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(02/01/95 10:00am)
Is Philadelphia up to the $50 million challenge? That was the question on everyone's mind as Wallis Annenberg, daughter of millionaire University alumnus Walter Annenberg, presented the Philadelphia public schools with a $50-million pledge at the Stoddart-Fleisher Middle School in North Philadelphia yesterday. The money is actually a challenge grant, however. The city will only receive the money if it can raise another $100 million over the next five years, with $50 million coming from the private sector and $50 million from the public sector. While Mayor Ed Rendell said he feels the city will be able to secure the private sector money, he said the real challenge will be public sector funding. Rendell said he expected non-profit organizations, such as universities, to foot some of this bill through his Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which he announced last year. This week, Rendell's chief of staff, David Cohen, said the city is still in negotiations with the University to determine what the University's tax burden will be. [See story, page 2.] Philadelphia School District Superintendent David Hornbeck, however, said he already has about half of the $100 million secured. While there is a large task ahead for the city, the atmosphere was very upbeat. Wallis Annenberg, vice president of the Annenberg Foundation, made the presentation as part of the Annenberg Foundation's $500 million gift to reform public education across the nation. "Welcome home Ms. Annenberg," Philadelphia Public School/Business Partnership for Reform Chairperson Terrence Larsen said. "You could not have arrived at a more auspicious time for the future of our children." Students representing a variety of city neighborhoods sat quietly in the audience as the symbolic check was passed from Annenberg's hand to the nervously shaking hands of five children. The $50 million allocated from the Annenberg grant will not buy books or repair schools, however. It is slated for administrative and teaching reform. Hornbeck, who formulated a plan called "Children Achieving," said this is consistent with his goal of citywide and "systemic" reform of public schools. He also said he is grateful for the pledge because it gives Philadelphia a "challenge" to meet on the path to improved education. "It gives us a huge shot in the arm," Hornbeck said. "It tells us that we are on our way. It tells us this is a can-do moment and that in fact, we are going to create teaching and learning conditions in which children do achieve." Hornbeck added the city must not take small steps to meet the challenge. He said, rather, the system needs "bold" and "radical" leaps for fundamental change. Rendell, who also attended the announcement, said the challenge of improving education is one of the most important issues facing the city. And he promised to do whatever he could do to help meet that challenge. "I pledge?and we pledge unequivocally, that we will meet our share of the this grant," Rendell said. "The education of our children is so important that we will find this money, somewhere, somehow, someplace."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
About 10 students attended Penn Watch's first recruitment meeting last night in the Quadrangle. Penn Watch -- the new student-run town watch and peer education organization -- has launched a campaign to attract members for security patrols on and around campus. The program, which received formal recognition from the Student Activities Council last week, was formed after several students decided to take an active role campus safety. "I understand a lot of students don't get involved with issues of crime," Penn Watch President and Wharton sophomore Jon Brightbill said last night. "But we spend more and more on police and the problems don't go away, here at the University or in the nation. "If students want to feel safer," he added, "they have to get involved." The group's primary goal is to implement student-run patrols of the University's neighborhoods. The people on patrol will wear identifying clothing, and will be in direct radio contact with University Police. The patrol members will also have scanners monitoring police frequencies to be aware of police actions around campus. After patrols are established, Brightbill said the group plans to offer peer education on safety issues, and represent student views on security. "If someone wants to take their personal time and do this, we're thrilled to have you," University Police Officer Ann Haines told the people in attendance at the meeting. "This is a basic tenet of community involvement," she said. Haines and Brightbill both expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of student involvement. And Haines assured the group that the police will respond to student calls of assistance with urgency. In addition, officials from Victim Support and Special Services will train the Penn Watch members starting in February. Organizers stressed that the meeting was only the first step of recruitment, and that they will approach other student groups, such as Greek organizations, to supply members. Brightbill, who said the group began organizing last November, plans to begin patrols sometime shortly after spring break. "This won't make crime go away," Brightbill said. "But it will help people feel safer."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
After a semester of working on Project 2000 -- a long-term plan for the University's future -- the Undergraduate Assembly decided on a number of more immediate projects at its meeting Monday night. The UA approved a letter written by several student leaders calling for Provost Stanley Chodorow to involve as much student input as possible in the recently proposed Perelman Quadrangle plan. The body also passed a resolution suggesting a re-examination of the smoking policy in University dining halls, and endorsed a plan to lobby the administration to allow alcohol on Locust Walk. The United Minorities Council also made a presentation to the UA at the meeting. Part of the presentation addressed the UMC's concerns about the Perelman Quad. According to Wharton and Engineering senior Patrick Ede, the chairperson of Penn Players, several members of the Performing Arts Council wrote a letter to the provost stating that while the UA and PAC were "excited" about the Perelman Quad plan, the groups felt that student input was essential. The letter also suggested a framework for Chodorow to follow that would ensure maximum student participation in every stage of building the new student center. In addition to student members on a University committee to oversee the Perelman Quad, the letter calls for a second advisory committee, composed entirely of students. This committee would inform the University's undergraduate population of progress in planning and construction of the new campus center. The letter also requested that open forums be held regularly to allow for an exchange of ideas between planners and students. Ede said PAC would respond very unfavorably to any plan that denies students a say in decisions on the Perelman Quad. "We think the Perelman Quad is a good idea, but it's not good as is," he said. "Some of the changes that we are going to suggest need to be taken seriously." The UA also passed a resolution calling for a ban on smoking in University dining halls. UA representative and College junior Lance Rogers said the ban would improve student health, citing asthma, bronchitis, and heart disease as health problems resulting from smoking. "Basically, I don't understand why people need to smoke during a meal," he said. But UA Vice-Chairperson and College junior Tamara Dubowitz said the resolution did not truly represent student opinion on campus. "Just because smoking might be a minority on this campus doesn't mean that it's not a right," she said.