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(02/03/95 10:00am)
Amidst the bustling crowds in the corridors of Steinberg-Dietrich Hall, more than 100 Wharton undergraduates decided to step out of the fast lane. The first-ever undergraduate happy hour was kicked off in the student lounge yesterday with pizza and soda for all. Wharton School Vice Dean Bruce Allen is attempting to establish a bi-monthly happy hour with the help of his advisory board's steering committee. Together, they hope to provide a relaxed atmosphere for both students and faculty -- a place where they can go to "meet and greet the Wharton elite," according to Wharton junior Rachel Bluth, a member of the advisory board. "The Wharton atmosphere is very competitive and oftentimes, it is difficult to meet with faculty and friends in a relaxed atmosphere," she added. "I'm excited about this -- it should be fun." One of the board's goals is to improve student interaction with faculty and peers. They are trying to break Wharton's "stringent" reputation and show that Steinberg-Dietrich is not just a place to study, according to Wharton sophomore Randy Figatner, another board member. Wharton and Engineering junior Mukund Krishnaswami, who is also on the board, said that one of the board's goals is to improve not just the curriculum but also the social atmosphere of the school. Yesterday's first happy hour was a success, Allen said. He she said he did not know what to expect at first, but was pleased with the results. "I was a little disappointed initially with the faculty turnout, but it got better later," he said, adding that only five or six faculty members attended the event. Allen also mentioned the board's future plans to improve Wharton's image within the University community. Possibilities include those modeled after the Wharton MBA's Wharton Olympics and Wharton Follies. "I bet we have a tremendous amount of talent," Allen said. Overall, students seemed to react positively to the event. "I couldn't get enough of this free pizza," Wharton sophomore Robert Brown said. "But none of my professors are here. I'm kind of disappointed." Michael London, director of the Wharton 101 program, was one of the few faculty members who did attend. He said he enjoyed getting to talk to his students and teaching assistants in a less formal setting.
(02/03/95 10:00am)
Hagan was an Internet pioneer Data Communications and Computing Services operations manager John Hagan, known at the University as the "Father of PennNet," resigned last Friday to pursue a job in private industry. "It's like Captain Kirk leaving the Enterprise," DCCS senior networking consultant Tony Olejnik said. Hagan, a member of the Engineering Class of 1985, has maintained and updated the network architecture of PennNet. He has also coordinated with various Internet service providers to improve the University's network connection to the Internet. Considered a data communications expert, Hagan was offered three jobs from private computer companies, according to DCCS Executive Director Daniel Updegrove. Updegrove would not comment, however, on where Hagan will be working when he leaves the University. A replacement has yet to be determined, he added. "John has played a key role in architecting, deploying -- and debugging -- each generation of PennNet, from the original AT&T; ISN through our current switched Ethernets in DRL," an email message from Updegrove to DCCS staff stated. Hagan was the first engineer hired by the University to design and build PennNet, Updegrove said. During the initial stages of PennNet, Hagan worked closely with AT&T; in the development of the technology that was originally used in the campus network, he added. Since bringing the University into the Information Age, Hagan has been instrumental in promoting the University's relations with prominent companies such as Cisco, Digital Equipment Corporation and Bell Atlantic. "Even though John is leaving, some of his thinking and ideas will be living on in the programs that we've been working on in the past year," said Ira Winston, School of Engineering and Applied Science computing director. Currently, Hagan is part of the Network Architecture Task Force that is exploring ways to redesign and update PennNet as new software and technology is created. "John has tentatively agreed to come back once a month for that one activity," Winston said. Hagan also worked with Olejnik on IPX routing -- one feature of a network package developed by Novell which has not yet been implemented on a large scale at the University. IPX routing would, for example, allow students in Resnet dormitories to easily share their hard disk space with each other even if their computers are located in different buildings. Hagan also co-authored an Internet "Request for Comments" -- a technical document used to define guidelines for the global network. A formal notification of Hagan's departure was posted by Updegrove last night on newsgroups upenn.talk and upenn.super-users, where students and faculty will be able to respond and send comments to Hagan. "It can be a network testimonial to the man that helped build the network," Updegrove said. A farewell party is being held for Hagan on Friday, February 10. Members of the Internet community, including University of Pittsburgh's director of network engineering, are expected to attend. "He was the heart and soul of the Penn network," Olejnik said.
(02/03/95 10:00am)
College of Arts and Sciences Dean Robert Rescorla could not be happier about the Perelman Quadrangle proposal. "It think it's a terrific proposal," he said. "It's just what is needed to put undergraduate education at the center." According to a document obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian last week, the Revlon Center concept has been replaced by the Perelman Quad idea. The proposal suggests using College, Logan and Houston Halls and Irvine Auditorium to create a full student center with meeting space and offices for both students and faculty. Rescorla said he is happy about the combination of academic and non-academic services that the Perelman Quad will provide. Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Rosemary Stevens agreed that the Perelman Quad could be beneficial to the University community. "I think the mix of student services and academic departments will work very well," she said. "It sends a strong message about learning and being part of a community." She added that she is happy with the location that was chosen. "It's nice to see Penn celebrating its old buildings and therefore its history," Stevens said. Rescorla said he was never pleased with the proposed location of the Revlon Center, which was slated to be built on the parking lot at 36th and Walnut streets. "All along I was skeptical about the Revlon plan," he said. "I didn't like the idea of separating off student functions from the rest of the campus." He added that "it didn't make sense to build a new building when we have so many wonderful existing buildings we could exploit." The central location of the Perelman Quad will increase the number of encounters between students and faculty members, Rescorla said. He added that the faculty would probably not have ventured over to the Revlon Center. Rescorla said he is confident that the area will be aesthetically pleasing. "This is going to be done in such a way that we will be proud and pleased by the physical creation," he said. Stevens said she "hopes it will be a very electric type of space." Rescorla also said he is excited by the proposed move of the College Office -- which is temporarily located in the Mellon Bank, back into Logan Hall. "Having the College Office right there on the first floor of Logan Hall will make it easier for students to come see us," he said, adding that having the office in the center of campus is "symbolic." He said he thinks it is likely that Logan Hall renovations will be one of the first phases in the construction of the Perelman Quad. "I expect to move two years from now, but it's hard to know," he said. "It might be sooner." Stevens said she thinks Logan Hall is "a very good choice" for the College Office. Several of the humanity departments will also be moving into Logan Hall, she said. "It will be very nice to get our philosophy department back closer to faculty and students," she added. Stevens said Irvine Auditorium is a "fabulous building" and that she is looking forward to its transformation. "I think anyone in Penn who has ever been in Irvine has a very special feeling for it and it will be wonderful for it to be revived and redressed," she said. She added that she wants Houston Hall to remain a student center, for nostalgic purposes. "Many of our alumni remember Houston Hall with affection as a student center," she said. "It's a wonderful building."
