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(02/24/95 10:00am)
The 3900 blocks of Walnut and Sansom streets were closed for about an hour yesterday morning when Philadelphia Fire Department officials discovered a freon leak in the Convenient Food Store. Five fire trucks, two ambulances and the hazardous materials unit from the Fire Department responded to the leak. No one was hurt yesterday at the store, which had been previously gutted by a fire early Saturday morning. And Kinko's Copy Center, located next to the Convenient Food Store, was evacuated as a precaution. "It's pretty routine for the Fire Department to send that level of response initially," a Fire Department spokesperson said. "You get the works, send everything and worry about it later." Fire Department Chief George DelRossi said freon can be toxic if inhaled and is also hard to detect because it is an odorless, colorless gas. "You don't want to inhale it in large quantities," DelRossi said. According to DelRossi, the freon leak started after someone broke into the back entrance of Convenient Food Store Wednesday night. He said the intruder attempted to steal copper tubing from refrigerator pipes causing the freon to escape. Firefighters "kinked" the pipes to stop the freon from leaking further, DelRossi explained. Ed Datz, an official of University City Associates -- the subsidiary corporation of the University that owns the property -- said the back door was locked and secured prior to the incident. He added, however, that the door will be welded shut. "A lot of people just go ahead and don't want to leave things alone," Datz said. In addition, Philadelphia fire marshals were investigating the cause of the Convenient Food Store fire when they realized the freon was leaking. The fire is still currently under investigation, but no cause has been determined. Students at the scene yesterday said they were inconvenienced by the evacuation of Kinko's because they needed to use the copiers. Second year Law student Tanya Galuszka said she was in a rush to get copies done for a moot court session when she was told to evacuate Kinko's. "Last night I had a premonition that I shouldn't put it off because Kinko's might burn down," Galuszka said. "That's what I get for being a procrastinator." And Kinko's employee Ibrahim Balogun said he was afraid his customers would be disappointed because their work had not been completed. "It's affecting my business," Balogun said. Local businesses such as College Pizza and Mega Video have been closed since Saturday from the recent fire. College Pizza owner Ulysses Lancellotti estimated that the Convenience Food Store fire caused between $50,000 and $60,000 in damage. "The smoke is so bad it's unbelievable," Lancellotti said. He added that he hopes to re-open College Pizza in about a week. And he said that when the store re-opens, there will be all new fresh food. "I'm going to throw everything out, even the soda," Lancellotti said. Orest Hrabowy, manager of Mega Video, said he hopes his store will re-open in a few weeks. Mega Video suffered severe water damage, as well as damage to its computer system and video tapes. Hrabowy said he can not estimate the cost of the damage because the insurance adjuster has not yet surveyed the store. The Fire Department responded to the freon leak at shortly after 10:30 a.m. and had reopened the streets by noon.
(02/24/95 10:00am)
From lack of rehearsal space to losing members, student bands face many obstacles The buzzing patrons slowly filter in. Everybody recognizes a familiar face and settles into small groups around the scattered tables. The band warms up, sending screeching microphone feedback through the amplifiers. As the first strains of the solo acoustic guitar drift to the back of the room, the small tables rapidly begin to fill. And the parade of student bands keeps the audience -- devoted followers of the University music scene -- blithely satisfied. The vast majority of campus bands remain invisible to the average student. Only the music scene's insiders monitor the rise and fall of University bands. And anonymity is the least of the problems a young group must face. Questions of style, where and when to rehearse, and the simple matter of chemistry must all be confronted before a new band can get going. Most campus bands are fragile creatures, easily shattered by members' graduations or simple conflicts of interest. This volatility dims the long term prospects of many bands. The University's only ska band, the Lidds, was one of the few bands to achieve campus-wide familiarity. But even such a high profile group made an inauspicious debut. Engineering senior John Cole, the group's saxophonist, hadn't played the instrument for over two years before he was asked to join the band. And the group's lead singer, former University student Jerrold "Rock" Johnson, was asked to join while out jogging one day. Their first public performance together was similarly disorganized. Former University student Jeremy Fish, the band's drummer, "came in and told us that we had a gig, and we only had three songs at the time," Cole said. The group managed to write five more songs before their first performance, but still had one wrinkle to iron out before taking the stage. "It took until the day we were performing for the first time to come up with The Lidds," said Johnson, who currently works for the University's School of Veterinary Medicine. After more than a year together, the group broke up in November having lost several members to graduation. Johnson and his fellow former Lidds, Cole and College senior Bart Milkenburger, decided to form an entirely new group rather than attempt to replace the missing pieces. "Bart and I pretty much went out and found these musicians," Cole said. "They were basically the hottest freshman coming in." But the new band will have to deal with the same problems that confronted the Lidds over a year ago. And compounded by the impending graduation of Cole and Milkenburger, the band's prospects for success are still questionable. "I don't really know if this band is going to get going," Cole said. If it gels, the new group plans to dabble in funk music, but ska fans still have one more chance to see the Lidds in action. The group is planning to hold a reunion at this year's Spring Fling. "It'll be our last official get together," Johnson said. He added that he hopes the new group can match or even surpass the Lidds' success. "Optimally, I'd like to get a band that is actually going somewhere," he said. Cole said he is also considering making a career out of his music, but is realistic about his prospects. "Its a long shot," he said. With the demise of the Lidds, the alternative rock/punk group Splendorbin has moved to the forefront of the campus music scene. The year-and-a-half old band, who's music is self-described as "melodic punk," is one of the few University bands to establish a reputation off-campus. In fact, the band rarely makes appearances on campus. When they do, it is invariably at the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity house which was described as "the best place to play in West Philadelphia" by Wharton senior Bill Elliot, one of the band's guitarists. But Splendorbin's goals extend far beyond merely becoming the best band on campus. They have already independently produced and distributed two cassettes, and recently teamed up with Static Records to produce their first seven inch disk. Unlike many bands, they don't intend to let graduation interfere with their success. The all-senior band plans to stay together next year and may even go on tour this summer. Another up and coming alternative rock band is Synapse. But like the Lidds, band members can remember how tough it was starting out. "We played in the Quad until we got kicked out," recalled Wharton sophomore Jason Seldon, Synapse's lead guitarist. Since that time, the band has found a home in the basement of the Pi Lam fraternity house, where several of the members are brothers. And with their newfound stability has come success. Synapse played at Spring Fling last year and are planning to do so again this year. They are also trying to independently publish a seven inch disk on which they hope to put three of their original songs. "Everybody in the band has different record company connections," Seldon said. "So we'll just have to see who will help us." Recently, the band took several months off while searching for a new drummer until Splendorbin's drummer, College senior Jason McKibben, agreed to fill in. Band members are enthusiastic about the change. "Since he's joined, our