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Seeking advice about opportunities in the field of bioengineering, approximately 30 Engineering students gathered in Bodek Lounge Monday for the second annual Industrial Day Conference. Ten representatives of companies from across the field came to share their stories and experiences in the industry with the University community. Industrial Day was organized by a committee of six Bioengineering students led by Engineering junior Kim Vesey. Their goal was to give interested students a first hand look at the industry, Vesey said. "Our basic object of the day is to get people to exchange information," she added. Representatives from companies ranging from AT&T; to DuPont showed students how their coursework can be applied in the industry. In return, students showed the company representatives what innovations and ideas have sprung from University students. Ronald Solar, a University alumnus, gave the keynote address. He told students they must be aggressive in looking for jobs, because opportunities for bioengineers are available. According to i-Stat representative John Lee, the address was an encouraging and realistic portrayal of what challenges bioengineers will face in the business world. Most of the Bioengineering majors attending the conference wanted to get a feel for what types of opportunities exist in the industry. "You don't really know everything out there," Engineering sophomore Jeremy Diringer said. Time was set aside at the end of the conference for students to ask questions and establish initial contact with company representatives in small group discussions. Industrial Day also gave non-bioengineering students more information about the field and its accomplishments. Primarily known for the development of prosthetics and other medical devices like pacemakers, bioengineers work on everything from micro-needles to the common hearing aide, Lee said. According to Kenneth Foster, associate professor of Bioengineering, the conference was well-organized and smoothly run. "The students did a wonderful job," he said.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Residents of historic neighborhoods in Philadelphia are trying to gain the same status that their counterparts in other nearby cities enjoy. But unlike New York, Washington and Boston, Philadelphia does not currently protect its historic neighborhoods as collective units. Preservationists, however, are trying to create several protected city communities, including Spruce Hill, as historic districts. Spruce Hill borders the western edge of campus and is bounded roughly by 40th and 46th streets, extending from Market Street to Woodland Avenue. "From the neighborhoods' point of view, this is a positive thing," Spruce Hill Community Association treasurer David Hochman said. "We have been waiting a long time for this." If the districting is approved, the new designation will place restrictions on people who own property within the district. Property owners would have to seek additional approval to change the facades of buildings in the protected districts, including restrictions on cosmetic changes such as paint color. Any plans involving "alteration or demolition" to buildings in the protected areas would have to pass a review by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. According to University professor and Philadelphia historian George Thomas, much of the appeal of the neighborhood lies in its late 19th century architecture. In addition, some of the properties there are already listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While a total of six districts have been proposed, they must present their cases at a series of public hearings. The first district up for recognition is the Rittenhouse-Fitler District in Center City, which had its hearing in November. The next district in line for review is Society Hill, which will be followed by Spruce Hill. According to Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the Preservation Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Spruce Hill will probably not be considered until sometime in 1996.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Philadelphia Police protect students off-campus, the Streets Department cleans the streets and, if there's a fire, the Fire Department responds. And now the city of Philadelphia and Mayor Ed Rendell want the University to pay for it. Traditionally, non-profit institutions located in the city have not paid taxes, even though they use city services. And although it has been just under a year since the city asked the University to pay about one-third the property tax it would owe if it did not enjoy tax-exempt status, the two organizations have not yet come to an agreement. The controversy started last year when the mayor devised the Payment in Lieu of Taxes/Services in Lieu of Taxes program to make non-profit entities like the University pay some of the tax burden in the form of some tax or payments or services. The goal of the program is to raise an additional $33 million a year in revenue and free services from normally tax-exempt agencies which are not "purely for charitable use." This includes about $8.5 million from area colleges. The University would also be able to deduct services that benefit the community, such as University Police, from their assessed tax burden. The money and services will then be used in the city's school districts. But if the University refuses to make such an agreement, the city could take action in court -- possibly causing the University to pay 100 percent of its would-be taxes, eliminating in all but name the University's tax-exempt status. Paul Cribbins, the University's director for city and commonwealth relations, said the city and University are currently deliberating over the PILOT/SILOT program. But even though the city has been slow to take action against non-profit organizations, it is clear that the mayor considers the program important, and plans to follow through with its implementation. Just last week, Rendell mentioned PILOT/SILOT during his re-election announcement. The mayor singled out and honored Fred Dibona Jr., an official of Independence Blue Cross/Blue Shield, for being the first non-profit company to pay its share through the PILOT/SILOT program. He added that Dibona stands as an example of big business reaching out to help the city. "That is an extraordinary step for a corporation to come up and say that they're willing to pay an addition tax load," Rendell said. "But they did it for the city."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Last night's free screening of the feature film "A Reason To Believe" offered big-name stars, name-brand bands and huge amounts of drugs, alcohol and sex. But you had to find the film first. Although over 250 people initially came to watch the independently-produced film, the numbers dwindled after the location was moved twice due to technical difficulties. Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape presented the film and Connaissance and the Social Planning and Events Committee Film Society co-sponsored the event. [See photo, page 8.] "There was an amazing turn-out and a million technical difficulties," said STARR representative Brigette Wolf, a Wharton senior. Although the film -- which has not yet been commercially released -- focused on acquaintance rape on college campuses, it also touched upon fraternity life, drugs and alcohol. A discussion session with the co-producer Ged Dickerson and the movie's writer, director and co-producer Douglas Tirola, followed the screening. Dickerson and Tirola answered questions about the film's presentation of acquaintance rape. They also advised aspiring filmmakers on how to break into the industry. College sophomore Nicole Weiner questioned the film's portrayal of the campus women's center as an aggressive organization. In the film, the leader of the women's center leaks a fully-detailed description of the victim's trauma to the school newspaper after a fraternity brother commits acquaintance rape against the student. Tirola said he included the feminist's breach of confidence to represent the significance of the group as compared to that of the individual. "She had missions and goals of her own," he said of the center's leader. "She was trying to do something for the group and was not as much working for the individual. I think the feminist character was freakin' great. She had a goal and she went right for it." Although STARR organized the event to reach groups that they normally could not reach, such as sororities and fraternities, Jody Gold a 1992 University graduate and STARR advisor, said the organization disagreed with the women's center's role in the film. "I disliked the portrayal of the woman's center in the movie," she said. "The Penn women's center is there to council men and women and they never would pressure anyone to come foreword. "It is very important that survivors make their own decisions and to give the power back to the survivor," Gold added. Tirola also spoke about the representation of "frat boys" in the film. He said the film does not stereotype or bash fraternities. The two scenes, besides the rape scene, that portrayed fraternities negatively were included to prove a point, he said. One of the scenes shows "frat boys" informally sharing their sexual exploits. In another scene, the president of the fraternity highlighted in the film reads off a tally of the fraternity brothers' sexual feats of the night. He said the purpose of the two scenes is to present informal sexual boasting as equally damaging as a formal competition. Although the three scenes did portray fraternities negatively, Tirola said the brothers' dialogue presented them in a positive light. "At the end they were articulate," he said. "The guy who was the biggest neanderthal had an articulate speech at the end. Even the rapist is articulate in where he is coming from." Tirola added that he does not view the fraternity's use of drugs and alcohol as negative stereotyping.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
The Republican National Committee has withdrawn funding from the College Republican National Committee, according to Penn College Republicans President Dan Debicella. But the University club does not depend on the CRNC for money, Penn College Republicans Treasurer Amon Seagull said. Debicella, a Wharton junior and the Undergraduate Assembly chairperson, said the RNC stopped funding the CRNC because the college group's newsletter, The Broadside, had gotten far out of line with the Republican party platform. "It had a lot of articles that were anti-Republican," Debicella said. "They called for a new third party of conservative youth [and] attacked the Reagan/Bush legacy as not being conservative enough." He added that he felt the loss of funding was appropriate. "To have Republicans attacking the Reagan/Bush legacy just shows that these people weren't deserving of funding," he said. Seagull, a College and Engineering senior, said the University's group was fiscally independent of the CRNC. "We have absolutely no financial ties to the CRNC," he said. "All of our funding is from alumni support and member dues." Debicella said the CRNC was further right ideologically than the Penn College Republicans. "A lot of the people who are in charge of the CRNC are from the way far religious right," he said. "We like to think of ourselves as far to the economic right rather than the social right." Leaders of Republican organizations at other Ivy League schools also said the CRNC had little impact on their clubs. "We don't receive money from the CRNC, so it doesn't affect our funds," said Harvard University senior Bradford Campbell, president of the Harvard Republicans Club. Brown College Republicans President Peter Bogdanow said his group was not affected either. "We don't get any money from [the CRNC]," the Brown University junior said. "We get a lot of mail from them, but [the mail is not] essential to the daily functioning of the program."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Although graffiti is often considered an inescapable part of the urban landscape, the University and various city organizations have recently become increasingly more vigilant about decreasing its presence. "There has been some talk about it being an expression of art," Executive Director of the Center City District Paul Levy said this week. "To us, this is just vandalism." The quasi-governmental CCD has the authority to tax businesses within its boundaries, using the revenue to pay for extra services beyond those provided by the city, such as cleaning and security. Last September, the CCD launched a special project team to begin removing graffiti from downtown businesses and public property. And thus far, Levy said the program has been a success. He owes this to "a business community prepared to invest money in its maintenance." Officials at the University have also taken a strong stance against graffiti. Vice President for Facilities Management Art Gravina expressed concern about graffiti on University property. "Where we see it, we take immediate steps to remove it," he said. Gravina stressed that quick removal of graffiti is the key to its deterrence. By negating its ability create a statement, it removes the motivation to do it. "By and large, graffiti is not a welcome expression on campus," he added. Gravina added that a strong police presence is also helpful. Gravina said the amount of graffiti at the University has remained constant, and is a problem that mainly affects facilities further away from the center of campus. Tom Spencer, a member of the city's Anti-Graffiti Network, said his organization employs volunteers to help clear graffiti and educate communities about the problem. The AGN has become well known for its public art campaign, which seeks out former wall-writers to create large murals on empty walls throughout the city. Levy said that graffiti has a detrimental effect on neighborhoods, because people "get the message the area is out of control and unsafe."
