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(11/21/96 10:00am)
HarassmentHarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident. HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftHarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.November 20 -- A student reported the front wheel of his bike stolen from a rack outside Graduate Tower A between 11 p.m. November 19 and 8 a.m. November 20. HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.November 20 -- A student reported the front wheel of his bike stolen from a rack outside Graduate Tower A between 11 p.m. November 19 and 8 a.m. November 20.November 14 -- A student reported someone broke into her locker at the Levy Tennis Pavilion and stole $25 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.November 20 -- A student reported the front wheel of his bike stolen from a rack outside Graduate Tower A between 11 p.m. November 19 and 8 a.m. November 20.November 14 -- A student reported someone broke into her locker at the Levy Tennis Pavilion and stole $25 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.November 20 -- A man reported that someone broke into his car through the front passenger side window and trunk while it was parked in the Wood Building garage at 36th and Spruce streets between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.November 20 -- A student reported the front wheel of his bike stolen from a rack outside Graduate Tower A between 11 p.m. November 19 and 8 a.m. November 20.November 14 -- A student reported someone broke into her locker at the Levy Tennis Pavilion and stole $25 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.November 20 -- A man reported that someone broke into his car through the front passenger side window and trunk while it was parked in the Wood Building garage at 36th and Spruce streets between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.November 20 -- Security officers in the John Morgan Building reported that someone broke into a cafeteria change machine and stole an undetermined amount of money between 5 p.m. November 19 and 10 a.m. November 20. HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.November 20 -- A student reported the front wheel of his bike stolen from a rack outside Graduate Tower A between 11 p.m. November 19 and 8 a.m. November 20.November 14 -- A student reported someone broke into her locker at the Levy Tennis Pavilion and stole $25 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.November 20 -- A man reported that someone broke into his car through the front passenger side window and trunk while it was parked in the Wood Building garage at 36th and Spruce streets between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.November 20 -- Security officers in the John Morgan Building reported that someone broke into a cafeteria change machine and stole an undetermined amount of money between 5 p.m. November 19 and 10 a.m. November 20.November 19 -- A student reported his red Balance bike, valued at $550, stolen from outside the Williams Building between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.November 20 -- A student reported the front wheel of his bike stolen from a rack outside Graduate Tower A between 11 p.m. November 19 and 8 a.m. November 20.November 14 -- A student reported someone broke into her locker at the Levy Tennis Pavilion and stole $25 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.November 20 -- A man reported that someone broke into his car through the front passenger side window and trunk while it was parked in the Wood Building garage at 36th and Spruce streets between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.November 20 -- Security officers in the John Morgan Building reported that someone broke into a cafeteria change machine and stole an undetermined amount of money between 5 p.m. November 19 and 10 a.m. November 20.November 19 -- A student reported his red Balance bike, valued at $550, stolen from outside the Williams Building between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.All information was obtained from University Police.HarassmentNovember 20 -- A student reported he was sexually harassed by an employee in the men's room of the Clinical Research Building at 1:05 p.m. The Special Services unit is investigating the incident.TheftNovember 20 -- A student reported his Panasonic bike, valued at $350, stolen on the 4000 block of Locust Street between 2 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.November 20 -- A student reported the front wheel of his bike stolen from a rack outside Graduate Tower A between 11 p.m. November 19 and 8 a.m. November 20.November 14 -- A student reported someone broke into her locker at the Levy Tennis Pavilion and stole $25 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.November 20 -- A man reported that someone broke into his car through the front passenger side window and trunk while it was parked in the Wood Building garage at 36th and Spruce streets between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.November 20 -- Security officers in the John Morgan Building reported that someone broke into a cafeteria change machine and stole an undetermined amount of money between 5 p.m. November 19 and 10 a.m. November 20.November 19 -- A student reported his red Balance bike, valued at $550, stolen from outside the Williams Building between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.All information was obtained from University Police.-- Ben Hammer
(10/25/96 9:00am)
Ten years ago, women could not walk through the center of campus without being harassed by catcalls and racial epithets, according to Penn Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi. But according to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, the Penn Women's Center has since made great strides in overcoming those difficulties. In acknowledgement of these achievements, DiLapi and Women's Center Associate Director Gloria Gay, who have worked together for the past 18 years, will receive an award today from the commission for their "many efforts to promote inter-group harmony." Still adjusting to the center's new location on Locust Walk, DiLapi said the move is an even better award than the one she will receive today. She said the 300 people who attended the center's opening ceremonies and an increase in the numbers of people who are using the facility demonstrates the location's benefits. "We appreciate the support everyone has shown," DiLapi said. "And because of that support -- along with our new location -- women are no longer uncomfortable while walking to classes here." Social Work Professor Anu Rao nominated DiLapi and Gay for the award, noting the center's excellence in assisting victims of rape, sexual assault and racial and sexual harassment. Former U.S. Senator Harris Wofford (D-Pa.) is the commission's other award recipient. He is being honored for his recognition of the importance of health care reform, before the issue gained national attention. Vice Provost of University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said this is the first time any University office has received an award of this caliber from the Philadelphia commission. "I think it is fabulous to have the Human Relations Commission give this award to the Penn community," McCoullum said. "I know both Eli and Gloria spent many hours providing support to Penn and serving as good neighbors to the people of Philadelphia." The Women's Center offers many support services to the residents of West Philadelphia, including counseling services. Now, for example, the center is currently assisting friends of suicide victim Kathy Change. The awards ceremony will take place at 10:45 a.m. today at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
(10/07/96 9:00am)
Women from all facets of the University community gathered at the Penn Women's Center last Thursday to celebrate their permanent presence on the Walk -- an event they called a "milestone." Adorned with balloons, the new home of the Penn Women's Center, known as Locust House, held a grand opening to commemorate the first step of an ongoing University effort to diversify Locust Walk. Current Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi called the move into the former fraternity house "poetic justice." The center had previously been located in a much smaller office in Houston Hall. DiLapi said she thinks the center is important to the University because female students and faculty have not yet achieved equality on campus. She noted that the center specifically attempts to address issues that affect women differently than men, including relationships, sexual and racial harassment and rape. The center's new location includes classrooms and lounges, along with space for the 11 women's groups found on campus. "I am thrilled to have a university that gives us this space," DiLapi said. "[As a fraternity house], this used to be a danger zone for women.? Women will no longer get hurt here, but heal." University President Judith Rodin emphasized that the center's Locust Walk location will make women feel safer. "I look forward to watching [the center] thrive and flourish," Rodin said. "It is your place, our place, Penn's place." Women's Law Project Executive Director Carol Tracy reminded the audience, which included more than 50 students, faculty and staff, that the University created the Women's Center in response to a four-day sit-in in Houston Hall in 1973. At that time, students protested the way the University "inappropriately" handled the gang rape of two Nursing students. Students included the establishment of a women's center in their demands. Tracy, who was involved in the sit-in, said the same issues "are still as relevant as 20 years ago." The University community seemed receptive to the center's opening on Locust Walk. "With the increasing presence of women's issues, I'm really glad it's here on the main walk," College sophomore Sarah Culp said. Melvis Williams, an employee in the Office of Affirmative Action, said she thought the move was "fabulous." "It's been a long time in coming," she said. And Engineering senior Greg Booker said he liked the additional "diversity of the Walk" that the Women's Center brings. But although DiLapi said the University is a leader in addressing women's issues, some said the administration should go beyond placing the Women's Center on Locust Walk. "This is just another beginning," Women's Center Executive Board member Winnie Smart-Mapp.
