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(03/17/95 10:00am)
The best way to save the American city is by university involvement. And to prove his point, Henry Taylor, director of the Center for Applied Public Affairs Studies at SUNY-Buffalo, spoke to an audience of close to 50 at the Law School yesterday. Taylor, whose speech was entitled "University, Academically Based, Community Service and the Remaking of American Cities," began with strong rhetoric, maintaining a high level of intensity for his hour-long presentation. Taylor -- whose visit was funded by a $350,000 grant from the Ford Foundation -- told the audience that American society is in deep crisis and that race and the problems of the inner city are at the heart of the problem. "The term 'city' has become a metaphor for black, poor and liberal," Taylor said. He stressed that universities have to play a role in looking into the problems of the inner city. "The University is a rich storehouse of human and material resources," Taylor said. "There is no institution in society that has such an ability. "Deciding what role the University should play is one of the central questions of our time," Taylor added."It's against the particular backdrop of an American crisis?that we pose the question what role should the university play in solving urgent community problems." But Taylor cautioned that universities must first have a "paradigmatic shift" in the way they interact with their communities. Since the 1940s, the economy of the U.S. has changed from industrial-based to service-oriented, Taylor said, adding that this has caused a decrease in the work force and a proliferation of low wage jobs. And he also said the "second great black migration" to the cities was an additional effect of the change in economy. The northern jobs that had attracted many blacks soon disappeared after their arrival to the cities. By 1970, joblessness had emerged as the number one problem in the African American community, he explained. Taylor also spoke about racism and segregation and how whites used zoning laws to make the suburbs a "high rent district." He emphasized that urban decay is an assortment of complex problems which are "intertwined" and "interconnected." Director of Community Partnerships Ira Harkavy said the speech was eloquent and profound. "I thought he was inspirational," Harkavy said. "He was a perfect choice for the first academic service fellow. I think he certainly provided a wonderful basis for further discussion." One of the principles that Taylor stressed is that university education is not just a means to a job, but about making the world a better place. He said that although students are not responsible for the world they have inherited, they should strive to make the world a better place for the next generation. "You can be held accountable for the world you left behind," Taylor said. Pamela King, coordinator of the undergraduate social science initiative, said she thought the speech was excellent. "I thought he was fantastic," King said. "He was exciting, dynamic and he brought life to the idea of academically based community service. "He came to do more than just talk," he added. "I think Dr. Taylor's message is being absorbed in every practice at the University." And College senior Eve Greenspan agreed saying that Taylor sent an important message. "I thought he was very shaking in the sense that he really urged you to think about things you don't normally want to think about," Greenspan said. "I liked his style, he was very blunt and to the point." The event was sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Penn Program for Public Service, the Center for Community Partnership, the Urban Studies Program, the W.E.B. DuBois College House and Afro-American Studies Program.
(03/17/95 10:00am)
On the 20th anniversary of its founding, the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House is completing construction of an addition that will double its current capacity. The Ronald McDonald House -- which provides a temporary home for seriously ill children and their families -- was the first of its kind, and has served as a model for 160 other houses throughout the world. The $4 million addition, called the U.S. Healthcare Center, will feature 24 additional bedrooms as well as living space and a 50-car underground garage. "We're very excited we can be of use," Executive Director of the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House Robyn Sole said. "The need is desperate, and we're happy to be there." According to Sole, planning for the project began in late 1990 and construction began last summer. It is expected to be operational sometime this fall. The land for the expansion, that had previously been used as a parking lot, was sold to Ronald McDonald House by the University. According to University Associate Treasurer Chris Mason, the University acted with charitable intentions in mind, selling the land at cost. "We couldn't say no, we didn't want to say no," Mason said. "We're happy to see it [the addition] moving forward so quickly." The addition was deemed necessary after the Philadelphia facility had to turn people away because of space constraints. The demand at the Philadelphia facility is acute due in part to its proximity to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Places like the Ronald McDonald House are an absolute gift," Director of Family Relations at CHOP Robin Heller said, citing the cost and difficulties of travelling to receive top of the line care. Although they are independent of each other, CHOP and the Ronald McDonald House remain close, often sharing volunteers. "We are separate institutions, but most of our families come from the Hospital," Sole said.
(03/17/95 10:00am)
With a last minute change of topic, National Urban League President and Chief Executive Officer Hugh Price addressed a small audience in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall yesterday afternoon on issues of affirmative action and politics. The talk, a part of the Wharton Public Policy Forum Series, was originally entitled "Developing Our Children for the 21st Century." Instead, Price chose to defend affirmative action, a topic that has sparked serious debate in Washington recently. He began by describing a meeting he had attended earlier in the week with President Bill Clinton. "The President is deeply engaged in this issue," he assured the audience. And he briefly explained the problems facing America's cities. "Macro trends have wreaked havoc on urban economies," Price said, attributing much of this to an industrial "process of shrinkage." He attributes these problems to a deepening rift between the races. "There is a pressing need to overcome poverty among our people," he said, adding that children are not getting proper skills for "a ruthlessly competitive world." "The job of integrating minorities?isn't done by any stretch of the imagination," he said. He also predicted that affirmative action would be a major issue in the 1996 election, and that it should not be dismissed because of "anecdotal evidence" of abuse. He added that he thought objective tests have been used unfairly to compare races, saying that there are many different types of intelligences. Price also discussed the role of the urban university and its relation to the community. He said universities should be "inclusive," and act as a "training ground" for future urban policy planners. "They must adhere to their tradition of liberal education," he said. He used Cooper Union in New York, where he is a trustee, as an example. Although Cooper Union has only 1,000 undergraduates, it sponsors a summer program for between 2,000 and 3,000 city youths. "Scapegoating and demonizing does not solve the problem," Price said. "We must get on with our future as a multi-ethnic society."