(01/31/95 10:00am)
If everything goes according to schedule, former University student Lisa Topol will be in federal court in April. Topol, who has accused former Assistant English Professor Malcolm Woodfield of sexual harassment, filed suit against the University, claiming that the University violated her rights by failing to resolve her complaint over an extended period of time. Woodfield has admitted that he engaged in sexual relations with Topol and that this was unethical under the University's policies. He resigned last April amidst hearings investigating the matter. Topol's suit charges that "administrators failed to investigate her complaints, or otherwise take any action to determine whether or not there existed grounds to suspend or terminate Woodfield." It asks that Topol be compensated "for wages and fringe benefits" that she has lost due to her relationship with Woodfield and for wages that she is likely to lose." It also demands that the University pay Topol for "anguish and humiliation, physical and mental pain and suffering, and loss of life's pleasures." According to University attorneys, this case is currently "in discovery" -- which is a process before a trial when the parties exchange information. Alice Ballard, Topol's lawyer, said the case is still in discovery because the University has not finished Topol's deposition, and she is still waiting for the University to produce some of the witnesses she has asked to examine. Ballard added, though, that the discovery period should be concluded within the next few weeks. She said the parties are filing pre-trial statements on February 6 -- at which point each side will lay out their witnesses and all of the evidence that will be used. She added that she expects a trial in April. But Green was less confident about the trial date, projecting that it will occur later than Ballard said. "It will be in the trial pool sometime in April, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be tried then," she said. "It can be tried anytime after [April]." Topol also filed a suit against Bates College in Maine -- where Woodfield taught for two years before arriving at the University -- for allegedly withholding information of other sexual harassment accusations against Woodfield. Bates College failed to inform the University of the complaints and the subsequent proceedings and also failed to update the positive references it had previously offered, the suit charges. Ballard said the case is in litigation, but that there are a number of outstanding motions holding it up. She added that the judge has to make some crucial decisions in this case before it can proceed. "These motions go directly to the heart of whether we can even sue Bates in Philadelphia," she said. Ballard said the timing on this trial is much harder to predict, because there are more uncertain points to clear up. "It could go to trial on roughly the same schedule [as the case against the University], but given its status it is quite indeterminant when anything will happen," she said. Topol is also suing Woodfield in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court. But according to Ballard, "nothing is going on" with this case. "That is sitting because we are concentrating our efforts on Penn and Bates," she said. She added that the case against Woodfield "will go off-hold when these other two cases are done."