(09/13/96 9:00am)
Margie Fishman says governmentMargie Fishman says governmentmust protect, not limit, women'sMargie Fishman says governmentmust protect, not limit, women'sessential reproductive rights. Margie Fishman says governmentmust protect, not limit, women'sessential reproductive rights. "If you can't trust me with a choice, how can you trust me with a child?," asked the faded bumper sticker that occupied a spot on my silver Nissan until last December. Although the dealership tore the sticker off when my parents traded in the hunk of metal, the sticker's slogan embodies the essence of the pro-choice movement. The Supreme Court reaffirmed this liberty in 1973, when it made a precedent of plaintiff Jane Roe's essential right to obtain a safe, legal abortion. Yet from the day of the Roe v. Wade decision to the present, women have been threatened, harassed,and even killed, all in the name of morality and respect for God's miraculous gift of life. Ironically, this glorified respect for life seems to exclude everything and everyone except fetuses. Doctors who perform abortions must resort to wearing bulletproof vests to stay alive, and women with unwanted pregnancies must endure nine months of bodily stress and hours of labor to deliver babies who will be shoved into the foster care system upon their first breaths. Statistics note that unwanted children are twice as likely to suffer from social, emotional and educational disadvantages as wanted children. Radical organizations like Operation Rescue, the Right to Life and the Christian Action Group employ terrorist tactics such as blockading doors of clinics and screaming at already terrified patients, mirroring actions of the Ku Klux Klan during the civil rights movement. Forces that promote uniformity of thought and action have no place in a nation that prides itself on being a "cultural melting pot." How many times must we oust religious beliefs from our governmental policies? Certain "Bible belt" groups order their members to refrain from using condoms -- and to practice abstinence until marriage, archaic ideals that are incompatible with a society approaching the 21st century. As a volunteer at Planned Parenthood in Center City, I am advised to ignore the unruly protesters chanting just beyond the iron gates and the harassing phone calls that ring through without warning. The clinic operates under the professed mission of providing sexual education and family planning services to underprivileged men, women and teens, yet it is penalized by organizations that are quick to preach, but slow to listen. These self-righteous groups paint an inaccurate portrayal of a woman being rushed to the surgical department where her evil doctor -- who obviously detests children -- awaits the opportunity to slice her open with sadistic pleasure. The reality of the situation is that the women who telephone our organization with the intent to terminate their pregnancies must endure an extensive gynecological exam followed by an in-depth counseling session. A woman's decision to abort her fetus is only reached after meticulously weighing all of the available options. Even after the procedure, she is instructed to return to the clinic within the next four weeks for a medical exam and post-abortion therapy. It is necessary to shatter the mythical representation of the "typical" abortion seeker. The image of the promiscuous teen hunting for a quick fix is exaggerated and deceiving. Teachers, wives, aunts and suite-mates do not magically escape unwanted pregnancies, yet their struggles are rarely publicized. Society conveniently labels unwanted pregnancy as a "prostitute's dilemma" or a "14-year-old's tragic blunder" so that the general population will view the issue as affecting only "morally deprived individuals." Unfortunately, women fail to realize that once the government is granted the power to regulate one aspect of our bodies, it will continue to pass legislation undermining our basic freedoms as citizens of this country. I'm certain that levels of male participation in the pro-choice movement would dramatically increase if the government instituted a law ordering men to undergo surgical attachment of a permanent condom. Maybe then they would finally figure out why all of us feminists are so disturbed by the government's efforts to regulate abortion services. Gloria Steinem once said that "No one is pro-abortion? the question is, whose decision should it be?" Should a government be allowed to force a woman to have a child against her will? Who are we to restrict another individual's body based on our personal code of ethics? Must women who have abortions be branded with scarlet As on their breasts? How one individual perceives the issue of abortion, how one individual views its morality or immorality, should not become the standard for our entire society. The unseen forces that shape a democracy's laws and the tangible services made available to its citizens reflect a united effort on the part of the people to have their interests recognized. A woman who becomes pregnant unintentionally either relinquishes power over her body and accepts limitations for the term of her pregnancy -- or she is shamed, humiliated and haunted by the fetus growing inside her. While a man may simply walk away from the burden of an unwanted child, a woman must come to terms with being labeled either a Murderer or a Spineless Conformist. Which term would suit you? Don't waste your precious time fretting about it pro-lifers, because it isn't your choice to make!
(09/04/96 9:00am)
To the Editor: As I have told the DP numerous times, we have made no decision to outsource Dining Services. Rather, we are conducting a comprehensive market study to determine how well Penn's Dining Services meets the needs of our campus constituencies, with the goal of identifying opportunities to improve the quality and selection of food, enhance the service environment and contain or reduce the cost of the dining program. The outcome of this analysis will not necessarily be a decision to outsource, although contracting with an external provider of food services will certainly be examined as one potential option. The consultative committee I have appointed to guide this analysis will be composed of students, faculty and administrators, and will be supported by an external food service market consultant who has no ties to any of the major food services providers. As to Residential Living, our primary focus is on developing a facilities reinvestment plan to improve the physical quality of the buildings, in order to make them more contemporary, attractive and safer places to live and work. We are simultaneously seeking to stabilize the management structure in the Department of Housing and Residence Life, given the recent resignations in that department. At this time, there are no plans to outsource the operations of Residential Living, although we will continue to seek ways to better manage and maintain the residence halls. While selective outsourcing will continue to be pursued as one restructuring strategy, many of Penn's administrative operations will never be outsourced. They will, however, be scrutinized regularly to make sure they are serving the campus community well and managing Penn's costs aggressively. John Fry Executive Vice President A note on MAC fees To the Editor: I am writing in response to "Banks add $1 fee for MAC use" (DP, 8/30/96). I am responsible for banking relationships, including the negotiations with PNC Bank on automatic teller machines (ATMs). Currently, as a result of our negotiations with the bank, there is no additional non-customer fee for anyone using an on-campus, University-licensed PNC ATM. The ATMs affected by this agreement are located in the dorms, Steinberg-Dietrich Hall, Johnson Pavilion, the Book Store, Houston Hall and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Due to changing rules and regulations (and possible legislation), this might change. If there is a major change, I'll keep you informed. If you need information about any aspect of our relationship with banks, please contact me at 898-7256. Diane-Louise Wormley Associate Treasurer ROTC still an issue To the Editor: I would like to congratulate all new students at Penn, but I hasten to express my concern to all incoming Penn students (and current ones) who may be gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning their sexual orientation, and who, due to interest in the military or financial need, have opted to join the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Although we have an anti-discrimination policy on campus, ROTC does not follow it. At this point, the Penn administration has not found a satisfactory nor a compassionate resolution for this situation. It appears Penn would prefer students stay in the closet. Staying invisible makes it easier for Penn to pay its bills with the unrestricted, steady flow of money that comes from Defense Department contracts. In the meantime, lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning students will have to make some hard choices: Stay in the closet and hope they can still maintain some personal integrity without stifling their spirits or sinking into depression, or quit ROTC and hope Penn will replace the financial assistance they will lose. While Provost Stanley Chodorow has stated he wants to know if any discrimination or harassment occurs for Penn ROTC students, to seek his assistance will automatically "out" these students, at which point ROTC will kick them out and their choice regarding its programs will be made. As you lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning students participating in ROTC think through your options, remember that although much of the pain around this struggle is couched in "God said so" rhetoric and condemnation from the radical religious right, not all religious folks are anti-gay. Furthermore, recognize that there are gay and straight faculty and staff at Penn who can offer support and encouragement for whatever you decide. I am all too aware that those who would silence the members of the gay community, either through invisibility or by force, almost always will to silence women as well. I hope you will consider me a sister in your struggle. Rev. Beverly Dale Executive Director Christian AssociationEDITORIAL: Quality and efficiency Conducting a thorough market analysis before proceeding with further outsourcing makes sense. ________________________ Since last April, when the deal to turn Book Store operations over to Barnes & Noble was publicized, there's been a lot of talk about outsourcing to improve the quality and efficiency of student and administrative services. There's been a lot of confusion, too, with employees dreading sudden pink slips in the name of "streamlining," "restructuring" and "process reengineering." Student consumers, too, have been wary of new companies and vendors whose operations might disrupt operations of necessary departments. So it's heartening to hear that Executive Vice President John Fry is engaging in a thorough market analysis before proceeding with further outsourcing decisions. Blindly farming out operations across the University would be foolish and disruptive for students and employees alike, accomplishing little but utter chaos (precisely the opposite of outsourcing's stated goals). But with requisite care and attention during this preliminary study, and follow-up with employees and student consumers, additional outsourcing could be a very smart move. Over the next few months, while Fry's study is underway, it will be more important than ever for employees to speak out about their work environments. Students must also consider which of their University-related needs -- including recreation, dorm life, dining services and campus transit -- could be met more completely or more quickly than they are now. The group must then draw up a priority list with which everyone is comfortable. Finally, everyone involved in the outsourcing process -- from the current consideration stage through the eventual decision-making and implementation stage -- must work together to ensure that, in Fry's words, the University gets "a real bang for its buck." Outsourcing has the potential to improve student life immensely, through a combination of outright cost savings and the provision of higher-grade products and services. But the process will involve sensitive, difficult decisions, and the conversation that leads to these decisions must include a diversity of voices.