(03/17/95 10:00am)
In a surprising turn of events, a second referendum for student government constitutional reform will appear on the March 28 ballot, along with two additional referenda for constitutional amendments, Nominations and Elections Committee Chairperson of Elections Roy Fu said last night. The College senior added that the second plan proposes a constitution that is almost identical to the current Undergraduate Assembly constitution. Fu said he did not know who authored the proposal. The two constitutional amendments that will appear on the ballot involve electoral reform and the UA's power over Social Planning and Events Committee, Fu added. The new referenda follow on the heels of another proposal for constitutional reform put on the ballot earlier this week by College senior and Undergraduate Assembly member Dan Schorr and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Mike Nadel, a College junior. According to Schorr, he and Nadel were told that the NEC's deadline was Tuesday. Therefore, he said the three referenda recently added to the ballot are past deadline. But Fu said there was never an official deadline and Tuesday was simply the "ideal date" the NEC chose. Schorr said he does not plan to contest the issue. This year marks the first time that a constitutional reform proposal has ever graced the UA ballot, Nadel said. And Fu said this is the first time in "recent history" four referenda will be on the ballot. The second constitutional reform proposal involves changing the UA to an "Undergraduate Senate" -- a change also found in the Nadel-Schorr proposal. "We're not surprised that there's another proposal that maintains the same structure but changes the name," Schorr said last night. "It will help confuse the ballot on election day and that's why the name was chosen." In addition, the second proposal changes the make-up of the steering committee -- it would continue to have standing committees, although Senate members will be more actively involved in them. But unlike the Nadel-Schorr proposal, the NEC would remain intact, although the Senate would be able to revoke any appointment made to the body. Also, a Senate Coordinating Committee would be established to "facilitate effective general student advocacy and student presence." The Student Activities Council would contain boards of representatives from related activities -- such as a "publications board" for student magazines. One representative from each board would attend SAC meetings. SAC decisions could be appealed to the Senate. In contrast, the Nadel-Schorr proposal would replace both the UA and NEC with a body called the Undergraduate Senate, which would perform all UA and NEC functions. The Senate would also allocate funds to SAC groups. SAC would still be able to recognize new groups, communicate information and overturn Senate funding decisions with a two-thirds vote. In addition, a "Constitutional Administration Council" would oversee Senate operations and elections, according to the plan. A flurry of rumors about UA constitutional reform have swept through campus this week -- although few have been substantiated and some have, in fact, proven false. Many students who claim to be involved in constitutional reform proposals other than the Nadel-Schorr plan have refused to provide details about their efforts. Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson and Wharton junior Dan Debicella said earlier this week that Wharton senior Eric Leathers and College senior Seth Hamalian had drafted new student government constitutions for the March 28 ballot. But both former UA members denied Debicella's claims, and he acknowledged Wednesday that he was wrong. Leathers said he thought the rumor regarding his participation in constitutional reform may have been started because people thought his roommate, College senior and NEC Chairperson Rick Gresh, was involved. Hamalian said he, too, did not author a constitution, -- although he has offered advice to others, whom he refused to name. And College senior Sharon Jindal said Tuesday night she is circulating a petition for another constitutional reform proposal for an unnamed friend. Both Jindal and Hamalian have refrained from revealing those student leaders believed to be behind their constitutional plans. Some have speculated that the two students have been working together on one plan. Neither was available for comment last night and Fu said he did not know if the second constitutional proposal on the ballot was associated with either of them. Schorr and Nadel said the second plan does not have enough student input, adding that they discussed their own plan with students for four months. "How are students going to be able to make a judgement on a constitution that they've never seen and whose authors are unknown?" Nadel asked. If either new constitution passes during the March 28 and 29 voting, both amendments on the ballot -- whether they fail or pass -- would be void because they are considered amendments to the current constitution, NEC Chairperson Rick Gresh said. One amendment, authored by Debicella, involves electoral reform. Thirty-three geographically based electoral districts would be formed and general elections would be held in the fall. The second amendment, proposed by Social Planning and Events Committee, would make SPEC a standing autonomous committee of the UA -- similar to the NEC and SCUE. Currently, SPEC is a committee falling under the jurisdiction of the UA. The majority of 20 percent of the undergraduate population must vote for a referendum for it to be adopted.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
The road to recovery is curving to an end for the four University students injured by moving vehicles last semester. College freshman Jae Lee, who was hit by a car at the intersection of 34th and Walnut streets on November 7, is back on campus and appears to be doing well after undergoing brain surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and rehabilitation at Bryn Mawr Hospital. "I think he's 100 percent recovered," said his roommate Richard Kim, also a College freshman. Kim added that to his knowledge, Lee was no longer undergoing therapy. Lee was unavailable for comment yesterday. But post-baccalaureate student Adam Zion, who was also seriously injured after being hit by two cars while crossing at the intersection of 33rd and Walnut streets December 7, is still rehabilitating at home. He said he hopes to be back on campus to complete his concentrated sciences and pre-medical studies in the fall -- oddly enough, a year earlier than expected. In fact, Zion's entire recovery is moving along at an unusually fast rate. "They expected me to be at the stage I'm at now, six months from now," he said. Landing on his face and breaking his cheekbone actually saved Zion from much of the impact that could have done severe damage to his brain. Zion was also treated with an experimental drug to reduce central nervous system swelling, preventing serious brain damage, although he did temporarily suffer some memory loss. Zion still cannot remember most of his time spent at HUP. "In a few weeks, I want to go back to visit the people who saved me," Zion said. "I also want them to get a chance to really meet the real me, who they saved." Because of the accident, Zion is missing the lower half of his right leg, and part of his mouth was also damaged. Zion said that despite his near-death experience, he has been able to maintain good spirits. "The support from friends and family has been great -- at least one of my parents visited me every day," Zion said. "We also got great support from Penn and even received two letters from Rodin to see how I was feeling." College senior Thomas Heller, who was hit by a taxi at 39th and Samson on November 10 and consequently suffered a pelvis fracture, also said he was pleased with the University's response. "Penn as a whole was very accommodating," Heller said. "I was very impressed with the way other students treated me, like opening doors for me." While he is almost completely healed, Heller said he can still feel pain occasionally when running or swimming. Legal action is still pending against the taxi driver who hit Heller. Men's track team hurdler Mark Pan, who was hit by a University truck outside of Bennett Hall on November 21, complained that the accident has curtailed his athletic activities. "As far as track goes, I pretty much missed the indoor season, which is how I view this," said the Wharton senior, who sustained injuries to his knee due to the accident. While Pan still feels pain at times, he has been doing a lot of physical therapy and working closely with his trainer's office. "My knee is getting better," he added. "I'm just trying to get back on my feet as far as hurdling is concerned."
