661 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/03/95 10:00am)
Former University student Lisa Topol, who has accused former Assistant English Professor Malcolm Woodfield of sexual harassment, must turn her diary over to the court, U.S. District Court Judge Anita Brody ruled earlier this week. Topol filed suit against the University in March 1994. In the suit, she claims the University violated her rights by failing to resolve her complaint for an extended period of time. Her federal case is scheduled to begin in April. "Since I conclude the diary is relevant and nonprivileged and that disclosure will not cause undue annoyance, embarrassment, or oppression, I will grant defendants' motion to compel discovery and deny plaintiff's motion for a protective order," Brody wrote in her opinion. Topol's case is currently in discovery, a period before a trial in which the prosecution and defense exchange information they may use as evidence in the case. Topol's attorney Alice Ballard argued that a law, the psychotherapist - patient privilege shields, protects Topol's diary from discovery. But Brody ruled that the patient privilege "fails to shield information relevant to a patient's mental state where the patient's mental state is in issue." Brody further explained that because Topol alleged that her sexual relationship with Woodfield caused her to become "depressed, anxious, and fearful" her mental state is an issue and that Topol waived her rights to the diary. Mary Kohard, outside counsel for the University, said the case is proceeding along well. "I haven't seen the diary," Kohard said. "We wanted to see the diary. She identified it as a relevant document." Topol is also suing Woodfield in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court and has filed a suit against Bates College in Maine. Woodfield has admitted that he had sex with Topol and that this was unethical under the University's policies. He resigned last April amidst hearings investigating the matter. Topol's suit against Bates College claims administrators withheld information about sexual harassment charges allegedly made against Woodfield by students at the liberal arts college where he taught for two years. Alice Ballard, Topol's lawyer, could not be reached for comment.
(03/02/95 10:00am)
California Superior Court Judge Peter Stone struck down Stanford University's speech code Tuesday, ruling that it violated the First Amendment. Stanford's code -- which the University used as a model in creating its own former speech code -- aims to protect students from racist, sexist and homophobic speech. Stanford students sued the school because they said the speech code violated a 1992 state law that extended First Amendment protections to private universities. The university argued, however, that it's own speech code did not violate the First Amendment. Stanford lawyers also argued that even if the code did violate the First Amendment, the code could not be struck down because the First Amendment can only apply to state actors and not private businesses, like Stanford. The university's attorneys further asserted that using this law to strike down the code violates the university's own First Amendment rights by forcing it to allow unacceptable speech on campus. But Stone ruled that the code was overly broad and failed to meet the "fighting words" standard, meaning it would prohibit speech that would not necessarily incite violence. "By proscribing certain words without even considering? whether under a given situation there will be a breach of the peace, [the] speech code fails to meet the 'fighting words' standard," Stone wrote in his decision. Stone's ruling marks the first time the speech policy of a private institution has been found to be unconstitutional. However, California is currently the only state with a law that extends First Amendment protections to private actors. According to History Professor Alan Kors, the court's decision could effect private institutions throughout the country. "It can't effect it legally, but its part of the moral revulsion against speech codes," he said. "Many wise minds in the country now have very grave doubts that some of us have had for years about speech codes -- although legally it will not have an effect on the University of Pennsylvania." Kors, who said he devotes his soul, his money and his life to the issue of free speech, said the decision raises two questions: "Are you against speech codes? And do you favor the courts telling private universities how to behave?" Kors gained national notoriety as an advisor to College junior Eden Jacobowitz, who was charged with violating the University's old speech code during his freshman year. Jacobowitz had called several black women who were making noise outside his high rise window "water buffalo." The women eventually dropped their complaint against Jacobowitz. Although he advocates free speech, Kors said he is opposed to the court's intervention in private universities. "I do not think that University of Pennsylvania students should have fewer rights than student at Penn State." Kors said. "But I secretly celebrate every time a speech code is overturned, because I think that freedom is infinitely better than tyranny." Stone also struck down Stanford's policy because he saw the code as "an impermissible content-based regulation, since it does not proscribe all 'fighting words' but only those which are based upon sex, race, color and the like." Stanford's speech code prohibited harassment, including "discriminatory intimidation by threats of violence and also [including] personal vilification of students on the basis of their sex, race, color, handicap, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin." Although Stanford's speech code had been in place since 1988, no student had ever been charged under its provisions. Stanford officials have not decided whether they will appeal the case. Staff Writer Jeremy Kahn and The Stanford Daily contributed to this article.
(02/28/95 10:00am)
From Chris Iorillo's "The Buck Stops Now," Fall '95 A National Institute of Mental Health study of 32 universities reported that one out of four women will be the victim of rape or attempted rape by the time they graduate from college. One to ten percent of these rapes will be reported and of these, only one percent will be successfully prosecuted. Rape and the culture which supports it has forced women to adjust their lives to accommodate the justifiable fear of sexual assault. Few women feel comfortable walking alone after dark, most carry mace and self-defense courses have practically become a requirement before going to college. Even though many women will not become victims and most men will not become rapists, sexual harassment and violence are so entrenched in modern society that the relationship between the sexes has been dramatically corrupted. Trust is hard-earned in current male-female relationships as a result of the pervasive suspicion that any man could be a potential rapist. It is impossible to discern a rapist from a non-rapist based on appearance alone as looks can certainly be deceiving. In fact, 84 percent of women who were raped knew their attacker and 57 percent of rapes took place on seemingly normal dates. But whose problem is rape? Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of sexual violence affects women, sexual harassment and assault are male problems. Rape is a male problem because heterosexual men commit 98 percent of all rapes. Rape is a male problem because men, both hetero- and homosexual, are the victims in 10 percent of all rapes. And rape is a problem for all males because when a family member, friend or partner survives an assault, her perception of all men changes dramatically. The man who is not a rapist can find himself rejected by the closest friend who has survived a sexual assault. The perpetrators of sexual harassment and assault have charged men who don't rape with proving their trustworthiness. The frustration a man feels after having a good-intentioned offer of a walk home fearfully rejected, the confusion a man feels watching a woman change her route to avoid crossing his path when walking home late at night, and the tension which fills the air when he enters an elevator occupied by a lone woman are all the result of lost trust between men and women living in a rape-supportive culture. The powerful emotions men often feel from being stereotyped, misunderstood and even feared are usually channeled into anger. Yet anger serves only to exacerbate the problem. Rape is more of a problem for the man who does not rape because he is enraged at men who assault the women he knows and is frustrated by women who may be suspicious of him based on their own experiences. But what more can a man who does not rape do? Isn't continuing to not rape the limit of his power? While the maxim, "Rape will end when men stop raping" implies that only men who rape need to address the problem, the saying, "If you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem" is nowhere more applicable than to men who don't rape. The patriarchal nature of our society encourages rape-supportive behavior. Ninety-one percent of men surveyed said they liked to dominate women and enjoyed the "conquest part" of sex. Fifty-nine percent believe women provoke rape by their appearance and/or behavior. Male promiscuity is more often than not revered by other males. The success of a relationship