(06/06/96 9:00am)
Margie Fishman says societyMargie Fishman says societyfixation with sexual orientationMargie Fishman says societyfixation with sexual orientationleads to injustice and discrimination. We live in a society that places considerable emphasis on sexual preference. The bit news is who's sleeping with who, and who's doing what to whom, and whether this is all in line with traditional Biblical teachings and personal values. This one trivial feature somehow surpasses all other characteristics (e.g., hair color, height, intellectual ability), in terms of the need for religious intervention. According to Judeo-Christian law, homosexuality is a distasteful practice that undoubtedly violates G-d's "master plan," as implemented in the anatomical design of men and women. Therefore, one's sexuality is defined as vital information that must be immediately released from the closet before it disrupts the order of society. I am writing this piece for a good friend who is disheartened by society's apathy and lack of initiative surrounding gay discrimination. Unfortunately, he is unable to speak out at this time for fear of violent harassment from his high school peers or signs of distrust from his parents. I have volunteered to be his voice -- me, a run-of-the-mill heterosexual girl who had previously listened to the faggot jokes and dyke insults without once considering the mythical, subhuman images that they invoke...that is, until my friend woke me up from my daze. And now I am here to wake you up, because in this case, tacit acceptance is as dangerous as active participation. So fasten your seat belts and listen hard, 'cause you're about to receive an overdue lesson in a little thing Erving Goffman and I like to call Homosexual Stigma. Whether it be the banning of gay-straight alliances in Utah, refusal to legalize same-sex marriages in Hawaii, or cruel jokes in the nearest guys' locker room, homosexual discrimination is everywhere. Yet the subject is often passed over with little involvement from the heterosexual population. Men often assume that they are placing their precious manhood in jeopardy by supporting Gay rights, and women -- while less vocal against the movement -- are not any more inclined to pursue an active role in fighting for the cause. Studies conducted annually by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force have estimated that over 90 % of gay men and lesbians have been victims of some form of violence or harassment as a result of their sexual orientation. While racial discrimination has become virtually taboo in he '90's, the gay lifestyle -- as portrayed by the media -- is incorporated more as a source for heterosexual humor than as an accurate depiction of an alternative relationship to the norm. While prohibitions against homosexuality stem from Biblical times, even at present 24 states and the District of Columbia have statutes condemning homosexual acts. Lawmakers view homosexual relationships as unnatural, abnormal and temporary. But realistically, it is difficult for homosexuals to form permanent social relationships when they are denied the legal means for maintaining such relationships. Society's ignorance regarding the origins of homosexuality has bred two sets of stereotypes. One asserts that gays and lesbians have mysteriously confused their gender identity, (e.g., diesel dykes, sissies), while the other revolves around the notion that gays pose a sinister threat to the basic family structure, (e.g., child molesters, nymphomaniacs). Society categorizes people by attributing a list of characteristics deemed ordinary and natural of an entire group and then applying them to each individual member of that group. This act sparks the construction of a social identity and ties in with Goffman's concept of the stigmatized other anyone possessing a deeply discrediting attribute in the eyes of "normals." Queer-bashing, like past lynchings of blacks, functions to ensure that a whole stigmatized group is kept in line. In order to alleviate the stigma, we must become less concerned with what others might infer about our sexual orientation, and more concerned about protecting basic human rights. So next time one of your buddies tells another joke about how many homosexuals it takes to screw in a light bulb, speak up and tell him that you don't find the punch line particularly amusing. And if he starts making comments about your recent initiation into the Fairy Club, tell him that even if you were gay, he wouldn't be your type. Our national pledge ends with a powerful phrase, "...with liberty and justice for all." Now I have yet to come across a qualification of this statement which notes that the liberty and justice of gays counts for less than the liberty and justice of the dominant culture. If a society is willing to discriminate against one group for something as inconsequential as sexual preference, then who is to say that shortly down the road it won't turn around and directly discriminate against me for my ethnic background, or against you for your particular deviation from the norm. In the Nazi concentration camps, gays were forced to pin on pink triangles, just as Jews were forced to pin on yellow stars. These symbols serve as reminders of the evils of intolerance and social injustice. We cannot simply sit back and wait for society's cycle of discrimination to be directly aimed at us before we decide to take a stand. The time is now to raise our heads and our voices in support of fundamental rights.
(05/30/96 9:00am)
Last week the Class of 1988, along with thousands of other alumni from various years, gathered on campus to reminisce, celebrate and unite as University of Pennsylvania graduates. But one man who also returned to visit, said he spent the week fighting off ghosts from the past. The man -- who should have been parading with the 1988 graduates -- is Peter Laska. "While walking around Penn I have done a lot of double takes and seen many ghosts," Laska said. "So many things here remind me of ROTC and my time as a student. It has been painful." With his ten-year-old saga, Laska is putting the University's anti-discrimination policy to the test. At the age of 15, he applied to Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps because he possessed a desire to fly. Laska, the youngest of eleven children, said he did not want to burden his parents. His NROTC involvement brought Laska to the University in 1984. He said he thrived on the academic environment at the University and excelled in the NROTC program. Laska said he was even urged by a marine officer instructor to become one of the elite "marine option" midshipmen. "I really enjoyed being involved with the Navy at the beginning of my career at Penn -- but I went through a lot of changes," he said. "The intense academic environment here fueled my quest for self-knowledge." Laska began to question his sexuality after a few years, and at the end of his sophomore year admitted to himself that he was a homosexual. He said his realization brought an entire new set of challenges upon him. He explained his junior year was the most difficult because he felt "ostracized" by his peers. Laska said the harsh treatment climaxed the summer after his junior year during the Career Orientation Training for Midshipmen. Hundreds of ROTC students were gathered into a conference room for a program, and the news was being shown on television while they waited for the beginning of the presentation. Laska said that a segment about the spreading of AIDS appeared on the show. "I will always remember one of my officers loudly proclaiming 'Hurray for AIDS,'" he said. "At that moment, I felt completely appalled and alone." Throughout the next year, Laska says he was subjected to cruel and systematic harassment and intimidation -- which still affects his present life. "The military has always discriminated," he said. "And nothing has changed to stop that. The whole situation turned into a vicious cycle." At the beginning of his junior year Laska said he was a healthy individual, but by December he was treated for severe depression. He says it was a result to the Navy's harassment. In January, Laska informed the NROTC that he was leaving because of the Navy's discriminatory practices regarding homosexuals. The next five years of Laska's life were occupied with struggles with the persistent Navy. They denied receiving his letter concerning the discrimination, charged him for all of his education, making it impossible for him to finance his last year at the University. Ultimately, the balance on his bursar's bill prevented Laska from receiving his last few credits. He says the University would not help him clear the unfair debt. The military tried everything from tracking Laska to California to threatening his parents, he added. "After years I finally realized how to deal with the military -- with the public spotlight," Laska explained. "The Navy is like a bunch of cockroaches that scurry for cover the minute the lights are turned on." For the past five years, University Provost Stanley Chodorow has struggled with the ROTC about its discrimination, but finally announced in May that the program will stay on campus and continue to receive University funds. The University attempted to negotiate with the Pentagon to redefine its relationship with ROTC since Penn's anti-discrimination policy conflicts with the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexuals. The Navy ROTC totally refused to reform its program. "It is very disconcerting that absolutely nothing has changed with ROTC throughout all these years," Laska said. "Penn has had many opportunities to change the policy." Many others, such as Bob Schoenberg, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Center at Penn, have said that they are "deeply disappointed" by the University's decision to allow ROTC to remain on campus. Laska wants the University to adopt a policy that would require ROTC to train any qualified person, homo- or heterosexual. Then, he says, the military could choose who they wish to represent the United States. "I don't see how the military could overlook their best and brightest people," he said. "I still believe I could have made a good Naval officer." "We have undertaken to guarantee that such students [homosexuals in ROTC] will be able to continue at Penn," said the Provost in response to the University Council and various committee reports in his negotiations with the United States Defense Department. "The actions of ROTC with respect to its members for that reason and other reasons should not affect the ability of students in the program to continue in our program, and we intend to make certain that is the case." Laska and Schoenberg both commended Chodorow's attempt to look into whether the University might be able to withhold certain privileges from ROTC students and faculty without breaching its contract with the military. Associate Provost Barbara Lowery is also involved with Laska's situation. Even though she does not acknowledge that the University participated in his persecution, Lowery wrote a letter to Laska offering him support to finally finish his college degree. But the support does not include any money offers, yet. According to Laska, several other schools, such as Dartmouth, have effectively dealt with ROTC's discrimination by requiring the military to accept all qualified applicants. Laska said despite the many negative affects of his ROTC experience, he feels the experience has made him a stronger person. "The best skill that any student could acquire during their time at Penn, is the ability to question everything that you think you know," he said. "The only reason I am here today is because I did not believe the people who forced answers on me. I guess I really got a lot out of Penn."
