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(02/23/94 10:00am)
Don't be Afraid To Call yourself A Feminist In her 1991 bestseller, Backlash, Susan Faludi discusses the New Right's strategy for attacking the feminist agenda. She writes: "In time-honored fashion, antifeminist male leaders had enlisted women to handle the heavy lifting in the campaign against their own rights." I did not want to write this column. I did not want to allow the media to continue to frame the debate over the Women's Center's move to Locust Walk as one between opposing groups of women. It's difficult for me to address the assertions of people who have never been to the Penn Women's Center. I'm sorry that they believe that if they went to the PWC, they'd be unwelcome. I'm sorry that the antifeminists on this campus have convinced them that if they opened the door to 119 Houston Hall, they'd be assaulted by the 50 militant radicals who are holed up there. Perhaps they feel that the PWC is a feminist organization and they have no use for feminism. Perhaps they've never felt unsafe on this campus at night and never known anyone who was sexually assaulted. Perhaps they plan on living their lives without learning the phrases "sexual harassment" or "pay gap." In their world, feminism must seem pretty outdated. Or perhaps they think they'll be safer if they don't identify themselves with "radicals", that the misogynist backlash on this campus will only hurt them if they call themselves "feminists." So, they're willing to give up using the Women's Center as a resource because other people have led them to believe that it addresses issues only from the "radical" point of view of the 50 scary women we've heard so much about in the press. I have no idea where this magic number came from. Clearly, it did not come from the PWC's annual report, since that report documents that 178 people were served by the PWC's one-on-one counseling and advocacy service alone, last year. Clearly, it did not come from the number of undergraduate women, 250, who actively participate in "feminist" organizations. If they chose never to walk into the Women's Center, that's fine with me. But if the time comes that they need counseling, advocacy, or support on any issue, the PWC will be there for them. And they will be welcomed. The counseling and advocacy that is the day to day work of the PWC is not the kind of activity that makes headlines. The Women's Center respects the privacy of the groups and individuals with which it deals and does not attempt to promote itself in the media. This has allowed those in the antifeminist backlash to define what the PWC is and what it does. In moving to 3643 Locust Walk, the PWC moves from a closet-sized space in Houston Hall to the center of campus. In many ways, bringing women to the center of campus is what the PWC has always been about. That is why its relocation is so frightening to those who would keep women "in their place". That is why those very same people want women to believe that the Women's Center has not adequately represented our interests. If you have been convinced of this, I would urge you to make your feelings known, not just through the voices of DP reporters, but directly to the Women's Center staff. You will not be asked for your religion or your political affiliation when you walk in the door. You do not have to call yourself a feminist to have your voice heard. I urge you to put aside what campus antifeminists have told you and come and judge for yourself. Here are the PWC's issues of concern, listed alphabetically (These are listed in the informational brochure, available on the coffee table next to the entrance door of the Women's Center, in case you are brave enough to venture there.): Acquaintance rape, AIDS, Assertiveness, Child Care, Disability rights, Economics, Educational equity, Health, International Women's issues, Lesbian and bisexual concerns/homophobia, Racial harassment/racism, Relationships, Reproductive health, Safety and security, Sexual harassment/sexism, Tenure, Violence against women, Women and athletics, and Worker rights and responsibilities. Campus antifeminists didn't want you to see this list. They wanted to scare you away from even walking in to pick it up. Debra Pickett is a junior English major from Franklin Township, New Jersey. She is a former DP columnist and member of the Penn Women's Alliance leadership team.