(02/03/95 10:00am)
Fritz Gramkowski takes kites to the extreme Just after the sun began to disappear behind the bare trees, and K-Mart's lights fluttered across the highway from the New Jersey field, it happened. Fritz slanted his gaze up through his wire rimmed glasses, scratched one of his fuzzy sideburns and glowed. Although it wasn't dark yet, the sun had set enough to remove the serendipitous January warmth from last Friday's afternoon. Only the crisp coldness of the winter remained. But you could tell it wasn't the sting in the air was that was exhilarating Engineering junior Fritz Gramkowski -- it was the 10 square meters of kite that he was about to bring to life. "This is the big one," he said. Seconds later and 100 feet above the ground, wind filled the green, blue and yellow banana-shaped kite --"the big one." In the center of the field, Fritz, in his black biker helmet and windbreaker, was turning around and around to untwist the angel-hair-like kite lines. Holding two handles connected by a rope behind his back, Fritz used his whole body to control the kite -- pulling hard with the right side of his upper body to move the kite right and with his left side to move it left. His efforts could have appeared to be part of a battle, but when he quickly harnessed the wind's power, it was obvious that if this was a battle, it would be a slaughter. Then Fritz slid into his oversized, tricycle-like buggy and the kite powered him across the field at about 15 miles per hour. Francis "Fritz" Gramkowski is a material science major and a brother in Pi Lamda Phi fraternity. And he has also been internationally recognized in Buggy Newz, The Official Organ of The Buggy Pilots as one of the "hottest buggy pilots" in the United States. According to Corey Jensen, the creator, author and distributor of the newsletter, kite buggying is not yet officially a sport so it doesn't have a specific ranking system. "Right now it's only recreation," he said. "But [Fritz] is widely acknowledged by other pilots." Fritz and his buggies have appeared briefly on SportsChannel and in publications such as Eastern League News. Last year at a kite festival in Wildwood, New Jersey -- near Fritz's hometown of Haddonfield -- the Associated Press took his picture and newspapers across the world printed it. Receiving these clips from friends in Philadelphia, California and Ontario, Canada didn't shock Fritz. After all, he will appear on the Discovery Channel's Beyond 2000 in March. "I kind of realized I was better than the other guys," he said. "But when you see it in print, I realized I better go out and go buggying." But when the captions beneath his photo promoted more than kites, Fritz just had to laugh. Although his name was not beneath this buggying image, in Japan the picture was used as a sushi advertisement. According to the second edition of Peter Lynn's Buggies Boats and Peels, State-of-the-Art Kite Traction and Owner's Manual, Englishman George Pocock's 19th century carriage-pulling kites were the first example of kite-powered transportation. Throughout the past 200 years, ambitious kite flyers have undoubtedly tinkered with the idea of kite power. A kite entrepreneur and manufacturer, Lynn describes in his manual an early example of kite-powered transportation utilizing a bicycle on a playground. Lynn then sailed into the 1990 Thai International Kite Festival with his model of a kite buggy. Fran Gramkowski, Fritz's father and the owner of High Fly Kites, bought the prototype. And for Fritz, that is where it all began. Fritz grew up flying kites with his family. His father organized some of the first big stunt competitions, so Fritz started flying kites at four or five years old. But until his father brought home the kite buggy, Fritz chose to surf rather than fly kites, he said. "I started to loose interest and then my dad got me a kite buggy," he said. "You could do more than just pull it around. It's real low so it seems like your butt's only three inches from the ground. It's like sailing but you go a lot faster." Soon after he became involved buggying, Fritz's skill impressed Lynn. Since then, Lynn has provided him with the expensive kite buggying equipment, and Fritz has reciprocated by offering feedback on prototypes, ideas for equipment and promoting the sport. The three-wheeled buggy, which costs about $450, is a completely detachable stainless steel cart weighing about eight kilograms. The massive kites look like parachutes, but are made of rip-stop polyester fiber. The fiber is similar to sail material, but differs in its air-tight coating. "The fabric is expensive because the kites have to be sewn by hand," Fritz said. "The lines have to be within a quarter of an inch or the angle or the kite is not right." Kite lines, which are made of a high density polyethylene fiber called Spectra, can be anywhere from 75 to 250 feet long. Spectra, a type of plastic, has a low melting point. So if the line caught someone's arm, the contact heat would break the line, preventing serious burns. But don't assume that means the lines are weak. Although they look fragile, they can support up to 300 pounds of strain. Buggying has lured Fritz to Florida, Hawaii, Thailand, New Zealand, England and France -- just to name a few locales. His said his favorite moments, though, are more a result of the beauty and companionship than the miles travelled. "It was July in a dry lake in California and 10 of us just found each other," he said. "The desert is really beautiful because you have all the mountains and stuff. We were buggying around and we watched the sun set." Although the strong winds will let a buggy pilot cruise in a dry lake at up to 50 miles per hour, it's not the power of the wind that challenges his skill, but the friendly competition, Fritz said. "When you fly with someone else, you try to one-up them," he said. "You try to fly a bigger kite, go faster -- that's how you figure out new tricks. "Someone does something to you and you have to figure out something to do back," he added. "It's more fun to buggy with other guys." Fran Gramkowski, however, told another story about Fritz's buggying companions. "He brought a girl from Penn down to the shore," he said. "And he can put two buggy's together and can take one buggy to the end of the ocean. He whipped the girl into the ocean, he stayed dry the whole time and she would get all wet. "The little kids idolize him at the beach," Fritz's father added. "He takes them all for rides." While he is in Philadelphia, Fritz said he just buggies and studies. "It's pretty much what I do now," he said. "It's the most important thing to me now. "I don't know if I'm going to be an engineer or a kite flyer," he said. "Not just flying though, I'd have to start making them or selling them out of a store." Fritz's mother, Mary Gramkowski, who is a nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said if flying kites makes Fritz content, she will be happy to say her son was a kite buggier. "I think it would be great," she said. "I want my kids to he happy. If that's what he wants to do then that's great. He and his father, they'll get on the phone and talk about graphite spars. He has a good time. He'll talk your ear off about it, but he has a good time." After a some prodding, Fritz admitted that he does do something besides buggying. "I play Doom," he said, describing the interactive computer game. "Actually, I have most of the grad students and a few material science guys playing. Their productivity is about to go down. We hang around the lounge and that's what we're doing most of the time. [Professors] don't really like that. "I apologized to them after I showed them how to play," he added. But when it comes to kite flying, Fritz makes no apologies. Is "the big one" hard to control ? "No," he said, as the 10 meter kite forced him to leap over his buggy, like he was running in the air.