sound has changed a lot," said College sophomore Ben Morgan, the group's bassist. "It has become a lot more punk." The band hopes to mirror Splendorbin's off-campus success, but has yet to garner the same respect in the Philadelphia music scene. "We haven't been able to play off campus yet," Morgan said. "It's very tough for Penn bands." This summer, they plan to tour the East Coast. But many of the problems that plague University bands do not affect groups based off-campus. College senior Ricardo Richards has played bass in his family's band, The Sons of Ace, for 15 years. "My dad is Ace," Richards explained. "And with me and my brothers, we are The Sons of Ace." Although the band's roots are in reggae and Ace himself was deeply involved in Bob Marley's first album, Richards noted that they are all classically-trained musicians capable of playing many styles. In past years, the group played on campus at fraternity parties and made several appearances at the Castle. Currently, they play every Thursday night at the Ups & Down Bar on 5th Street and have recently finished their third CD, titled Falasha. PARMESAN, a student group dedicated to assisting the University's musical community, is also giving local bands stage exposure in their weekly performances. It is a non-profit group, dependent on volunteers who work to support the musical community. "Its a great way to get the music scene going," said Wharton junior Daryl Marco, the group's leader. PARMESAN tries to schedule bands from across the musical spectrum, according to Marco. At a recent show, the acts ranged from a solo acoustic guitarist to a bizarre keyboard band called Umbilical Corduroy, which featured a song dedicated to the infamous "Mad Shitter," the yet-to-be-identified person who has smeared bathrooms in the Quadrangle with feces. "We try to run the gamut of styles," said College sophomore Marc Sand, one of the PARMESAN assistants. "It gets really boring if we just run the same brands of music every week." Sand, whose brother helped start the organization, said that on a good night, nearly 200 people pack into the High Rise North Rathskellar Lounge. He also noted that many of the most successful student bands over the past few years played on the PARMESAN stage on their way up. The shows, performed every Thursday, are especially helpful for younger bands. They provide a social atmosphere for those people interested in music, and can also give a new band their first opportunity to perform in public. "One of the things that we try to do is help bands form," Marco said. College sophomore Amy Lebow is the lead singer for one newly formed pop/rock band that has taken advantage of the "open mike" opportunity at PARMESAN. "We played PARMESAN twice last semester," Lebow said. "The first time it was just me and my guitarist Danny. There just aren't many other options for open-mike experience." The group's guitarist, College freshman Danny Barria, began to put together the group soon after arriving to campus in September. "I'd had a band back home," Barria said. "So I posted on a newsgroup and it just sprang from there." Lebow was the first to respond to the posting, but after a long search, the group discovered a bassist in the most unlikely of places. "The bassist is actually the guitarist's next door neighbor," said Lebow. The last member of the group was the most difficult to find. "It's hardest to find a drummer," Lebow said. "And there are no drumsets on campus." When asked about their goals now that the group had finally been assembled, the members of the band were realistic. Barria said he would like to "play a couple of parties and maybe a bar or two," but added that "anything bigger than that would be unnecessary." "My goal is basically just to write a few songs and play them," Lebow said, explaining that the band had not yet played together as a group. "Before we could just practice in one of our rooms," she added. "But now it is much harder." "It's just really tough to get a band started, especially with on-campus housing," Barria said. Despite the challenges that University bands face, there remain a relatively small but dedicated group of musicians who help keep the scene going. Because of their size, many of these veteran musicians have had the opportunity to play together. Before he joined the Lidds, Johnson was the lead singer for a group called the Groove Merchants. He was recruited by Fish, the former drummer for the popular campus band Rhino Lift. Fish also recruited Cole. And when not running PARMESAN, Marco himself is involved in a number of bands. The most successful of these is a group called Nimbus Burn, whose style he described as "jammy guitar pop." Cole once played alongside Marco in Nimbus Burn. In fact, Cole also teamed up with College senior Robert Markoff to form Benevolent Ensemble. But he is far from the most prolific musician on campus. That distinction may well fall to Marco. "At this point in time I only belong to three bands," Marco said. "But at my worst I belonged to four or five."
(02/24/95 10:00am)
Undergraduate Mathematics Chairperson Dennis DeTurck has been selected as the first recipient of the Davidson Kennedy Professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences. According to College Dean Robert Rescorla, this appointment will last for a three-year period and will carry a research and teaching grant of $10,000. The professorship, which was created in November, is awarded to "a School of Arts and Sciences faculty member with a distinguished scholarly career who has made outstanding contributions to undergraduate education in the College," he said. DeTurck, who found out just last night that he was awarded the position, said he was pleasantly surprised to learn that he is going to be the first to hold the chair. "For me, the best part of the whole thing is what the chair is for," he said. "It is specifically about undergraduate education." DeTurck added that he is happy with the unique combination of research and education that the chair provides. "I find [the idea of the chair] encouraging," he said. "But it is even more exciting because I get to have it first." The criteria sent to department and undergraduate chairpersons by Rescorla and SAS Dean Rosemary Stevens states that the recipient "should have displayed excellence in teaching, innovation in curriculum development, and service to students, as well as first-rate scholarship." Rescorla said the purpose of this position is to raise the visibility of teaching as a contribution to the institution. "We are trying to acknowledge people who have made important educational contributions," he said. DeTurck said he is excited by this goal. "There simply aren't any chairs like that at Penn, so this is sort of a new direction, and I think a correct direction," he said. DeTurck added that it is very significant that the College -- and University in general -- is concerned about the quality of undergraduate education. Rescorla said he is hopeful that the College will set up similar chairs in the future. He added that he was pleased with the feedback he received from the departments. "It was really very rewarding because as you looked them over you realized how many first-rate contributors we have in the College," he said. This position will be given to someone every three years "so we can keep people noticing that we care about teaching and other educational contributions," Rescorla said. "It isn't just a good teaching award," he added. "It's an award for people who have thought about good education and what it should be like." DeTurck said because he just found out about this position, he does not have any concrete plans yet. "One does not often have funds like this that you have complete discretion over," he said. "There are a lot of things in my mind. I haven't had time to think about it yet." DeTurck added that there are some interdisciplinary projects he might be interested in initiating. "Hopefully we can build on the momentum of having this to go forward with initiatives for the math department and [other College departments]," he said. DeTurck has been praised for his consistent accessibility to students and his openness to new ideas. He has also been particularly visible in dealing with students' complaints about the Maple calculus computer program that was introduced into the curriculum last year. Although the Davidson Kennedy Professorship is quite an honor for DeTurck, it is not the first recognition he has received from the University. In 1991, he was awarded the University's most prestigious teaching accolade -- the Lindback Award. Along with the recognition of being one of the University's top teachers, he also received a $1,000 prize. In addition, DeTurck has received multiple awards from the mathematics department.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