(02/04/94 10:00am)
From Stephen Houghton's "Ecce Queer," Fall '94 From Stephen Houghton's "Ecce Queer," Fall '94I hoped not to be here this semester. I intended to be far, far away in San Francisco. Sunnier and queer-er than the University. A mecca for people like me. Let me explain. I was one of the candidates for MTV's The Real World. The next season started filming in San Francisco this month. I want to be a living, breathing faggot on national television. Instead, I am settling for Page Six of the DP. Then again, I am not sure if I would have enjoyed the experience. Submitting myself to the producers' tunnel-vision of my persona would be a far from accurate portrait of who I am. Who would want to be pigeon-holed for all of eternity in exchange for living in some phat environment? It appears that has already happened, sans the "phat environment." From the response to my first column, I have first-hand experience of being defined by other people. Unless you already know me, a reader's sole exposure to me will be the words I write. This is not a problem, I control my own words. Yet, when others take what I write and from that start drawing conclusions, then I get pissed. Militant, pervert, radical -- your basic, run-of-the-mill monikers applying to someone who writes offensive words on his forehead. I have no shame about who I am, but others may make decisions about me on less than accurate information. Would you believe that there is an actual person behind the septum ring? Could it be that I have more than one facet to me? How can one reconcile a dehumanizing stereotype and a flesh and blood individual? Despite my picture above, I am really cute and cuddly. Really. Now this ain't no sob story for me. People will form their opinions on whatever shaky ground they choose. Let it be known that I believe in three-dimensional people. I just happen to be one of them, and so are you. Limited views of a person are just that, limited. By defining someone by one characteristic, you deny them the status of a hu man being. Behind layers of sexuality, political affiliations, gender and race there are individuals. Whole persons who can and should be appreciated for themselves. Do not construe this as a conversion to assimilation. The mixed salad perception of the world rings true over the melting pot view. Differences should be celebrated. I would hate to be considered "just the same as everyone else." Imagine me, just like all the heterosexuals, except for what I do in the bedroom. Gosh, I am not even like most of the homosexuals I know, and I like it that way. People should be respected for who they are, regardless of similarity of thought. The most radical queer can get along with the most staunch conservative, so long as they acknowledge each other as individuals and not as ideologies. This is one lesson that should be taught in elementary school. Now it is time for introspection. In the the past, have I been guilty of this heinous crime? In all of my loftiness of thought, have I ignored my own hypocrisy? I confess to Republican bashing in the summer of 1992 while in Houston at their convention. I admit to some fleeting thoughts lumping televangelists and other "fun" fundamentalists together as bigots after seeing myself appear on the 700 Club and hearing what Pat Robertson had to say. I probably did not even give the columnist on this page above me, Dan Schorr, a fair shake when I heard his views on the racial harassment policy. Yikes, I am guilty. As for everyone else, it is wrong for me to write off an entire person just because my thoughts do not coincide with theirs. Humans categorize, but humans can also rise above their prejudices. There is more to each of us than that which we choose to present to the outside world. Radical thoughts on sexuality do not make for a poor friend, student, or columnist. Look past each other's exteriors and try and see the human within. We live in a world made up of three dimensions, not two. Let's start interacting as if we believed that. There is a long life ahead with diverse types of people. We cannot afford to dismiss some of them because certain characteristics conflict with our own. Check out the people behind the politics, presentation, and panache. You will be pleasantly surprised.
(01/14/94 10:00am)
From Jenifer Wana's "Whatever You Say, Dear," Fall '94 From Jenifer Wana's "Whatever You Say, Dear," Fall '94 When you think of minorities, what comes to mind? If this is the case, then it seems logical, if not necessary, that these groups unite in order to represent the minority students to University committees. In addition, they should respond to concerns involving the entire minority student body, such as the Racial Harassment Policy, and communicate with each other to reach a consensus on these matters. Now you're asking, what's the point? We already have the United Minorities Council, which does all of this. The point is that the UMC is a council of members who represent racial and ethnic minorities rather than an organization devoted to representing only the racial groups recognized by the government . There is not one Latino, one black, one Asian, or one Native American student speaking for their particular race. Instead, it is composed of nine cultural groups--the Chinese Students Association, Vietnamese Students Association, Japanese Cultural Society, Korean Students Association, Black Students League, Caribbean American Students Association, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicao de Aztlan (MEChA), La Asociacion Cultural de Estudiantes Latinos Americanos (ACELA), and the South Asian Society. If the UMC is supposedly the voice of the University's 3000 plus minority students, I wonder if they really think they are doing their job, considering the Council has no Native Americans or non-Chinese/South Asian/Korean/Japanese Asians. The