is frequently judged by the speed with which the man progresses through the sexual "bases." And it is the rare male who, after listening to a tale of sexual conquest, dares to ask if the act was consensual. The social infrastructure of male dominance has made it difficult for men to rebel against the classic image of a man who scores frequently without enduring the ridicule of male peers. The man who bravely denounces these ideals must confront a torrent of homophobic epithets from those whose training to be a man included a lesson in dominance over women. Collectively, men have the power to end rape -- especially men who do not rape. Were men to become as large a part of the solution to rape as they are part of the problem, the incidence of rape would undoubtedly drop. But by doing nothing to change the accepted expressions of masculinity which encourage sexual harassment and violence, men who consider themselves incapable of affecting the problem indirectly affirm the actions of men who do commit these acts. The anti-rape movement was begun by women and is supported almost entirely by women today. In recent years, however, it has seen increasing support from men. As men begin to realize that a world without sexual violence is healthier, easier and quite simply better for them, they are living up to their responsibility. Support groups, education programs, speakouts and changes in personal behavior all contribute to increasing awareness of the role men should assume in promoting understanding of the problem and empathy for the survivors. Our University is home to Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape (S.T.A.A.R.), one of the most respected and outstanding peer education programs in the country. S.T.A.A.R. is currently leading the campaign to find "The Real Men of Penn." Ten male leaders from all aspects of the University will be given the opportunity to express their views on how sexual violence affects our community and how it can be prevented. (Applications are available in the Peer Health Education Office in Houston Hall 310 or nominations can be made by calling 573-3525 until March 17). The "Real Men of Penn" campaign is the perfect chance for male leaders at the University to fulfill their inherent obligation to promote positive social change. Anyone, from an athlete to fraternity President, should apply or nominate others who would take full advantage of an excellent opportunity to voice their opinion on these issues. The cycle of behavior supporting sexual harassment and assault can be stopped. Men who rape do so for power. It is the responsibility of men who do not rape to support the social remodeling necessary to empower the anti-rape movement. Until these men choose to act, not only will their friends, families and lovers continue to be victimized, but the divide between the sexes will only grow deeper. Chris Iorillo is a senior history major from Los Angeles, Calif. "The Buck Stops Now" appears alternate Tuesdays.
(02/09/95 10:00am)
Prohibition of consensual sexual relations between faculty members and their students -- a policy change proposed by a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee -- has been both applauded and condemned by faculty members. "I think voluntary acts between consenting adults is no one's business and that it is prurient and tacky for people to pry into the voluntary lives of adults," History Professor Alan Kors said. But Emeritus Finance Professor Morris Mendelson said he approves of the suggested policy, which was released in Tuesday's Almanac. "[In the old policy] there was lots of ambiguity about what was prohibited and what wasn't," he said. "I think the present proposal is imminently sensible." The University's process of handling sexual harassment cases against faculty members has been criticized recently -- as in the case of former student Lisa Topol, who accused former Assistant English Professor Malcom Woodfield of sexual harassment. Topol had filed a grievance with the University Ombudsman several months before a hearing was scheduled. According to Lisa Topol's attorney, Alice Ballard, a policy must be contain a substantive rule, a procedure for enforcement and a punishment for violation of the rule. "I think that you not only need the substantive change -- which I applaud -- but you also need a procedure that returns the policy to the administration," Ballard said. Ballard said she sees the proposal as a positive side effect from the recent, impending lawsuits. "I think it's a great tribute to Lisa's endurance and courage in the sense that it seems to be an acknowledgement that the old policy was inadequate to deal with her situation," she said. However, a few faculty members believe that the policy is in an invasion of privacy. And others have found fault with the way the University processes cases of professor-student relationships, as no procedural changes are suggested in the policy proposal. "There is no hint in this proposal of the problems of due process," said Economics Professor David Cass, who has been romantically involved with Economics graduate student Claudia Stachel. Cass has alleged that he was refused the position of Acting Economics Graduate Chair because of his relationship. Cass said he feels the proposal is an insult to the professionalism of the faculty. "It takes as a presumption that the faculty is not ethical enough to deal with a situation which you would find very normal," he said. Kors agreed that the policy assumes that faculty and students are not capable of making responsible decisions. "It is part of the ongoing infantilization of students and a part of the ongoing intrusion into private adult realms of behavior by an increasingly authoritarian university," he said.
(02/07/95 10:00am)
Disciplinary action may result Consensual sexual relations between faculty members and their students would be prohibited under a proposed policy drafted by a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee released in today's Almanac. If passed, this proposal would make the University one of only a few academic institutions in the country to have such a strict policy. The subcommittee's proposal attempts to clarify the University's Sexual Harassment Policy, which does not "enforce an absolute prohibition" against consensual sexual relations between faculty and students. In a report that accompanies the proposal, the subcommittee criticizes the current policy because it is "studiously ambiguous" and could lead to "inconsistent enforcement of the policy." Consensual sexual relations deserve separate attention from sexual harassment, the subcommittee concluded, because "other students, in particular, may doubt whether evaluations can be fair when a teacher is sexually involved with a student." Acknowledging that sexual relations between teachers and students can impair professors' judgement regarding academic matters, the proposed policy states that "any sexual relations between a teacher and a student during the period of the teacher/student relationship are prohibited." The subcommittee also considered forbidding sexual relations between all faculty and undergraduates. "Undergraduates may be inexperienced and impressionable," the subcommittee explained in its report. "Moreover, although it is often said that in loco parentis is a thing of the past, we not sure that undergraduates' parents would, or that they should, agree, when told that their sons or daughters were sleeping with professors." The University has intensely scrutinized the issue of sexual relations between teachers and students in the past few years -- particularly after last year, when former student Lisa Topol accused former Assistant English Professor Malcom Woodfield of sexual harassment. Topol claimed that she had sexual relations with Woodfield in 1992 when she was his student. She is currently suing Woodfield and the University, alleging that her case was not addressed quickly enough. Complaints and controversy concerning teacher-student relations have also come from within departments. Economics Professor David Cass allegedly was not appointed to be the graduate chairperson of his department last semester because he had dated at least one economics graduate student. The University has been under fire for the way it handled both cases. With its proposal, the SEC subcommittee hopes to end any future confusion over how to resolve such incidents. The subcommittee's guidelines apply to faculty, graduate and professional students, academic advisors, program directors and "all others who have supervisory academic responsibility for a student." Other employees, such as coaches -- whom the subcommittee suggested "may not in any event read the Handbook" that outlines all University policies -- were excluded from the proposal. The subcommittee recommended that a similar policy should be implemented for these individuals. Calling on the provost, deans, department chairs and other administrators to investigate any reports of consensual sexual relations, the subcommittee suggested that "appropriate disciplinary action" be taken. According to Emeritus Finance Professor Jean Crockett, who served on the subcommittee, the form of discipline "hasn't been spelled out." But Crockett said she thinks the teacher would face a hearing and that the president and the provost would make the ultimate decision. The proposal is published for comment. The SEC will discuss it at its next meeting on March 1.