(02/03/95 10:00am)
The Institute of Contemporary Art is challenging the traditional for the second time this year. Beginning next week, it will feature the works of Judith Schaechter and Rachel Whiteread, two female artists known for their non-conventional approach, according to Judith Tannenbaum, one of the museum's curators. Earlier this year, ICA exhibited the works of Andres Serrano, a highly controversial artist whose works included a photograph of a crucifix immersed in urine. Schaechter's exhibit, "Heart Attacks," has a quality that "draws in and repels" at the same time, Tannenbaum said. She explained that the beauty of Schaechter's work attracts the viewer's attention while the graphic violence depicted in it creates the reverse effect. With the exception of one painting, all of Schaechter's pieces are etched in stained glass. With titles such as Rape Serenade, A Little Torcher, and Cupid's Juvenile Delinquency Tendency Exposed, most of her pieces use bright and vivid colors in depicting tortured and bleeding women, Tannenbaum said. But she added that their visual beauty makes them attractive despite their gory themes. Rachel Whiteread's exhibit "Sculptures," on the other hand, hardly uses color at all. She creates her sculptures from negative space. Some of her untitled works are cast in the space underneath an amber bed, in the inside of a closet and in the interior of a bedroom. Whiteread's most acclaimed work is titled House, according to Patrick Murphy, another museum curator. She, along with Arch Angel Trust Co. in London, cast an entire old English home in the middle of a park out of liquid cement. For this feat, she was awarded the prestigious Turner Prize in 1993, becoming its youngest recipient, Murphy said. He added that her work represents "an idea of absence, of death." Murphy described the mood of her work as "like the quiet when you're at home in the middle of the afternoon and no one's there -- that domestic quiet." Like Schaechter, Whiteread also uses mediums that stray from artistic norms, Murphy said. In her sculpture titled Slab, she used rubber to cast the space underneath an autopsy table. According to Murphy, Whiteread's concept of negative space forces us to recognize "the space that helps us to move."
(02/03/95 10:00am)
Maybe they're just used to playing together. Or playing off of each other. But even in separate interviews, Monica Koskey and Jim Frangione, the two actors in Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet's controversial play, Oleanna, sounded like something out of he said, she said. Frangione plays John, a male college professor. Koskey portrays Carol, his female student. When they meet to discuss her grades and academic performance, the dialogue gets steamy and the actions ambiguous. A question arises as to whether the professor's actions violate a behavioral code, or whether he is protected by "academic freedom." As part of a national tour, the play will run at the Annenberg Center's Zellerbach Theater through February 5. About an hour before a matinee performance, Koskey and Frangione each took 15 minutes to discuss the preparation they put into their characters. Koskey said she uses a combination of research and internal feeling to "become" a student who feels she is sexually harassed by her professor. "I read a lot of books about the psychology of a young woman,women abused and campus politics to get me in the headset of what its like to be a female in college in these years and what is appropriate with a professor and what kind of language is appropriate," she said. "It's much more about studying in the moment and being with Jim, staying in the moment. "I will have been with him and reacting to what he gives me and being there and doing the play with him -- that brings me to that place," Koskey added. The actress added that she pulled parts of her character from aspects of real people. "It's really a matter of looking around at young women and seeing her in others." she said. "Looking for her in women -- and mostly of course, looking for her in myself." Koskey also said she drew from her own experiences. "She's someone I feel I am," she said. "I didn't grow up with much money or that great of an education. By the force of my will, I got myself to college and to New York City and had a lot of trouble." Koskey's counterpart in the drama, however, said he didn't do a lot of research preparation and thought differently about his character's role. "Well, I'll tell you I don't necessary feel that he does overtly sexually harass her," he said. "I think he's guilty of a few things, the least of which is sexual harassment. "The way I attack this role is I look at it and I try to give the character of the Professor as much integrity as I can and I try to play him as honestly as I can." While Koskey said she saw Carol as a small-town girl lost in a big university world and being manipulated by her professor, Frangione said he believed if Carol was a victim of anything, she was a victim of miscommunication.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
When performing arts groups travel, no amount of rehearsing can prepare them for what awaits Cloaked in the guise of weekend drives down the coast, many performing arts groups take their shows off home-base and spread a taste of University spirit to other locations. While these mini-tours provide for, above all else, a showcasing of musical talent, they often offer such added incentives as group unity and events that are anything but the same old song and dance. For the a cappella group The Inspiration, "taking the show on the road" came to acquire a whole new meaning after a trip to Duke University two years ago. On the last leg of their return drive from North Carolina to Philadelphia, the group's minivan got into a three-vehicle accident. The performers were found to be at fault and, while they sustained only minor injuries, the van suffered a different fate, according to Inspiration member Nayre Greene. "It was a rent-a-van, so we got in big trouble," the Nursing junior said. "We totalled it." Despite the legend-like quality that the story has achieved, members recount that, at the time, the incident was anything but humorous. However, they maintain a "something good from everything bad" philosophy, and said the accident helped to foster a kind of closeness that recast their sprains and bruises in a relatively insignificant light. "It got us all closer together because we were all worried about each other," College senior Jeanette Melendez said. Greene agreed, saying "the bonds that resulted from that trip have never been broken." She went on to point out that a road-trip itself is usually enough to cultivate group cohesiveness, with or without traffic violations. "It's definitely the best bonding one can ever imagine," she said. "You really get to know how people are when they're away from their environment." This absence of a familiar environment also means the loss of friends, relatives, and other loyal audience members whose diehard cheers can be counted on to deliver a hearty boost to group morale. Melendez said fresh audiences provide the performers with honest assessments of their work, and that, because strangers may be more difficult to impress, their accolades are taken as signs of certain achievement. "At Penn, we're used to people saying 'Oh, you're so good,'" Melendez said. "When we go to other campuses, we wonder if they're going to think we're just the norm. But so far, we've gotten a really good response. "When you get there and get all that applause and appreciation, you feel like we're not just a group that's successful at Penn," she added. The world truly is a stage for the all-male a cappella group Chord on Blues, which has sung impromptu gigs at such locales as Disney World and their group president's backyard. Although their longest trip together -- to Florida -- was intended only for pleasure, the group couldn't help but let a little business slip into their routine. Chord on Blues President Derek Robinson, a Wharton senior, described a vacation that had the group giving instant shows wherever space and one or more spectators were available. "We sang on the beach," he said. "We sang for my mom, out on [my] deck. "We sang at Disney World, on this patch of beach there," Robinson added. "It [was] nighttime, and people [were] sitting out by campfires, and we'd just start singing." Like The Inspiration, members of Chord on Blues also tell a legendary tour-related tale. Theirs too includes an encounter with law enforcement officials, although fraught with slightly more criminal implications. Their account dates from a trip to Italy during spring break in 1992. "After a night of drinking, two of the guys [in the group] were in one of the plazas, and they were relieving themselves on one of the statues," Robinson said. Sensing a presence behind them, the two men did an about-face, expecting to see a fellow group member. To their surprise, however, they found themselves face to face with an Italian police officer. Both perpetrators were, in the end, let go with only a warning. Robinson said such overseas travels are the exception rather than the rule. Usually, touring means weekend getaways to other colleges and universities, which make contact based on either word-of-mouth or prior joint performances. "We travel a few times a semester to different schools," he said. "It's usually over a weekend, and we'll come home the next morning [after we perform]." Chord on Blues Music Director Alan Modlinger said that while these trips can take their toll on academic work habits, the group tries to avoid this predicament through long-term planning. "We only choose those weekends when we're [all] free," the College junior said. "It can be problematic, but usually we know far enough in advance [so] that it's not a problem." Modlinger said that under extreme circumstances -- such as multiple finals -- a group member will be excused from a particular road-trip. In general, though, everyone is expected to attend. "We like 100 percent attendance, if we can get it," he