answer sounds simple – why don't clubs like Six Winds or the Penn Thai Club just join? Well maybe it's because their group doesn't happen to be SAC recognized. Or maybe they can't afford the $50 membership fee. And if you're a Cambodian or Laotian student, tough luck. You're on your own unless you start your own club, (which can be hard if there aren't even five students of your ethnicity here) get recognition from SAC, and manage to come up with $50 a year. And if every student did manage this, the UMC could someday include the Kenyan Cultural Society and the Penn Macao Club? What the heck, why not the Irish Club? After all, they're not exactly a majority of the population. So instead of trying to encourage every possible cultural group on campus to join, the UMC should just be comprised of members who represent the political definition of racial (as opposed to religious or sexual) minorities I described in my first paragraph. After all, the UMC was designed to be political, wasn't it? What was their stance on the Racial Harassment Policy, anyway? Or was there one? But hey, at least you can always get tasty samosas at the annual UMC Celebration of Culture festival. Too bad you can't also sign a petition demanding a permanent Asian American studies professor or get information on why the UMC thinks you should support/not support the racial harassment code. And what if the Asian members of the Council happen to disagree with the others on a certain issue. Considering there are five Asian, two Latino, and two black groups represented, guess how the vote will turn out. For those readers not mathematically-oriented, that means that the Asians, if in agreement, will never lose. I have a feeling Native American issues aren't discussed too much at the meetings. So what if they want a Native American literature course, or a cultural center. Like I said before, tough luck. I propose that each racial group get an equal vote when it comes to deciding on their issue agenda and plan of action. This may mean finding a group and/or student to replace several others, such as Students for Asian Affairs representing the Asian population, rather than four Asian cultural groups representing themselves. Whatever the case, we need to look at this organization, the UMC, whose objectives are to represent minorities at Penn, be a political voice for them, and communicate with each other on minority concerns. Despite the hard work and dedication of its chairperson and members, we must question who comprises the member organizations and how that reflects on who the UMC is really representing and whose concerns are being addressed. Minority or not, just think about it. Jenifer Wana is junior Communications major from Willowbrook, Illinois. Whatever You Say, Dear will appear alternate Fridays.
(11/05/93 10:00am)
A meeting Wednesday to discuss possible alternatives to the University's racial harassment policy rapidly turned into a bickering match, with people speaking over one another and arguing over the meaning of the term "politically correct." The meeting was called by the Society for Constitutional Rights at Penn, a group of law students interested in preserving First Amendment rights on campus. Members met to discuss their views with Board of Trustees Vice Chairperson Gloria Twine Chisum, who is heading the Commission on Strengthening the Community. After Chisum's opening remarks, students began attacking the current code. "The speech code works against the open environment because people aren't willing to speak up if they aren't on the politically correct side," law student Matthew Daniels said. "You are entitled to your opinion," Chisum responded. Chisum told the approximately 30 students present that she thinks the harassment policy will be changed "in one way or another." "I don't think the speech code is going to last very long," she said. "It is my job to create an intellectually productive environment. "The First Amendment issue is a small part of the problem," she continued. "Academic honesty and the freedom to exchange information are essential in a university environment." Law student Adam Candeub then presented the group's platform. "As a private institution, Penn is not legally subject to First Amendment guarantees?. If Penn considers itself a university dedicated to the free exchange of ideas, Penn should embrace guarantees of free expression," he said. The discussion quickly moved on to the commission which Chisum is chairing. "[The] commission was founded in June, in part to [address] the events of the spring, but not totally," Chisum said. "There are tensions on this campus, and the commission was formed to deal with these tensions. These [issues] don't just include racial tensions." The commission has been meeting with student groups and is conducting a survey to determine students' opinions of current policies. The survey, which will be given to a random sample of the student population at the University, will ask about the speech code as well as all forms of harassment, Chisum said. Present policies were last altered in 1990, after a court ruling that the racial harassment policy of the University of Michigan was "too vague." The University's code was similar, and was modified to avoid possible legal troubles, Chisum explained. The commission's interim report is due in January and the final recommendation is scheduled to be presented next March, she said. During the session, several students voiced unhappiness with the current system. Chisum said even members of the University's legal staff feel students would be just as protected under other areas of the student behavior code if the racial and sexual harassment sections are eliminated. Despite the airing of their ideas, many students at the meeting left dissatisfied. "I don't feel I am 'entitled to my opinion' under this code," Daniels said.