(01/31/95 10:00am)
Wharton graduate student Michael Hsueh helplessly watched the satellite broadcasts of the destruction caused by the earthquake in Kobe, Japan. But with the aid of a small group of fellow students, he turned his frustration into action. In an effort to support quake victims by raising relief funds, the students began soliciting donations from students and faculty. Hsueh, who was born in Taiwan, spent a year in Japan as an exchange student, and later returned to work there for nearly four more years. He said these experiences made the earthquake much more meaningful to him than to most other University students. "One of the purposes of this effort was to?hopefully inspire other students and groups to get involved and help out," he said. The Japan Global Connection and the Wharton Japan Society have already assisted him in his fundraising efforts. In addition, Hsueh is hoping that Wharton faculty members will be able to contribute to his cause. For some students, the reality of the quake has hit home. Wharton MBA student Bruce Atkins was stunned by news of the earthquake since his wife is from the Kobe region and still has family living nearby. "The first week of classes after winter break, both of us were numb," he said. "It was a really weird feeling." Kurihiki Higashi, another Wharton MBA student, was directly affected by the quake. Both his aunt and grandmother were caught inside their house as it collapsed. His aunt remains in the hospital. Hsueh said he hopes to alleviate this type of suffering, and is currently searching for an organization willing to distribute the relief funds. Beginning today, the groups will place donation boxes in Vance Hall. Their efforts will culminate on Thursday when they plan to hold "Japan Night" at the MBA Pub in Vance Hall. They will be accepting donations at the door. The night will include a tea ceremony at 6 p.m. and a Shoirnji Kempo martial arts exhibition. The festivities will continue in Mayer Hall at 6:30 p.m. with an exploration of Sumo wrestling. Japan's Asahi Corporation has donated its "Superdry Beer," to be served at the MBA Pub Thursday night. Donations can be sent to the Wharton Graduate Association for the Japan Global Collection Kobe Earthquake Relief Fund.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
Arguments in the University's appeal of an age discrimination suit filed by a former employee of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania were heard last week by the Third Circuit District Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. Janet Smithgall, a former HUP employee, filed suit in 1992 claiming that the University and HUP had discriminated against her because of her age and retaliated against her for a previous age discrimination complaint. A jury found the University and HUP not guilty of age discrimination or retaliation but did find the University in violation of a 1990 settlement reached in response to Smithgall's first charge of age discrimination. The settlement called for the University to re-hire Smithgall for 10 months, reimburse her for certain lost benefits and consider her for a future permanent position. A jury found in December 1993 that the University had failed to fulfill its contractual obligations to Smithgall and awarded her $70,000 in compensatory damages, according to Smithgall's attorney Glenn Clark. The damages stemmed from the University's failure to allow her to be considered for other positions, he said. Post-trial motions filed by Hope Cominsky, the University's attorney in the case, asking the judge to reverse the jury's decision, were denied last May. Cominsky said the University disagrees with the jury's decision. "Our argument to the Third Circuit was that we had complied with all three provisions," she said. "I think the judges are very concerned [with the jury's decision]." She added that judges of the Third Circuit do not always agree to hear arguments in this type of case. But Clark claims the University did not comply with the 1990 settlement, characterizing the University's contention that employing Smithgall for 10 months was sufficient as "the most ludicrous theory that you could imagine." The original complaint filed by Smithgall in 1992 alleged that the University had retaliated against her for filing an age discrimination complaint in 1990. According to the original complaint, Smithgall was discharged in 1989 from her position at HUP, supposedly due to a lack of funding. But the complaint alleged that three days later, a 23-year-old was hired to replace Smithgall. Ten months after reaching a settlement with the University, the now 65-year-old Smithgall filed suit, claiming that the University had failed to comply with the settlement. The suit accused the University of retaliation for "unilaterally and arbitrarily changing [Smithgall's] job description so as to exclude all professional duties?[reducing] her position to that of a clerk." The Third Circuit is expected to rule on the University's appeal within the next six weeks.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
Some doubt its potential impact The wheels of justice may turn slowly, but reaction to proposals advanced this week by the Student Judicial Reform Committee has been strong and immediate. Faculty members such as History Professor Bruce Kuklick, who felt the sting of repeated cheating scandals five years ago in his History 451 class -- or Alan Kors, who represented College junior and Daily Pennsylvanian staff photographer Eden Jacobowitz during the "water buffalo" case in 1993 -- contend that the new charter is seriously flawed. But Provost Stanley Chodorow said he is "very pleased" with the proposed Student Judicial Charter and Code of Academic Integrity, drafts of which are currently available for comment. Still, disagreement lingers about the function of student-faculty hearing boards that the charter creates. Chodorow believes they should make recommendations to him or his designee, while SJRC members want to empower the boards to render binding decisions. Chodorow, however, remains optimistic. "I had a series of very good meetings with the committee," he said. "We were able to clarify the issues and to have very good discussions of them." Kuklick said his sense of the draft -- from prior discussion with Chodorow -- is that the charter "gives students much more leeway than they ought to have," since it provides for near-equal student and faculty representation on the hearing boards. "It is absolutely clear that students should be summarily punished, and my feeling is that all of this stuff weighs things too heavily in favor of the poor, beleaguered students who might be wrongly accused," Kuklick said. Kuklick also said he understands Chodorow's contention that a student-run honor system would work best, because it would allow students to police themselves. But Kuklick said he believes that at a large school like the University, where many students think they can cheat without consequence, such an honor system is "naive and idealistic." "I hope that if I catch students cheating, this [charter] will not prevent me from making decisions about what I ought to do," he said. "I hope it will be a help and not a hindrance?I don't want to see a system in place that will diminish the prerogatives of the faculty in dealing with this." Kors said he is opposed to University intervention in any criminal or civil matter that would ordinarily be argued and settled in a court of