(02/03/95 10:00am)
Maybe they're just used to playing together. Or playing off of each other. But even in separate interviews, Monica Koskey and Jim Frangione, the two actors in Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet's controversial play, Oleanna, sounded like something out of he said, she said. Frangione plays John, a male college professor. Koskey portrays Carol, his female student. When they meet to discuss her grades and academic performance, the dialogue gets steamy and the actions ambiguous. A question arises as to whether the professor's actions violate a behavioral code, or whether he is protected by "academic freedom." As part of a national tour, the play will run at the Annenberg Center's Zellerbach Theater through February 5. About an hour before a matinee performance, Koskey and Frangione each took 15 minutes to discuss the preparation they put into their characters. Koskey said she uses a combination of research and internal feeling to "become" a student who feels she is sexually harassed by her professor. "I read a lot of books about the psychology of a young woman,women abused and campus politics to get me in the headset of what its like to be a female in college in these years and what is appropriate with a professor and what kind of language is appropriate," she said. "It's much more about studying in the moment and being with Jim, staying in the moment. "I will have been with him and reacting to what he gives me and being there and doing the play with him -- that brings me to that place," Koskey added. The actress added that she pulled parts of her character from aspects of real people. "It's really a matter of looking around at young women and seeing her in others." she said. "Looking for her in women -- and mostly of course, looking for her in myself." Koskey also said she drew from her own experiences. "She's someone I feel I am," she said. "I didn't grow up with much money or that great of an education. By the force of my will, I got myself to college and to New York City and had a lot of trouble." Koskey's counterpart in the drama, however, said he didn't do a lot of research preparation and thought differently about his character's role. "Well, I'll tell you I don't necessary feel that he does overtly sexually harass her," he said. "I think he's guilty of a few things, the least of which is sexual harassment. "The way I attack this role is I look at it and I try to give the character of the Professor as much integrity as I can and I try to play him as honestly as I can." While Koskey said she saw Carol as a small-town girl lost in a big university world and being manipulated by her professor, Frangione said he believed if Carol was a victim of anything, she was a victim of miscommunication.
(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."
(01/24/95 10:00am)
Three years after an accusation of sexual harassment landed the Acacia fraternity on probation, Acacia "cleaned the slate" by initiating six new brothers last year. Now, the chapter is looking to expand its membership. And while InterFraternity Council fraternities typically hold rush events in the fall, Acacia members decided to start with a less formal rush process beginning next week. "[Although] we're having our rush in January, which is after the IFC rush, we're not looking to work outside the IFC, or to buck the system in any way," said College junior Adam Coates, the chapter President. Its preliminary rush event Monday is designed to attract freshman and sophomores interested in an "alternative" greek organization. "Alternative" means more community service, a smaller group of brothers, and close ties with alumni, according to Coates. The five juniors and one senior volunteer at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on a regular basis as a fraternity activity, he said. "Right now we're focusing on community service," said Matt Bixler, an Acacia alumnus still working with the new brothers. Acacia members said last night that while they would like to see a large number of rushees, the number of pledges will be kept small. The goal of the chapter is to roughly double membership. "Obviously it is a lot smaller than most fraternities on campus," College junior and Acacia brother Dan Song said. Coates added that it is important to not to expand too quickly. "You get some growing pains," he said. "You want to choose as carefully as possible." Acacia's problems began in 1991 when then College junior Judy Schlossberg filed sexual harassment charges against brothers. Schlossberg alleged they photocopied and distributed nude photos of her around campus. Since November 1991, when the Judicial Inquiry Office and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs ruled that Acacia was responsible for the incident, the fraternity has suffered from a negative image -- and subsequently has had difficulty recruiting brothers. With only four brothers, Acacia lost its house in late 1993 -- and officials speculated that the fraternity could lose University recognition. But after alumni held two unsuccessful rush events the following September, Coates and five of his friends saw an opportunity. "So we decided to call them up and we formed our own group," he said. The new pledges were initiated last April. And plans to acquire a house are proceeding, according to Coates. But Song said the chapter is not looking to move into its old house -- currently occupied by Lambda Phi Epsilon. "Probably we'll have a house sometime next year," he added. The first information session will be held next Monday in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall at 8 p.m. In previous years, between three and four IFC fraternities have held Spring rush, according to IFC President David Treat, a College junior.
(12/15/94 10:00am)
February was another month of bitter cold weather, but the pace of events at the University was far from frozen. A sexual harassment charge against former Assistant English Professor Malcolm Woodfield became publicized over the course of the month. University graduate Lisa Topol claimed Woodfield had sexual relations with her for three months during the spring semester of 1993 and accused him of sexual harassment. She said he "assigned" her sexual acts as "homework." Woodfield admitted that he had sex with Topol, although he did not confirm allegations of sexual harassment. He resigned in April. School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens had begun proceedings to suspend or terminate Woodfield during the preceding summer. The Commission on Strengthening the Community released its preliminary report in the Almanac after six months of information gathering. The 22-member Commission was appointed by former Interim University President Claire Fagin and former University President Sheldon Hackney in the wake of the 'water buffalo' incident and the confiscation of 14,200 copies of The Daily Pennsylvanian. The Commission recommended the immediate elimination of the University speech code and reforms including the University's judicial and academic advising systems, off-campus living, student group funding, University Police and staffing issues. Because of its broad-based and extensive recommendations, the report raised widespread controversy. After being suspended the previous spring on charges of using unnecessary force in detaining a student involved with The Daily Pennsylvanian confiscation, University Police Officer John Washington announced he would appeal the three-day suspension to a federal arbitrator. The University's four undergraduate deans voted unanimously to require that students receive faculty permission before being allowed to obtain copies of old exams. February was also a high crime month. The community was plagued by robberies, thefts, a car jacking, an attempted car jacking and an attempted abduction. Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum announced the Penn Women's Center's relocation to the former Theta Xi fraternity house at 3643 Locust Walk. This was an unwelcome move for some students, who felt the Center "only represents a few radical women on campus." In contrast to previous state budget proposals, Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey recommended that the state legislature appropriate more than $35 million in state funds to the University for the 1994-95 fiscal year. Finally, despite three University closings during one of the worst winters ever, administrators chose not to lengthen the semester.