(04/19/96 9:00am)
Women's issues took precedence over Spring Fling for many students yesterday as events of the first-ever Penn Women's Day occupied the afternoon and evening. The majority of these events took place on College Green. The Penn Women's Alliance, the University's chapter of the National Organization of Women, the Women's Center and the Women's Studies program co-sponsored the events, which were organized by three PWA members. "PWA is primarily in charge of publishing Voyage Out [a literary journal]," explained College senior Leah Klerr, one of the organizers. "But we wanted to do something else this year." Klerr also noted that the group "wanted to empower women." She explained that PWA members wanted to bring together various resources regarding women's interests -- resources that cannot usually be found in one place. Klerr explained that the day was held in the center of campus to "bring things to a public space," so the resources offered would be available to people who would not normally search for them. The group set up a table on Locust Walk offering various pamphlets concerning women's health, sexuality, and political issues, some of which were specifically designed for Women's Day. Klerr explained that another goal of the events was to make students aware that there are active women's organizations on campus. Klerr, along with College sophomores Melissa Goldstein and Karina Sliwinski, had been planning Penn Women's Day since the beginning of March. Without person-to-person networking however, Klerr said, the first Penn Women's Day could not have occurred. Afternoon events on College Green focused on topics ranging from women's sexuality, sexual health and body image to career development, networking and dieting. Theater Phoenix -- "a small lesbian theater company in Philadelphia," according to company member Robyn Barr Gorman -- performed two skits during the day. And Penn Dining Services nutritionist and School of Nursing lecturer Marion Birdsall concluded the afternoon events with a workshop entitled "Improving Your Quality of Life through Nutrition." According to Birdsall, the discussion focused "on the nutrients that are of special interest to women," as well as on other nutrition and health related topics of importance to women. Women's Day events continued last night with a presentation on harassment issues at the Greenfield Intercultural Center, a faculty and graduate student panel discussion on "Women in Academia: Challenging and Redefining the Boundaries" and a women's coffee hour. Klerr explained that she and her co-organizers will try to make Women's Day an annual event, but in order to avoid conflicts with future Spring Flings, they hope to "do it earlier next year." Goldstein said she believed that "as a whole [the day] has been a success." She also noted that the groups behind the event found people very receptive to some parts of the day, especially the information table. "I've never seen something so big put on by Penn women," said College and Wharton sophomore Karen Liu, as she observed the event.
(04/18/96 9:00am)
Indecent AssaultIndecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident. Indecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with ForceIndecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with Force· April 17 -- A Physical Plant office in Franklin Field at 33rd and Spruce streets was broken into at around 6 a.m. The office's padlocks were cut off. Two generators, a battery pack charger, a CD player, a Polaroid camera and a cordless phone were reported stolen. Indecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with Force· April 17 -- A Physical Plant office in Franklin Field at 33rd and Spruce streets was broken into at around 6 a.m. The office's padlocks were cut off. Two generators, a battery pack charger, a CD player, a Polaroid camera and a cordless phone were reported stolen.· April 16 -- A door to a student residence at 41st and Spruce streets was smashed in and a Macintosh computer and printer valued at $4,000 were stolen. The incident occurred between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.Indecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with Force· April 17 -- A Physical Plant office in Franklin Field at 33rd and Spruce streets was broken into at around 6 a.m. The office's padlocks were cut off. Two generators, a battery pack charger, a CD player, a Polaroid camera and a cordless phone were reported stolen.· April 16 -- A door to a student residence at 41st and Spruce streets was smashed in and a Macintosh computer and printer valued at $4,000 were stolen. The incident occurred between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.Theft/Credit Card FraudIndecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with Force· April 17 -- A Physical Plant office in Franklin Field at 33rd and Spruce streets was broken into at around 6 a.m. The office's padlocks were cut off. Two generators, a battery pack charger, a CD player, a Polaroid camera and a cordless phone were reported stolen.· April 16 -- A door to a student residence at 41st and Spruce streets was smashed in and a Macintosh computer and printer valued at $4,000 were stolen. The incident occurred between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.Theft/Credit Card Fraud· April 16 -- Ten dollars in cash and two credit cards were stolen from an employee on the fourth floor of the Van Pelt library at 35th and Walnut streets. One of the cards was then used to make a fraudulent $500 purchase. Indecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with Force· April 17 -- A Physical Plant office in Franklin Field at 33rd and Spruce streets was broken into at around 6 a.m. The office's padlocks were cut off. Two generators, a battery pack charger, a CD player, a Polaroid camera and a cordless phone were reported stolen.· April 16 -- A door to a student residence at 41st and Spruce streets was smashed in and a Macintosh computer and printer valued at $4,000 were stolen. The incident occurred between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.Theft/Credit Card Fraud· April 16 -- Ten dollars in cash and two credit cards were stolen from an employee on the fourth floor of the Van Pelt library at 35th and Walnut streets. One of the cards was then used to make a fraudulent $500 purchase.TheftIndecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with Force· April 17 -- A Physical Plant office in Franklin Field at 33rd and Spruce streets was broken into at around 6 a.m. The office's padlocks were cut off. Two generators, a battery pack charger, a CD player, a Polaroid camera and a cordless phone were reported stolen.· April 16 -- A door to a student residence at 41st and Spruce streets was smashed in and a Macintosh computer and printer valued at $4,000 were stolen. The incident occurred between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.Theft/Credit Card Fraud· April 16 -- Ten dollars in cash and two credit cards were stolen from an employee on the fourth floor of the Van Pelt library at 35th and Walnut streets. One of the cards was then used to make a fraudulent $500 purchase.Theft· April 15 -- An employee was arrested after trying to steal cases of chicken, beef and Coke, along with two bags of french fries and bananas from the 1920 Dining Commons located at 38th Street and Locust Walk. The food had a total value of $100. The employee was taken to the Philadelphia Police department's Southwest Detectives Bureau for questioning. Indecent Assault· April 15 -- A female student reported being sexually harassed and assaulted between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. She said she was grabbed, forced to sit on the suspect's lap, held tightly and forcibly kissed several times. Police made no arrests and the student was not injured in the incident.Burglary with Force· April 17 -- A Physical Plant office in Franklin Field at 33rd and Spruce streets was broken into at around 6 a.m. The office's padlocks were cut off. Two generators, a battery pack charger, a CD player, a Polaroid camera and a cordless phone were reported stolen.· April 16 -- A door to a student residence at 41st and Spruce streets was smashed in and a Macintosh computer and printer valued at $4,000 were stolen. The incident occurred between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.Theft/Credit Card Fraud· April 16 -- Ten dollars in cash and two credit cards were stolen from an employee on the fourth floor of the Van Pelt library at 35th and Walnut streets. One of the cards was then used to make a fraudulent $500 purchase.Theft· April 15 -- An employee was arrested after trying to steal cases of chicken, beef and Coke, along with two bags of french fries and bananas from the 1920 Dining Commons located at 38th Street and Locust Walk. The food had a total value of $100. The employee was taken to the Philadelphia Police department's Southwest Detectives Bureau for questioning.All information was obtained from University Police. -- By Yochi Dreazen