"America's Mayor" held a campaign kick-off at his campaign headquarters in Center City yesterday. Amidst cheers, the 70 volunteers and campaign staffers piled into the the office in the Suburban Station building to greet Mayor Ed Rendell. The workers were also treated to traditional Philadelphia fare, including hoagies, pizza and pretzels. And although many political observers say Rendell is a shoe-in for re-election, Rendell said campaigning is still crucial. Currently Rendell faces no challengers in the Democratic party, which will hold its primary in May, but Michael Rocks announced his candidacy for mayor on the Republican ticket last week. One possible challenger had been Republican attorney Richard Glanton, who was investigating the possibility of switching his party affiliation to run against the mayor in the primary. But Glanton announced this week that he would stay out of the race. The mayor said that while television commercials are an important medium for his message, going out on the streets and talking to people is the most effective method. "People get people out to the poles," Rendell said. And although many supporters said Rendell is unstoppable, they cautioned against being overconfident about his chances. "I think you can never say it's all over," Chris Dwyer, a volunteer, said. "His chances are fantastic, but you don't want to take anything for granted." The mayor said one of his greatest achievements was not laying off city workers or cutting their pay. "We were able to accomplish a financial miracle without laying off people and having pay cuts," Rendell said. After Rendell finished his brief address, one man began to chant "four more years" and the crowd erupted into applause. Wharton and Engineering sophomore Eugene Huang, a Rendell campaign worker, said the mayor's accomplishments will serve him well in his re-election bid. "Rendell has done fabulous things for the city," Huang said. "He rescued the city from insolvency in an incredibly short time. He's Philadelphia's biggest cheerleader." John Ross, a resident of West Philadelphia, said the mayor has done a lot for the University City area. "I think he will do well," Ross said. "He's an accessible mayor."
(02/23/95 10:00am)
Creating a tangible sense of community between the University and its West Philadelphia neighbors has been a top priority of students, faculty, staff and administrators for years. With the introduction of "Communiversity Days" on March 22, this elusive goal may finally become reality. Carol Scheman, vice president for government, community and public affairs, said she is working with Glenn Bryan, director of the Office of Community Relations, to plan a monthly program that allows high school students residing in the University City area to get a glimpse of day-to-day campus life. "[Communiversity Days] are intended to hook together small groups of young people -- as in ninth- and tenth-graders in the community -- for a very personal experience day on the campus," Scheman said. Beginning March 22, high schoolers will come to campus in groups of no more than a dozen to get to know individual University students better. The high schoolers will participate in the same activities that University students do each day -- such as eating meals in dining halls, going to classes, seeing a basketball practice or performance at the Annenberg Center, visiting the University Museum and spending time at The Daily Pennsylvanian to learn how a newspaper is produced. Communiversity Days will also permit neighborhood kids to get a first-hand look inside University buildings. Some have lived just blocks away from campus since birth but have never set foot in a classroom, library, dormitory room or laboratory. "I want these kids to be able to imagine going to Penn -- whether they choose to go to Penn or somewhere else [for college]," Scheman said. "They can learn that they're not that different from you guys." University President Judith Rodin said she is also excited about the introduction of Communiversity Days. "I think they're wonderful," she said. "It's a great way to open the University to the community. "When we talk about the community, it's often been what Penn is doing out in West Philadelphia," Rodin added. "[But] community means interaction between the University and the community [at-large]." Scheman added that Communiversity Days will only continue to evolve with extensive student input. Her office will function as a "dating agency," making connections between high schoolers who want to spend time on campus and University students -- in Greek groups, the Undergraduate Assembly or floors of campus residences -- who want to act as their mentors. "The abstract idea was kind of nice, but it is the students' enthusiasm [that] will make it go," Scheman said, referring to Communiversity Days. "If it's going to be something that catches on, it's going to be because there's going to be some real enthusiasm across the student body." Bryan, who grew up in West Philadelphia, is a University alumnus. He said last night that he was exposed to the opportunities available on campus as a youth, when he participated in the Upward Bound program. He characterized Communiversity Days as a "work in progress," saying that evaluation of the program's effectiveness by members of the University and West Philadelphia communities will occur consistently throughout its duration. "The wonderful part about this is that it's an institutional effort driven by students," Bryan said. "[The Office of Community Relations] is just providing support and coordination. "It's all of us working together regarding one particular project, something that we'd like to do more of and run as a theme throughout more of what we do," he added.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
Wharton alumnus Arjun Kochhar had trouble finding a job when he graduated, and now he is trying to make the internship and job search easier for University students. Kochhar, founder of the Wall Street Placement Company, spoke before approximately 100 people last night in Vance Hall. The Placement Company, which is run out of Manhattan and also has a Philadelphia office, is aimed exclusively at University students looking for jobs and summer internships. Kochhar, who graduated from the University last year, explained that the difficulty he faced while applying for jobs provided the impetus to start the company. "When I was looking for a job two years ago, I found CPPS wasn't really working for me," he said. Students send a cover letter to the Placement Company, which then fills in information for companies in a specific area of business. He said the Placement Company provides a favorable alternative for students applying for summer internships or jobs by themselves. "You can either send out resumes yourself, or you can have us do it better, faster and cheaper," he said. Kochhar said the Placement Company has a "comprehensive database" in 11 fields of business, including investment banking, marketing and accounting. "We do a mail merge of our databases and your cover letter," he said. The Placement Company then sends completed letters targeted for specific companies to the students. Students must then attach their resumes to the letters. Also included in the package is a list of companies to whom the resume and cover letter should be sent. The Placement Company charges one dollar for each cover letter if the student requests between 50 and 200 cover letters. For students who request less than 50 cover letters, the charge is 80 cents each, and those who request more than 200 are charged $1.20 per cover letter. Kochhar said that after the presentation, 45 students signed up for individual meetings. Students in attendance seemed optimistic that the Placement Company could ease the application process for them. Wharton junior Adam Ferrin said that although he is "a little skeptical" about the company, he thinks it might help him. "I think at the very least they'll do a lot of the dirty work," Ferrin said. Wharton freshman Lainie Spierer said she hopes the Placement Company will help her because she needs an internship. "The resources they have are much more than I could acquire on my own," Spierer said. Wharton freshman Javed Siddique praised the Placement Company. "They're doing the main part of the job," he said. "And the main part of the job is finding the companies."
