, accepting, comfortable environment." However, upon arriving in University City in the fall of 1993, Putz encountered a very different situation than the one he expected. "And after reading the DP and the editorials written by Jodi [Bromberg] and Steve [Houghton], the backlash they got made me realize that the attitudes are not as accepting as I had believed them to be," he said. Opinions on gay relations at the University are as varied as the gay communities and individuals themselves. College sophomore Melissa Krakowski, for example, came to the University from a religiously conservative town and found relatively positive attitudes on campus. "I have not had one negative comment said to me," Krakowski said. "I won't say homophobia doesn't exist here, but I think that because people are here at college and because we're so PC, it's not as bad as it is in the real world and in suburbia. It's a more friendly atmosphere here than in general." However, Krakowski said she was aware that some individuals on campus are not comfortable with her sexual orientation. "There are people who last year didn't feel comfortable around me and I know that for a fact," she said. Other students said they definitely do not feel comfortable being open with their homosexuality on campus. For example, College senior Stephen Houghton said that many gay, lesbian and bisexual students feel more comfortable holding their lovers' hands in Center City than on Locust Walk. Houghton added that he feels that homophobia is prevalent not only among individuals, but within the University as an entity. "Penn appears to be very supportive, but underneath that is a strong current of conservative and hateful values," he said. "There's a such thing as institutionalized oppression." Putz said he has encountered gay-bashing in the form of vandalism. One morning three years ago, he went outside of his house one morning and found the word "faggot" spray-painted on his door. Putz felt "angry, scared a little bit, shocked a little bit, appalled. I couldn't believed that happened in my neighborhood." And last summer, a student filed a police report after a man pushed him into Spruce street while verbally assaulting him for being gay. But such reports are not common at the University. Although students reported homophobic attitudes and actions on campus, every individual interviewed said they had straight friends as well as gay friends. "I don't know anybody who has only gay friends," said Bob Schoenberg, director of the Program for the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community at Penn. "I don't think gay people are interested in having only gay friends." Schoenberg explained that as individuals become more confident with their sexuality, they want to have more diversity in their friendships. "Developmentally, as people get more secure in their identities, they find that sexual orientation isn't enough," he said. Conversely, some gays, bisexuals and lesbians may take longer to make friends who share their sexual preference. "It seems to me that before someone comes out, most of the people they know are straight," School of Arts and Sciences graduate student Janine Denomme said. "When they come out, they come more into contact with gay, lesbian and bisexual people. That part of their community grows. Most keep straight friends. "I mean, we work with [straight] people, we go to school with [straight] people, they're in our families," he added. Kurt Conklin, a health educator at Student Health Services, agreed that it is statistically expected for gay, lesbian and bisexuals to have straight friends. "Given that at least 90 percent of the population is heterosexual, I think it is more likely that gay students will have a mix of friends," he said. "There may be students whose closest friends are gay, but they still have a large number of heterosexual friends." Some note that within the homosexual community, a man is more likely to have male friends and a woman is more likely to have women friends. "I don't think that many gay men get to make friends with a lot of lesbian women," Conklin said. Schoenberg said that when straight people actually know and interact with gay, lesbian and bisexual people, they become more accepting overall. "People who know gays, lesbians and bisexuals and know they know us tend to be more supportive," Schoenberg said. Many gay people see a threat in those people who feel that when gays earn civil rights, the mainstream community loses its own sense of superiority. "The type of person who I see as the most worrisome opponent is the person who believes that they lose out when gay and lesbian people try to make themselves [better] or try to lobby for domestic partnership benefits or try to express what it's like to be a gay, lesbian or bisexual person," Conklin said. "Many Americans feel that [gays are] asking for special rights, but in fact they're trying to take part in American society. They feel that if gay and lesbian people live on equal footing, they will lose out." In explaining this point, Schoenberg brought up the controversial debate over whether homosexuality is genetic or "chosen" later in life. "Our opponents want to pick the answer that will result in us getting the least amount of resources," he said. "If it's choice, they say 'you aren't entitled to civil rights.' If it's biochemical or hormonal, people try to drum up ways to change us or get rid of us." One group historically opposed to homosexuality is the Catholic Church. Today, Pope John Paul II does not recognize it as an acceptable