(03/16/95 10:00am)
Hundreds of students gathered yesterday to celebrate Purim by eating, drinking, gambling and giving a little money to charity. To kick off this festive Jewish holiday -- which marks the Jews' victory over a plot to annihilate them in Biblical Persia -- the Steinhardt Jewish Heritage Program co-sponsored "It's Purim?", an evening of entertainment and fun. The event began with a manic reading of the Megillah, or Scroll of Esther, which recounts the story of Purim. The reading was followed by a spirited parade down Locust Walk led by the Philadelphia Mummers, the Lubavitch House's band and various juggling groups. "I dig the [Mummers] costumes," Wharton sophomore David Chalom said. "They're like 20 Elvises." The night ended with more food and entertainment in Houston Hall, where students tried their luck at the assorted casino games. "I'm having more fun than I do at Atlantic City," Wharton Junior Scott Kurland said. "And I'm losing a lot less money." But the money lost at the casinos was donated to charity -- the Ronald McDonald House of West Philadelphia and Children of Chernobyl. Performances by Pennsylvania 6-5000 and Mask and Wig topped off the evening. "I sure as hell don't know what's going on," College sophomore John Mucha said. "But it's a lot of fun." College sophomore Batya Kaufman said she was enjoying the holiday celebration. "I love Purim cause you get to be silly and celebrate your Judaism at the same time," she said. According to College junior Michelle Nadler, Steinhardt had been planning the event for some time. The event was also sponsored by the Alpha Epsilon Pi, Sigma Alpha Mu, Tau Epsilon Phi and Zeta Beta Tau fraternities, in conjunction with a number of local businesses.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
The administration has created a working group charged with examining the role of a university chaplain in the current campus climate, Executive Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons said earlier this week. The group will be chaired by Jane Lowe, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work. It looks as though the group has its work ready-made, since students -- if they know that there is an official chaplain on campus at all -- say they have virtually no idea of what Reverend Stanley Johnson does on an average day. However, College sophomore Mark Gengenbach said it is still necessary to have a school chaplain who can serve as a counselor -- although Student Health Service and the University Counseling Service also offer psychological help. "For some reason, when I think of chaplain, I think of religious connotations," he said, adding that he did not see a problem with the chaplain having a particular religious affiliation. Engineering freshman Shira Neustein agreed. "As long as [that religion] is not imposed on the student body, I don't think it's a big deal -- as long as [the position] embodies the goals and values of the institution," she said. "I think there's always a role for someone who helps to remind us that there are limits to whatever we feel we can do." Assistant Vice Provost for University Life Barbara Cassel and Ralph Ciampa, director of pastoral care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, will also be involved in the discussion of the chaplain's role. "I think what we're doing, basically, is looking at the role of the chaplain from a historical perspective, [seeing] how that ties into the future of the institution, and examining what that role should look like in the future," Cassel said. Koons said she expects the group to meet for the first time next week.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
Almost five weeks after a fire ripped through the Convenience Food Store at 39th and Walnut streets, the store, as well as neighboring College Pizza and Mega Video, is still closed for business. Both College Pizza and Mega Video sustained severe water and smoke damage from the blaze, forcing major and costly repairs. Mega Video manager Orest Hrabowy, sitting alone yesterday in his dark, near-empty store, said he is unsure when he will be able to reopen. He added that major repairs still have yet to be completed. "It's going week by week," Hrabowy said. "We're going to try to open up as soon as we can. There's no target date right now, [but] hopefully by April or May." College Pizza owner Ulysses Lancellotti is a little more optimistic. Lancellotti said he hopes to re-open a small part of his pizza shop by Monday or Tuesday of next week. He added that the rest of the store will be opened when the repairs are finished. The pizza shop sustained severe damage from the fire, costing an estimated $50,000 to $60,000. Lancellotti said that his insurance company will pay for the damage, but they will not replace the potential revenue he has lost because of the shutdown. In addition, even though the fire was officially declared arson by the Philadelphia Fire Department, Convenience Food Store owner Sam Patel said he refused to believe arson caused the fire. Patel said arson occurs in places like Harlem or Brooklyn, but not in West Philadelphia. Patel, who owns a few other convenience stores in Center City, added that he has never had trouble with criminals. "I don't believe it," Patel said. "I was shocked when they told me the cause. It was a good business. "I have never had problems," he added. "I've never even had robberies or break-ins." He also said that he was committed to rebuilding the store, but is waiting for the insurance company to give him the green light. Lieutenant Terry Green, of the Philadelphia Fire Marshall's Office, said the Fire Marshalls are currently looking into several suspects, but he declined to comment about any specifics.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
Terri Jeffries, an administrative assistant in the Department of Physiology, was sitting in a bar when it came to her. Good food, she thought to herself, is soup. And when she reversed the thought, Jeffries became one the co-authors of the well-known Campbell's soup jingle, "Soup is good food." "I was like, how about 'Soup is good food,' " she said. "And that was when 'Soup is good food' was made up. Then I made the right connection with public relations people and that worked out real fine." But slogan-writing for Campbell's is small potatoes compared to the success the 39-year-old West Philadelphia native has had in the music industry. As she walks through the Physiology office with unassuming smiles and waves to, well, everyone, you would never guess that she is the author of the song, "I'll Keep Coming Back," which will debut tonight in the new film from First Look, Party Girl. The song is part of the movie's "house-dance" soundtrack. It is Jeffries' first score. Although she usually writes the music first -- composing on keyboards and synthesizers in her home recording