(11/14/94 10:00am)
If U.S. Senator Arlen Specter has his wish, 1997 will see a University graduate in the White House for the first time since 1841. Specter, a 1951 graduate and Pi Lambda Phi brother, will announce his plans to explore a bid for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination at press conferences in Philadelphia, Concord, N.H., and Des Moines, Iowa today. If Specter declares his candidacy today, he will be the first Republican to officially announce his campaign for the Oval Office. The 14-year Senate veteran is forming a presidential "exploratory committee" and spent the weekend on "exploratory travels" through New Hampshire and Iowa, the site of the first presidential primaries and caucuses. Specter has made several trips to New Hampshire and Iowa in the past, but refused to comment on the possibility of a presidential run until after the stunning Republican successes in last week's mid-term elections. Specter's chances of capturing the GOP nomination are considered slim at best, but should he succeed in garnering the nomination and then unseating President Clinton, Specter would become the second University alumnus to hold the nation's highest post. The first was William Henry Harrison who was elected in 1840. Harrison, a 1791 University graduate, died of pneumonia after only a few months in office. Specter, 64, is a moderate who has often said that the Republican party cannot survive by appealing only to its right-wing core. He advocates the GOP drop the anti-abortion plank from its platform and that the Republicans try to reach out to alienated moderates. His centrist stance distances Specter from other potential Republican contenders, most of whom are politically to Specter's right. Thus far, only former Education Secretary Lamar Alexander has announced the formation of an exploratory committee similar to the one Specter has created. But it is expected that Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole of Kansas, Senator Phil Gramm of Texas, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp, former Secretary of State James Baker and former Vice President Dan Quayle may declare within the next year. While Specter believes that appealing to the center with his "big-tent philosophy" is the key to political success -- he blames Bush's 1992 defeat on a GOP convention dominated by the religious right -- he may be out of sync with current political realities, as conservative Republicans did extremely well in last Tuesday's election. Specter may also be burdened with some harmful political baggage. A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Specter was criticized for his questioning of University of Oklahoma Law Professor Anita Hill on sexual harassment allegations during the 1991 confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. But Specter won in 1992, beating political neophyte Lynn Yeakel, despite a campaign that centered on Specter's role in the Thomas-Hill hearings. Specter has also been attacked for developing the "single bullet theory" while serving as assistant counsel to the Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination of President John Kennedy in 1964. Many assassination experts have portrayed the theory, which speculates that the same bullet hit both Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally, as implausible. Specter, who now lives in Philadelphia, is originally from Kansas. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University he served in the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations. He then attended Yale Law School, receiving his law degree in 1956. Specter entered the political arena in 1965, when he was elected Philadelphia district attorney.
(11/08/94 10:00am)
As part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, actors Dustin Nguyen and Rochelle Ashana addressed about 150 students Friday about their experiences in Hollywood. Nguyen, who has starred in 21 Jump Street and can now be seen in Seaquest, DSV, and Ashana, whose movies include American Ninja Fighter and Kickboxer, spoke to students about a wide range of issues ranging from stereotyping and typecasting to sexual harassment. "There's always going to be typecasting," said Nguyen, who has also played roles in the movies Heaven and Earth and Rapid Fire. "It comes from a lack of understanding?[but] it has gotten better." Ashana said Asian American actresses are also getting more fully-developed parts. "We still have stereotypes to deal with, but we're slowly but surely climbing the ladder out of the mold of [playing] submissive women," she said. The actors disagreed on how to go about changing the depiction of Asian Americans in film. Ashana said actors should "do whatever it takes" in order to get a part, even if that means being typecasted. "[The actor must then] look at the script and try to portray the character as a person," she said. But Nguyen said he would not take a stereotypical role. "I'd rather not do them," Nguyen said. "I would get offended?[It would be] hard for me to do a good job." Students attending the discussion were also curious about the prevalence of Asian Americans behind the scenes. "[The situation is] worse than in front of the camera," said Nguyen. "I can count on one hand the number of people behind the scenes." Organizers said they chose these speakers to illustrate the variety of Asian Americans' careers. "[We wanted to] highlight the diversity in experience among Asian Americans," said Featured Speakers Coordinator Matthew Lee, a College junior. As part of the program, Ashana also asked the students for help in her campaign to help children in the Philippines. "There are 50,000 children of American servicemen living in the Philippines," she said. "[They are] not being allowed into the United States." Ashana said writing letters to congressmen may help to solve this problem. When asked about his future, Nguyen said he saw himself continuing his acting career and added that he hopes to produce or direct a film. Ashana said she wants to produce or direct in the future. And she said she hopes to work with orphanages in Asia to help children who are living on the streets. Following the dialogue, the group watched a screening of The Wedding Banquet, directed by Ang Lee.
(10/24/94 9:00am)
With each push-up, the fatigue increases and the burning becomes more intense. "Fifteen more seconds," the lead petty officer bellows. "You should be able to get at least five more." After counting down the last 10 seconds out loud the officer gives the group a brief chance to walk it out. "Are you guys tired yet?" she asks. And without waiting for a response she instructs them to "fall back in." The flushed midshipmen, all wearing white shirts and blue shorts, quickly form two lines and run another lap around Franklin Field. Every Monday and Friday at 6:30 a.m., 55 University students endure physical training for the Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps program. Nine Temple students and eight Drexel students are also enrolled. While some may think this is taking physical activity to an extreme, for others ROTC represents an opportunity to be a proud part of the U.S. Navy. Students, called midshipmen, organize and lead the morning's activity, which could include anything from a circuit course to a soccer match. After exercising, the midshipmen head to Hollenbach Center, the ROTC building by the South Street Bridge, for a one hour class. Captains and lieutenants cover basic information about the Navy that all commissioned officers must know. Midshipmen will then apply their knowledge during a four-year military obligation after they graduate. Because many incoming freshmen have no previous knowledge about the Navy, these sessions cover the Navy's history and customs. Lt. Leonard Moore, the sole freshman instructor and advisor, devoted one class to grooming standards and the different types of caps, pins and ribbons officers wear. "A man's hair should not touch the collar of the shirt," Moore told the attentive class. "The color should be natural and compliment the person." "Are you allowed to shave your head?" one freshman asked. "If you like the Telly Savalis look," Moore joked, "then go right ahead." Sophomores learn about naval engineering and juniors study navigation. Seniors meet Tuesday nights for a three-hour seminar, where they discuss current events and readings about group management and leadership. While only seniors formally discuss leadership, all the midshipmen develop leadership skills through personal experience. All students are divided into squads, which have approximately four midshipmen each. Three squads form a platoon; two platoons form a company; and two companies form the battalion. Each division has a leader so that by the time midshipmen graduate they will have held several positions, according to Cpt. Henry Fischer, a NROTC advisor. As commissioned officers, the NROTC graduates could assume control if the country enters a war. "To be responsible for human lives is a pretty awesome job," Fischer said. "We don't take the job of developing a leadership foundation lightly." The relationship midshipmen cultivate with their instructors proves essential to that development. "Some days I'm like a big brother and some days I'm like a father," Fischer said. "It's always with the goal to make a difference in their lives such that they will be able to realize their full potential. I take the stand that they will be the greatest leaders and I say up front that we will work towards that end." Students start perfecting their skills during the week-long freshman