(03/29/96 10:00am)
Surfing the information superhighway is becoming dangerous. Electronic mail harassment and commercial violations at the University are growing in number, according to Security Officer for Data Administration David Millar. Harassment complaints have increased from four in the first two months of 1995 to 12 in the first two months of this year. And complaints of commercial violations have increased from three to 11 in the same time period. Millar explained that commercial violations include electronic chain letters requesting that the receiver send items of value to keep the chain going. He added that excerpts of copyrighted books have been sent over e-mail and students have taken copyrighted images and put them on their home pages. "Students should be aware that if it violates the print media laws, the case involving e-mail is no different," said Michelle Goldfarb, acting director of the Student Dispute Resolution Center. And Millar stressed that if any students are in doubt, it is best to be safe and find out who owns the copyright. "The fact that you don't see the copyright statement doesn't mean there isn't one," he added. Harassing e-mails can sometimes be forged under another individual's name. "People sometimes assume that this cannot be traced," Millar said. "But very often it can." Millar added that if students receive harassing e-mail, they should save the message and contact his office. "We want students to know they have recourse," said Goldfarb, explaining that guilty students will receive a punishment. Depending on the severity of the incident, the penalty can range from a reprimand to a suspension of e-mail privileges. He added that if students receive an e-mail that is uncharacteristic of the person who supposedly wrote it, they should contact that person. Goldfarb and Millar both emphasized that students should be aware of how easy it is for many people to access individual e-mail accounts. "Messages can be preserved and copied -- so be aware," Goldfarb said. "We're not interested in making people openly paranoid, but [e-mail] is like putting up a postcard." And Millar added that students should "consider the trail that they are leaving behind." "We don't want to send a message that this is anarchy and that students should stay away," Millar said. "We just want students to exercise caution and common sense." Many students have complained of receiving harassing e-mail, but have not reported them to the Judicial Inquiry Office. "I had no idea that we had an office which can prosecute such offenses," said a College freshman who received an e-mail for a get rich quick pyramid scheme in which he was asked to send money to a list of people. And a College junior, requesting anonymity, said she received e-mail from an man who wrote "sexually graphic messages." But she said she deleted the messages before she even thought to contact school officials.
(03/20/96 10:00am)
Homophobia. The catch word echoes throughout television and movies, political campaigns and rallies. But it is also an issue that hits home on the University's campus. The purpose of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian Awareness Days, or B-GLAD, which began yesterday and run through March 30, is to celebrate the pride, diversity and achievements of the lesbian, gay and bisexual community and to educate the University at large about homosexual issues. But homophobia remains a widespread feeling that continues to thrive, despite the informative B-GLAD events. Kurt Conklin, a health educator for Student Health, suggests that homophobia is much more complicated than the term "gay-bashing" insinuates. Conklin advises the student-run peer health groups FLASH -- Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health -- and STAAR -- Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape. "Homophobia is not limited to physical violence or verbal harassment," he said. "It is also the fear that people will perceive you as gay, lesbian or bisexual." He explained that for this reason, many heterosexual students at the University spend enormous amounts of energy trying to distance themselves from people, ideas and activities that they perceive to be "gay-related." "A very simple example would be the anxiety that men have about expressing affection to male friends or family members," Conklin said, adding "from what I have observed and heard, many men would like to touch other men without the fear that it will be interpreted as a sexual come-on." College freshman Alex Gino, a self-identified lesbian, said that she considers the issue of homophobia a scary one. "There are just too many people who are closed and set in their ways," Gino said. "I have not had too many problems regarding homophobia, but I know way too many gay friends who have." Gino's main concern about homophobia is finding a way to reach out to people who are homophobic. "A lot of people joke about homosexuality without even realizing what they are engaging in," she said. "I wish that there was a way of getting through to people who would otherwise never attend a homosexual event." College junior Rob Faunce, a self-identified homosexual, said that although he is aware that homophobic attitudes exist at the University, he is secure enough to exhibit public displays of affection without feeling physically threatened. "I wouldn't say that the Penn community is necessarily supportive of homosexuality," he said. "But I don't come in contact with a lot of outward homophobia." Faunce explained that he does frequently encounter males on the campus jeering at homosexuality, but said that he does not consider it a personal attack. And he added that while he hopes programs such as B-GLAD will promote awareness, he believes mandatory freshman programs dealing specifically with discrimination would be a better way of combatting homophobia. College junior Ben Saul said even though he is not homosexual himself, the amount of homophobia he encounters on a daily basis disgusts him. "It amazes me how prevalent it is on the campus of an Ivy League institution," he said. "You would think that people are here to learn and be open, but ignorance is everywhere." According to one male College senior and fraternity member, who requested anonymity, "gay jokes" have been a part of his life as long as he can remember. He added that he would be regarded as an outsider if he did not participate in the homophobic activity. "It's ironic that Penn students are smart enough to know what's politically correct," Faunce said. "If someone stupidly said something homophobic to my face, I might subject that person to actually learning something."
(02/27/96 10:00am)
The InterFraternity Council is continuing to expand with the reestablishment and strengthening of the Acacia fraternity. Acacia is currently holding informal rush, according to Wharton junior Scott Friedberg, the fraternity's president. He explained that Acacia's rushing process is less structured than IFC spring rush in that it is not governed by "dates and times." "Because we are small and we like the intimacy of a tight brotherhood, we're moving toward having more of a continuous informal rush process where as we meet great guys in the University and invite them to hang out with us," Friedberg said. "That's how the old Acacia operated." The fraternity currently has eight active members, most of which are upperclassmen, making this spring an "important time to recruit the future of Acacia," according for Friedberg. Acacia suffered "image problems" in 1991 when Judy Schlossberg, then a College junior, filed sexual harassment charges against four of the fraternity's brothers after they photocopied and distributed a nude photograph of her belonging to her boyfriend, an Acacia alumnus. The University found the fraternity collectively responsible for the incident, and placed Acacia on a two-year social probation. The fraternity then lost its house to members of the Bicultural InterGreek Council in 1993 after membership dwindled severely. Lambda Phi Epsilon currently occupies the house. But Friedberg emphasized that the current Acacia has no ties with those involved in the Schlossberg incident. "We're completely separate from the Acacia that had all the problems," he said. "But we have really tight alumni ties with the brothers from the years before that who kept closely to the values of the fraternity and worked to make Acacia one of the strongest fraternities on campus." Acacia plans to keep fraternity membership under 20, according to Friedberg. He added that Acacia favors informal rush because it allows the brothers to "really get to know" rushees, which makes the selection process easier. Acacia's focus on community service and brotherhood is what "makes the fraternity strong," according to Tom Carroll, director of programming for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Friedberg said the fraternity aims to improve the community through long-range service projects.