studio -- Jeffries said the creative process for a film score was different from her normal experimental progression. "They show you a segment of the movie," she said. "And throw a pad and a pen in your hand and then they say, 'Terri, what can you come up on for this scene?' " Now in a production room, not a bar, Jeffries once again found a "real fine" combination of music and lyrics. And instead of soup, her song, "I'll Keep Coming Back," will accompany a funny love scene in the film, which producers have dubbed a "romantic comedy." After modestly downplaying her laundry list of musical accomplishments, Jeffries disclosed the romance in her own career. Although she has worked for the University's physiology department for 17 years, Jeffries originally pursued a life behind the microphone as a singer. But Jeffries eventually learned to balance her passion for music with her day job -- despite her workload at the University, she has always been involved in bands. And 25 years ago she broke into the professional music industry after making incessant phone calls to anyone who might hire her as a back-up singer. She said was essentially, "begging for work." After six months, she began to receive offers. Jeffries then worked her way up in the industry, eventually performing with musicians such as Major Harris and Melba Moore. Eventually though, she discovered she enjoyed song writing and publishing more than performing. Since Jeffries started writing, she has achieved success with her hit song, "Better Late than Never," under the pseudonym Lafayette. The song was number four on Billboard Magazine's Club Play for 10 weeks. The next song Jeffries wrote, "Everybody's A Star", was equally successful. It stayed in the top ten of the R&B; charts for 12 weeks -- this time under her real name. When she graduated as a music major from Community College of Philadelphia, Jeffries did not expect to succeed in the business. Or on second thought, maybe she did. "No. No. Yes," she said. "I'll tell you why. Music is universal and it's something we can relate to and that's a success in itself. "And I write good stuff," she continued. "You ever try to make something work and you got four or five different wires and the ground wire doesn't work? That's what I've got when I get that ground wire hooked up. I'm gone -- people like my stuff and I like it." If Jeffries' attitude is any indicator of her future prospects, the University might soon have to say goodbye to the songwriter. "If you're anything like you think you, are you can get that one hit," she said. "And you can go for it. "And I'm working on that, girl." she added.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
Yale University has agreed to return $20 million donated in 1991 to establish a Western Civilization program because the donor wanted to be able to approve faculty appointments. The donor, Lee Bass, said he wanted to have the right to approve the hiring of professors in order to maintain "the original spirit and intent of the program." Bass, a Texas billionaire and 1979 Yale graduate, originally donated the money to fund a multicultural program focusing on prominent figures in European history and culture. "Although Yale had informed Mr. Bass that it was prepared to implement the program as envisioned in the original agreement, we could not honor the donor's new request to approve faculty appointments," Yale President Richard Levin said this week in a statement. Exactly how funding has been allocated for the Western Civilization program has recently come under scrutiny. In December, an article printed in Light and Truth, a Yale student journal, claimed that University President Judith Rodin, Yale's provost at the time the donation was made, and later Levin, misled Bass and did not follow the grant's conditions. But Rodin responded last semester that due to "financial reasons," she had to deny the proposal to hire four new assistant professors to teach Western Civilization classes. Rodin was unavailable for comment on the return of the grant last night. Other potential donors have begun reconsidering giving money to Yale because of the problems that have followed the Bass donation. Yale alumnus Robert Eskridge, was reported to have met with a university official to redirect the $500,000 he was donating. But others, including U.S. Circuit Court Judge Jose Cabranes, a Yale trustee, have supported Levin in his decision. "Yale would not be Yale if it had ever yielded to any such request," Cabranes said in a statement. The Associated Press and The Philadelphia Inquirer contributed to this article.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
The Provost's Council on Undergraduate Education is slowly progressing toward its goal of making a 21st century academic community a reality on campus. PCUE will now focus its energies on the development of "propositions embodying the characteristics we think a Penn undergraduate experience of the early 21st century?should have" and on the nature of the future University community, Provost Stanley Chodorow said. Now that PCUE's task has divided into nine smaller segments, subcommittees have been determined and their chairs -- all PCUE members -- have been appointed, said 21st Century Project Executive Director Kim Morrisson. Each subcommittee will probably have between five and seven faculty and student members, Morrisson said. The students will be selected later this week from a pool of names generated by the Nominations and Elections Committee. "The idea is that each [subcommittee] will engage the community -- or the relevant parts of the community -- in an effort to come up with ways in which its proposition could be implemented," Chodorow said. College Dean Robert Rescorla is heading a group that will study scholarly engagement with faculty, focusing on the role of research in the undergraduate experience. "It's only when you try to add to knowledge that you understand what knowledge is all about," he said last night. "It's important and exciting to do that." Specifically, Rescorla said his group will discuss how to make research open to all undergraduates, because of the unique learning environment independent study and investigation provides. Mary Naylor, associate dean and director of undergraduate education in the Nursing School, is the chairperson of a subcommittee that will evaluate undergraduates' access to professional education and professional school faculty. Communications Professor Oscar Gandy has direction of the community service and service learning subcommittee, while Wharton junior Satya Patel, chairperson of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, will work with a group examining peer educational experiences. Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum's subcommittee will look at "other culture" experiences. McCoullum said yesterday that she believes these experiences "which serve to prepare our students for [the] global community are?essential to the Penn vision of the 21st century undergraduate experience." Engineering Associate Dean David Pope has been assigned to a subcommittee that will analyze advising, and Professor of Operations and Information Management James Laing is in charge of a subset of Pope's group targeting student information systems. Wharton Vice Dean Bruce Allen is chairing the admissions and publications subcommittee. Finally, Engineering Dean Gregory Farrington will head the subcommittee looking at usage of state-of-the-art technology on campus. "My committee will deal with the impact of the information revolution on how we educate, how students learn, how students and faculty interact with each other," he said. "I am eager to engage in the discussion and creativity that will be involved." Chodorow said he has asked the subcommittees to report back to PCUE in about five weeks.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