orientation for incoming midshipmen. "When I was a platoon sergeant at freshman orientation I had to develop a presence and communication skills," said Wharton senior Carl Forsling, who now is battalion commander. "By dealing with those who had no concept of the ROTC, I was always conscious of what I was doing. That constant self-evaluation helped me prepare for the coming year." Midshipmen can prove how they have progressed as a leader on Thursdays when the whole battalion meets at 7 a.m. in the annex behind Hollenbach. With the whole battalion in uniform, the commanders and officers lead drills, and on random Thursdays the midshipmen must go through inspection. Midshipmen are required to know basic information about the ROTC and the Navy such as the chain of command, the battalion staff and important leadership traits. The student leaders test the midshipmen's knowledge and inspect their uniforms, making sure they are clean and properly pressed. On inspection days, students start arriving early, visually tense. Squad leaders help their fellow members, looking over their uniforms and quizzing them on their knowledge. "Does anyone have a Swiss Army knife?" one squad leader asks as he notices a loose thread. Gathering her platoon together before the inspection, one lead petty officer offers some encouraging words. "You'll sound more motivated if you have a loud sound off," she instructed. "Don't forget the sir sandwich. If someone asks you how you're doing this morning say, 'Sir, outstanding, sir.'" When College senior Mark Tonsetic, a company commander and a Daily Pennsylvanian columnist, evaluates the midshipmen, he says he has ways to check the squad leader's progress and the group's unity. "I ask the squad leader to tell me something about each member of the squad such as their major or phone number," Tonsetic said. "That gives me a general indication if they are coming together as a group. If one person stands out and the others don't, then that tells me the person is great on his own but isn't helping others. There's no use in being a hero if the team isn't functioning." Engineering freshman Anthony Crawford says he spent one and a half hours shining his shoes and belt buckle before inspection. He woke up at 5 a.m. to make sure he knew the facts, only to hear that he still wasn't fully prepared. "They told me I could have had more of a military tuck on my uniform," Crawford said. "It might seem trivial, but if you can train yourself to do the little things right the big things come easy." When midshipmen fail an inspection, miss an event without an excuse or conduct themselves unprofessionally, in a manner "unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman," Battalion Executive Officer Jamie McGee, who oversees all disciplinary action, addresses the problem. McGee, an Engineering senior, established a clear disciplinary code that all midshipmen must follow. After one offense midshipmen must meet with their LPO and platoon commander. After the second offense, the midshipmen must meet with McGee, the company commander and platoon commander. The unit staff reviews the midshipman's conduct after the third offense. Because the midshipmen take the ROTC so seriously and feel strongly about serving their country, the University's move to re-evaluate the program's status is especially upsetting, many say. Currently the Defense Department violates the University's non-discrimination policy by barring homosexuals who are open about their orientation from serving in the military. The University Council approved an arm's length agreement last month that would allow the program to remain on campus but distance its relationship with the University. Provost Stanley Chodorow will make the final decision about what action the University should take. "It angers me because I know many of the people on the University Council who voted for the arm's length agreement wouldn't make the sacrifice we are," College senior Scott McClain said. "They're voting for something they wouldn't do even if there was the change in the Defense Department's policy." Many also say that because the ROTC must follow all government policies, the University should direct its action toward the Defense Department and not the ROTC. Within the program, students say, instructors stress that midshipmen should treat all people with respect and discuss how to maintain professional relationships. Cpt. Michael Tollefson, director of the Naval Officer Education program, speaks with the midshipmen every year about sexual harassment, an issue gaining more attention with the increase of women in the military. Despite the military's reputation of hostility toward women, those in ROTC, which is almost 30 percent female, say instructors treat them fairly and equally. "We are expected to do the same level of physical activity as the men," Nursing junior Alicia Ponzio said. "It's a good feeling. I've never experienced different treatment from anyone else." For many midshipmen, being part of the ROTC quickly becomes more than preparing for their military duties. Students said they meet some of their closest friends at the ROTC freshman orientation. Several midshipmen organize a yearly blood drive and tutoring project. The social events, such as the Spring and Birthday Balls, prove some of the midshipmen's best times at the University. "The balls bring more camaraderie," McClain said. "It lets you know that people aren't just robots in uniform. "For some people, because ROTC is such a sacrifice, they can't be in fraternities or sororities," McClain added. "The parties are like their fraternity or sorority formals." Sometimes it's hard to feel confident about enrolling in ROTC at 6 a.m. after staying up late studying, but midshipmen say they know the sacrifices they make are worth it. "On Veteran's Day, we have a service at the monument by the tennis courts to remember everyone who has died in war," said College junior Dan Bennett, a lead petty officer. "Every year it hits me that there are people who have given their lives for the sake of believing in their country. That kind of patriotism gives a higher purpose to what I'm doing."
(10/24/94 9:00am)
After reviewing the non-discrimination policies of the Baker & McKenzie law firm, the Career Planning and Placement Committee decided last week to allow the firm to continue to recruit on campus. Baker & McKenzie's recruiting privileges were first called into question this July when two Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Law Students Association members filed a complaint with the Committee claiming that the firm violated the Law School's non-discrimination policy. The New York State Division of Human Rights ruled in 1993 that the New York office unlawfully fired an attorney after learning that he had AIDS. And a Palo Alto jury awarded a secretary $6.9 million last month, according to the committee, because a partner sexually harassed her. The two students, Anthony Falzon and Rose Weber, asked the Law School to ban Baker & McKenzie from recruiting on campus because of the court decisions. While suspending the firm temporarily, the committee asked for information about its non-discrimination policy and how it ensures that the policy is followed. Baker & McKenzie sent a copy of its code of conduct, equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment policies and complaint procedures for reporting violations, according to a memorandum issued by the committee. The Washington office, the only one scheduled to recruit at the University, said it places a high value on the code, discussing it at meetings and periodically redistributing it to all employees. Representatives for the Washington office also told the committee that they expect to establish formal diversity training, but did not say when. Because the court cases did not involve University students, Associate Law Professor Alan Lerner, who chaired the committee, said its role was to evaluate policies and procedures and not to punish the firm for past incidents. "If we don't let the firm come in then students can't make decisions for themselves, and that was definitely a concern," Lerner said. While committee members said they are convinced that the firm has effective policies, they acknowledged that Baker & McKenzie does not have written procedures to respond to violations other than sexual harassment. But, the firm claimed, in its letters to the committee, that it is the most diverse law firm nationwide because almost half of its employees are minorities. Most of these employees, according to Weber, are clerical and maintenance staff. The firm did not reveal how many partners are minorities. "This arrogant and high handed treatment shows how little respect Baker & McKenzie have given to the whole matter," Weber said. Falzon and Weber have asked the committee to clarify a key phrase in the memorandum which states that, when an incident does not involve a University student, the committee's role is "prospective and regulatory, not punitive." "The committee is prospective in that it is looking forward," said Law Professor Barbara Woodhouse, a committee member. "We look at the policies in place and how they are implemented later." The committee then regulates the qualifications for a firm to recruit on campus, according to Woodhouse. Weber says she was told that the decision only allows the Washington office to recruit on campus, and not the two offices accused of bias, but several committee members said they were unsure of its applicability. Until the committee clarifies its position, Weber says the LGBLSA will not issue a response.