law. Characterizing the draft document as "a nightmare of structural detail without procedural protection," he added that as the charter now stands, it deprives the parties involved of rules of fairness and stipulations of due process. "It gives absolute discretion to the judicial system to put someone through the terror of hearings," Kors said. He cited the proposed charter's lack of a presumption of innocence, burden of proof, specific time-frame, right to confront one's accusers, to cross-examination of witnesses and to an advisor who can intervene on a respondent's behalf as among its many problems. But even when dealing with alleged violations of the academic integrity code -- a function that Kors said is within the University's jurisdiction -- he stressed the importance of system-wide due process aimed at protecting the accused from arbitrary persecution. "Since there are no procedural or substantive protections of one who is accused, this is only not a kangaroo court if one imagines saints and the just administering it," Kors said. College junior Wilton Levine, who chaired the student judicial charter working group, said he hopes that before Feb. 17, members of the University community who have concrete suggestions for improving the draft document -- which appears today in Almanac -- will send their ideas to the SJRC's e-mail account, judicial@pobox. Chodorow said he is confident that after receiving feedback from the University community, he and University President Judith Rodin will resolve the issue of hearing board jurisdiction based on the system's organizing principles. Following that decision, the final document will be referred to the University's General Counsel's Office, which will develop "the detailed regulations," said Chodorow.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
The future of Murphy's Tavern may be in question after Liquor Control Board officers raided the bar Friday. As a result of the raid, 63 citations were issued to underage drinkers, according to Bettina Bunting, an enforcement officer in the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement of the Pennsylvania State Police. A team of undercover enforcement officers from the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control entered Murph's at approximately 12:45 a.m. Saturday, Bunting said. At approximately 1:05 a.m., the rest of the team entered and held an open inspection. Twenty-six minors and one juvenile were apprehended and issued non-traffic citations for underage drinking, Bunting said. She added that they were assisted by uniformed officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. Bunting said it is not typical for her department to discover so many underage drinkers in one establishment during a raid. "This is not a common occurrence and has not been since the liquor code was amended in 1987," she said. The new law sets a minimum penalty of $1,000 on an organization if they are found guilty of selling alcohol to minors. According to Liquor Control Board spokesperson Donna Pinkham, Murph's has been operating without a license since October 31 of last year -- when it was issued a notice of objection to renewal of its license, alleging that "they have abused their licensing privileges." Pinkham said all licenses for establishments in the Philadelphia area are eligible for renewal every October 31. Murph's received a warning on October 31, 1993 -- based on its prior record. According to Pinkham, this means that its history was "bad, but not bad enough to warrant non-renewal." Bunting said the tavern has received nine citations since its license was issued in 1960, each one charging it with sale of alcohol to minors. But although the bar's license was suspended for short periods of time, it was never revoked, she added. Pinkham added that as of November 4, the bar has been operating under temporary authority from the board until the LCB reaches a final decision. Murph's is permitted to operate under these conditions until the board reaches its decision or until October 31, whichever comes first, Bunting said. This hearing is scheduled for March 24, she said. Bunting said this incident will be cited on the tavern's license, adding that the corporate officers, Joseph and James Murphy, have the option of requesting a hearing before an administrative law judge who will decide whether the LCB bureau has met the burden of proving their case. Although neither LCB official knew what the next step in the proceedings would be, Joe Murphy said last night that he has two hearings coming up. He refused any further comment. Bunting said her department is not finished with their review of the establishment.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
The competition was fierce at the University's fifth annual College Bowl Tournament this past weekend as 40 schools from across the country battled for the bowl title. The largest competition of its kind, the College Bowl drew 64 teams, totaling nearly 350 players, coaches and game officials in attendance. "Around 30 percent of the participants were females, an all-time high," said Pat Matthews, assistant coach for the University team. She explained that two groups of four players answered trivia questions to earn points for their teams. The questions started with a "difficult" clue, followed by a "hard" clue, and ending with an "easy" one. Questions included, "What is the capital of Tanzania?" and "Who was the 23rd President?" They were followed by additional clues until the answer was determined. The College Bowl Tournament took place in the Towne Building, David Rittenhouse Laboratory and Bennett Hall. The University of Chicago won the competition overall, followed by the University of Maryland, Harvard University and Georgia Tech. "[The bowl] was by far the largest tournament I've ever played in," University of Chicago senior John Sheahan said. He added that he believes it is "what Jeopardy would be like if you didn't have to take into account the intelligence level of the average TV viewer." Emory University senior Tao Nguyen said the tournament was "worth the drive." "It was well-rounded, organized, efficient and excellent," he said. "We got to play against a lot of teams we don't usually see." Wharton senior Jeff Gordon coordinated this year's bowl. He was assisted by 1993 Wharton and College graduate Pat Matthews and Jenny Rosenmount, a 1993 College graduate. The 27-member University team runs the tournament every year and participates in smaller competitions across the nation throughout the fall and spring. This past fall, the team attended tournaments at Georgetown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Penn State University and Princeton University. In the spring, the team members plan to attend tournaments at Boston University, Cornell, George Washington, Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore. According to Rosenmount, the "Penn Bowl" is regarded as excellent preparation for the February 25 regional tournament at the University and the April 25 national tournament at the University of Akron. The University will be vying for the regional title against Princeton, Swarthmore and NYU, Rosenmount said.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