A recent decision by an independent arbitration panel could dramatically alter the way test preparation companies, such as Stanley Kaplan Educational Centers and the Princeton Review, advertise their services. The panel ruled earlier this month that the Princeton Review must change its sampling methods to include a greater number of students when conducting research for its advertisements. According to Kaplan Executive Vice President Andrew Rosen, Princeton Review had used postcards mailed to former students after the test in order to measure the success of the program. Kaplan, however, relies on a random telephone sample of former students. Kaplan charged that the postcards did not provide an accurate assessment of students' scores. "Princeton had used, first of all, bad math," Rosen said. "That's a pretty serious flaw in a test preparation company." Kaplan also claimed that Princeton Review's sample method, which resulted in only a 25 percent response rate, did not provide an accurate representation of students' scores. Rosen cited Kaplan's own telephone surveys, which yield an approximate response rate of 70 percent, as an alternative. The panel ruled that, as of March 1996, all companies must use a sampling method which results in at least a 40 to 50 percent response rate. Kaplan officials praised the decision as a major victory. "This supports what students have long known -- that Princeton Review has been misleading students for years," Kaplan President and CEO Jonathan Grayer said in a statement. But Princeton Review officials downplayed the ruling, citing the arbitrators' decision that all sampling efforts had been conducted "in good faith." Princeton Review President John Katzman explained that his company's sampling methods have already been changed to more closely resemble Kaplan's and that any errors that might have occurred in the original sample were due to one ambiguous question on the postcard. The question asked Princeton Review students to report their "previous score." Some who participated in the survey were uncertain as to whether they should provide their most recent score or their score before they took the course. "I started getting nervous during the hearing that maybe our results really weren't comparable," he said. "So we started doing the studies with the other methodology." He added that the new results showed that Princeton Review's scores are still "way higher" than Kaplan's. Katzman said he was happy with the panel's decision because it also forces Kaplan to clearly label any subsets of groups it uses in its ads and to provide a clear disclaimer that their guarantee is not an average. He claimed that Kaplan's "guarantee" was higher than its average improvement and was presented in such a way that students could be misled.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
While it is commonly assumed that slavery in the United States ended 130 years ago, there are some who claim it still exists today. More than 15 students who share this view attended a workshop entitled "Building Blocks--Organizing and Working Collectively Towards Liberation" last night at the W.E.B. DuBois College House. The discussion centered around the creation of organizations to promote the freedom of African Americans. The assembly marked the third day of "Maafa : The African Holocaust Memorial." Maafa, a Kiswahili word meaning disaster, refers to the deaths of an estimated 100 million Africans during the slave trade. The workshop was led by three experts, or "facilitators," who gave opening presentations and conducted the conversations. College senior Janine Peterson, one of the facilitators, spoke about the importance of African culture in the education of African-American students. "As long as someone else controls your thought process and value system, you are still a slave," she said. "We have lost our vision to create institutions and relationships which will perpetuate our culture." Peterson stressed the need for cooperation among African Americans to create organizations, as opposed to fighting the European mindset. "We should be organizing positively to create our own institutions," she said. "We should not solely be fighting against Europeans." Djibo Sobukwe, a member of the All-African Peoples' Revolutionary Party, was another facilitator who focused his speech on the problems facing Africans both in America and Africa. "Any people whose poverty level is as high as ours, whose infant mortality is twice as high as the national average, whose literacy rate is as low as ours, cannot be free," he said. Sobukwe said his solution to these problems is a complete re-education of Africans -- with an emphasis on student organization. "We must recognize the need for a revolutionary political re-education," he said, describing a plan for Scientific Socialism, a socio-economic system opposed to capitalism. "Students will form a core who will influence the working class," he added. "Organization is the weapon of the oppressed." John Shief, another facilitator, teaches in a West Philadelphia high school. His speech revolved around the changes necessary in a new educational program. "If you have a vision of freedom?you should design an educational system to teach this vision," he said. "We need an educational program to train young people to live up to our expectations, rather than living down to others' expectations." Following the talks by the facilitators, students asked questions on topics ranging from community outreach programs to the recent incident at Rutgers University. Students expressed their concern that the University does not have a good "reputation" in West Philadelphia with regard to community programs. "It is not our job to represent Penn," Peterson said. "We must represent the African people." Maafa will conclude today with a vigil on College Green at 4:30 p.m.