form of sexuality and insists that his gay congregants abstain from intercourse. "Homosexuals are called to chastity, which is the same for single adults," Assistant Director of the Newman Center Bob Cardie said. "I'm sure it's a difficulty for them as it is for a single [heterosexual] college student to stay chaste." Cardie said that "sex is the highest form of communication and should be reserved for married couples." He acknowledged, of course, that there is no marriage ceremony for homosexuals recognized by the Catholic Church. Cardie added that insensitivity towards gay individuals is frowned upon in the Church. "The Catholic Church realizes that there are many men and women that have homosexual tendencies," he said. "It also realizes that they do not choose their homosexual conditions and the Church has always taught that homosexuals should be treated with respect and compassion. Any injustice against them is wrong." In an effort to make Christian homosexuals feel more comfortable, the Christian Association held a program entitled "Coming Out to God"earlier this year. Beverly Dalem, Christian Association director, said she held the program to show gay Christians that there is a place for them within the faith. "Unfortunately, many gays and lesbians and bisexuals have never heard any good news for them from Christianity, nor have they seen Christian models such as gay theologians who are Christians," she said. "So the purpose of the program was to show support for Christians who are struggling to live a life of integrity that is true to who God created them to be and faithful to the God they serve." She said that the Protestant faith is generally accepting of homosexuality. "God's love is inclusive of everyone," she said. She also said that one of the duties of Christianity is to work for "justice for those who are being stepped on." But the most commonly-shared opinion among gays, bisexuals and lesbians interviewed was that the biggest enemy to the gay community is ignorance. "If they were more well-informed they might be allies," College Junior and Generation XX Co-Editor Jennifer Manion. "But their ignorance is the greatest barrier between me and equality." Schoenberg said he feels that one of the only ways to end homophobia is through education.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
SPEC to dole out $10,080 It's on the house. The Undergraduate Assembly voted in favor of funding weekly "Bring Your Own Beer" fraternity parties on campus next fall at their UA budget meeting, a decision unprecedented in the history of the body. As Sunday stretched into Monday, the body decided to allocate an additional $10,080 to the Special Events Committee of the Social Planning and Events Committee for this purpose. The parties will be co-sponsored by SPEC, the Inter-Fraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and the Bi-Cultural Inter-Greek Council. The proposal is designed to salvage the University's social life, which Interfraternity Council Judicial Manager and UA representative Josh Gottheimer said has been lagging as a result of the BYOB policy that was implemented last semester. And the he said the parties are aimed at the entire University community -- not just the Greeks. Gottheimer, a College sophomore, said many students are not willing to pay a cover charge to attend a party when they must also pay for the alcohol they bring to the party. This has hurt fraternities, he said. He added that the money provided by SPEC would be used to help offset the costs of throwing a party. "We can't charge at the door anymore, so revenues have gone down the toilet," he said at the meeting. Gottheimer said a lottery will be held within the next few weeks to determine which fraternities will hold parties in the fall. UA representative Dan Schorr, a College senior, argued in favor of additional funding for SPEC. "Social life has been killed," Schorr said. "The Walk is dead." Panhel President Lissette Calderon said these parties will keep students on campus. "We find this a very feasible, safe way to keep Penn's students on campus, whether Greek or non-Greek," said the Wharton junior. UA representative Eric Tienou, a College junior who voted against the appeal, said he felt the plan, outlined only minutes before it was discussed, was too hastily considered. He also questioned whether the parties should be funded. Gottheimer estimated the cost of each party at approximately $700. He said there is currently discussion among the four Greek groups to determine how to pay for costs above those allotted for the party. He said the organizations will seek additional funding in the coming weeks. A "pilot" party, funded by SPEC, will be held this semester Originally, SPEC made an appeal for $26,040 to hold parties on some Thursdays and every Friday and Saturday. But the UA denied SPEC's request, and then a second plea for $20,160 to hold parties two nights a week, before the final appeal passed by a wide margin.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