(02/19/96 10:00am)
The InterFraternity Council passed its Ten Point Membership Education Program late last month, according to IFC President Josh Gottheimer, an Alpha Epsilon Pi brother. IFC Judicial Manager and Sigma Alpha Mu brother Dave Lewis explained that the plan is the "first in a series of reforms under the 21st Century Plan for an Ivy League Greek System." The plan addresses issues raised in University reports regarding the fraternal mentoring system, and outlines specific goals and policies for the IFC's pledging program, Lewis said. The plan also calls for a change in one of the IFC executive board positions -- the vice president of rush will now assume the title and responsibilities of vice president of rush and membership education. According to Lewis, the new membership education program emphasizes community and University service, minority and inter-gender relations, time management and drug and alcohol awareness. Pledges must attend mandatory Career Planning and Placement Service, Drug and Alcohol Resource Team, Program for Awareness in Cultural Education and Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape or Facilitating Learning about Sexual Harassment workshops. All pledge classes must also organize and conduct one community service project during the 10-week pledging period. All IFC chapters must also hold eight hours of study hall for pledges each week. And pledge educators must attend two mandatory membership education workshops directed by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. IFC executive board members developed the plan early this year and redrafted it after receiving input from fraternity presidents, according to Lewis. The board members and presidents then voted to adopt the plan prior to the start of this year's pledging period. Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta said he believes the program fits the long-range plans for the University. "I'm really pleased with the action that the IFC is taking," he said. "I think [the IFC executive board members] are very strong -- they certainly are at least equal to if not the strongest group of leaders that I've worked with." In order to monitor both the enforcement and effects of the program, membership educators from each fraternity must submit a form to the IFC on a bimonthly basis, informing the council of each house's implementation of the plan, Gottheimer explained. "This is the first time guidelines have been set for all freshmen pledging a fraternity," the College junior said. "Our main purpose here is not to develop a program that can't be followed -- this plan is hardly unreasonable." Wharton senior Ed McBride, outgoing president of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, said he supports the program fully. "We just want the rest of the Penn community to see the measures we're taking to take care of ourselves," he said. "It has just enough education to make sure the pledges are responsible members of the Penn community, but it doesn't go overboard in taking up too much of their time."
(02/12/96 10:00am)
The Student Dispute Resolution Center's investigation of the Sigma Chi fraternity for its alleged January 23 violation of the University's alcohol policy is the first major investigation of the year. But it is certainly not the first investigation of a fraternity or sorority in University history. In January 1995, monitors caught the Pi Kappa Phi and Zeta Psi fraternities serving alcohol at parties, violating the Bring Your Own Beer policy. In September 1993, at least 10 fraternities were written up for violating the Greek system's alcohol policy. And Phi Kappa Sigma lost its charter and was forced to vacate its Locust Walk house because the chapter did not meet certain standards of operation, Executive Vice President of the national office Alan Preston said at the time. The Alpha Chi Omega sorority was placed on social probation in March of 1993 following an investigation by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. In November 1992, Theta Xi's national office revoked the University chapter's charter following the incurrence of physical damage to the University-owned fraternity house during an October party. And in June 1992, the University suspended Pi Kappa Alpha for numerous hazing incidents. In April 1991, University Police and the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit investigated a report of attempted rape at Zeta Beta Tau, then-Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said at the time. And former Judicial Inquiry Officer Constance Goodman found the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity responsible for charges of alcohol misuse and hazing. The JIO also found the Acacia fraternity responsible in a sexual harassment case in 1991, and found the Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity responsible for three hazing incidents in the same year. Psi Upsilon was suspended indefinitely by its national office in the summer of 1990. The University revoked the fraternity's charter following the January kidnapping of a Delta Psi brother by Psi U members earlier in the year. Also in 1990, the JIO investigated PiKA for a pledge prank involving a kidnapped horse. The fraternity's national office removed a number of brothers from the house, giving them early alumni status. Alpha Chi Rho and ZBT were put on probation for bringing strippers to rush events in 1988. ZBT had been suspended from campus for 18 months prior to this incident. But InterFraternity Council President Josh Gottheimer, an Alpha Epsilon Pi brother, said he believes the Greek system is moving in a positive direction. "I think that on the whole, the plan for the 21st century emphasizes academics and community service and education -- starting to educate the Greek system as a whole about being more cautious and safer," the College junior said. Gottheimer added that he believes the sanctions levied against Sigma Chi by the IFC's Judicial Inquiry Board demonstrate the strength and determination of the Greek system. "JIB gives weight and puts teeth into a system that we really believe in," Gottheimer said. "It's a very pro-active and positive step, and JIB itself is unprecedented in our system." And Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said she shares Gottheimer's enthusiasm for the Greek system. "I applaud the leadership of Penn Greeks and the many students I have spoken with who join me to urge responsible conduct, at all times, in all places, from all community members," she said.
(02/01/96 10:00am)
To the Editor: I do not understand why a six-month-old story by ex-employees seeking revenge had to be rushed to publication. This is a story that had been dormant for months, as Park had stalled my testimony from being heard by the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission. Desperate to know my testimony in advance, he tried to use the DP to provide him with my defense? Twice that night, I asked the reporter to delay the story just one day for personal reasons. The story was given to her by the attorney for the other side, who had months to decide what his clients had said, while the reporter gave me only a moment's notice. I was not afforded the chance to meet with my attorney, so I declined to be interviewed. In the story, Lotman (a former bouncer) stated that "The reason I am going through this is that I still have many friends who work there." The truth is, my employees do not know him. Mummert claimed that I did not respect his sexuality. This is an outrageous lie. I knew his sexuality when I hired him. He was by far my highest-paid employee. I also knew that Mummert, a one-time stockbroker with a graduate degree, had been laid off for about five months? I thought his education would be a real plus for my store. I respected Mummert and treated him well. When he found himself locked out by court order, evicted and homeless at midnight over a year ago, he called my home sobbing and begging for a place to stay. Not only was he homeless, not one of his friends, neighbors or even his own daughter would offer him shelter. Concerned for his sake, I drove for over a half hour to pick him up in Center City. He stayed at my home for about a week; I have never allowed any other employee into my home. I also lent him $900 to enable him to get another apartment. I never asked Mummert for a dime, nor did I ever receive even a thank you. Ironically, Mummert then wanted to sue his landlord, claiming sexual discrimination. He asked me to refer him to my attorney, Leonard Bucki. My attorney declined. In the DP article, Park claimed the next mediation session is to decide if the city ordinance will be applied to this case. Wrong. The next session is to allow me to present my defense. Park also stated that I did not bring any witnesses to the first mediation session. That is correct; you do not bring your witnesses until it is your turn to testify. As anyone who comes to my store knows, it is wide open with no doors inside. There is no place in the store where the alleged verbal advances could have occurred. That is why I have requested the commission to do a site visit. I have nothing to hide. I respect all people regardless of sex, race, religion, ethnic origin or sexuality. This is clearly evidenced by anyone who has ever visited my store. I would like to graciously thank all my employees and many customers who have given me their support and faith. My store is family-owned and -operated. We take great pride in all that we do. Eric Yates Owner, Baskin Robbins n To the Editor: I am writing in response to "Claims pending at Baskin Robbins" (DP, 1/24/96). I am deeply concerned that the DP would publish an article so full of false allegations. I have been an employee at Baskin Robbins for over eight months. In that time, I have come to know a great deal about owner Eric Yates. He is a man of unquestionable integrity and impeccable moral character. The fact that these allegations are being put forth is ridiculous, and that the DP has chosen to publish them seems even more absurd. Although I was not an employee at the time of the alleged incidents, I can assure you that since my employment, there have been no improprieties toward me or any other members of our staff. It is unfortunate that the two plaintiffs show more enthusiasm for casting aspersions toward Yates than for resolving the case. I only hope that when these claims are proven to be nothing more than defamatory lies, the DP will be just as quick to publish the truth. Masahiro Matsumoto College '97 n To the Editor: I was very