said. "That's part of being in a group. But we have a good time, so it's worthwhile." While spreading their sound around the globe may be viewed as an effort towards cultural exchange, Counterparts President Graham Robinson said language barriers can be particularly troublesome during numbers where the words are essential to maximum enjoyment. This became an issue last March, when the group flew to Club Med in Nassau. Although the week-long holiday included few singing engagements, the humor in some of the songs the group performed was lost on an almost completely non-English speaking audience. "The entire clientele was almost entirely French, and so they continued to introduce us incorrectly, as 'Counterpoints,'" Robinson said. "We made the mistake of singing 'Spiderman,' where the words are fairly important to understanding the song. "We had very stony faces after that," he added. The group is presently readying itself for this year's trip to Hawaii, where they will be singing in Honolulu and Waikiki. In contrast to Nassau, Hawaii will include nightly engagements, in addition to daily daytime performances at area schools. "Everyday we have a show at one school or another, which hopefully will allow us to help out the Penn admissions committee in some way," Robinson said. Not all accommodations are as cushy as those found in luxury, beachfront hotels, however. During an engagement at Georgetown University, Robinson said the group was given a less-than-welcoming dinner, a firsthand look at hazing, and nonexistent sleeping arrangements. "The dinner end of what we got was two pieces of cold pizza," he said. At the post-performance party, Robinson said their hosts "sat around and hazed their members and broke glass bottles all over the floor." Later, the group was told to "get the hell out of my room," as they were looking for a place to spend the night. That was followed by an offer of floor space covered with the broken glass from earlier in the evening. "We ended up finding a freshman who set us up with some futons in a study lounge," Robinson said. As revenge, the group made long distance phone calls from the home, at the expense of their 'hosts.' "They were completely screwing us over," he said. Under normal circumstances, the group is met with a more cordial response -- which typically comes in the form of dinner, a place to stay, and a party, Robinson said. For Counterparts, road-trips vary from two to four per semester. Past destinations have included Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Georgetown, and Princeton Universities.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
When Nathan McCall used to pick up a newspaper, his name was in the headline. Now it is in the byline. The Black Student League presented a lecture by McCall, a Washington Post reporter and author of the autobiographical best-seller Makes Me Want to Holler, Tuesday night in the auditorium of the Annenberg School for Communication. The once gang-banging urban youth who robbed stores, held up people and gang-raped women described his turnaround and recovery -- the subject of his best-seller which debuted last February. McCall, who grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia, described how he did not have a supportive family life and looked to the "boys on the corner" for role models rather than his hard-working stepfather. He said he soon fell into the common inner-city trap of crime and shot a man -- who survived the bullet wounds. McCall served a short prison term for the shooting and was next caught robbing a McDonald's. After having served three of his 12-year prison sentence, he turned his life around as a result of stumbling onto Richard Wright's Native Son -- in which the main character is sentenced to death by the electric chair. "It struck a chord with me," he said. "I decided to try to live on the other side of the fence." Upon getting out of prison, McCall attended Norfolk State University and received a bachelor's degree in journalism. He went on to work for several different newspapers before being hired by The Washington Post. After briefly describing parts of his book and reading an excerpt dealing with his experiences upon returning to his hometown, McCall answered questions from the audience. McCall said he does not believe in a "three strikes you're out," crime policy because learning from experience, everyone needs a second chance. "Shouldn't we try to save some of these lives rather than write them off so quickly?" he asked. McCall's main focus of the evening was racism and its prevalence in America. "People always ask me if I'm obsessed with race," he said. "And I always tell them the same thing -- yes, I am. I'm obsessed with race and it's had a profound impact in my life and the life of every American in this country." He said he feels the violence in American cities is a "blue collar" version of the ruthlessness found in corporate America. McCall said one way to fight the racism in America is to target the "things we do to promote viciousness and selfishness," in our everyday lives and not be surprised when they exist on the street as well. He also said society needs to increase discourse on the topic of racism -- which is one reason why he said he chose to speak at the University. "We need to stand up and exchange ideas," he said. "That's what college is about." The audience was extremely receptive to McCall, and some members became hostile in response to a pointed question from Law student Latif Doman that referred to McCall's book as "dangerous." "I think it was a dangerous book because it says racism is the only explanation for the problem," Doman said. "Too many excuses, not enough explanations." Other audience members, however, found the book and presentation inspirational and especially appropriate for young readers. "It shows young people that they can't just act in the here and now," said Wanda Grooms, a member of the Philadelphia chapter of Go On Girl!, a reading group which named McCall its "Author of the Year." "They have to think of the consequences," she said.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
Starting this semester, Wharton School students are allowed to have minors in the College of Arts and Sciences. And officials are currently working to allow College students to hold Wharton minors as well. According to Student Committee on Undergraduate Education member Brian Toll, this idea came from the SCUE White Paper on University Minors and Minor Programs -- which was released last spring. The paper states that "increased academic options promote a well-rounded in-depth education." Toll said SCUE decided that College minors provide Wharton students with the opportunity to get a more well-rounded education. "SCUE feels that Wharton students desire the improved written communication and analytical thinking skills associated with a liberal arts education," he said. He added that access to College minors is "in line with Wharton's commitment to internationalization by encouraging Wharton students to pursue language minors through study abroad." The SCUE proposal was presented to the Wharton Undergraduate Curriculum Committee -- which decided that Wharton students will be allowed to have minors in the College. Toll stressed that this new option is "a very good indication that Wharton takes the One University concept seriously and is moving in the right direction." According to a statement released by Wharton, students wishing to pursue a minor should consult with a Wharton advisor. The Undergraduate Chair of the College department must approve the minor. College Dean Robert Rescorla said whatever rules the College has for its students would apply to the Wharton students. "As far as we would be concerned, they would be treated just like College students," he said. The University's financial system is structured so that whenever a student takes a course in another undergraduate division, the division that gives the course gets the money, Rescorla said. But he added that it is not a financial issue. "The issue is educational," he said. "We have always felt that students of any school who complete the requirement for a College minor should get that acknowledgement." Rescorla said he does not believe this new system will increase the number of Wharton students taking College courses. "It is my understanding that [the Wharton administration] was simply allowing Wharton students who satisfied the requirements for minors to have it show on their transcripts," he said. But according to a SCUE survey of Wharton students, an overwhelming number would be very interested in pursuing College minors, Toll said. Now that this new policy is in effect, the next question is whether College students will be able to obtain a minor through Wharton. Vice Dean and Director of the Wharton Undergraduate Division Bruce Allen said that while this could happen, it is not a clear-cut option. "At this point the problem is that we don't have a major," he said. "What we really have is a Wharton major and we would have to create something that is analogous to a history minor." Toll said SCUE supports the idea of having such a minor for College students. "Generally, SCUE is a strong proponent of the One University concept that there should be a minor created for every corresponding major, and that does include the Wharton School," he said. He added that although it was part of their White Paper, he does not know where the administration stands on the issue at this point. Rescorla said he is very positive about the SCUE proposals, adding that the possibility of creating a special minor for College students is something he has been discussing with Wharton for a long time. "So far that has not come to fruition, but it is certainly something the College would love to see," he said. Allen said he and Rescorla are "still in the feeling out stages of all of this." "We have to look at where this all fits in to the concept of the president and the provost in the concept of their undergraduate initiatives," he said. "Anything we would do would have to fit into a grand scheme."