Strains of French filtered through Harrison Auditorium in the University Museum yesterday afternoon. But the audience was not a class of French 101 students. Rather, it was a celebratory gathering of more than 300 people honoring the centennial of the death of Louis Pasteur. The "American Inaugural Ceremony of the Year of Louis Pasteur," which was organized by the French Institute for Culture and Technology and the Pasteur Foundation, was attended by few University students. "We had the Penn French community and the Philadelphia French community, Penn alumni, Pasteur [Institute] alumni, and friends of the Penn foundation," said Fran_ois Gramet, assistant to the director of the French Institute. The ceremony was held under the patronage of Jacques AndrZani, French ambassador to the United States, who addressed the audience in both English and French. Citing rabies treatment as an example, he praised "the unique capacity of American society to capture, develop and absorb the achievements of other countries in science, technology and economics." In her address, University President Judith Rodin pointed out that the University's founder, Benjamin Franklin, was the first U.S. ambassador to France. Diane Dolto, Philadelphia's city representative for arts and culture, spoke in place of Mayor Ed Rendell -- who was scheduled to speak at the event. "It is impossible to imagine a Philadelphia without its strong French connection," Dolto said. Maxime Schwartz, director general of the Institut Pasteur, said the main purpose of the United Nation's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's "Year of Louis Pasteur" is to make the works of Pasteur and their effects on society better known. He described Pasteur's efforts in preventing infectious disease and the fermentation process in wine, beer and vinegar. He added that Pasteur's work formed the basis for biotechnology. Roy Vagelos, chairman of the University Board of Trustees and former chairman and chief executive officer of the pharmaceutical corporation Merck & Co., Inc., spoke of Pasteur's innovative method of focusing on causes of disease rather than treating the symptoms. Vagelos said this approach has been instrumental in the treatment of modern diseases such as coronary heart disease and benign prostate enlargement. At the end of the ceremony, AndrZani and David Hornbeck, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, opened the traveling bi-lingual exposition "Louis Pasteur: His Life and His Work." The inaugural ceremony was co-sponsored by the French Institute.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
There are not any air raids in America today. Nor are there missiles falling from the sky. But last night, George Gerbner, former Annenberg School for Communications dean, spoke of war. "This is the end of an era and the beginning of another," he said, referring to the end of the Cold War. "It is the rebirth not of hope, but of tyranny, greed and civil war." In his lecture entitled "The Mean World View: TV's Impact on the Elections," Gerbner spoke at the White Dog Cafe about the impact of television on American society over the past 30 years. Although Gerbner contributed to the media industry as an Annenberg professor and dean from1964 to 1989, his speech condemned the media as an "invisible" but destructive force in the country's social structure. According to Gerbner, a 10 year-old child would be able to list more names of beer brands than American presidents, and is more likely to recognize Joe Camel than Mickey Mouse. "Three entertaining murders a night is the diet of our children," he said. Gerbner attributed the prevalence of violence in television to the economic structure of television programming. He said the fastest way to make money in series television is to expand to the global economy. Violence, which, unlike comedy, is image-driven and understood in any language, "travels" quickly through the global market and dominates the airwaves, Gerbner added. "There is a faster way," he said. "The fastest way is violent programming. It travels faster in a global market. Comedy doesn't travel so well." The economic factors involved in production force producers to fit their shows into the global market, he said. The market has created a violent "cultural environment" that is not limited to the media. Gerbner spoke about the "mean world" television has created as the major challenge our country must face. "It is in response to that challenge that the Cultural Environment Movement is working," he said. "You realize individual citizen initiative is the only way out -- if any." Gihon Jordan, a 1973 University graduate, agreed with Gerbner that if children watch enough television, it warps their perception of life. "They are very fearful and close-minded of other cultures," he said. "They say you live in West Philly and it must be dangerous because I saw it on the news the other day. They think, I'm in control and I'm safe in a car. But at least in West Philly you can talk to your neighbors -- they watch TV inside."
(01/31/95 10:00am)
Men and women are on different brain waves. According to researchers at the University's Medical Center, behavioral differences between the sexes can be attributed to actual physiological differences. Men tend to deal with emotions through actions and physical aggression while women mediate their emotions more symbolically such as through vocalization, according to Ruben Gur, director of the Brain Behavior Laboratory and professor of psychology in psychiatry. The part of the brain utilized more heavily by men is less developed and is similar to that of reptiles and lower species. Lying below the corpus collosum, the temporal limbic system controls more primitive responses, the findings state. Women, on the other hand, primarily use the cingulate gyrus in their cognitive process. This part of the brain evolved later and is more refined and complex. "Instead of acting like a reptile and charging at everything, women are likely to verbalize and say 'I'm mad at you," Gur said. The cingulate gyrus is not present in reptiles, he added. The study, reported in the latest issue of Science, used an imaging technique known as Positron Emission Tomography to monitor activity in different sections of the brain. PET uses short-lived radioactive compounds as tracers to detect glucose metabolism as a measure of brain activity, Gur said. The more active a section of the brain is, the more glucose it will consume. Computers utilize colorful images to display glucose uptake by various regions of the brain. The study compared the rates of metabolism in 37 men and 24 women and noted that in almost all areas of the brain, activity was identical. The only differences noted were those in the limbic system of the brain, the area noted for emotional processing, Gur said. Women were also noted to have a more active left hemisphere, the side more active in verbal and analytical tasks. Men, on the flip side, have greater control over spatial problem-solving and motor tasks, which is connected to the right hemisphere. All subjects selected for the study were right-handed to avoid inconsistencies. Certain variances are bound to occur whenever statistical data is studied, according to Gur. "What shocked me was that many more men than women tended to show opposite sex patterns," Gur said. Of the 61 subjects studied, 13 men displayed typical female brain patterns as opposed to only four females showing typical male patterns. These statistics correspond to recent findings in a nation-wide survey on sexuality, he added. "This may provide a substrate for homosexual behavior," Gur said. "However, we do not have data on the sexual preferences of our subjects."