and Ryan Papir In presentations to University Council and two Board of Trustees' committees last week, Acting Budget Director Ben Hoyle detailed the University's proposed 1995-96 budget. He cited the University's 5.5 percent increase in tuition and fees -- lower than hikes proposed at Dartmouth College, the University of Rochester and Yale, Princeton and Brown universities -- as a focal point of the package. For 1994-95, the University's average tuition, mandatory fees and room and board total $25,822 -- making the University fourth most expensive among Ivy League schools. The University's tuition and mandatory fees, taken alone, were the cheapest in the Ivy League at an average of $18,856. The University's 5.7 percent increase in tuition and mandatory fees for 1994-95 was on par with increases across Ivy League, which saw an average tuition and fee hike of 5.8 percent. Hoyle also said the University would like to get the rate of growth in unrestricted funds in line with increases in tuition and fees, and wants more of the funding for financial aid to come from the University's endowment. "The faster the unrestricted fund grows, the less the University has to invest in other services," Hoyle said. Approximately $43 million of the total financial aid grant of $47.1 million comes from unrestricted funds, the main source of which is tuition. Allocations for the Penn Grant program, which is primarily funded by unrestricted monies, will increase by 6.3 percent. This is down from a growth rate of 17 percent in the last fiscal year and 10 percent for this fiscal year. This money is given primarily in the form of direct grants from the University to financially needy students, Hoyle said. The majority of financial aid comes from Penn Grant funds, he said. Hoyle also said that University-wide revenues are expected to rise by 4.7 percent for fiscal 1996, despite the fact that the incoming Class of 1999 will have 50 fewer students than the current freshman class. The reduction in class size has been mandated by the Trustees due to concern over the University's student to faculty ratio, which is higher than those at peer institutions, Provost Stanley Chodorow told University Council. Hoyle presented projections discussing an anticipated increase in compensation of 5.2 percent University-wide, with benefits rising by 6.0 percent and non-academic salaries up 3.2 percent. Average academic salaries will jump an 7.3 percent over the next year as a result of a 3.5 percent increase in raises for existing faculty positions and a $1.8 million appropriation for new appointments. These figures do not demonstrate the effects of process reengineering that will occur throughout the University during the implementation of the Coopers & Lybrand administrative restructuring report, Hoyle said.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
Campus leaders gathered to discuss "the Undiscussible" last night, but left without addressing any of the specific issues currently plaguing the University. The Sphinx Senior Society and the Office of the Vice Provost of University Life co-sponsored the forum to stimulate dialogue between members of the University community. The discussion was designed to respond to events that have taken place at the University over the past few years. These issues have brought the administration's treatment of internal "ideological conflict" under scrutiny from both within the University community and from outside. University alumnus Kevin Vaughan, executive director of the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission moderated the event. In his role at HRC, Vaughan has played a key role in resolving disputes between Philadelphia residents.Vaughan began by setting up guidelines for the discussion. Ironically, he asked that participants refrain from mentioning specific incidents and from making references to personal affiliation with campus groups. "We want to be entering this discussion not representing groups or organizations, but instead by representing ourselves as members of the Penn community," Vaughan said. The first issue on the agenda was the University administration's role in campus conflicts. "I would like to see the University refrain from getting involved with some of these issues after the initial conflict but before any investigation has been done," said College junior Patrick Ede, chairperson of the Performing Arts Council. "It would be nice to see student groups resolving their own problems." The forum also addressed the role of the media and student government in the development of campus issues. "There is a lot inherent in the media structure on this campus that causes more conflict," said Wharton junior Dan Debicella. "The Daily Pennsylvanian has a monopoly on this campus, and locks people into conflicting positions before they are able to discuss the issues amongst themselves." Dave Mestre, former chairperson of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, said the newspaper should act as an unbiased news source for the community. "A problem is figuring out where the paper becomes a third party in a conflict, when the paper stops monitoring and starts participating in campus conflicts," he said. The possibility of competing campus media outlets -- including a greater number of publications and increased support for UTV-13 -- were discussed as possible panaceas for a lack of multiple perspectives. "I think another big problem is that I recognize almost everyone in this room," Debicella said. "The same 10 percent of the students are always involved -- how can we get the other 90 percent to also get involved?" The question was unanswered by the members of the forum, but Associate VPUL Larry Moneta left the meeting feeling positive. "I don't mind starting with the leaders," Moneta said. "We had a great cross-section of groups tonight, and we're hoping they'll take what they learned tonight back to [their organizations]." College freshman Amy Stover said she wished more students had attended. "It's just too bad that it's not individual students taking an interest in these issues," she said.