(09/30/94 9:00am)
From Shawn Klein's "Cunning Linguistics," Fall '92 Purely obvious. In adolescence, the sexes spend countless hours trying to figure each other out. By college, people have a better idea of how relationships operate, but confusion and cynicism are common place. I believe Norm Peterson said it best: "Women. You can't live with them. Pass the beer nuts." Few people have any real understanding of how and why male/female relationships work the way they do. I mean the standard stereotyped stuff: Guys just want to go out and get laid. Girls want a boyfriend. Guys are studs, "the men," and everyone's boy when they get the girls, while women are "easy" and "slutty" if they reciprocate. Men ask for the first date and pay for dinner. They attempt the first kiss and try to move things along at a fast pace. (An unenviable position in these post-Anita Hill days of imminent and definite sexual harassment where men risk life and limb in grave danger --"Is there any other kind?" -- to forward potential sexual forays.) Women, on the other hand, control the pace of hook-ups and rarely pursue men with dire intensity. (To be nose-on-your-face obvious, we all know people who violate these little "rules." There are times when all of us do. But such instances are aberrations. It's not to say that they are incorrect, but rather just that the they occur with little frequency. How many girls do you know that have called a guy out of the blue for a "non-date function" date? Guys do it all the time.) Have you ever taken a step back and tried to understand the underlying reasons why things work the way they do? There are real reasons why male/female relations exist as we know them. It astounded me that barely one class of Intro to Psych was used to try to cover it. Contrary to any of the garbage you've heard on Oprah (my arch-nemesis), we act the way we do for the sake of effective reproduction. Evolution has made us to best carry on the gene pool to subsequent generations. In order to maximize the probability of doing so, men and women have adopted separate "strategies." These strategies are in the very designs of our persons. We do act how we want, but what we want is to a large extent determined by our biology. The differences in the male and female reproductive systems can account for the disparities in the male/female social behavior. Metaphorically, one can say that both men and women think with the little head. Women have eggs. Because they have so few, each could hardly be more precious. When a female is born, she already has all the eggs she will ever have for her entire life. Just a few hundred, that's all. If she menstruates them all away before getting herself some sort of sperm donor she will have exhausted any chance of having children. This is why women get panicky that their "biological clock is ticking." Women are also reproductively-hindered because of the mandatory nine month grace period between successful pregnancies. There can be no screwing around left and right, popping babies out as an after thought. Each time women have sex they risk huge time and reproductive investments. Women can ill afford to waste their efforts, so they must be particularly choosy with mates. The better the man, the better off their children, both in terms of genetics (not that they're aware of it) and how they are provided for. As such, women want men who will really love them. Women don't enjoy being ridden like a Harley on a rough piece of road and then abandoned. They want emotional and physical commitments when the time comes for procreation. Many want men who will, at least in part, provide for them and their children. I know women who will be very successful lawyers one day, but they still want their husband to work. Men have a different strategy to maximize their reproductive success. Men have sperm. Sperm are cheap. Upon ejaculation nearly 300 million sperm are shot out, all just priming for an egg. Nine loads provides enough sperm to impregnate every woman in the world. Also, when a man reproduces there is next to no time commitment at all. Ever heard of "Wham. Bam. Thank you, Ma'am"? For these reasons, men are designed in a way that they can best pass their genes along by mating with many women. Most of what I have said above is pretty straight-forward in the context of our hunter-gatherer days. Now, though, obvious biological evolution has been supplanted in part by cultural evolution. With the advent of birth control women can and do sleep around. With marriage as accepted custom, men are forbidden by society to gallivant from woman to woman. There are a limitless number of effects culture has had in our social systems. But you must remember that our biology is the very basis of everything, ultimately even our culture. While people's actions and thoughts have been modified by our new founded systems of rules and technologically-aided behavior, we will always see evidence of our biology: women can sleep around, but most do not. The divorce rate is 50%, with men cheating on their wives like it's their job. Women are discriminated against in the work place, etc. The list could go on forever, because try as we may, we cannot escape what we are made of. Shawn Klein is a senior Biological Basis of Behavior major from Livingston, New Jersey. Cunning Linguistics appears alternate Fridays.
(09/30/94 9:00am)
University employee Joyce Schofield, an administrative assistant in the Compensation Office of the Division of Human Resources, is suing the University claiming her superiors sexually harassed her and discriminated against her because she is black. A court document filed in Federal Court Tuesday by Schofield and her attorneys is asking for compensation in excess of $100,000. Schofield's attorney, Deborah Weinstein, said she feels very confident concerning her client's claim against the University. "She made an internal grievance with the University and they failed to take prompt and remedial action against her charges," Weinstein said. "And consequently her supervisors retaliated against her." University General Counsel Shelley Green said she had not seen the complaint, and could not comment on its allegations. She added, however, that the "University takes very seriously any allegations of sexual harassment and race discrimination." Much of Schofield's case against the University concerns her supervisors, former Human Resources Communication Manager J. Bradley Williams, former Vice President for Human Resources R. William Holland and former Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Adrienne Riley. Schofield alleges that Riley said there was a systematic design to keep black employees "uneducated and stupid." Schofield also said Williams compared the division to a "plantation" and said that Riley would always view the plaintiff as a "slave." Between January 1993 and July 1993 Schofield said she was subjected to sexual harassment, according to a court document. She alleges that Williams made several sexually explicit comments to her that made her feel uncomfortable. Schofield also claims that Williams made unwelcomed sexual advances to her. When she rejected these advances, Williams threatened to punish her. "All you need a man for is to fulfill your physical desires," Williams allegedly told the plaintiff. The suit also alleges that Schofield was denied benefits normally provided for white employees. When Schofield asked to have her position reclassified to a higher position, she claims her request was denied. Subsequently, she alleges that a white female was hired for the job who had much less experience than Schofield. "Williams repeatedly told plaintiff that Riley and the University administration had racist attitudes toward plaintiff and that Riley hated plaintiff because plaintiff was a "strong black woman," according to the suit. In one alleged racial incident, Schofield claims that she requested to work at home for about eight weeks because she had just undergone major surgery. Her request was allegedly denied by Williams. He also allegedly told her that Riley would accept a white woman's request but "will not do anything to assist a black person." According to the suit, Williams' alleged racist comments were part of a policy of racial discrimination that supervisors knew or should have known about. Schofield alleges that she felt constantly threatened and was afraid to complain because of fear of retaliation from Riley. The suit states that on June 15, 1993, Schofield informed Riley of Williams' discriminatory conduct. Then on June 29, 1993, University officials allegedly told Schofield that they would investigate her internal grievance. After filing her complaint, Schofield claims she was continually discriminated against, and become the subject of retaliation because she had filed the grievance within the University. Schofield filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in February 1994, Weinstein said. It is law for individuals to file grievances with the EEOC before a suit can be heard in federal court. The EEOC must then issue a right to sue. University officials in the Human Resources Department interviewed yesterday said Williams, Riley and Holland had all resigned in the past few months. Williams, Riley and Holland could not be reached for comment.