(03/16/95 10:00am)
The casual observer could almost have confused yesterday's University Council meeting with a session of the Undergraduate Assembly. The unseasonably warm and sunny weather, combined with a relatively uncontroversial agenda, resulted in below-quorum attendance at the meeting. After the traditional round of reports from Council's constituent assemblies, Undergraduate Assembly member and College senior Dan Schorr asked Council Moderator Will Harris to recognize UTV President Heather Dorf, a College junior. Council's Steering Committee agreed last month to bar UTV cameras from Council proceedings, but allow them to interview members and attendees after meetings end. Schorr and Dorf planned to request that Council discuss and reconsider Steering's ruling, but Harris said that without a quorum, Council did not have the authority to take such an action. After a suggestion by Faculty Senate and Council Steering Chairperson Barbara Lowery, Harris recommended that UTV bring a full proposal about coverage to a future Steering meeting. "I do not want my ruling to close down the conversation," he said. Provost Stanley Chodorow and Ben Hoyle, the acting director of resource planning and budget, then presented highlights from the University's proposed 1995-96 academic year budget. The budget provides for an undergraduate tuition hike of 5.5 percent, with overall undergraduate charges rising by four percent. The $250 technology fee, residential living rents, and the price of a dining services meal contract have been frozen at their current levels. This year's 5.5 percent tuition increase contrasts favorably to past increases of six and even seven percent per year, Chodorow said. "We're challenging [peer institutions], in effect, to raise their rates much less than they have in the past," he added. Financial aid will jump by 4.1 percent, with approximately $47 million earmarked for undergraduates. This figure is heavily tuition-dependent -- while Princeton University's endowment supports roughly 95 percent of its financial aid budget, the University's endowment provides only $2 million for the same purpose. But the proposed budget does not show the expected effects of the reengineering mandated by the Coopers & Lybrand administrative restructuring report, Chodorow said. Hoyle said that while the new budget does not demonstrate savings achieved through reengineering, it is significant because it includes "the lowest rate of growth in the [University's] unrestricted budget" in more than 15 years. Vice Provost for Graduate Education Janice Madden and History Professor Walter Licht, the associate dean of and director of graduate studies in the School of Arts and Sciences, next reported on the state of graduate education at the University. Madden said she is encouraged by progress made since a five-year planning report on the awarding of doctoral degrees was released in 1991, including the development of clear rules and expectations for graduate groups and the recruitment and retention of students of color to the University's graduate programs. But Licht said he is "glum" about prospects graduate students face upon entering the job market, adding that worries about financial support from independent foundations and the federal government are leading to "judicious parings" within graduate groups. Assistant Vice President for Policy Planning and Federal Relations David Morse said the desire of national lawmakers for a balanced budget has endangered many fellowships and loan programs. He urged those in attendance to tell their legislators about the importance of these programs. The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly plans to begin a letter-writing campaign intended to increase awareness of such funding issues this week. Finally, Council adopted a resolution advanced by its Committee on Communications urging "expeditious completion of the ResNet project" -- by September 1996 if possible -- and guaranteed access to communication and information services for "all members of the University community."
(03/16/95 10:00am)
'Owl Society' to be excluded The Psi Upsilon fraternity came one step closer to recolonizing at the University after the Greek Alumni Council approved its provisional recognition bid last night, according to GAC chairperson Andrea Dobin. This decision follows Tuesday's Interfraternity Council vote to support the fraternity's reinstatement. But Dobin said the administration still needs to approve GAC's and the IFC's decision to grant provisional recognition status before Psi Upsilon can return to campus. The fraternity was kicked off campus in 1990 after Psi Upsilon brothers kidnapped a member of Delta Psi, a rival fraternity. The Delta Psi brother was handcuffed to a pole while Psi Upsilon brothers yelled racial slurs at him. Upon losing recognition, some members of Psi Upsilon formed an underground fraternity known as the "Owl Society" or "Castle." When Psi Upsilon unsuccessfully attempted to regain recognition last year, GAC expressed concern over the group's connections with the Owl Society. As part of GAC's decision to approve provisional recognition, no member of the Owl Society will be allowed to become a Psi Upsilon brother, Dobin said. "The history of the chapter is an issue as it was when they tried to recolonize last year," she said. "There are many safeguards to insure that the Owl Society and the new Psi Upsilon chapter are separate and distinct." Although there have been "a lot of changes" in Psi Upsilon's structure, Dobin said that if Owl Society members join the new fraternity, Psi Upsilon will again lose its recognition. Michael Corwin, an independent consultant contracted by Psi Upsilon alumni in Philadelphia, said the fraternity has made a clean break from the Owl Society. The Psi Upsilon brother and alumnus of Washington State University said the fraternity will have all pledges sign an agreement stating they are not "involved in any manner" with the society. "We are going to be known as Psi Upsilon. We don't want to bring back the Castle," Corwin said, adding that the fraternity's local alumni group has spent over $20,000 on the reactivation process since last November. If the University approves the recolonization status, Dobin said Psi Upsilon then must negotiate to determine the location of the fraternity house. After the abduction of the Delta Psi member, all Psi Upsilon brothers were removed from their house, commonly known as "the Castle," which is located at 36th Street and Locust Walk. Since then, the Castle has been used to house the Community Service Living Learning Program. In the 1950s, Psi Upsilon and the University entered into an agreement in which ownership of the property was given to the University. According to Associate Treasurer Christopher Mason, the agreement said that if Psi Upsilon ever lost its house, the University would have to provide the fraternity with another property and pay for moving costs. The local alumni chapter filed a lawsuit against the University that was dropped over six months ago, Corwin said. He said the fraternity's "greatest desire" is to move back into the Castle, but the first step is to gain recognition from the University. "We have to have a fraternity before we think about where we live," Corwin added. "It is all in the administration's court. All Psi Upsilon has is a hope and a dream."