(03/21/95 10:00am)
In a rare move, the InterFraternity Council's Executive Board last night endorsed a plan for student government reform drafted by College senior and Undergraduate Assembly member Dan Schorr and College junior and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Mike Nadel. "We decided it is really important that we're involved more in student government," IFC Judicial Manager Josh Gottheimer, a College sophomore, said. The IFC board endorsed the plan because it would provide a "more influential body on campus," he added. In a similar move, Wharton and Engineering senior Pat Ede, chairperson of the Performing Arts Council, said he personally endorsed the Nadel-Schorr plan, although PAC has yet to vote on the matter. "I think the Schorr-Nadel plan is better than the other one," he said last night, adding that he particularly liked the Student Activities Council's standing in the Schorr-Nadel plan. Nadel and Schorr said they were pleased with the endorsements. "It's great that the Greek system is playing a role in changing student government," Nadel said last night. "I know that the IFC members are going to turn out to vote too." Schorr said he felt the IFC support could give his plan the votes it needs to beat out the rival referenda and replace the existing UA constitution. In other developments, College senior and former Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Seth Hamalian admitted last night that he was involved, along with "multiple authors," in the second plan for constitutional reform. He added he was active in writing the SAC sections of the constitution. Both plans call the new governing body the "Undergraduate Senate."
(03/21/95 10:00am)
A trail of bureaucratic red tape continues to complicate the University's relationship with the Reserve Officers Training Corps. According to Provost Stanley Chodorow, "the situation is still not in a settled state." The University is waiting to hear from the Pentagon concerning the future status of ROTC on campus. "We're taking about a bureaucracy here," Chodorow said in an interview last week. Chodorow also said he has contacted local colleges and regional ROTC programs to iron out the details of possible future arrangements. He later commented that in accordance with University Council's recommendation on ROTC, the University was not considering removing the battalion from campus. Chodorow added that he had followed up on Council's 1994 recommendation to implement an "arms-length agreement" with ROTC. UC based its decision on the findings of another group -- the Committee to Review the Status of ROTC -- which concluded that ROTC was in violation of the University's non-discrimination policy. Currently, practicing homosexuals are barred from participating in ROTC. Chodorow defined an arms-length agreement as a policy where ROTC could remain on campus but receive no support from the University. Presently, both Army and Navy ROTC receive office space at the Hollenbach Center and support staff from the University. According to College senior and ROTC battalion commander Matt Studer, the proposed arms-length agreement is disheartening. "I'm proud of the fact that I'm an ROTC student at Penn," he said. "It is not fair to the students involved in ROTC." Studer added that the policy will probably undergo revisions before it is implemented. Army Captain Robert Harding, an assistant professor of Military Science and a ROTC recruiting officer, said the arms-length agreement would adversely affect the ROTC program. "There are people who are interested in ROTC, and it is [already] restricted heavily," he said. "ROTC does a better job preparing college students for the real world than any other class?and the scholarships help students come to school." Mathematics Professor Peter Freyd said it is strange for the University to support a "conspicuous violator" of the University's non-discrimination policy. However, Freyd added that he would rather see officers coming from ROTC than the military academies because a college environment fosters closer ties with mainstream society. Harding said ROTC was being used as a "scapegoat for a policy that it had nothing to do with." The University is willing to accept money from the Department of Defense for research, such as funding for the Institute for Advance Science and Technology. According to documents provided by ROTC, under the current "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy, "no investigations will be conducted solely to determine sexual orientation," and ROTC students are not obligated to disclose their sexual orientation. Cadets are allowed to associate with known homosexuals, march in a gay rights rally in civilian clothing, read homosexual publications and patronize gay bars. However, announcing one's homosexuality will lead to an investigation.