(02/23/95 10:00am)
Briefing about 100 government officials and members of the press in Washington Tuesday, two University researchers discussed the National Employer Survey they conducted to examine workforce quality and organization. The study, which examines the overall structure of private companies and how business managers feel about their employees' abilities, suggests that an increasing number of employers are skeptical about the education of college and high school graduates. The study was conducted last fall by Education Professor Robert Zemsky, director of the Institute for Research on Higher Education, Management Professor Peter Cappelli and Tufts University Law Professor Lisa Lynch. It was designed by the National Center on the Educational Quality of the Workforce. After completing the first analysis of the survey -- administered by the Bureau of the Census and sponsored by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement within the Federal Department of Education -- Center officials described the survey as a "reality check." What many analysts and officials from agencies such as the Departments of Education and Labor findmost startling and worrisome about the study's findings is what they reveal about the relationship between academic institutions and employers. Twenty percent of the more than 3,000 managers surveyed said they use four-year colleges or universities to train their employees. But 50 percent said they rely on equipment suppliers or buyers as outside sources of training. Employers also said that when deciding who to hire they consider an applicant's attitude and communication skills most important, while teacher recommendations, the school the applicant attended and his or her grades were listed as least important. But Cappelli cautioned against assuming that the results reveal that schools provide inadequate preparation for the workplace. The managers surveyed represented establishments ranging from International Business Machines to small auto repair shops. According to Cappelli, many of the more competitive firms assume their applicants have basic credentials and look to his or her ability to work in teams or independently and solve problems. The businesses that hire students out of high school have no way to compare schools and can only assess an applicant's personal characteristics, he said. Cappelli added that the statistics reflect the differences between how schools and employers evaluate students.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
College sophomore Greg Blair was knocked unconscious after falling outside the Palladium Restaurant and Bar early yesterday morning and had to be taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Last night HUP Nursing Coordinator and Evening Administrator Nancy Dodd confirmed that Blair was admitted to the hospital, where he is listed in serious condition. She added that he was "in the process" of being moved out of the intensive care unit at about 8 p.m. last night. University Police Sergeant Keith Christian said the student had consumed a "significant quantity" of alcohol inside the Palladium and appeared to be under 21, the legal drinking age in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Palladium owner Dwayne Ball refused to comment on the specifics of the incident. "I wasn't here," he said. "I have nothing to say about it at all." Although sources said Blair was in the bar with fellow Alpha Epsilon Pi brothers, Christian said the incident was not fraternity related. The student was "not very responsive" when University Police discovered him shortly after 12:30 a.m., Christian said. Blair was taken to HUP by Philadelphia Fire Rescue. Christian added that before rescue services arrived, University Police officers attempted to keep the student warm to prevent him from falling into shock. Drug and Alcohol Resource Team Treasurer and Wharton sophomore Jon Brightbill said that University Police should be contacted whenever a student has consumed an excessive amount of alcohol and is need of medical attention. He said the University's policy is not to prosecute underage drinkers who are transported to HUP by University Police. "By all means, you call the police and have them take the person to the hospital," Brightbill said. "Usually they let the [underage drinker] go and they don't ask questions." In instances where students have been prosecuted, DART and the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education have been successful in having the charges dropped, he added. Before rescue services arrive, Brightbill said "Alcohol First Aid" should be performed by placing the intoxicated person on their side in a safe and comfortable position. He said this position will prevent the person from choking or drowning if they vomit.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
Graduate students spoke face to face with University administrators last night, voicing their concern over being ignored in administrative plans regarding student activity space and undergraduate educational reform. A group of 25 graduate students met with University President Judith Rodin, Provost Stanley Chodorow and Acting Executive Vice President Jack Freeman last night in Houston Hall. The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly held the meeting to discuss the Coopers & Lybrand report. The Coopers report was commissioned to focus on a limited area of issues pertaining to the University's Administrative Restructuring Project. But after briefly discussing the report itself, the dialogue between the administrators and graduate students shifted focus to the recommendations and proposals that were developed in response to the report. The primary concern of the graduate students was that amidst all of the plans for the Perelman Quadrangle and the 21st Century Undergraduate Education Initiative, they would be ignored. "Hopefully, this administration will pay attention to all the groups on campus," Rodin said. But GAPSA President Ari Brose said most graduate students do not read the major campus publications, making it difficult to communicate with all 10,000 graduate students. Electronic mail or listservers are being discussed as options to facilitate communication with graduate students, Freeman said. But Freeman added the administration must first decide whether to centralize or decentralize the various hardware programs used for electronic communication at the individual schools. During the meeting, Chodorow was asked if any thought was being devoted to graduate education in the year 2000 since undergraduate education is being intensely focused on by the administration. "Graduate education is regarded by departments and schools as theirs," answered Chodorow. "It is not comprehensive." Brose asked if there would be any space allotted for graduate use in the new Perelman Quad proposal. According to Rodin, there will be space available for graduate student use, but she said the specific allocation of that space will not be determined until later in the planning process after consultation with the architects. Students also raised the idea of turning the University's Faculty Club to into a graduate cafe where graduate students from all schools could meet and interact at night. "There are graduate students on campus who want a place to meet and to call our own," sixth year medical student Erick Santos said. In the Coopers report, the Faculty Club is advised to "reduce its considerable annual losses." Brose said dual use of the Faculty Club would allow the University to maximize its financial profitability. In addition, Brose said since the Faculty Club already has a liquor license, it would not create additional legal liability for the University if opened to graduate students. "I think the notion of converting the club from faculty use to a graduate use is a wonderful idea," Freeman said. Graduate Student Associations Council President Browyn Beistle voiced concern that there is not enough cross-disciplinary interaction among graduate students. "I personally have been intellectually enriched when I have had the experience to meet with other graduate students outside of my field," Beistle said. Chodorow and Rodin both said they feel interaction is needed to be encouraged and that they are aware of the problem. Brose said she feels that the meeting was a successful start to dialogue between the administration and graduate students. "We may not have answered any questions but at least we started the discussion," she said.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