(02/02/95 10:00am)
Graduate students at the University's School of Dental Medicine had an unexpected visit yesterday when about 25 children of migrant workers arrived for the first dental screening of their lives. Although the free visit was scheduled as part of the Dental School's ongoing community service program, the students were kept in the dark so that the children's arrival would be a pleasant surprise. Once in the building, the children squirmed playfully in the big blue dental chairs as dental students examined their small teeth. The real problem the students dealt with was not the children's teeth, according to Associate Dean of the Dental School Herman Segal, but the language barrier they faced. The parents of the children spoke only Spanish. There was an interpreter from Headstart Rural Opportunities Inc., however, to bridge the communication gap. After examining the children, the students realized that many needed dental work. Segal said some of the children were suffering from baby bottle syndrome, a condition which is caused by babies going to bed with bottles and which causes decay. "It's marvelous, it's incredible," Segal said. "Many of them are in dire need of care. We'll do anything within our power to help. "Kids are a lot of fun to work with and it's so much fun to see the children," he added. "The reaction from the parents is great, too." But Segal stressed that the free dental care was just one of many community service programs the Dental School sponsors. Clinical Director of Pediatric Dentistry Howard Rosenberg said some of the children will need special care after their first visit. He added that the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia could be a possible sight for further care. And Rosenberg said the free dental care was great not only for the children and their parents, but for the University as well. "It's a win-win situation," Rosenberg said. "Our students win through exposure, through experience in the dental realm and it's a win situation for the children and their families and the University." Clinical Associate of Pediatric Dentistry Stan Brown -- called an "unheralded" champion of community service by Segal -- said it is a travesty that government does not provide dental care to migrant workers. "This is ridiculous that we have to do this," Brown said. "These poor kids have to fight to get dentistry." Andrew Rudnicki, a dental student, said that free screening was a good idea. "I guess this will continue and it should," Rudnicki said. "They [the children] need the work." But after three hours, the migrant workers and their children were brought back by the University to Coatesville, Pa. The workers make their living picking mushrooms.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
University President Judith Rodin will share her ideas and concerns about higher education with elected officials in both Harrisburg and Washington over the next two days. According to Vice President for Government and Community Relations Carol Scheman, Rodin's trip is an effort to ensure continued cooperation between the University and the organs of government on which it depends for its general welfare. "We are obviously in Pennsylvania and the fate of where the state goes, how well the state is able to operate and the success of the governor is going to affect us in many different ways," Scheman said, citing the importance of universities as repositories of knowledge. Rodin agreed, adding that she met with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and his opponent, former Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel, before November's general election to talk about "higher education in general and Penn's interests in particular." Specifically, Rodin said she wants to find ways that the University "can be more rather than less creative" in financing students' educational costs, with the support of the Commonwealth. Funding for basic research is also on Rodin's agenda, in light of the ongoing debate over the federal government's policy of reimbursing public and private universities for the indirect costs of such research -- the building of necessary facilities and the provision of administrative support services, for example. In December, Ridge asked Rodin to serve on his Keystone Committee, an advisory body of business leaders, policy experts and academics from across the state that will offer policy reform ideas for education, health care, transportation and economic development initiatives. The Committee will undertake study missions in five states around the country, aiming to learn from policies other states have implemented to solve similar day-to-day problems. But Rodin has said she will likely attend only a portion of those, due to her responsibilities here on campus. Rodin characterized today's meeting with Ridge and the other Committee members as a "follow-up" to her November conversation with the governor. Scheman said in preparation for the meeting, she contacted "colleague institutions" in other states who have worked closely with their respective state governments. "[Rodin] is going into this meeting armed with contacts and progressive initiatives [from] other states," she said. "State governments have had differing relationships with independent universities all over this country, but it's clear that the financial stability of state?affects universities in many different ways."
(02/02/95 10:00am)
Dept. target upperclassmen Many students choosing to live on campus next year will not have to endure higher room rates. According to Director of Residential Living Gigi Simeone, the average undergraduate rent will not increase this year. Simeone added that "in the past [the rate increase] has been generally in the neighborhood of five to six percent." Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta, this is all "directly tied to a long and consistent and concerted effort to make the residence halls more marketable." "We are making a more aggressive push to make the residence halls the place to be," he said. Moneta explained that while the average room rent will not increase, some room prices will change. "Anytime we raised a rate, we lowered another to counter balance it," he said. However, neither Moneta nor Simeone would comment as to which of the residences would have an increased rate next year. But they did say that with this plan, all rates for rooms in the High Rises will either remain the same or decrease. Moneta said the only net increase will be a small upward cost adjustment for the installation of ResNet. He said this is because it is built into the budget that the price has to go up when they install the system into more rooms. This plan was the initiative of the provost's office, the budget office, the VPUL office and the residence staff, he added. "It was a giant effort of the four offices," Moneta said. The offices are undertaking an extensive marketing campaign -- which includes filming television commercials for on-campus living to air on the ResNet channel, he said. VPUL administrators are also putting up balloons in the residence halls and all over campus to remind students of target days in the application process, he added. Moneta said this does not mean they are masking the problems that exist in the residences. "There is certainly a lot more work that has to be done," he said. "My goal is to address all of the serious issues like mice and insects and quality of our repair services." He added that his office wants to change the current trend by attracting more students to stay on campus. "Right now we seem to be in a pattern of losing students to the off-campus market, and I would like to turn that around," Moneta said. He said his office plans to aggressively address service delivery in residences -- from repairs to furnishings -- to make on-campus living a more attractive option. "We are going to keep offering more services, better services and more aggressive service," he said. Moneta said this is a prelude to a long-range plan on undergraduate education. "I really want the residence halls in a position to support the institutional initiatives of undergraduate education," he said. Moneta said the proposal is subject to approval by higher authorities. "We proposed rates, but all rates are ultimately related to president, provost and trustee approval," he said. Simeone said the full rent schedule will be available in the assignments office in High Rise North starting February 8, when the retention process begins.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