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College senior Max Lai put off the inevitable last night -- checking his mailbox for his Residential Living Grand Arena ticket. Lai, who plans to stay for a fifth year at the University, holds lottery number 622 -- the last official number in the Saturday's Department of Residential Living room lottery. "Oh my god, I'm really surprised," said Lai who was unaware of his standing in the lottery prior to being contacted for a comment on it last night. All 622 groups of applicants for the Arena process received their lottery tickets in the mail yesterday. The Arena will take place Saturday in McClelland Hall, where students will choose their rooms in the order of their lottery numbers. Lai, who said he may move off-campus if he does not get the single apartment he wants, said he thought rising juniors and seniors should be given priority in the Arena over freshmen and sophomores. "I think they should have advantages for us," he added. "I think the Arena should take the student's year into account." But College sophomore Katherine Bierma and Wharton freshman Dan Nunn will most likely not complain about this year's process. They were allotted the first and second spots, respectively. Although Bierma was unavailable for comment last night, Nunn was glad to hear the news, of which he also was unaware of until contacted for comment in this story. "That's wild," he said. "I'll definitely get the room I want -- that's wonderful." He said he wants a one-bedroom apartment in the high rises. And given the number of apartments available, his wish will most likely be granted. Nunn is one of 342 applicants for singles and according to Residential Living estimates, 25 one-bedroom apartments are available in the Arena. Groups of one to four students applied for rooms in the Arena, with a total of 1,078 students involved, Ellie Rupsis, associate director for Occupancy Administration said yesterday. In actuality, there are groups formed beyond the 622 that applied. Those that did not meet deadline and were allocated numbers at the bottom of the list. Last year, 715 groups of students applied for Arena -- almost 100 more than this year. Rupsis attributed the decrease in students participating in the Arena to an increase in retention and Community Living. When College freshman Casey Smith, who drew number 587, found out that he and College freshmen Richard Lee were near the bottom of the list, he appeared concerned. "It's going to be horrible," he said, adding he is not sure if he and Lee will find a double available when they have the opportunity to select a room. Smith said he wished he had had more time to decide what to do about his living situation -- if he had, he said he would not be in the Arena at all. According to Rupsis, students with higher numbers should not be concerned, adding that many rooms are only partially occupied and a waiting list forms after the Arena for students who do not find a room Saturday.
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People from all walks of life crammed into a Center City auditorium Thursday to hear a panel discussion about the impact of welfare reform on women, children and families. "My life is part of the struggle for justice in America," Temple University professor Alma Quigley said. "A 40-year struggle against white male domination in a patriarchal system. We ain't goin' back." The panel members were introduced by Connie Smith, a self-proclaimed success story. Although she is currently a social worker with a degree from Temple University, she is also a former welfare recipient. Quigley, one of the panelists, vehemently expressed opposition to restricting payments and services to unemployed people. Most people on the panel spoke out against the welfare "restrictions" that the Personal Responsibility Act, being proposed in Congress, would mandate. These child exclusion laws, called "family caps," would prevent children born to unwed teens from receiving benefits until the parent reaches age 18. And entire families would be excluded from welfare benefits if they contained any adult who received welfare for a total of 60 months. Quigley feels welfare reform is critical, but she feels that assistance programs for women and children must be increased rather than cut back. Quigley's speech concluded with a parody of the Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" slogan. "Where are the jobs?" she asked. "Where are the jobs? Show us some jobs!" Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes, whose district includes the University, was also present to discuss what he views as faults in the proposed reforms. While the proposals threaten cuts in juvenile probation, the construction of three new prisons has been promised. And although corporate tax cuts are proposed, there are no new plans for summer youth jobs, he said. Hughes also expressed concern that women's medical service funding will be directed towards "life-line," a program known to deter women from having abortions through what he considers "harassment." Another issue discussed was the necessity of welfare recipients to votes for candidates who support welfare rights. "Everyone must register to vote, get others to vote and stop sitting on your hands," Hughes said. "You are the fundamental part of this."