In an effort to improve Philadelphia's neighborhoods, Mayor Ed Rendell signed Executive Order 2-95, dubbed the "Neighborhood Benefit Strategy," last month. The initiative requires any builders using city money to employ about 50 percent of the employees involved with the project from the local neighborhood. Builders would also have to buy equipment and supplies in the area. "We want to develop the city," a spokesperson for the mayor, Kevin Feeley, said. "We think that it is a crucial concept in planning for Philadelphia's future." Feeley said builders who do not make a serious effort to implement the plan can be charged with noncompliance. And this would hurt their chances of securing city contracts in the future. Feeley was also quick to point out that the plan will give teeth to the federal Housing and Urban Development Act, which requires builders to describe goals and provide reports on public projects. Feeley added that the early response from the business community has been positive. "Some builders in town have said this is great," he said. "They've been doing it all along, and it works. "The best builders are already doing it," he explained. "It's not just good policy, it's good business." Adjunct professor and city historian George Thomas believes that the plan is a mix of politics and practicality. "It is hard to say if it's a quota system or an attempt to keep city dollars in the city," he said. Thomas pointed out that the city is losing jobs at a rate of about 10,000 to 15,000 a year.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
The University's three fraternity umbrella groups announced yesterday a joint community service project that is modeled after Residential Living's "Into the Streets" program and will possibly work in conjunction with "Habitat for Humanity." The program -- the first of its kind between the three organizations -- is tentatively scheduled to take place on Nationwide Community Service Day on April 8, according to BiCultural InterGreek Council President Trista Bridges, a College junior. Bridges added that cleaning up area public schools may be on the agenda. At a round table meeting Monday night, Greek members built upon joint project ideas developed at a leadership retreat in Elmer, New Jersey three weeks ago. "It's been a long time since there's been mixing between the Big-C, Panhel, and IFC," InterFraternity Council President and College junior David Treat said after the weekend. And at Monday night's meeting, the plans were solidified. "The fundamental principal is to get us out in the community, [and] add something back into the community," he said this week. One of the primary advantages of joint projects for the Big-C -- a group much smaller than the IFC and Panhel -- is in the sheer numbers. "A lot of times we have good ideas, we just don't have a lot of manpower," Bridges said. IFC leaders said they hope the retreat and community service project will lead to more group involvement in the future. "We're going to try to do a lot more social events together," said IFC Judicial Manager Josh Gottheimer, a College sophomore. The overnight retreat, sponsored by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, provided an opportunity for leaders within the three organizations to discuss fraternity issues and plan for common events. "I thought it was a good opportunity to meet a lot of new people, especially amongst two umbrella organizations," Bridges said. Members said since it is often difficult to get together as a group on campus, the off-campus location was ideal. "A lot of what was achieved was better understanding about the different groups," Treat said.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
Three weeks ago College senior Emiliano Calemzuk was sitting in psychology class, doodling to cure his boredom, when he came up with the idea to make t-shirts displaying the Internet symbol @, he said. "I'm a net freak," he said. "And all of a sudden I looked at the @ sign and I was like, 'Wow, this would make a great t-shirt.'" Calemzuk then proposed his idea to some "techno-freaks" who said they loved the slogan: "Been on the net too long?" The slogan now appears on the back of the t-shirts which are emblazoned with the @ sign on the front. After spending two hours on his computer to develop the design and trading several paychecks for white t-shirts, Calemzuk is now in business. While the "WebWare" shirts will not be sold on campus until Thursday, when they will be available on Locust Walk, some businesses throughout the city have been selling them for the past few weeks. Cafe des Artistes, located at 611 South Broad Street, was first to sell the t-shirt. The coffeehouse decided to sell the t-shirt because it offers customers access to the Internet along with their cappuccino. Although the Cafe des Artistes normally sells art, not clothing, the t-shirts fit in with this month's Internet theme, according to Francis Green, the manager of the cafe. "The t-shirts are in line with one of the catches of the cafe," she said. "We're offering free Internet access in February." Yesterday, the cafe sold four of the six shirts they received in the morning, Green added. Calemzuk's t-shirt is also the first article of clothing to be sold by Game Gallery, the video game store located at 505 South Street. "The only reason we did it is [I am] on the Internet," said Wayne Hruslinski, the store's district manager. "It was just interesting." Although the two stores that have started selling the shirts attract different types of customers, WebWare is selling well at both locations. "Anybody who is familiar with the Internet likes them," Hruslinski said. "We sold nine or 10 today. That's good though -- we started selling them today." The t-shirts will also be sold at The Last Drop Coffeehouse at 1300 Pine Street. For a charge, Calemzuk will deliver the t-shirts to those living on campus. "It makes a great gift too, you know," he said. "If you know someone who spends a lot of time on the Net." If the t-shirts sell well, WebWare will add sweatshirts and sweatpants, among other items, to its line. Calemzuk said that if he makes any money from his new T-shirt company, he will use it to throw a huge party for his friends. "I'm doing it for the hell of it," he said. "I'm not this money sucker."
(02/23/95 10:00am)
U. officials anxiously wait University administrators are anxiously awaiting a concrete indication that University Trustee Ronald Perelman will support the student center project already bearing his name, but so far Perelman has kept silent. As the potential primary donor for the Perelman Quadrangle, Perelman, a University alumnus, has yet to commit any money to the new project. In November 1988, Perelman pledged $10 million in seed money to the Revlon Center plan which has now been scrapped. University officials do not know when he will decide whether to support the new project. If Perelman does not agree to the project, administrators say they do not have a back-up method for obtaining funding. "We don't have a contingency plan," University President Judith Rodin said at a Graduate and Professional Students Assembly meeting last night. "We hope we won't need one." Perelman is chairman and chief executive officer of both New York's MacAndrews and Forbes Group, Inc. and the Revlon Group, Inc. He graduated from the Wharton School in 1964 and received his MBA from Wharton in 1966. According to Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Virginia Clark, Perelman has not given the University any indication as to whether he will support the change in plans. "There isn't any new information," Clark said yesterday. "It's still the same status -- nothing has changed." And any plans to begin further work on the Perelman Quad will not continue until Perelman agrees to the project. Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow knew they would have to obtain Perelman's commitment to the project when they first decided to scrap the Revlon Center plan in favor of the new proposal, which would use Logan Hall, Houston Hall and Williams Hall, along with Irvine Auditorium. Rodin and Chodorow had hoped to wait to release the Perelman Quad plans until they received the go-ahead from the primary contributor. But last month, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported the campus center change, and the administration has since presented the full plan to students, faculty and staff in various settings. The new plans include renovating existing space to allow for more meeting, performing, rehearsal and study space in the four buildings. The walkway between the buildings would undergo landscaping changes to create a larger plaza area and a two-story glass atrium would be built connecting Logan and Williams Hall. The Perelman Quad, however, is little more than an idea without the primary donor officially backing it. And Chodorow said last month that the project would cost between $53 and $60 million. Rodin and Chodorow said although they were still waiting to hear from Perelman, they are optimistic about his response. According to Chodorow, the project will take 36 months to complete once it is begun. Daily Pennsylvanian Staff Writer Andrea Ahles contributed to this article.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