(09/30/94 9:00am)
University graduate Lisa Topol is currently involved in three lawsuits stemming from 1993 sexual harassment allegations against former Assistant English Professor Malcolm Woodfield. Topol is suing Woodfield in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court and is suing the University and Bates College in federal court. Topol, who was a student in Woodfield's class, claims she was involved in sexual relations with him during the first three months of 1992. In March 1994, Topol filed a suit against the the University. In it, she claims the University violated her rights by failing to resolve her complaint over an extended period of time. Topol's suit against Bates College claims administrators withheld information about other sexual harassment charges against Woodfield while he taught there for two years. Philadelphia Magazine's upcoming October 1994 edition includes an in-depth article about the sexual harassment scandal between Woodfield and Topol. Many people involved with the case are interviewed.Topol said she was enthusiastic about how the article turned out. "I thought for the most part the article was fair," Topol said in an interview yesterday. "I thought it was a well organized and very thorough." The suit against Bates College is currently in its discovery phase. Discovery is the initial part of a suit in which each side discloses all its information to the other side. Topol's attorney, Alice Ballard, said lawyers for Bates College have tried to dismiss the case on the grounds that Bates did not have a legal obligation to tell the University about Woodfield's past history at Bates. She added that Bates' attorneys also tried to get the trial moved from Philadelphia to Maine, where the college is located. Mary Kohard, outside counsel for the University, said Judge Anita Brody is allowing discovery to continue. According to Kohard, Woodfield's new attorney, Richard Freeman, has not entered his appearance in court yet. The University has been named as a co-defendant in Topol's case against Woodfield in Common Pleas Court. Topol is currently working as a paralegal for a prominent Philadelphia law firm. She is considering law school in the future. Woodfield and Freeman refused to comment for this article. The attorney for Bates College, Maureen Mirabella, also declined to comment at this point in the case.
(09/28/94 9:00am)
University of New Hampshire English Professor J. Donald Silva, who was suspended from his post without pay for using sexual metaphors in a writing class, was back in the classroom Monday. His sections of expository writing and critical reading for students in UNH's Thompson School of Applied Sciences had smaller than normal enrollments, he said, because the fall term had been underway for two weeks. "I enjoyed [teaching again] very much," Silva said Monday night. "I was my usual professional self. I've been in the classroom almost 33 years, and this was nothing new to me -- I was not anxious one bit. "I'm going to be my warm, open and informal self that I think I've always been," he added. According to The New Hampshire, UNH's student newspaper, Silva's reinstatement came under orders from U.S. District Justice Shane Devine, a decision which Silva described as "almost a total victory for me and my case." Silva was originally suspended in April 1993. UNH Legal Counsel Ron Rodgers said in a statement released last week, though, that the judge had "granted summary judgement in favor of the University on most of Professor Silva's procedural due process claims and his entire substantive due process claim." Still, he called Devine's decision "disappointing." The case began when Silva told a class of 46 students -- 38 of whom were female -- that the focus necessary for effective writing was similar to the mental focus required for sexual intercourse. He also employed a simile -- which he says he has been using since 1972 -- comparing belly-dancing to "Jell-O on a plate with a vibrator under the plate." "[The judge] said in the ruling that both remarks were not of a sexual nature, these examples were inextricably woven in the lesson and with the teaching purpose," Silva said. Rodgers said UNH may now ask for reconsideration, seeking a stay on the preliminary injunction forcing UNH to take Silva back as a full tenured professor or appeal the decision. Silva's suspension was increased to 16 months from the original one year after he refused to seek psychiatric counseling mandated by UNH. "Coercive psychotherapy is against the guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association, and I also understand that any kind of counseling used as punishment is against the Bill of Rights," he said. Silva maintains that his classroom behavior did not constitute sexual harassment, since his remarks were directed at a group and not individuals. "They're well-meaning, but they don't know what sexual harassment is," he said. "I didn't say anything that discriminated against women or was sexually explicit."
(09/27/94 9:00am)
Former Director of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Program Susan Leites is suing the University claiming she was terminated because she complained of sexual harassment and discrimination. A document filed in Federal Court August 2 states that Leites was subjected to "severe" sexual harassment during her time at the University. University General Counsel Shelly Green said Leites has no basis for her claim. "We believe it has no merit," Green said. "It's being handled by outside counsel Neil Hamburg." Court documents state the plaintiff is suing for full back pay and benefits in excess of $500,000. In the complaint, Leites said her rights have been violated. She is litigating "for pain and suffering; for her severe distress; for her loss of enjoyment of life's pleasures; and for her loss of earnings and earning capacity," according to court filings. Leites, an employee of the University from 1979 until 1992, said she received a letter of termination from the University in November 1990 after complaining of sexual harassment and discrimination. Before she was terminated, Leites said she was denied a promotion to the position of associate professor by the University. That position was later filled by Leonard Stokes, an academic, Leites insisted, who was less qualified than she was. Stokes was paid a higher salary than Leites, even though she had been a University employee for ten years, according to Leites' suit. Soon after becoming an associate professor, Stokes was appointed acting chairperson of the Department of Fine Arts, after the previous chairperson was forced to resign. Leites contends she was more qualified than Stokes for the position. Public records show that in September 1991, Leites filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. After University officials learned of the charge, Leites said she was harassed and criticized for filing it. And in October 1991, Leites' office was turned into a studio for Dan Gluck, a student in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Program. Finally in March 1992, Leites signed an agreement with the University to settle her pending grievance with the EEOC. In 1993, the External Review Committee evaluated possible cases of sex discrimination in the Department of Fine Arts. Former Associate General Counsel for the University Neil Hamburg, who is representing the University in this case, refused to comment for this article.