(03/16/95 10:00am)
After more than four years of study, delays and heated controversy, the University and the U.S. Air Force are taking a step toward resolving the fate of Smith Hall and the construction of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. According to Air Force spokesperson Jane Knowlton, the historical review and Environmental Impact Study of the multi-million dollar project are now complete. Vice Provost for Research Barry Cooperman will release the contents of those reports today. The studies were initiated after the University and the Air Force became embroiled in controversy over whether to demolish Smith Hall, a 100-year-old campus building. The federal government selected the University as the site for the IAST in 1991. The project, originally under the direction of the Department of Defense, was eventually turned over to the Air Force. Air Force officials began the historical and environmental reviews to determine whether the Smith Hall site is appropriate for the IAST. A memorandum printed as an advertisement in today's Daily Pennsylvanian explains the process by which the studies were completed and addresses a legal agreement between the University, the Air Force and other parties. "The agreement outlines a consultation process that all the parties are agreeing to participate in," Knowlton said. "The historic review looks at the impact on Smith Hall," she added. "The memorandum provides for a design review process to ensure the compatibility of new construction with the surrounding district." The EIS will not officially be available for public review in the Federal Register until March 24, Knowlton said. If the Air Force gives its approval to the IAST project, the Defense Department would give the University $35 million towards the completion of the project. Other fundraising efforts are already underway. After the EIS is officially released, a Record of Decision will be made and published April 24.
(03/15/95 10:00am)
Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke on issues of gender and justice at a conference at the Zellerbach Theatre yesterday. O'Connor, who opened the conference entitled "Women in Judging: Transforming the Image of Justice," concentrated her talk on her experience in becoming the first female Supreme Court justice. "As soon as I was nominated, I received a flood of letters from women on how important it was to have women on the Supreme Court," O'Connor said in her opening remarks. In addition to O'Connor and Ginsburg, seven distinguished female judges -- all University Law School alumnae -- spoke at the conference. They all agreed that it was beneficial to have other female judges serving with them as they began their judgeships. "I'm glad that I had Sandra to inform me of some of the 'unwritten rules' of the Supreme Court," Ginsburg said. Following the speeches, a panel discussion led by Law School professor Barbara Woodhouse addressed how women with similar aspirations can break the "judicial glass ceiling" to become judges. The panelists said that service in the community is important if one wants to pursue a career as a judge. "I would definitely say that the career path of public service is key," said Norma Shapiro, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Panelists also discussed the difficulties of learning the intricacies of their jobs. "There's no how-to-do-it manual at the Supreme Court," O'Connor said. Law School Professor Susan Sturm moderated the second discussion concentrating on how women contribute to the justice system. Sturm asked the judges if being a woman has ever affected any of their rulings on cases. "I cannot help but feel some compassion," said Sue Robinson, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. "But that doesn't mean I don't send them to jail or don't give them the maximum sentence." The Supreme Court justices also presented awards to four local students who competed in an essay competition focusing on the role of female judges. "I think that there should be more female judges," said fourth-grader Maribeth Hohenstein, who was recognized for her essay. "They might make the difference in some cases." "Gender is not entirely absent," University of California at Los Angeles Law Professor Carrie Menkel-Meadow said. "The rule of law trumps any gender difference." The conference was simultaneously broadcast on ResNet so students unable to get tickets would be able to view the discussions. First year Law student Danielle Rembert, who attended the forum, said she found it informative and thought-provoking. "Specifically, the best part of the discussion was that there were a number of different views expressed," Rembert said. "I feel that's what made it rich." The conference was sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center and the Law School.
(03/15/95 10:00am)
Next year's University budget and the current state of graduate education are central topics on the agenda for today's University Council meeting. Following the usual reports by University President Judith Rodin, Provost Stanley Chodorow and the chairpersons of Council's various constituent assemblies, Chodorow and Acting Budget Director Ben Hoyle will present financial proposals for the 1995-96 academic year -- including a suggested 5.5 percent tuition and fees increase. The increase, as well as the entire University budget, must still be approved by the University's Board of Trustees at meetings later this week and in June. At today's Council meeting, Vice Provost for Graduate Education Janice Madden, Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Studies in the School of Arts and Sciences Walter Licht, and Assistant Vice President for Policy Planning and Federal Relations David Morse will also speak about graduate education. The Council Committee on Communications will propose a resolution urging both "that access to communication and information services be provided to all members of the University community" and "the expeditious completion of the ResNet project," according to an agenda provided by the Faculty Senate Office. Finally, Council will receive an update on the progress of judicial reform before adjourning. The meeting will be held from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. in the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall. It is open to the public.