No pain, no gain -- no more. Surgery and pain have always gone together, but thanks to medical advances at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, painless surgery may be on its way. HUP now performs increasing amounts of surgery with minimal or no use of anesthesia. Although this sounds like it would increase pain, anesthesiologists at HUP have taken other measures to prevent pain. The newest method allows patients to administer local anesthetics and analgesics, or pain killers, when they feel necessary. The patient's post-operative control, or Patient Controlled Analgesia, allows the patient to control their medicinal intake, according to Kathleen Veloso, assistant professor of anesthesia and director of the Anesthesia Pain Management Service at HUP. HUP is one of the first hospitals to use this form of pain management for surgeries such as hip, knee, urologic, and gynecologic operations, where general anesthesia is not necessary, Veloso added. The overall cost to the hospital also appears to be decreasing because of the treatment, since patients are discharged earlier. The medicine, which is administered by the patients' pushing a button, travels down an epidural catheter -- a small wire-like intravenous tube -- into the fluid sac outside of the spine. Transmission to the spine blocks the pathways that send pain signals to the brain, according to HUP spokesperson Seanna Walter. "Patient recovery time is faster," Walter said. "They can usually walk sooner" than procedures involving the use of general anesthesia. Small amounts of the drugs are given continuously through the epidural catheter to the patient, and patients then have opportunity to administer additional amounts more as they deem necessary, according to Veloso. "We like to leave the epidural in after surgery," Veloso said. "This allows us to deposit numbing medicines and analgesics in different concentrations." And the risk of overdose is not a threat because the pump is programmed to release up to a specified amount of medication over a prescribed time period. In addition, anesthesiologist check in with the patients at least three times a day to ensure that all is going well and that the right amount of medicine is being administered, according to Walter. Pain killers usually kick in anywhere from five to 20 minutes after being administered, according to Veloso. "I like to use medicine that patients can feel in five minutes," Veloso said. "When patients are coughing or doing breathing exercises, they want [relief] now." Use of epidural analgesia as opposed to general anesthesia also reduces post-operative complications such as blood clots to the lungs, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, and even death, according to a study done by Randall Carpenter in Seattle, Washington. PCA is used across the country for procedures such as cesarean sections.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
As many undergraduates begin the process of deciding where they want to live next year, residents of Mayer Hall are finding themselves without much choice. They will be unable to live in the building next fall as it will be undergoing major repairs from the beginning of August through January 1. Mayer Hall, home primarily to married graduate students and families, will re-open for the 1996 spring semester. The residents will be relocated to Harnwell House and the Graduate Towers for next year's fall semester, Department of Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said yesterday. The repairs include upgrading the elevators and the elevator control system. In addition, the department plans to install smoke detectors in all bedrooms. Currently, only common rooms and lounges have smoke detectors. Maintenance employees will also replace the trash compactor, hot water heater and air handler, Residential Maintenance Director Lynn Horner said. The air handler, which controls air pressure throughout the building, is "definitely at the end of its useful life," Horner said, adding that the building's hot water heater is in a similar condition. In addition to these repairs, Residential Maintenance will also paint and redecorate parts of the building. Simeone said she hoped residents would be pleased with the overhaul. "I am sure it will make the Mayer community happy," she said. Those students and families who planned to live in Mayer next year will either live on the sixth floor of High Rise East or in available apartments in the Graduate Towers, Simeone said. Simeone said students currently living in the apartments that will be offered to Mayer residents have already been notified and found alternatives to retaining their rooms. Wharton graduate student Parameswar Sreekanth said he and his wife decided to live off-campus next year, although they would have liked to stay in Mayer. "It's convenient and close to where my classes are," Sreekanth said. "But you have to close down certain buildings to do some work for the safety of the residents." According to Horner, the project was originally going to span an entire academic year. But after rescheduling and overlapping certain projects, the department will finish the entire job before the spring semester begins, Horner added. "Because the elevator won't be available, there may be logistical problems," she said, adding that the department originally hoped to complete the elevator upgrade separately from the other maintenance work. Sreekanth said he has not yet decided whether to move back into Mayer Hall after the maintenance is completed. The elevator repairs alone will cost the University $116,000, Horner said. The other projects as a whole will add an extra $70,000 to the final total. The Mayer Hall maintenance is part of the current five-year capital plan for the residences.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
More than 550,000 women are the victims of domestic violence every year, according to Jacquelyn Campbell, a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She and Ann Burgess, chairperson and professor of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing at the University, spoke to more than 100 Nursing students and faculty yesterday about the consequences of rape and battering on women's health. The lecture was part of the Nursing School's lecture series entitled "Women's Voices, Women's Choices: Nursing Responds," which has attempted to address issues facing modern women. Campbell discussed her book Nursing Care of Survivors of Family Violence, defining family violence as "repeated physical and/or emotional abuse in the context of cohesive control." She said there is no significant difference in the number of reported incidences of abuse within varied racial groups. However, she added that those women near the poverty level are most likely to experience abuse. Campbell explained that the main health effects of battering include depression, risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, lowered immune system response, chronic pain and substance abuse. "We must make it clear that we do not tolerate domestic violence," Campbell said, adding that appropriate intervention will decrease costs in health care. She said health care systems must be sanctuaries for battered women. Burgess spoke about "The Delayed Voice of the Rape Victim," citing three reasons why rape victims do not always immediately report rape. The first, she said, is "impaired cognitive processing," which refers to those who are retarded or demented. These women are less able to clearly express themselves. The second reason she cited was "diminished awareness," in which the victims were sleeping or drugged. Burgess' final reason was "cognitive dissonance," where "perception of what is happening is managed and controlled by the offender." In each case there is a possibility for memory fragmentation -- forcing the victim to forget the incident temporarily. The audience seemed to be impressed with the speakers' messages. "I think that these speakers are great role models as nurses who have done incredible work and as advocates of women and women's rights," Nursing senior Eva Domotorffy said.