(11/04/93 10:00am)
Halloween tries to be the scariest time of the year. Yet, among the men and women in drag, the Barney the Dinosaur costumes, the blood and the gore of the holiday, I never experience true fear. Instead, it is a fun celebration of creative minds and lots of candy. However, I anticipate the upcoming weekend with real dread. On Saturday, November 6, I will come face-to-face with the darkest, most evil forces on this Earth. Pure hatred will be personified in fascist skinheads, Neo-Nazis, and white supremacists. That day they will descend on the charming town of New Hope, in Bucks county, for a parade and rally titled "Gaybash '93." The United States Nationalist Party, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Christian Posse Comitatus have chosen homosexuals as their latest prey. I guess "queers, perverts, and deviants" are an easy target. People of color and people from other countries do not arouse as much ire as they once did in the average American bigot's mind. Society, if only on the most basic level, acknowledges that hatred towards people with a different color of skin or different backgrounds and traditions is not acceptable. Apparently, racism and xenophobia have been placed on the back burner by right-wing groups in favor of homophobia, heterosexism, and if I may propose a new term, "homo-hatred." Don't get me wrong. Racism and intolerance still thrive in America. The bigotry that makes up what we call our country's history is ever present, and most recently the hate has been re-focused on sexual minorities. For example, upon seeing the majority of our nation's opposition to its ideology, the religious right's anti-choice, anti-abortion, and anti-woman Operation Rescue decided last spring to redirect their energy to attack equal rights for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, in addition to their usual attack on the rights of women. Is it any surprise that we (yes, I am one of those "queers.") are the oppressed du jour? We have always been condemned by someone, be it religion, government, medicine, psychology, social sciences, or family and "friends." Consider America's history of sanctioning homophobia as well as all of the other "-isms." Look at today's institutionalized discrimination in the armed forced and the University's own ROTC program. In the past months, in two separate cases, mothers have been robbed of their children because a judge saw loving someone of the same sex to be enough reason to render a person an unfit parent. The right decries the breakdown of the family, yet they are the one destroying people's lives and families. When did Pat Robertson become so wise as to be able to claim family values to belong uniquely to straight, married Christians? Is it possible that chosen families are just as valid, if not better than, biological families? Sexual minorities remain the last minority for which it is still acceptable and encouraged to deny equal rights, marginalize and despise on all levels. We need to discover the underlying connections between the fights to end heterosexism, racism, sexism, and classism. We all have vested interest in each other's causes. Equality cannot be achieved unless it is achieved on all fronts. Every sound-minded person should be enraged by the conglomeration of fascist groups marching this Saturday. "Gaybash '93" is not just about me, a queer Penn junior. It is not just about African-Americans who were lynched by the KKK. It is not just about Jewish, gay, and lesbian people who died in the Holocaust. It is about every queer, straight, in-between, African-American, Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Atheist, Asian, European, Caucasian, Latino, male, female person in the whole wide world, no matter your color beliefs, or background. I invite anyone who believes in ending intolerance and hatred to join me this Saturday in New Hope. My call to arms goes out to all students, graduate or undergraduate, from any school, all faculty, staff, administration, and everyone who reads this. Buses will be leaving from 30th Street Station in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Call the LGBA office to reserve a seat and for more information at 898-5270. I would like to see the haters out-numbered five to one. This type of bigotry cannot go unchecked. It must be confronted! Saying you care and acting on those feelings are two separate things. It's time we all stood up for what we believe in. And maybe, upon returning from this trip, aftr seeing such a clear and dried example of discrimination and intolerance, it can enable us to see the more subtle issues at stake on campus. Penn may not have skinheads parading up and down Locust Walk, but we do have problems of just as serious magnitude: bomb threats, a lack of diversity on the Walk, harassment, a disciminatory ROTC, and a community in need of strengthening. The solution does not lie in only looking at certain kinds of racism while ignoring discrimination and sexism. It is not as simple as black and white. It affects us all, majority or minority. It is all too easy to divert attention away from our real problems and cry out that one's First Amendment rights have been violated. Nothing will be achieved if we rely only on committees, commissions, and task forces. We must act. Stop pointing the finger, the responsibility lies within us, within me, within you. I'll see you in New Hope. Stephen Houghton is a College junior from Rockledge, PA. He is a member of QUIP and the co-chairperson of the LGBA.