(03/15/95 10:00am)
Controversial rap artist Sister Souljah may come to campus in April as part of a First Amendment and rap panel discussion, Upper Quadrangle Assistant Dean in Residence Pamela Robinson said last night. Souljah sparked national controversy when she referred to the Los Angeles riots following the verdict in the infamous Rodney King beating trial as "wise." "If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?" she asked. "So if you're a gang member and you would normally be killing somebody, why not kill a white person?" Her attendance at the discussion has not been confirmed with her agent, Robinson said. And the rap artist will not perform while on campus, although that was originally discussed as a possibility, Robinson added. Community House ADR Diana Koros, who served on the committee which created and originally discussed the event, said she hoped the panel would "spark people to think about the issues [related to the First Amendment]." In addition, during the 1992 presidential campaign, Souljah found herself in the middle of a controversy between then Governor Bill Clinton and fellow candidate Reverend Jesse Jackson. Clinton criticized Souljah's remarks about the Los Angeles riots and Jackson for inviting the rapper to serve on a panel at a Rainbow Coalition conference in mid-June of 1992. Robinson said Souljah was not invited because she is controversial, though. Instead, Robinson said the organizers of the event hoped the famed rapper's attendance would attract a wide variety of students to the event. College senior and Black Student League President Robyn Kent said she considered the discussion, "a step in the right direction." "Usually, it's up to minority students to push the administration to bring African-American speakers [to campus]," she said. "I think it's important just to get more prominent African-Americans at Penn." Koros also said that Souljah has changed her stance since the 1992 campaign. "She has backed off the hard core stuff," Koros said, adding that the rap artist would make a solid addition to the panel because "she has a reputation for being outspoken about her views and she's articulate. "This isn't meant to incite anything except thinking -- certainly it isn't meant to incite protest or anything," Koros said. And Kent said she did not believe Souljah's involvement in the panel would have a "negative effect," although she added that some people may object to it. Souljah's influence in the 1992 campaign and the controversy that occurred extended beyond Clinton's comments, however. After Clinton publicly criticized her, Souljah responded by saying that Clinton was a hypocrite who was out of touch with the difficulties black Americans faced. "It is very shocking to me that with the economic recession, [and] the inner-city decay, that Bill Clinton would attack not the issues, but an African-American woman who is alcohol-free, drug-free and self-employed," the rapper said. Souljah's supporters said at the time that Clinton made his remarks in an effort to keep Jackson off the Democratic ticket. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution contributed to this story.
(03/15/95 10:00am)
Future of the Castle still unclear The Interfraternity Council granted conditional recognition to the Psi Upsilon fraternity last night, reversing a decision made last year to deny re-instatement of the fraternity, IFC President and College junior David Treat said. Psi Upsilon was kicked off campus in 1990 after fraternity brothers kidnapped a member of Delta Psi, a rival fraternity. The Psi Upsilon brothers abducted the Delta Psi brother from his apartment, handcuffed him to a pole and yelled racial slurs at him. As a result, Psi Upsilon's national organization agreed to pay $145,000 in compensation to the Delta Psi brother. All Psi Upsilon members were kicked out of the Castle, located at 36th Street and Locust Walk, in the wake of the incident and the building has since been used as a residence for the Community Service Living Learning Program. In the fall of 1993, Psi Upsilon applied for re-recognition. But the IFC and the Greek Alumni Council decided against their appeal. Last night, however, the general membership of the IFC voted to recognize Psi Upsilon by a "solid majority," College sophomore and IFC Judicial Manager Josh Gottheimer said. The vote came after extensive presentations, discussion and debate, he added. The decision, however, is complicated by legal issues as to where Psi Upsilon will be housed. There is ongoing litigation between the local alumni chapter of Psi Upsilon and the University regarding ownership of the Castle. In the 1950s, the fraternity and the University entered into an agreement in which ownership of the property was given to the University. According to Associate Treasurer Christopher Mason, the agreement said that if Psi Upsilon ever lost its house, the University would have to provide the fraternity with another property and pay for moving costs. The agreement even listed various properties on Locust Walk that would be used as relocation sites -- including the building at 3609-11 Locust Walk and the alleyway at 3613 Locust Walk. If the fraternity chooses the latter, the University would have to build and pay for a new structure to be erected in that vacant space, Mason said. And representatives from Psi Upsilon have said ownership of the Castle is still unclear. Gottheimer and Treat said Psi Upsilon's move back to the Castle was a possibility, although the IFC is not involved in that decision. According to Gottheimer, under the IFC's expansion guidelines, the recognition is conditional for two years. Each semester, the executive board will conduct a review of the fraternity and will present its findings to the general membership. The IFC found that Psi Upsilon is, "a strong national fraternity with strong alumni backing," Gottheimer said. "There were some very good positive ideas in the agreement they presented to us -- especially with academics and philanthropy," he said. "It reflected what the IFC stands for and is something the IFC supports." And Treat said he thought Psi Upsilon would "strengthen our system." Although the IFC vote is a "big step" in the recognition process, Gottheimer said the Greek Alumni Council and the University have to approve the decision before Psi Upsilon can return to campus next fall. Treat said he will present the IFC's decision to GAC during a scheduled meeting tomorrow night, adding that GAC will probably vote on the re-recognition during that meeting. Psi Upsilon representative and brother Michael Corwin, an alumnus of Washington State University, was unavailable for comment last night. He came to the University to work on gaining recognition for a University Psi Upsilon chapter.