(02/23/95 10:00am)
The 12th andThe 12th and13th floors ofThe 12th and13th floors ofHigh Rise East areThe 12th and13th floors ofHigh Rise East aremore than just a placeThe 12th and13th floors ofHigh Rise East aremore than just a placeto live? Seinfeld is on the tube, cappuccino is being served and the music of a well-tuned piano fills the lounge. It is an ordinary Thursday night for the 24 students living in Arts House. The 15-year-old Living-Learning Program located on the 12th and 13th floors of High Rise East gives its students an educational and social exposure to art and artists. "The goal of Arts House is to give students the opportunity to explore certain types of subjects or issues outside of the classroom," said Brenda Ridley, assistant director for Upperclass Programs in Residence. "They should be able to continue to learn outside the formal academic arena." The students are led by English graduate student and Program Director Joe Murphy and fellow English graduate student and Graduate Fellow Sam Choi. "The point of Arts House is to bring art into everyday life," Murphy said. "It's not just when we see a play -- [art] is potentially around us all the time." Choi said there is no set objective for Arts House. "We don't have a big goal," he said. "The residents expect different things they might not do on their own. We spend a lot of money on the residents to give them opportunities that aren't available to residents of other dorms." Such opportunities are why students say they chose to live in Arts House over regular high rise living. "There are not too many other residences that go to New York City," Choi said. College sophomore Maria Pilch agreed. "I like the opportunity to go to plays," she said, adding that she plans to retain her room for next year. Murphy said Arts House offers a close-knit community within the larger framework of the high rises. "If you're living in the high rises, you're in a building where the doors automatically stay shut and where you take an elevator from the ground floor to your room, so there's not a lot of hanging out that goes on," he said. "The Living-Learning Programs are a way to form a community within that context. The isolation in the high rises can be looked upon more positively as privacy." Students say they also like the facilities that Arts House has to offer. In addition to their piano, students have access to a darkroom for printing photographs, performance space and a dance gallery. But students say they find the social environment the most appealing feature of Arts House. "Arts House is a lot friendlier and warmer than a regular high rise floors," College sophomore Arielle Silver said. Six freshmen chose to live in Arts House rather than the Quad. They say they enjoy the bigger rooms and friendlier atmosphere. "If you want to get away from the Quad, this is it," College and Engineering freshman Ahmed Arastu said. "You don't get lost here." And the freshmen gave other reasons, too. "I have my own bathroom -- the appeal was too much," College freshmen John Adractas said. Arts House began this academic year with a retreat in the Poconos in coordination with the other Living-Learning Programs. The members used this time to meet each other and to form several committees. "At the retreat, we tried to set out what our priorities were," Murphy said. Other trips have included visits to Broadway, the Museum of Modern Art and the Philadelphia Orchestra. "It can be expensive, inconvenient, daunting or confusing for students to actually get into the city and do things," Murphy said. "Our job is to facilitate that interaction with the city." Last Saturday, 25 Arts House residents ventured to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to view the Barnes Collection. Prior to the trip, they watched the movie "Citizen Barnes" to learn about the life of the art collector. The students said they thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit, even though they had to walk to the museum. Arts House also invites artists to perform and give lectures. The group sang with a folklore expert and performed Shakespeare for a London Stage actor. "We prepared a scene from Macbeth for [the actor]," Murphy said. "He acted as a director. He showed us the possible ways we could interpret the lines." Arts House is also working on projects with the Hillel Foundation. They made menorahs for Hanukah, and are planning to construct masks for the Jewish holiday of Purim. And every Thursday is Seinfeld and cappuccino night. According to the residents, Arts House may offer the activities, but students must still get involved themselves. "If you get involved, Arts House lives up to its description," said Wharton and Engineering sophomore Gita Lal, who has been a resident for two years. "But there is no pressure to join any of the activities." But the students living in Arts House are its most interesting feature, according to several residents. One resident is starting a rock band. Another is an accomplished jazz pianist. And a third is a budding architect. Photographers and poets are living next door to a cappella singers and "rockette" dancers. "Many of the students who are in Arts House, and all of the Living-Learning Programs, come from all over and have varied interests," Ridley said. "They can share those interests with other residents and can learn from other residents." The students say they agree that their fellow students form an integral part of the Arts House experience. "Arts House is a great vehicle for meeting people," said College freshman Jim Goetta, who plans to remain in Arts House next year. "The other residents open your mind to art and music." Not all Arts House residents are artists, however. "There are also art enthusiasts living here, as well as students with an academic interest in the arts," Murphy said. Ridley explained that Arts House used to sponsor Arts House Dance and Arts House Theater Company, but these groups are no longer affiliated with Arts House -- though many students from Arts House still participate in Arts House Theater and Arts House Dance. "Relationships are a lot less formal [now]," she said. To be accepted into Arts House, applicants are required to fill out a general Living-Learning form, which has three accompanying essays. Murphy said the essays serve to "weed out" those students who are not serious about the program. There are 34 students living on floors 12 and 13 who are not official members of Arts House, but they are nevertheless encouraged to take part in House activities. "I feel welcomed by the members of Arts House," Nursing sophomore Kristen Chasse said. "I plan on applying next year." Murphy said that there is no real difference between these students and those accepted into Arts House -- except for the fact that these students did not pay the program fee. This program fee of $60 per year is used to pay for the students' trips. The administrative costs are funded by the University. Five of the Arts House residents are exchange students from France attending the University for the year. They have been invited to take part in all Arts House activities. "When we attend the Arts House activities, we get along well with the other residents," Engineering junior Benoit Fraeyman said. Murphy said he feels Arts House will continue to grow in the future. "Arts House has come a long way," he said. "There's a lot of potential in it and I'm excited about the continuation and future of Arts House." Future plans include a park beautification project with the Latin American Living-Learning Program and work with the Anti-Graffiti Network. Arts House is also planning theater performances for local high schools modeled after the workshop given by the London stage actor. According to Murphy, community service will play an important part in the future of Arts House. "We want to work on more community service," he said. "We want to use the arts as a way of interacting with and serving the community outside of Penn." Thirteen students who are currently living in Arts House said they plan to retain their rooms. "Arts House has consistently been able to get people to stay in the program from year to year," Ridley said. "Arts House offers a lot to students, and I'm hoping more students will take advantage of it." Arastu said he hopes for more incoming students to choose Arts House. "Arts House needs more freshmen," he said. Although only five potential applicants attended an open house last Thursday night, Murphy said he hopes for a large influx of people next year.