A taxi driver saved a graduate student from being abducted by three men early yesterday morning in front of the Mellon Bank Building at 36th and Walnut streets, according to Southwest Detective Lois Jones. Jones said that the student was attempting to hail an Olde City Taxi -- that already had a passenger in it -- at about 3:45 a.m. She said the taxi driver first pulled over to the side of the street to drop off his passenger, and then went to pick up the student. By this time, however, two males were attacking the student. Jones said that the taxi driver then began to honk his horn and yell at the males to stop hitting the student. The two males apparently stopped the assault and fled in a gold Subaru, containing an additional man, after the taxi driver threatened to radio the police, Jones added. University Police Sergeant Keith Christian said the taxi driver then followed the suspects' vehicle. While in pursuit, the taxi driver radioed the Olde City dispatcher who called Philadelphia Police, he said. Jones added that officers from Philadelphia Police's 19th District joined the high-speed car chase that eventually ended near 55th and Hunter streets. Christian said the three suspects then "bailed" out of the Subaru and are still at large. But multiple forms of identification that are believed to have been stolen from victims in previous robberies were found inside the vehicle, Jones said. This is not the first abduction on or near campus, however. About one year ago, a woman was almost kidnapped by a carjacker in an incident in front of King's Court/English House. A woman was sitting in the passenger side of a black Acura Legend, when a man jumped inside the car and began to drive away. The woman struggled to leave the car, but the man fought to keep her in the vehicle. Two second-year law students, Dave Shields and Dan Cohen, rescued the woman from the car. Also, a College of General Studies student was sexually assaulted, robbed, and shot in the face after being abducted by a man in a parking lot across the street from the Law School in October of 1993. And that same week, a 55-year-old former University instructor was abducted and forced by her assailant to drive to North Philadelphia, where he attempted to use her MAC card.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
After 14 years of directing the U.S. General Accounting Office, Comptroller Charles Bowser is looking for a change. And yesterday he revealed his agenda to more than 50 students and faculty in his speech entitled "Reinventing Government: Do It Now, Do It Right!" Bowser painted an essentially optimistic picture of the opportunities for governmental re-organization. "It's beginning to dawn on the people in government what a crisis we're in," he said. "People really realize it's a new ball game." While noting that there were a number of agencies that needed immediate attention, he warned that re-organization had to be approached cautiously. "One of the dangers if you get to slashing and burning agencies is that it will cause a lot of resistance," he said. After praising prior efforts to streamline government, Bowser said he thinks there may be real change with the new Republican majority in Congress. "We have a new Congress," he said. "Fifty-four percent of the House of Representatives was elected either this year or last year." Bowser said he also sees the transfer of power from the World War II generation to the Vietnam generation as conducive to governmental change. "It's a real generation change," he said, citing President Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich as representative of the new generation of leaders. When asked about the prospects for the privatization of government agencies, Bowser was again cautiously optimistic. "I think you're going to see a lot more privatization," he said. "But I don't think you can just privatize [a] big department and it will automatically work better." Bowser discussed a number of successful reorganizations that had already taken place, and seemed excited that new governmental policy was going to make the federal government more accountable. "Starting next year, 24 federal agencies will have an annual audit just as if they were private," he said. Bowser will be forced to retire next year, as his 15-year term will expire. He would not comment on his plans for the future.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
AIDS is a modern-day plague which does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or creed. February, which has been named HIV-AIDS Awareness Month, will be dedicated to helping University students cope with the effects of this epidemic. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Alliance, in cooperation with Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health, has planned a variety of events throughout the month -- dubbed "Life, Liberty and Latex." The activities are intended to promote awareness among students about AIDS and what can be done to prevent its spread, according to Kurt Conklin, a health educator at Student Health Service. The ResNet Movie Channel will be showing films about AIDS and its effects, including Philadelphia, and the HBO drama And The Band Played On. Conklin said Philadelphia is the film which people most readily associate with the AIDS epidemic. "Part of the purpose of Awareness Month is to let people know there are other films beside Philadelphia," he said. The LGBA will also be showing several less well-known films in Houston Hall such as the German A Virus Knows No Morals and the American Longtime Companion. College of General Studies junior Anthony Putz, chairperson of the LGBA, said the films were selected in order to educate people about the nature of the virus and its consequences. "It's not the best way[to educate], but it's one way," he said. In addition to the movies, a panel of speakers with HIV will be talking about their experiences living with the virus. This event will take place on Monday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ben Franklin Room in Houston Hall. On Feb. 13, FLASH members and others in the University community will participate in an open reading of works by or about people with HIV/AIDS. This event will be held in Houston Hall in the Hall of Flags at 11:30 p.m. For students interested in learning about safe-sex techniques, the LGBA and FLASH will sponsor a workshop entitled "Safer Sex Practices and Dating Skills" at the end of February. LGBA members will also be distributing condoms at various points on the University campus on Valentine's Day. Conklin said one reason for these events is that AIDS is spreading most rapidly among heterosexual students. "On campuses, I believe the risk of infection is rising for straight people," he said. "As long as people believe it's a problem solely in the gay/bisexual community?most heterosexual students won't get counseled or tested." He added that students do not make regular use of safe-sex practices. "They make use of safe-sex techniques, but not consistently," he said. "That's one of the reasons we put a lot of effort into peer education. In our experience, peer educators are most effective at hammering home the message that safer sex works."