(01/31/95 10:00am)
Two weeks of roaming about campus, meeting people and dressing to impress paid off for 386 freshman and sophomore women who received bids from eight Panhellenic Council sororities in a tense, crowded Bodek Lounge event Sunday afternoon. "I was completely traumatized," said College freshman Melissa Bernstein, who received a bid from Kappa Alpha Theta. Rush also paid off for the hundreds of sorority sisters and Panhel board members who spent weeks preparing for the highly coordinated events that began two weeks ago tonight. The number of pledges this year was up from last year -- even though fewer rushees began the trip than did last January. And despite some scheduling problems the first night, organizers said the process as a whole was successful. "We had a little bit of timing trouble on the first night but the rest of the two weeks went extremely well," Panhellenic Council President and College senior Suzanne Rosenberg said. The mild weather may have played a large role in the increased numbers -- since last year, women had to trudge through ice and bitter cold. "Thankfully the weather wasn't what it was when I rushed," Rosenberg said. Bernstein said events improved leading up to Sunday. "At the beginning I didn't like it," she said, adding though that as events progressed, each rushee was able to spend more time at individual houses. "As you got down to just four [houses to visit], you just had really good conversations," she said. Every year, about one-third of the original rushees choose not to seek a bid or do not receive one. This year, 220 of the original 606 did not make it to Sunday at Bodek. But some said last night the experience was still worth the effort. And for those that opened bids Sunday, the future holds another busy two weeks and the new experience of pledging. Most new pledges held meetings last night with their respective sororities. This year was the first Panhel rush in 73 years without member chapter Kappa Delta, which declared dormancy last semester due to low membership. The problems KD faced that led up to the disbandment are on the minds of many sisters during bid week -- while each house wants to be selective, there is pressure to not cut too many prospective pledges because only a fraction of those who complete the rush practice will actually receive bids to any given house. But College senior and Vice President of Rush Liz Shain said all Panhel chapters were happy with their pledge numbers. "All the sororities did really well," she said.
(01/31/95 10:00am)
The auditorium of the Christian Association resounded with the voices of over 150 people singing the black spiritual "Wade in the Water." With a message of hope, this song introduced "Coming Out to God," a panel discussion of Christian perspectives on being gay, lesbian, and bisexual. Reverend Beverly Dale, executive director of the Christian Association, said the purpose of Sunday's discussion was not to discuss homosexuality as a choice or as sin, but rather to "acknowledge and celebrate God's love and acceptance of us just as we are." The three panelists responded to questions posed by the moderator, Susan Minasian. All agreed that the question of how to be a gay, lesbian, or bisexual Christian was flawed because they could not exist any other way. "I really have very little choice. God called me to the priesthood," said Reverend Andrew Barasda, an Episcopal priest. "I am indeed a priest who happens to be gay." Reverend Cheryl Harrell, the first ordained, openly lesbian priest in the Boston metropolitan area described her experience in a similar way. "I believe the spirit of Christ has claimed me," she said. Elias Farajaje-Jones, who describes himself as a "two-spirit queer identified bisexual man, anarchist guerrilla theologian, AIDS terrorist, writer, and tenured associate professor at the Howard University School of Divinity" said,"we all live along a fluid, constantly moving, spiral continuum of sexual identity." The speakers also described what they hoped their legacies will one day be. Barasda said he hopes others will feel comfortable with who they are. Laughter erupted when Farajaje-Jones said he expects a "collective sigh of relief" after he dies. In a more serious vein, he added that he hopes the day will come when historically black denominations will ordain gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or questioning clergy. Following the responses to the moderator's questions, all participants observed a moment of silence. The panel then took questions from the audience. Questions dealt with the biblical view of homosexuality, Farajaje-Jones' experiences as the only outwardly gay professor at Howard and the place of transgendered people in Christianity. After the question and answer period, the participants formed a circle around the perimeter of the room. Holding hands, they sang "Wade in the Water" again and listened to a reading from the prophet Amos. They continued discussion in small groups. The audience consisted almost entirely of adults from the local community. "We saw a need for role models," Dale said. "It is possible to be Christian and also gay, lesbian, or bisexual." The event was co-sponsored by the Asbury Campus Ministry at Drexel University, Program for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community at University of Pennsylvania, Interfaith Working Group for the Fight the Right Network, and Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