(10/07/93 9:00am)
On campus and across the country, words of hate abound. People are harassed about their sexual orientation, race or gender and often feel the system cannot help them. Such actions are wrong, Anthropology Professor Peggy Sanday said, and promote a harsh environment which hinders individuals from reaching their full potential. Sanday was one of four panelists in a round-table discussion of freedom of expression at Kings Court/English House Tuesday night. She stressed that "fighting words" create an environment in society that hinders the success of minorities. Social Work Professor Louis Carter, who was also a panelist, agreed, saying the only way to combat and change this environment is to draw a line defining what people can and cannot say. But panelist John Bull, assistant to the editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, said he believes that it is impossible to draw such a line. In working at the Inquirer, Bull has found that every word printed in the news will be offensive to someone, and that it is impossible to predict what words will be offensive to whom, he said. In order to preserve the First Amendment, he said, a "marketplace of ideas" must be maintained to create open-mindedness and tolerance. He added that when a muzzle is established to erase hateful words from society, the hate will be forced inward and will increase in strength. During his presentation to the approximately 10 people at the program, panelist Joseph Fritz, an attorney in Philadelphia and representative of the American Civil Liberties Union, cited the ACLU's policy for college campuses as a basis for helping universities cope with issues surrounding freedom of expression. Bull said he agrees with the ACLU document, which states there must be openness on campuses and that universities should not seek to enact codes banning or restricting freedom of expression. Fritz said it is the ACLU's philosophy that the only way to combat hatred and prejudice is through education. People of diverse backgrounds must come together with open minds and learn to respect other people's differences, even if it is impossible to agree with them, he said. Although the discussion did not produce a perfect solution to the free speech dilemma, those who attended said they gained a better understanding of both view points in the debate. Social Work graduate student Daren Wade, who moderated the panel and is a program assistant at Kings Court/English House, said the discussion was successful in bringing together both sides of the issue.
(10/05/93 9:00am)
Penn Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi presented her goals for the coming year – including continued support for a racial harassment policy – at the Women's Center's 20th anniversary celebration yesterday. DiLapi said that expanding the center's image beyond that of a victim support center to a place where women can just relax and talk is another central goal. She said that in general, the University has a strong support system for women's programs, but lacks the appropriate judicial procedures to effectively resolve problems. In particular, she believes that the University's racial harassment system has failed women. "If the noisemakers [in the water buffalo incident] had been men, I don't think there would have been any shouting out of the window," DiLapi said. Last spring, five women brought charges against then-College freshman Eden Jacobowitz for referring to them as "water buffalo." The women dropped the charges in June, saying they did not feel they would get a fair hearing. DiLapi said the women involved in the incident were thwarted by the University's judicial system, in part, because of their gender. She said she usually prefers that the Women's Center avoid using legal means to solve problems. During the anniversary celebration, DiLapi introduced three of the women involved in the incident. "I want everyone in the community to know how courageous these women are...we're very proud that they are members of our group here at Penn," DiLapi said. Shannon Parker, an intern at the Women's Center and the facilitator of White Women Against Racism, said that "we want to make sure that all voices are heard concerning the issue of the possible suspension of the racial harassment [code] and to insure that there is no point at which members of the Penn community are unprotected." College senior Nikki Taylor, one of the women who brought charges against Jacobowitz, said that she and Jacobowitz's other accusers are working with the Center to emphasize that "the issue we were fighting was not just racial, but was also sexual." The Women's Center was founded 20 years ago in response to a series of rapes on and off campus and the insensitivity of police officers involved. After a four-day student sit-in, the University agreed to various demands, including the establishment of a specific place for women to go and talk about their experiences. The Women's Center provides a number of supportive and educational programs including rape crisis counseling and free self- defense classes, DiLapi said. She estimated that last year 2,500 to 3,000 women participated in the educational programs, and 100 to 200 took part in the counseling services. The Women's Center has several umbrella groups such as Multicultural Women at Penn which focuses on problems that international students – particularly graduate students – encounter when coming to the University. DiLapi added that the Women's Center also serves men. Male students often come to the Women's Center for advice on helping a woman close to them who has been assaulted or because of their own sexual orientation issues, she said. Men have also used the center's subject files for a study on sexual harassment.
(10/01/93 9:00am)
The Commission on Strengthening the Community plans to seek a broad range of student input through open forums and an opinion survey, the Commission's first progress report said yesterday. The report, which summarizes the results of the Commission's last meeting in September, said the Commission plans to conduct a large survey of University community members "on matters of free speech, race relations, sexual harassment and other topics." Commission Director Rebecca Bushnell, who is assisting Commission Chairperson Gloria Chisum with planning, said the survey will be conducted by a faculty member sometime over the next three months. In addition, the progress report said the Commission will organize several open forums and student focus groups "intended to bring together people from all sectors of the University." Bushnell said the Commission will spend the month of October meeting with various campus groups, including representatives from the Undergraduate Assembly, the Faculty Senate and the A-1 and A-3 organizations. She said the Commission has moved from its planning stage to its input collection stage. "We've spent some time getting organized properly and now the real work begins," she said. "Over the next month, we'll be gathering information and ideas from University constituencies and groups – as well as doing a lot of research." Bushnell said one of the topics they will be researching is the origins of the University's racial and sexual harassment codes. "We're looking to understand the events which led to the harassment codes," she said. "We want to answer the question of how these things came into being." Chisum said last night that the Commission's strategy is to gather as much information as possible from students, staff and faculty before looking at how to solve campus dilemmas. "As a scientist, it is important to have as much information as possible before you begin to look at certain solutions for a problem," Chisum said. "That's why we're going about it in this way." She said she hopes students, faculty and staff are willing to give constructive criticism in a "positive way." "I hope to hear forward-looking information from the different groups on campus," Chisum said. "I would hope that people will feel more and more compelled to talk with us."