upset with the article "Claims pending at Baskin Robbins" (DP, 1/24/96). Over the summer I worked part-time for Eric Yates, and have never encountered a nicer boss. His altruistic concern for all of our welfare was outstanding. I lived around the corner from Baskin Robbins -- I did not even have to cross the street to get home -- and he insisted that someone walk me home every night when we finished at 1 a.m. On especially busy nights, he would order pizza for us to enjoy while cleaning up. Baskin Robbins is a family business; Yates's father and brother work there. Yates has worked hard to make it the second-most profitable Baskin Robbins in Pennsylvania. When Yates and his father bought the store a few years ago, it was not ranked nearly as high, and Yates is extremely proud of the improvement. He could not have come this far if there was not mutual respect between him and his employees. He was always easy to talk to, never intimidating, and very open to change. The one-sided article practically indicted Yates of the crime, and obviously did not allow him to properly tell his side of the story. I worked with Robert Lotman, and after my first night working with him, my boss knew that there was an uncomfortable situation between he and I. Robert harassed me the whole evening. He constantly questioned my ability as both a female and a petite person. Yates approached me about Robert, eliminating the potential of an awkward situation of me having to approach him on my first night. I loathed the days I had to work with Robert and was relieved when he left. From my experience working at Baskin Robbins, I know that Robert Lotman has no case. A newspaper that represents a leading institution should have the wisdom to pursue unbiased, thorough journalism instead of producing sensational stories that declare guilt when none has been proven, nor will be. Jennifer Kim College '97
(01/24/96 10:00am)
Eric Yates, owner and manager of Baskin Robbins, located on the 3900 block of Walnut Street, has two cases of sexual harassment and one worker's compensation claim pending against him with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. An initial mediation session was held on November 8 at the commission's office, and a subsequent meeting has not been scheduled. Robert Lotman, who worked at the store from last February until earlier this month, filed one sexual harassment complaint and a constructive discharge allegation against Yates. And Bill Mummert, also a former employee of Yates, filed a sexual harassment and a worker's compensation complaint. But Yates' lawyer, Leonard Bucki, said that the former employees' allegations are false. "There is nothing substantial to their complaints," Bucki said. "Their case so far is a complete failure." Andrew Park, the attorney representing both Lotman and Mummert, said he is "totally confident" in his clients' cases. Lotman alleges that his problems with Yates began within his first month of work at Baskin Robins. "The working conditions were unbearable," Lotman said. "While I scooped ice cream, Yates commented on how strong and beautiful my arms are." According to Lotman, Yates continually made verbal advances and "rubbed my body." Lotman said the final straw occurred when "Yates patted my butt." He stressed that monetary concern was not his motive for filing the complaints. "The reason I am going through this is that I still have many friends who work there," explained Lotman. "I don't want Yates to continue abusing them." Mummert, the other claimant, is a homosexual who was harassed by Yates on a daily basis, according to Park. Mummert filed his worker's compensation claim after he suffered a hernia late last year and was denied insurance benefits, Parks said. Park added that he believes this case is extremely important because of the message it sends out to the Philadelphia community. A city law protects gay and lesbian employees from discrimination. "It is good to know that our city has important laws like these," Park said. "I just hope that they can be put to good use." The second mediation with Banks, to decide if the city ordinance will be applied to the case, has not been scheduled. Yates complained that Lotman and Mummert have been delaying the meeting. "I asked for a two-week delay when my store had a fire," Yates said. "But after that, they [Lotman and Mummert] have been afraid to begin the process." But Park denied Yates' claim. "I wrote many letters to begin the mediation process," Park said. "I recently wrote long pleas to the executive director of the commission and the city facilitator." Yates also complained that his accusers did not have evidence, but Park pointed out that Lotman and Mummert brought two witnesses to the mediation, while Yates had none. Both sides are anxiously awaiting a response from the commission.
(12/05/95 10:00am)
From Mike Nadel's "Give 'em Hell," Fall '95 From Mike Nadel's "Give 'em Hell," Fall '95Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the dying shark of political correctness is making a final lunge towards the beaches. The shark had been presumed dead –– drowned by the embarrassment of Water Buffalo, harpooned by the fall of the speech code. Like hungry minnows waiting to lay siege to the moribund carcass, seekers of justice and color-blindness were on the verge of ending race-based quotas and set asides. But not so fast. Political correctness is back, at the University and elsewhere. In recent years, speech codes have been on the way out. Colleges across the country had been acknowledging that the idea of punishing beliefs, however repugnant, is antithetical to the idea of a university. Some schools, like the University, had to be shamed into dropping their speech codes by the media. Others just recognized what was the only right thing to do. But one by one, the codes began to drop like flies. Now the University of Massachusetts at Amherst may reverse that trend. The UMass administration has proposed a new code of "behavior" which would once again bring the iron curtain down on free expression. Under the code, speech that may offend a member of the community, including "epithets, slurs, and negative stereotyping," constitutes "harassment." Stereotyping, something that most of us have been guilty of in one way or another during our college years, would be a disciplinary offense. Speech that "offends" on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, or disability" would be banned at UMass. The graduate students' union, which worked with administrators on developing the code, wants to add to that list. They would also sanction statements which may cause discomfort on the basis of "citizenship, culture, H.I.V. status, language, parental status, political affiliation or belief, and pregnancy status." Consider, then, the statements and phrases that can get you into trouble up in Amherst. "Republicans are destroying the country." This is sure to offend some Republicans. "Illegitimate child." Someone born out of wedlock might want to file charges. "It is sad to see someone unmarried and pregnant while she is still in school." An unmarried, pregnant classmate might be unhappy that you are passing judgment on her lifestyle choice. You're on your way to a judicial hearing. "Isn't 72 a little old to be in college?" You shouldn't have let your elderly classmate hear your witty whisper. Pack your bags. To file charges under the UMass code, you don't have to be directly involved in any incident. You only have to hear something that offends you, and you can empower the University to wreck a student's future. At UMass, they haven't got the message that the balkanizing insanity of the past decade is over. Or perhaps it isn't over. It's trying to bounce back here at Penn. On Wednesday, The United Minorities Council once again demanded that a seat on University Council be set aside for them. Though some students may not know much about University Council, it is a terribly important entity. Council is a deliberative body composed of elected undergraduates, graduate students, faculty members, and administrators. Its purpose is to advise the president and the provost on issues of concern to the University community. The recommendations that Council makes are not binding. However, ignoring the recommendations amounts to a slap in the University's face. Administrators who do such things don't last very long, so Council has tremendous influence over the shape of policy. It was at Council that the speech code died. It is at Council that it may live again. Fifteen undergraduates sit on Council. Each of them had to run in an election to win their positions. But UMC Chairperson Onyx Finney demanded that her group be awarded one of these seats automatically. Student government, she said, does not represent her "constituency." Let's consider this point. Five branches of student government are now headed by members of the ethnic groups the UMC claims to represent. Two of the four class presidents are members of such ethnic groups. The chairman and the vice chairman of the Undergraduate Assembly, who each sit on Council, are "minorities" under the UMC banner. And this year is not an exception. Last year and the year before, "minority" representation was even greater. For the last two years, the UMC made this argument to Council. They needed a set-aside, they said. They shouldn't have to run for office like everyone else. Each time, Council said no, but the more Council reconsiders it, the more they increase the chance that Council will bow to Balkanization UMass-style. Finney was asked to explain why Council should give a seat to the UMC but not to the InterFraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, or the Performing Arts Council –– three groups less proportionately represented on Council than the UMC. Finney said, she could only speak for her own group; the others would have to come and ask for seats on their own. Which, of course, is exactly what would happen. We would be on the path to running our University by interest group rather than by democracy. And we would begin by providing an automatic seat at the table to just one group –– the group whose leaders fought so hard to protect the speech code that the rest of us knew had to go. So from Amherst to West Philadelphia, the battle is not over. We may be winning, but we haven't won yet. Vigilance is the key. We must not turn our backs to the shark. When it rears its ugly head as it is doing now, we must be prepared. We must fight back until the morning its dead body washes up onto the beach. Take heart. It won't be long now.