(09/22/94 9:00am)
Says he may resign in protest Jeremy Kahn and Lisa Levenson University administrators last month declined a departmental recommendation that Economics Professor David Cass be appointed acting economics graduate chairperson, citing a difference in understanding of "important issues and procedures." But Cass remains convinced that he did everything right. When he started dating Claudia Stachel, a graduate student in his department in 1989, he and Stachel discussed the University's sexual harassment policy. Because Stachel was not in his class and their relationship was consensual, the couple thought the policy did not apply to them. After 20 years of scholarship at the University, Cass is now considering going elsewhere. Cass had broken one of the University's unwritten rules: professors who date students -- whatever the circumstances -- jeopardize their chances of receiving administrative appointments. "I would not appoint a head of any graduate group who thought it was OK to date graduate students," said Janice Madden, vice provost for graduate education, earlier this week. "I think that is not consistent with the policy of the University." Cass previously taught at Yale and Carnegie-Mellon universities and served as graduate chair of the economics department from 1981 to 1986. By all accounts, he was a capable and well-respected administrator. So, at the end of last semester, when current Graduate Chairperson George Mailath expressed an interest in stepping down to concentrate on research, Cass seemed the obvious choice to serve the remaining year of Mailath's term. "He had done this in the past and done an outstanding job," Economics Chairperson Andrew Postlewaite said yesterday. "We continued to believe that he would have done an outstanding job." But Cass's appointment ran into trouble. Donald Fitts, graduate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, said yesterday the Economics Department never submitted a formal request for approval of Cass' appointment. As a result, SAS never made a recommendation to Madden, who oversees graduate appointments for Provost Stanley Chodorow. Both Madden and Fitts acknowledge that formal procedures are often ignored in these matters. Administrators routinely rubber-stamp such appointments without ever meeting with the nominees. But in this case, Madden said "concerns" raised by both students and faculty in the Economics Department caused Madden to request a meeting with Cass. Although Madden refused to specify the nature of these concerns, Cass said Madden told him they stemmed from rumors that he "had a pattern of dating graduate students." Cass did not confirm or deny that such a pattern existed, and asked what Madden meant by such a pattern. After much debate about scheduling, a meeting between Madden, Fitts, Postlewaite and Cass was arranged for June 30. In the eyes of administrators, concerns about Cass's relationship with Stachel and possibly other graduate students already placed his appointment on shaky ground. Now, trust would become a primary issue. Believing administrators were conducting a witch hunt and planned to question his integrity, Cass insisted on tape recording the June 30 meeting. Wary of Cass's intentions and on advice from University lawyers, Madden refused to talk to him. Two months of discussion finally led to a second meeting on Aug. 25. By this time, Chodorow had been informed of the process. In an Aug. 8 letter from Fitts to Postlewaite, obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Fitts quotes Chodorow as saying "[We] are not prosecuting Cass on the basis of rumor. We are exercising due diligence in checking on a rumor before making an appointment, to which Cass has no natural right." At the second meeting, Madden agreed to allow Janet Conway, a business administrator for the Economics Department, to take notes for Cass. According to a copy of these notes, Madden demanded Cass disclose any previous relationships with graduate students and agree to forgo any future sexual relationships "or what could be interpreted as sexual relationships." Madden also indicated that Cass's attitude about dating students was especially relevant to his appointment, because of the department's "reputation of being unfriendly to women," Conway's notes state. "You should look at the numbers of women students and faculty and draw your own conclusions," Madden said this week. "I have heard graduate students over a long history express complaints about the department." Cass refused to give Madden the assurances she sought, claiming his teaching style would be impaired if he did and that the administration's questions violated his right to privacy. "No way am I going to tell them about my private life, flat out," he said. "They slurred the department and slandered me." Four days after the August meeting, Fitts and Madden handed down their decision. In a letter to Postlewaite, obtained by the DP, they declined Cass's appointment, refusing to work alongside someone with whom they do not see eye-to-eye on University policy. Postlewaite said yesterday that the Economics Department has made it clear to the administration that it does not agree with the decision. Cass, however, said he has received "a surprising lack of support from senior Economics faculty." An infuriated Cass sent a memo expressing his anger to faculty, students and staff in the Economics department and to all the administrators involved. He also included a personal letter along with the memo sent to University President Judith Rodin. Cass said he told Postlewaite that he would leave the University if he did not receive a public apology from Chodorow, in addition to the firing or resignation of Madden and "a tangible indication that the University cares about intellectual matters including graduate education and research." Rodin said earlier this week that she was not prepared to discuss Cass' situation. Cass said he has received no response from the administration. Cass believes he is the victim of political correctness, especially in the aftermath of last semester's highly-publicized sexual harassment case involving former Assistant English Professor Malcolm Woodfield and a female undergraduate student. Madden denied that the Woodfield case had anything to do with her sensitivity to professors dating students. "I have a long history of involvement in this cause," she said. Madden, who has been at the University for 22 years, served as director of the SAS Affirmative Action office in 1990. Stachel received her doctorate from the University in August and is still dating Cass. She said she, too, is angered and frustrated by the administration's actions. "Sexual harassment is a serious problem, and it is undoubtedly difficult to implement a credible and effective policy which supports women," said Stachel, who is currently working in Moscow for the Russian Privatization Commission. "But for the policy to be credible and effective, it has to be sensible and transparent. This unofficial investigation of Dave has been neither." "As far as I know, Dave has not even been accused of any wrong-doing which has been harmful to any women student -- neither of any other wrong-doing, except not answering a question of doubtful relevance," she added.
(09/15/94 9:00am)
Officials from the University's Career Planning and Placement Service said yesterday they will need at least four weeks to determine whether Baker & McKenzie, the world's largest law firm, is in compliance with the University's non-discrimination policy. The Law School postponed a recruiting visit from the firm this week in response to a string of harassment and discrimination accusations pending against Baker & McKenzie. The University's non-discrimination policy states that firms recruiting on campus may not discriminate against prospective employees or current employees because of race, sexual orientation or gender. A CPPS committee met yesterday with students to discuss the issue. According to acting Director of CPPS Jo-Ann Verrier, who is also a non-voting member of the committee, Baker & McKenzie has been given two weeks to supply the University with "more information about their current policy and practices, and how [they have] been implemented." "The committee is charged with seeing whether the firm's current practices and procedures are in compliance with our policy," she said last night. "Our goal is to make both our students and our employers happy, and at the same time recognize the value of the University's non-discrimination policy." After two weeks, Verrier said, the committee will examine the materials supplied by the law firm and make its decision by mid-October. The outcry against the law firm recruiting on campus stems from two lawsuits filed by former employees of Baker & McKenzie against the firm. One lawsuit, currently on appeal, was filed by Geoffrey Bowers who claimed the firm dismissed him after learning he had AIDS in 1986. In 1993, the New York State Division of Human Rights ruled that the firm did discriminate against Bowers, and awarded his estate $500,000. Bowers died in 1987. Baker & McKenzie are currently appealing the division's ruling. In addition, a San Francisco jury awarded Baker & McKenzie secretary Rena Weeks $7.1 million this month after finding that the firm failed to stop a partner from harassing her. This two decisions prompted members of the University's Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Law Students' Association to protest the firm's recruiting on campus. Law student and LGBLSA representative Rose Weber, who co-wrote a letter to the CPPS committee asking for support, said last night the committee is "moving in the right direction." "They had a variety of options open to them and I think this is a positive one," she said. "It confirms that they are taking this seriously." Weber said, however, that she hopes the committee will not be deterred by students who claim they have had no problems with the law firm in the past. "Obviously, in a firm that large, given that they have about 1,700 attorneys, not all are going to be mistreated," she said. "For every woman that is sexually harassed at Baker & McKenzie, I'm sure [the committee] could bring in 20 that weren't -- But that's not really the point, is it?" Verrier said CPPS has already placed a sanction on the law firm, in the form of an attachment to the firm's files which details the two lawsuits against it. These files are available to all students, she said. The next step for the committee now is to simply wait for the materials to be submitted by the law firm, Verrier added. Staff writer Tammy Polonsky contributed to this article.