(09/28/93 9:00am)
At Antioch College in Ohio, students are expected to give and receive verbal consent for every step and type of sexual contact Across the nation, campus sexual health educators have long been working to create an atmosphere where sexual partners communicate more openly. While many campuses have policies that punish criminal acts such as rape or sexual harassment, most bedroom behavior cannot be covered by university policy. That is, until recently at Antioch College, where administrators and students have combined to produce the Antioch College Sexual Offense Policy. The policy, which has been hailed as both a novel and noble attempt to monitor student's sexuality, has also met with controversy. At issue is a "Consent Clause" which not only calls for verbal consent for sex, but for every step and type of sexual contact leading up to intercourse. The Antioch policy reads, "Verbal consent should be obtained with each new level of physical and/or sexual contact/conduct in any given interaction regardless of who initiates it." Antioch produced the controversial policy after a series of date rapes shook the campus in 1991. The rash of sexual violence left many students angry and frightened and, in response to student protest, the administration worked feverishly to produce a policy that would assuage student fears. However, the administration's efforts resulted in a policy that many students found inadequate, further raising the ire of students. Tension continued to mount on the small campus in Yellow Springs, Ohio, until June 1992, when administrators agreed to meet with students and work together to formulate the college's unique sexual offense policy. The goal of the administrators and students was not to produce a restrictive document, but rather one which safeguarded and respected the rights of the entire community, Antioch officials said. Antioch's policy aims for students to communicate their feelings and start a healthy dialogue with their partners, said Karen Hall, the director of the sexual offense prevention and survivors advocacy program at Antioch. "The policy educates," Hall said. "It creates a framework for relationships. There needs to be respect with on-going communication throughout relationships." No formal charges have been filed since the revised policy went into effect in June 1992, but Hall said Dean of Students Marian Jensen has had frank discussions with several students. Elena DiLapi, director of the Penn Women's Center, said the Antioch policy "creates awareness." "I think that the policy is a reflection of how bad things have gotten if there is a need to legislate how people relate to one another," said DiLapi, who counsels students who are sexually assaulted. "It's a sad statement on where we are in terms of relationships." While the policy seems to be popular at Antioch College – a small liberal arts college with 700 students – it is difficult to predict how similar legislation would be received at larger institutions. Some University students said the Antioch policy would be an unenforceable bureaucratic measure that would have little impact on campus relationships. Furthermore, many students believe the Antioch sexual offense policy is too unrealistic to work at the University. "Relationships don't work that way," Wharton freshman Lindsey Ollman said. "If you had to ask someone, 'Can I kiss you?' it ruins the moment." Ollman added that the problem with all sexual offense policies is they are difficult to understand and grasp. "It all gets so technical," she said. "No one is ever clear on what the policy is saying. The policy should be to simply respect other people, but I know it is a difficult thing to define." "[This type of policy] takes the element of caring and compassion and love out of the matter entirely," College sophomore Alex Wipert said. "It makes it a mechanical act." Wipert added, however, that the issue of sexual violence does not get enough attention on campus. "I think [sexual harassment and offenses] are a problem on Penn's campus," she said. "Women in general don't feel completely comfortable. Something has to be done." Ollman added that many people at the University "don't really care." She said that the University has to have these policies because everyone "would be screaming" if such a policy did not exist on campus. An informal survey of several dozen University students supports Ollman's claim that students on campus are unaware or apathetic towards the issue. More than 50 of the students surveyed were unfamiliar with the University's present sexual harassment or sexual violence policy. According to Policies and Procedures 1992-1994: "Acquaintance rape/sexual violence is defined as any act in which a member of the university community forces another with whom he or she is acquainted to engage in sexual activity against her or his will or without her or his consent." "Assent shall not constitute consent if it is given by a person who because of youth, mental disability or intoxication is unable to make a reasonable judgement concerning the nature of or harmfulness of the activity," Policies states. The punishments for violating the University's policies on sexual violence include suspension or expulsion from the University. "That is of great concern that there is a lack of awareness," DiLapi said. "But I do hope that those who have