(11/28/95 10:00am)
From Nathan Smith's "South End of the Northbound," Fall '95 From Nathan Smith's "South End of the Northbound," Fall '95Well, well, well. It seems our so-called government feels comfortable enough to simply adjourn for a while. I'm sure most of our officials in Congress are too excited at the prospect of more free time to sexually harass co-workers to realize that they have provided the perfect opportunity for a total government takeover. Who?who could possibly lead us to this glorious future? Yep, you guessed it -- the dishonorable Nathaniel W. Smith. What I lack in charisma I make up for with my total lack of scruples and common sense. So before our bickering politicians realize what's happening, I'm going to put forth my platform for all of my readers to consider. "Strike them with a hot iron," my mom always used to say. First, I want you to know that I do have a plan. I wish to implant a new form of government, called a "Nathocracy" by sociologists, in which all three branches of the government are unified in one central branch: my office. This would eliminate this senseless process, "checks and balances" I think they call it, which results in endless vetoes, bureaucracies and governmental shut-downs. Furthermore, no one could dodge the responsibility for society's problems; it would all fall squarely on the shoulders of your fearless leader. But, best of all, these problems would be alleviated entirely by my new policies. Let me quickly preview a few of them. Many have expressed concern over the issue of universal health care. Medical fees have skyrocketed, and so few people can afford the care they desperately need. Under my government, health care would be consolidated into three services to which every American would have full access. The first would be a two-hour massage every morning for every citizen. Can you imagine what a better world this would be if every one woke up to a two-hour, professional back rub every day? Even if they were suffering from myriad other ailments, they would simply be too relaxed to care. The second part of my new socialized medical care involves the administration of lobotomies to 99 percent of the population (the final one percent would be the surgeons, who after completing their work, would have to learn how to lobotomize themselves). This would also prevent individuals from growing dissatisfied with their social standing, or for that matter, with anything at all. In addition, it may be the only manner in which I could actually rise to power. Finally, I propose a universal dental plan. Everyone, even those post-ops who have forgotten how to chew, would have a mouthful of shining, pearly white, perfectly straight teeth. I mean, we can't have a country full of happy smiling citizens if their teeth are brown, crooked or missing altogether. Not to mention, constant dental work would keep everyone in the country numbed with novocaine while inhaling nitrous oxide on a regular basis, a practice guaranteed to produce euphoric, unquestioning patriotism. From my health care plan (which, even if I do not win the support of my readers, the government is sure to adopt in lieu of the current proposals) we move to foreign policy. It's a hard one to tackle, because there are just too many countries with their different cultures, languages, economies and rebellions. The obvious solution to this problem -- make every country in the world part of the United States. It used to be called such dirty names as "manifest destiny" or "imperialism" and even "colonialism," but I prefer to call it "global unification." Each country instantly becomes a single state, and each state or province within a country becomes a county. How could foreign relations be a problem when there aren't any foreign countries? That's the part that will win me a Nobel Prize, I'm sure. Due to length constrictions, I can only allow a glimpse of one last segment of my plan for the perfect government. The time has come to take serious measures for the saving of our fragile ecosystem. But hey, big businesses have all the money, and money equals power, so we'll never stop their wanton, money-hungry destruction of our natural resources. Thus, I propose we remove all people, and all the signs of human civilization, from South America. This will be the world's nature preserve, where no structures could be built. Of course, for the sake of ensuring the continued survival of the human race in case of some holocaust, we should provide housing and supplies for two individuals to live in the center of the preserve. They will provide an "Adam and Eve" type foundation for the continuation of the human race (just imagine, a jungle paradise infested with inbreds). In fact, I'll be the noble one to volunteer for this job, because I'd much rather be in the middle of nowhere than trying to deal with the world's problems. So who's the lucky lady ready to volunteer to help me save the human race? Hello? Anyone? Oh, well, I guess we'll have to scrap that part of the plan. I know what you're probably thinking. You're saying to yourself, "hey, this guy's plans are half baked." And I say to you, gentle reader, that my ideas are fully baked, thank you very much. And take a moment to consider the alternatives. Do we really want to cut public broadcasting, student financial aid, social programs to help poor and marginalized segments of the population, restrictions on environmental destruction by large corporations and funding for the NEA? Is that any more reasonable of an alternative? Personally, I'd take a massage and a lobotomy over that kind of social injustice any day of the week.
(11/21/95 10:00am)
Four Cornell University freshmen wrote an e-mail entitled "75 reasons why women should not have freedom of speech" last month. They sent the list -- which they said was intended to be a joke -- to 20 of their friends, who then passed it on to many other people throughout the United States and Canada. Cornell officials debated citing the students under the school's Code of Conduct, but decided that the freshmen did not violate the code, especially given their rights to freedom of speech. Instead, the four students will have to do 50 hours of community service, attend a "Sex at 7:00" health education program and apologize personally to a group of senior Cornell administrators. But Penn Data Communications and Computing Services Executive Director Dan Updegrove said he was surprised the students received any punishment at all. "It's hard for me to imagine taking any action at all against the authors," he said yesterday. "We have seen some cases that are substantially more egregious that have been judged to be free speech." The e-mail included lines such as "If she can't speak, she can't cry rape" and "Of course, if she can't speak, she can't say 'no.' " According to a statement released by Cornell Judicial Administrator Barbara Krause, her office received "many complaints" about the e-mail message. She added, however, that since Cornell does not have "a hate speech code," the students could only be prosecuted under the Code of Conduct if they engaged in sexual harassment or misused computer resources. Neither situation was proven in this case, according to Krause. "Although I do not find a violation of the Campus Code of Conduct based upon the facts in this case, the students themselves recognize that they have caused great anger and hurt to many people," Krause said in the statement. "They deeply regret their actions and want to begin the process of restoring their reputations and the community's confidence in them." The four students wrote a letter of apology published in the Cornell Daily Sun, Cornell's student newspaper. In the letter, the students said they "had no idea that [they] were really being taken seriously and seriously offending people." "We are not trying to blame anything on society, we just wish to convey to you that we never meant any of the things we wrote," they wrote. "All we can do is take responsibility for our stupid actions, and hope that everyone who reads our list and this can have an open mind and accept our deepest apology." Updegrove said no policy is currently in place for dealing with controversial and offensive e-mail at the University. "I think that most university administrators agree that the solution to speech is more speech," Updegrove added."If no one ever said anything, e-mailed anything or posted anything that they thought might offend any part of the population, there wouldn't be a whole lot of discourse."
(10/27/95 9:00am)
By Josh Fineman About 10 female students were sexually harassed near Superblock this week, according to Victim Support Director Maureen Rush. In addition, one student reported that she was indecently assaulted. All of the victims reported the perpetrator to be an Indian male, aged 18 to 20, with short brown hair, a very thin build and thick glasses. He was wearing a tan long-sleeved shirt, vest and dark trousers at the time of the incident. One victim, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear for her own safety, said she and several of her friends were sexually harassed Monday by the man around the area of 39th and Spruce streets and 39th and Walnut streets between 8:25 p.m. and 9 p.m. She said she was walking past High Rise North when a man started walking beside her and moved startlingly closer to her. She said that the man started saying things to her, but she ignored him. According to her, he made comments such as, "Hello, I love you." She added that the man had a very deep accent. The man would not stop following her, so she turned to a nearby student and began to walk with him. She stopped in front of the Fingers, Wings and Other Things restaurant on 40th Street to see if the man would leave her alone. He walked to the traffic light at 40th and Locust streets and stood there for awhile, staring at her. After the light changed three or four times, he walked away. "He was?threatening to me personally," she said. "He wasn't just some crazy person. He was on top of you at all times. I felt physically threatened because he was walking with me, he obviously wanted something from me, he had singled me out at the time." She said that the man harassing her might have been a University student. Rush said the man approached several other women on different occasions, moved very close to them and tried to engage in conversation, saying that he "loved them." In one instance, he touched a student's hair and then touched her on the buttocks, Rush said. Although Rush said she was not sure exactly how many women have been bothered by the man, the student who did not want to be identified said that she knew of at least eight people -- several of them in her sorority -- who were harassed by the man. Before the incident, the student said she never carried any kind of defense weapon, but now she carries an alarm. "I guess it did make an impact on me," she said skeptically. "It made me more aware of my surroundings." Rush advised that if students are confronted by the man, they should try to get to a crowded area as soon as possible and talk to other people in the area. Another female student, who also wished to remain anonymous, said she was walking home at 39th and Walnut streets at about 6:50 p.m. when she was harassed by the suspect. She said that the man followed her for about half a block. He also told her that he "loved her." But when she saw two males she did not know walk past her, she asked them if they would escort her home. "The scariest thing was that I wanted to find other people," she said. "I felt like I had nowhere to go." She added that she also thought the perpetrator may have been a University student. University Police have put out a crime alert and officers on patrol have been alerted of the suspect's description. Rush urged students to pick up a blue-light phone or call University Police immediately if they see a male that fits the suspect's description.