(02/02/95 10:00am)
The Lippincott Library will undergo major renovations beginning this summer, thanks in large part to a $750,000 donation from the Safra family's Republic National Bank of New York. The gift will provide funding for the Safra Business Research Center, which will comprise the majority of the library's renovation efforts. According to a statement released today by the Wharton School, the Safra family "has a long history of involvement with the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School, including sending many of its family members and employees to Penn and Wharton." The family and the Republic National Bank of New York have supported a variety of projects at Wharton. The research center will encompass all activities of the west wing of the second floor of the Van Pelt Library, according to Director of Library Development Adam Corson-Finnerty. Lippincott Library Director Michael Halperin said all public service functions will be moved to the second floor. "In doing this, we're going to triple the number of remote-access work stations and CD-Rom stations," Halperin said. In addition, Halperin said Lippincott will be contained in the west wing of the second and third floors of Van Pelt once the renovations are completed. The library is currently spread out over three floors of the northwest wing of the library. According to Corson-Finnerty, the renovations will be extensive. "It's consolidation and redesign, and complete upgrading," Corson-Finnerty said. He added that the renovations will take into account the important role of computers for today's business students. To that end, the research center will contain "wet" stations, where students can use laptop computers. Wharton Dean Thomas Gerrity said in the statement that these renovations will expand students' opportunities to tap into the information superhighway. "Access to information, particularly through rapidly expanding electronic resources, plays a vital role in educating our students and enhancing the academic leadership of our faculty," Gerrity said. The renovations also include plans to create five group study rooms, where students can study together, Corson-Finnerty said. Each of these rooms will have glass walls, a chalk board and computer links. The technological improvements will be combined with aesthetic ones as well. Halperin said Lippincott will be "much more inviting" with the addition of new carpeting and new furniture. "It would be a modern corporate appearance to go with the other Wharton buildings," Halperin said, adding that he is enthusiastic about the renovations. "The library will function better because the services will be coordinated in a way that they can't be now," he said. Halperin also said functions currently located on the second floor will be moved to the first floor for approximately six months, beginning in the summer.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Teachers learning from students Teachers learning from studentsFunding from Merck and the National Science Foundation is taking University Engineering students to West Philadelphia schools to work with teachers to make science more accessible to inner-city students Imagine this. University students teaching Philadelphia Public school teachers how best to stimulate interest in science for young, inner-city children. Sound like a pipe dream project of an Urban Studies major? But this vision has become a reality thanks to Merck & Co., Inc. and the National Science Foundation. Starting last summer, Merck, along with the NSF, founded a five-year partnership called the Penn-Merck Collaborative for Science Education. The goal of the Penn-Merck project is to instruct inner-city school teachers in methods to make science accessible to students who attend South and Southwest Philadelphia schools. And who is teaching the teachers? Students at the University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. NSF has already pledged $1.8 million towards the project, and Merck $360,000. In addition, the University's Graduate School of Education will contribute funds to the program while administering it. And the Engineering School will provide the laboratory space for the training sessions. Currently the program has 48 teachers, but officials plan to involve 64 more by this summer. The teacher training sessions --in which the Philadelphia school teachers learn from University students -- consist of a three-week seminar this summer, and another one next summer. Following this training, teachers are monitored for about 12 months by the administrators of the program. Carlo Parravano, director of the Merck Institute for Scientific Education, said he chose the University to implement the project because of its solid record of community involvement. "I think that a technologically based company needs to have a pipeline that is rich in talent and diversity," Parravano said. "We can continue to discover new medicines well into the next century." University Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos, the former chief executive officer of Merck, said he believes science education at the elementary level is very important. Vagelos said Merck realized over six years ago that young people are inadequately prepared in science and math education. Like Parravano, Vagelos stressed the need for a "pipeline" of future scientists. He also stressed that there is a specific need for more black scientists. "We are committed to doing this because it will upgrade the children so they will have a basic fundamental understanding of science," Vagelos said. "We think we can have some impact, but we can't change the United States." Merck's initiative in West Philadelphia with University students follows programs that have sent volunteer scientists to the city's schools. Penn-Merck Project Coordinator Jane Horwitz said the scientists play the part of major role models for the children. · In last summer's session, six Engineering students designed and presented "discovery" labs to the elementary school teachers under the guidance of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Professor Jacob Abel. The "hands-on" projects tried to demonstrate scientific and engineering principles in everyday objects, such as studying the strength of materials by using spaghetti models to exploring electricity by wiring a doorbell or taking apart a hair dryer. The purpose behind the lab is to give teachers models that they can replicate in their classrooms. And Merck, along with other sponsors, are providing the materials and resources to supply the schools. Abel stressed that "hands-on" activities, in contrast to dull lectures tend to spark more of an interest in students. "We want them exploring and investigating," Abel said. "Hands-on is the way to do science. That is the way to get children interested and excited about science." Horwitz said that many of the Engineering students were wary about teaching teachers, but by the end of the three weeks' training, they said they had realized their fears were unwarranted. "The teachers were just so impressed with what the Engineering students had done," Horwitz said. "And the fact that the Engineering students were willing and able to get up in front of these teachers was pretty awesome as well." At the end of the three weeks, the teachers presented the University students with a handmade card, signed by all, thanking them for their time and effort. Able said he keeps the card in the top drawer of his desk amidst the remnants of last summer's experiments. Engineering junior Jennifer Cheng said she enjoyed the program because the students "clicked" with the teachers. Engineering senior Alaina Cerini agreed. "It was a really good experience," Cerini said. "We could use the stuff we learned at Penn and put it on an easier level and make it fun." And because of the overwhelming success of the summer program, Horwitz said there are plans for University students to actually go into classrooms and assist teachers during this semester. "I think to have students talking to students provides this continuum that says to a young child, 'Hey, I can do this, you know this is something I'd like to aspire to,' " Horwitz said. · University and city officials alike stressed the importance of the Penn-Merck project for strengthening their own relationships. "I think it is a very important partnership for Penn and West Philadelphia, and is a good model for universities around the country," University Director of Community Partnerships Ira Harkavy said. Superintendent of Philadelphia Schools David Hornbeck said the Penn-Merck program is consistent with the goals of his program for city schools, called Children Achieving. "They identify the high standards that they want to achieve and then they provide the kind of time and professional development that equips teachers to help achieve more," Hornbeck said. The first session, which met last summer, concentrated on chemistry and physics, while the session next summer will focus on biology and earth science. Horwitz said he has lofty expectations for the joint effort. "It would be really nice if we had some impact in all of the schools," Horwitz said. "I'd like to touch every teacher in the program." Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Education Nancy Streim said the magnitude and impact of the project could potentially be enormous. In five years, about 250 teachers will have been taught science by the University students. In addition, these "master" teachers are encouraged to teach their co-workers at the schools. Streim emphasized the importance of this endeavor because of the lack of science education in elementary schools across the country -- and in Philadelphia. Horwitz agreed, and said that Merck is setting a precedent by supporting science education from kindergarten through the fifth grade. She said that although a lot of companies finance science education, it is usually only at advanced levels. "They [at Merck] decided this is where there is a gap and where they wanted to focus their attention," Horwitz said. Horwitz added that the initial reaction to the program has been extremely positive from both teachers and the University. "It's those human moments, watching people connect with what you love," she said. According to Horwitz there is also a lot of interaction between University officials and the elementary school teachers. She said she plans to observe all 48 teachers for at least one hour. · According to recent statistics, the schools involved with the Penn-Merck program face some of the largest challenges in the city. Being in constant contact will local schools, Horwitz says she gets a first-hand view of the problems affecting Philadelphia's public education system. Horwitz said she has mixed feelings on the city's public schools, but does not see as many systemic problems as some officials report. She said it is very difficult to assess science education within the schools because there is no standardized test that serves as a barometer. She said that while the main problem in the schools is large class size, the schools are rich in their greatest assets -- their teachers. "I have all together wonderful teachers in my program," she said. "They are motivated and they are interested in what they are doing." Carol Young, a teacher in the program at the Leidy School in Southwest Philadelphia, characterized the experience as "fantastic." She said she has seen a dramatic change in her students' awareness and interest in science. And she added that her students are particularly excited when the Merck scientists visit. The scientists, some of whom are black and female, have changed the children's perception of scientists, Young said. "I think we will definitely have some scientists in later years," Young said. "The summer component was very rewarding for me and I'm looking forward to coming back this summer."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