(02/22/95 10:00am)
The Council of Undergraduate Deans is currently considering a proposal that would lengthen the fall semester by one day, Provost Stanley Chodorow said last night. If the plan is approved, classes would begin on Wednesday, September 6, 1995, rather than the traditional Thursday. The new proposal comes after debate over the University's calendar reached an impasse last semester, when the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education recommended the incorporation of an extra reading day into the fall term. SCUE also asked for an adjustment in the number of teaching days per semester -- a goal that would have been partially accomplished by starting classes before Labor Day. The SCUE plan was rejected because it was "not acceptable to the faculty," Chodorow said last night. "But there was a general recognition that it would be nice if we could work out a longer fall semester," he added. "Most students would appreciate [not having finals on December 23]. We're sympathetic to that, we're not as evil as we look." SCUE Chairperson Satya Patel, a College and Wharton junior, said he is pleased with the calendar plan. "It's really a different animal, but I'm happy with the [proposed] calendar in the sense that we get an extra day of class and we end on the 22nd [of December] and we still have an extra reading day in there," Patel said. Under the proposal now being discussed, the number of orientation and New Student Week activities would remain the same. However, they would be compressed into a shorter time period, Chodorow said. In addition, NSW activities would become "somewhat more academic, more of an introduction to intellectual life," according to Chodorow. The orientation program is an issue that will also be addressed by the Provost's Council on Undergraduate Education. Making changes to the University's calendar is not an easy process, though, due to conflicts with advising programs and opening dates of residences planned many months in advance. But Chodorow said the orientation schedule is "quite extended" as it now stands. Although it worked well in the fall, he said he believes New Student Week is "unnecessarily spread out." By scheduling events more compactly for the upcoming fall, and allowing similar programs to flow into one another -- as the Freshman Convocation and Reading Project did in 1994 -- Chodorow said he hopes to emphasize the academic aspect of freshman orientation. It has not yet been determined how the end-of-semester day gained under the proposal would be used, Chodorow added. Possible uses include another day of teaching or reading, or a "flex day" that would help to alleviate the compression and stress of the week-long exam period. Mathematics Department Undergraduate Chairperson Dennis DeTurck said the proposed plan would not affect his department "all that much," despite the fact that math placement tests are given during New Student Week. "It might be good to lengthen the fall by a day," DeTurck said, adding that "fixed syllabus" courses like Calculus often have difficulty finishing required material in the fall because that semester is shorter than the spring term.
(02/22/95 10:00am)
Alicia Quintano shocked and entertained more than 400 students with a realistic portrayal of a young woman starving herself in order to cope with the pressures of modern society. Dunlop Auditorium was filled to capacity yesterday in anticipation of the production by Quintano, a performance artist and storyteller. Her animated motions and voice highlighted her story about the struggles and dangers women face today: love, sex, food and body image. Her philosophy was very simple -- do not be ashamed of who you are. "You have a right to be who you are," Quintano said. "The true self wants to be recognized. The shout for help becomes scary, but it's desperate to get out. There's no need to be ashamed of oneself ." Her story, entitled "Escape from Fosdick," describes a young girl restrained by society. She is not living her life -- rather, she is living everyone else's but her own, the play suggests. Instead of opening up, she channels her frustration into an eating disorder. "The anorexic dream faded for the moment, but the gap between feeling and expression remained," Quintano narrated. Some students said although they were entertained, they were unsure about the pertinence of the hour-long act. "It was an interesting story, but I thought it was too long and not really to the point," College freshman Nicole Gutman said. "I think she should have talked more about the relationship between the eating disorder and what caused it and how she controlled it," College freshman Gilly Guez said. "It was fascinating but not very coherent." Other students were very pleased with the content and delivery of the monologue. "I'm glad that certain issues are brought to people's attention even though it's done in a comical light," second-year Wharton graduate student Karen Klein said. "It will still get people to think about the seriousness of the issues." After the monologue, clinical psychologist and member of the Trustees Council of Penn Women Betsy Berk Kahan briefly spoke on the cultural contradictions women face. She explained that women are attempting to be both "attractive and powerful at the same time," causing them psychological distress that is manifested in eating disorders. "It's very hard for women to juggle their roles," she said. "We want to make women culturally conscious to reduce their stress." She added that women believe they have to be unrealistically thin in order to be successful and desirable. The event was part of a year-long program targeted at sororities. It was sponsored by the Trustees Council of Penn Women in cooperation with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, Student Health Services, Guidance for Understanding Image, Diet and Eating, the University Counseling Service and the Penn Women's Center.
(02/22/95 10:00am)
Although some pundits have already crossed U.S. Senator and University alumnus Arlen Specter off the list of possible Republican candidates for President in 1996, several hundred supporters gathered to "kick off" his campaign last night. The guests attending the event -- held in the a red, white and blue bedecked ballroom in Center City's Hotel Atop the Bellevue -- enjoyed a buffet-style dinner for a minimum donation of $250. Specter supporters such as Edward Dennis, a Law School alumnus, said they were willing to open their checkbooks because they feel strongly about Specter. "He has a willingness to take a principled stand and not be completely a hostage of the latest polls," he said. "That is refreshing." One issue Specter has taken a firm stand on is abortion. Currently, he is the only Republican campaigning for president who supports abortion rights. "I'm running for President because I don't like what's happening in the country and I don't like what's happening in the party," he said. Specter cited the First Amendment, freedom of religion and the separation of Church and State as three issues which would define his campaign. "The government has no place in abortion and no place in our bedrooms," he said. He also said he felt the controversy over Henry Foster's nomination for Surgeon General was "not complicated." He felt Foster should not be dropped from the nomination for performing abortions, adding that they are "medical procedures authorized under the United States Constitution." Specter's response towards those threatening to make cuts in higher education is that he will fight to maintain scholarships, saying "we need to provide an education to everyone who wants it, young and old." Specter also said that he refers to himself as a "social-libertarian" because he does not believe in the ultraconservative ideas of peers such as Pat Buchanan. Many of Specter's supporters said they had been with him since the start of his political career in Philadelphia. Bob Moss, who has worked for Specter for the past 22 years, commented on Specter's perseverance after losing three elections in the 1970s. "How many politicians do you know that lost three elections and came back for more?" Moss said. "You got to be tough to do that." Sam Katz, a former Philadelphia mayoral candidate, agreed. "The tenacity he brings to office has no peers," Katz said. College senior Carey Voigt is working on Specter's campaign. She said she likes Specter because he is "fiscally conservative" and "socially moderate." "I think Specter would be a great president," Voigt said. "I believe in the Republican party but I'm not an arch- conservative. "I think it's too early to count him out because if you look at where Bill Clinton was at this point in the last election, people laughed at him," she added. "There is no counting someone out this early in the game." According Voigt, the fundraiser brought in almost $1 million, a start comparable with his last senatorial race, during which he raised $11 million. Specter was also very positive about his future. "Before you leave we have a ledger in the outer lobby where we'll be taking reservations for a night in the Lincoln Room of the White House," he said. Daily Pennsylvanian Staff Writer Josh Fineman contributed to this article.