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For the first time in years, author Norman Mailer might be at a loss for words. In the first of a series of lectures this week by the Pullitzer Prize-winning author, Mailer told the audience in Meyerson Hall that he came to the University to see if "he has something to write about." Mailer read aloud a half page of a book he is writing. Aside from the title, "Toward a Concept of Spiritual Ecology," these few paragraphs are all the esteemed author has completed. "Communism taught us that when ideology, not profit, is placed at the core of society it behaves, in one manner, exactly like profit," Mailer read. People can be controlled by ideology and the search for profit, but ideology becomes much more "dangerous in its search for power than the profit motive," he said. Capitalism is then seen as a virtue, as if all freedom is dependent on the freedom of the market. But in fact, Mailer said, "the freedom of the market is rarely free." Refolding the notebook paper on which he wrote the passage, Mailer emphasized that he hopes to discuss the many issues he has thought about for his book. Throughout the evening Mailer addressed signs of "spiritual malaise" and the possibilities for improvement. Hoping to hear ideas from the audience members, he encouraged them to ask "disagreeable" and "accommodating" questions. "The prize will go to the person who asks the toughest question in the fewest words," he said, smiling, as he walked across the stage to join English Professor Robert Lucid. Opening the dialogue, Lucid and Mailer discussed the failure of communism in the former Soviet Union. Conducting research in Minsk, for his newest book, Oswald's Tale: An American Mystery, Mailer visited Russia several times during the 1980s. After witnessing the poverty and despair of so many Russians, Mailer said he felt a profound anger at the United States. "Here's the Soviet Union, this totally depressed third world country-- they have no more desire by now, in 1984, to take over the world than Panama or Guadalupe or Czechoslovakia has -- all they want is to have a somewhat better life," he said. "?and we're calling them the evil empire. I was outraged." After the Cold War ended, Americans lost the one enemy that could unite them, making any tension at home even more pronounced. Relations between blacks and whites are worse now than they have ever been, Mailer said. In the '60s, race relations seemed they might improve, but now they are only getting worse. And until the tension is resolved, he said "nothing else will get better." He added that America's only hope for revival, is a renewed Democratic party and a stronger president. "If Clinton would only say, 're-elect me and I will devote my next four years to one matter above all others and that's to bring whites and blacks together in a way they have not been together before,' " Mailer said. "That would require some very tough talking for whites and blacks both because they each would have to come half way forward. "That will divide whites and that will divide blacks, but I do believe that central core will come together," he added. "?Just think of the energy that they would release in people if they felt that they were voting for something." Corporations, which Mailer calls "the second government," have also proved a source of the country's problems. They disrupt the "intimacies of your life," bombarding the public with commercials that do not make sense. Children are now used to constant interruption -- and consequentially lack the concentration to even read a book for a few hours. "What if you were making love and you were interrupted every seven to 12 minutes?" Mailer asked the audience. "We ought to give our minds the same respect we give our genitalia."
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Have you ever discussed buying a photocopier for two hours straight? That is exactly what the Undergraduate Assembly did Sunday night at their annual budget meeting. While the debate was interspersed with talk about voting booths and where to hold Student Committee on Undergraduate Education meetings for the next year, the main focus of the first four hours of the budget meeting was the price tag of this rather ordinary office supply. In the end, the UA passed a proposal allocating $15,000 in escrow for the lease or purchase of a photocopier. However, if any of the seven representatives from the major committees turns the proposal down, it must go back to the UA. "Basically, this will save costs in the long run," UA chairperson and Wharton junior Dan Debicella said. "The student government spends $10,000 a year for copying expenses. If the copier can last for five years, it will save a lot of money." Debicella added that if the representatives cannot come to a decision on the copier by September 1, the money in escrow will go back to the Student Activities Council. At first, the copier was intended to be for SCUE's use. However, after further consideration UA members decided to make the copier available to all branches of student government. UA representative Eric Tienou, a College junior, said the presentation of the funding request was put together "very hastily." "There was no basis for the figures since they took the numbers from SCUE's request," he said. "The decision shouldn't have been made last night. The decision should have been made by next year's UA." Also in a controversial vote, the UA passed a line-item addition to the Social Planning and Events Committee that allocates $10,080 to fund a "Bring Your Own Beer" party at a fraternity every week during the fall 1995 semester. In addition, the UA voted down a proposal to have voting booths for future elections. Also, the UA allocated $250 for a fax-modem.