To some people, a gym is just a place to work out. To Irving Silverman, the gym was a necessity. Silverman, who died of AIDS last December, relied on the 12th Street Gym for both his mental and physical well-being, his sister, Kim Silverman said. But in March 1994, Silverman was barred from his gym when the owner discovered that he was infected with the AIDS virus, Pennsylvania AIDS Law Project attorney Ronda Goldfein has alleged. Yesterday, Goldfein announced that a lawsuit filed by Silverman last August against the gym had been settled. She said the gym will pay $35,000 to Silverman's estate and adopt a non-discrimination policy and workplace training program -- which both sides say could become a model for gyms and health clubs across the country. "Our happiness in announcing this settlement is tainted with sadness," Goldfein said. "While today's settlement is a victory for people with HIV and AIDS, we are saddened by the fact that Irv is not here to announce the settlement himself." Rick Piper, a managing partner of the 12th Street Gym, agreed. "We're delighted by the settlement," he said. "We've learned a lot from the case." Piper added that defending against the suit would have cost more than $100,000 and that the new 14-page non-discrimination policy will best benefit the community served by the gym. But Bob Schoenberg, director of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community at Penn, was skeptical. "While the settlement is an indication of acknowledgement of wrongdoing, they are not adding anything that isn't already in the City of Philadelphia's Fair Practices Ordinance," he said. The suit alleged that Silverman was thrown out of the gym by its owner Robert Gazardi, after Silverman cut his hand and requested a bandage. Gazardi, who knew Silverman had AIDS, allegedly instructed Silverman to leave and told him not to return. Gazardi was unavailable for comment. Goldfein said Silverman's rights had been violated under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits public accommodations from discriminating on the basis of disability, including AIDS. "The intention of the act was to get disabled people back into the workplace," Goldfein said. The suit also alleged that Silverman lost the will to fight the disease as a result of Gazardi's actions. "When you deal with someone who is HIV-positive, you encounter several incidents, but the pain of discrimination was something we weren't prepared for," Kim Silverman said. "When this man treated him this way, it just blew his whole world apart." Deb Dunbar, the study coordinator of the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said the risk posed by someone with AIDS in a gym environment is minimal. "I would say that a person with AIDS who is working out at a gym does not pose a risk to other gym members," she said. "If the person is responsible, there is virtually no chance of contaminating others." Art Gravina, the vice president of facilities management, said that although such a case has not occurred at the University, Hutchinson and Gimbel gyms do have a firm policy of non-discrimination. "It's my understanding that that person would not be thrown out of the gym," he said.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
For most students, eating, drinking and having sex are routine elements of life. But more than 300 University students celebrating the Muslim holy fast month of Ramadan are willing to forgo these activities in order to demonstrate their faith. From dawn to dusk, all able-bodied faithful adults not only deny themselves these basic needs, but act with particular goodness to their fellow man, according to Wharton junior and member of the Muslim Student Association Usman Malik. The Muslim Prophet Mohammed stressed the importance of goodness by saying that "he who does not leave evil only gets thirst and hunger from his fasting." Malik said the purpose of the fast is to show belief in Allah, to prepare for future hardships, and learn to suppress unruly urges -- keeping one from becoming greedy, cruel and oppressive. Fasting also serves as a social equalizer. All Muslims -- whether rich or poor -- must fast during this month. As a result of the fast, many rich Muslims realize how it feels to be hungry for lack of money, and are more willing to give to charity. Muslims believe that it was during the month of Ramadan that Allah began to give the revelation of the Koran to the Prophet Mohammed. This book serves as a moral guide for observant Muslims, and they fast to praise Allah for giving it to them. Because regular activities are allowed before sunrise each morning, observant Muslims wake up early to offer prayers and have a pre-fast meal, called "Suhur," to help ease the physical burden of the fast. During this month, special prayers are offered at night called "Tarawih." Muslims regard fasting during this holiday as a divine task and no person may try to compel another to observe the fast, Malik said. Despite the apparent difficulty associated with strict observance of the holiday, Muslims at the University are prepared to show their faith, Malik said. "You get used to it after a couple of days," he said. "All Muslims look forward to this month of great blessings." Communications graduate student Sarah Sayeed agreed. "Ramadan is a really important and special time of the year for me because it allows me the opportunity to strengthen myself spiritually and help me to appreciate all that I have," she said. "And it makes me more sympathetic to people who don't have what I have." The month of Ramadan -- and the fasting -- ends when the new moon is sighted. The fast is broken with the Iftar dinner. The festival of Eid, which is a celebration of thanksgiving, begins the following day and may last for another two days.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Victor Mair has always had a passion for the past. But his discovery in 1987 that Caucasian bodies had been dug up in China added new vigor to that passion and led him to reconsider the nature of ancient civilizations. Mair, a professor of Chinese Languages and Literature, came to the University in 1979 -- the same time that the Chinese government began to unearth the mummies. He said when he first came across the well-preserved corpses in a museum in the region of Xinjiang in China, he almost could not believe that they were real. "I thought that it was some kind of ploy to get tourists, because they were saying [the bodies] dated to 1000 B.C.E, and they looked like they had been buried a couple weeks ago," Mair said. He attributed the "freeze-dried" condition of the bodies to the hot, dry climate of the desert region in which the Caucasians lived. When they died, the moisture in their bodies would evaporate very quickly, preventing most bacterial decay. Even more remarkable than the condition of the corpses, according to Mair, was the fact that the unearthed bodies showed that Caucasians had inhabited China from 2000 B.C. until the ninth century. The majority of the people who live in Xinjiang today exhibit Mongoloid rather than Caucasoid features, Mair said. "The mystery is how did [the Caucasians] get there and where did they come from," he added. Mair said he suspects that they were Iranian-speaking Indo-Europeans who had migrated from the West. However, he said that since no written records exist for that period, he cannot be certain. Mair said many aspects of the mummified corpses and their graves have provided useful information about the type of lives these people led. "Many people were buried with a little basket next to their left ear, and in the basket were grains of wheat," he explained. "So this means that they had a sense of agriculture." No weapons were found in the graves-- indicating that they were a peaceful people, Mair added. The finely-woven woolen clothing found on the bodies led Mair to believe that the Caucasians herded sheep and goats. Mair said he also believes that the Caucasians did not simply die out, but rather were "absorbed" by the Uyghurs, a Turkish-speaking people who constitute the major ethnic group in Central Asia today. "Just looking at the Uyghur population, you see a lot of resemblances to the Europeans and Mediterranean peoples," Mair said. According to Mair, this archeological find could change how people think about ancient civilizations. The discovery of the mummies has provided evidence that supports the idea that civilizations in countries such as India, Greece, Rome and China were not as isolated as many scholars had originally believed. "Long-distance migrations, long-distance trade, and even just simple wanderlust have been going on for thousands of years," Mair said. "This project is showing that the ancient peoples as much as moderns liked to move around on the face of the earth." Mair added that the aspect of his findings that he enjoys the most is the fact that it provides a bridge between the East and the West. "Here you have people who are filling up what used to be thought of as a vacuum in terms of East-West communication," he said. Mair's fascination with the mummies themselves though stems from his attraction to the past -- which he said he has had since his college days. "I feel like I'm reaching back in the past and recreating their life," Mair said. "When I look at [the mummies] or look at their clothing, I don't just imagine what life was like for them -- I feel like I'm actually almost merging with them somehow."