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For the Wharton Europe Club and the Awareness of International Markets group, spring break was not highlighted by the usual sunny beaches and partying. The Wharton Europe Club visited London during the break and the AIM group sponsored a trip to Hong Kong and Taiwan. Wharton Europe President Raphael Rottgen, a Wharton sophomore, said the trip helped foster an awareness of European business ventures. "We were bringing students to Europe to give them first-hand experience," he said. Wharton and Engineering senior Jennifer Wei said that AIM's visit educated students about the business climate in Hong Kong and Taiwan. "The whole purpose of AIM is to expose students to international markets," she said, adding that the intention was "to learn about business and culture first-hand in Hong Kong and Taiwan." Students on both trips also attended presentations by corporate executives. Andy Prindl, chairperson of London's Nomura Bank, gave a lecture to Wharton Europe about the company's operations and the effects of the recent drop of the dollar. Students also spoke with representatives of PFA Consulting, a high-tech European company, and the BET Corporation, a large cleaning and catering company in Britain. Members of AIM met the chairperson of the Far Eastern Group, a textile company, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Wall Street Journal. They also visited a Phillips electronics factory and attended a lecture by two members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council. Toward the end of the week, the students in London took part in a mixer with members of the Wharton Alumni Club. Rottgen said the gathering gave students a chance to be introduced to the heads of various companies in different industries. "The purpose [of the mixer] was to give students an informal opportunity to meet executives," he said. Wharton Europe students also visited prominent London landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. They traveled outside of London and went to -- among other places -- Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh. The students on the Hong Kong/Taiwan trip visited the National Palace Museum and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, the Taiwanese capital. They also took a cruise in the harbor surrounding Hong Kong and several students went into southern China and visited Macao and Shenzhen. Rottgen said the group enjoyed the trip immensely. "There was a very positive resonance at the end of the trip," he added.
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and Keith Huebsch More than five months of planning culminated last night when Wharton sophomore and Penn Watch President Jon Brightbill said, "Penn Watch Three to Walking Escort Service Representative -- how do you read me?" "Loud and clear," the Walking Escort Service Representative responded. Penn Watch, a student-run town watch and peer education group, began patrolling on and around campus with two security teams yesterday from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Even after weeks of training, the two-person patrols were anxious about what lay ahead on the streets of West Philadelphia. "I probably won't be real comfortable at 40th and Market," Wharton sophomore and Penn Watch member Doug Martin said. "I'm not really even comfortable out there during the day." After reaching that intersection, Martin -- armed only with a police scanner, a two-way radio and a flashlight -- said with student patrols on the streets it is the criminals who should be wary. "I think if someone was about to break into a car and saw two guys with a police scanner, they'd think twice about it," he said. Clad in blue windbreakers with "Town Watch" emblazoned in yellow lettering, Martin and his partner, Wharton sophomore Justin Faust, saw their first action in front of the McDonald's Restaurant at 40th and Walnut streets. The incident lacked the excitement of a major crime or bust, however. A homeless man outside the McDonald's on Walnut Street asked them to be on the lookout for a "rat the size of a Siamese cat.". Faust and Martin just shrugged it off and proceeded along their route north to Market Street. By the end of the evening, a still-energetic Brightbill said he was "satisfied, proud and elated" with Penn Watch's first night on the street. He added that although only two teams patrolled last night, on most nights there will be three teams walking Sunday through Thursday. The three sectors run on and around campus and are divided into the "North," "South," and "West" sectors. They are intended to cover the areas with the most student traffic.