been affected by rape or sexual violence know there are resources available at Penn." Hall said the issue has not received enough consistent attention nationwide and admitted that many Antioch students might not be able to discuss their policy in detail. But she noted that all 700 students at the school know the highlights of the policy. "Right now we're in a media blitz," she said. "We are a very small school and have a good idea of what's going on here. But other larger schools may have only one person dealing with the issue for many more students. We also have the full support of the administration, and I am not sure that would be true at other colleges." Although the issues of sexual harassment and sexual violence have not been permanent fixtures in the media, the issue has received considerable attention in the past. Cases such as the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination hearings, the Senator Robert Packwood (R-Ore.) investigations, and boxer Mike Tyson's trial have all focused attention on the issue of rape and sexual harassment. Thomas was approved by the Senate last year for a seat on the Supreme Court, despite sexual harassment allegations made by Anita Hill. Packwood is still serving in the Senate, but is currently under investigation for sexual harassment charges filed by several aides and congressional staffers. Tyson is serving a prison sentence after he was found guilty of raping Desiree Washington at the Miss Black American Pageant in Indianapolis. His attorney is still attempting to get the former world heavyweight champion released from prison. But Hall said Sunday that the attention these cases bring to the issue has both positive and negative affects. "These examples are a double-edged sword," she said. "They draw attention to the issue, but women see other women not being supported but instead being attacked for [going public with charges.] It brings attention to the issue, but just may keep other women from coming forward." Hall also claims that the verbal consent policy is nothing new. She added that while other colleges have been teaching verbal consent for years, Antioch was the first to put it in writing. Still, Hall insists that a more concerted effort must be made to inform students of the potential dangers they face at college. She said that she hopes her program at Antioch will reduce the number of incidents at the school. "Students must attend a required seminar during new student orientation," she said. "They can learn policy, how to access resources and learn about prevention. Every school needs a program to deal with survivors' needs and make students aware." The University offers many programs that discuss issues of sexuality and sexual violence. Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape holds regular programs in dormitories and for fraternities, but none of these programs is mandatory. The freshmen class, however, did attend a sociodrama during orientation which dealt with many campus issues including acquaintance rape. College sophomore Wipert said that the addition of more sexual awareness programs at the University would be a "very good idea." "It would help each student to know what's out there to protect them and their rights as a human being," she said.
(09/24/93 9:00am)
Time is running out on Acacia. The fraternity returned from recent probation with only two brothers, both of whom are seniors. If Acacia cannot recruit new members before the end of this school year then the fraternity will most likely lose its recognition status from the University, Matt Bixler, vice president of Acacia's local alumni group, said last night. For the second time this week, Acacia held an introductory meeting for upperclassmen interested in forming a new Acacia. No students attended the meeting last night, as was the case on Monday. "We haven't exactly decided what we're doing next," said Bixler. Andy Haut, secretary of the alumni group, admitted that a main factor which causes students to be wary of Acacia is the negative image associated with the fraternity since Acacia was placed on probation after a sexual harassment incident in 1991. "The chief liability is the name recognition is not good," he said. According to Bixler, alumni at the local and national levels will meet and decide whether the chapter will keep trying to find new members or give up its recognition status in the hopes of returning to the University in a couple of years. Bixler said the chapter would prefer to remain on campus rather than lose its recognition and wait to get it back. "We probably wouldn't be back for five years," he said. Bixler mentioned the case of Delta Tau Delta, a fraternity that resurfaced in the spring of 1992 after having been absent from the University since 1972. "The Delts had a fair amount of backing, he said. "Local alumni stuck together." But DTD still had to wait for about two years to be recognized by the University again after it reapplied for recognition status, Bixler said. Haut said he wonders if anyone is interested in starting their own fraternity from scratch. Pi Kappa Phi will attempt to organize an interest group to start a chapter at the University after the fall Interfraternity Council rush. Haut said if enough people join this new fraternity then it would definitely show that Acacia's image – and not lack of desire to form a new fraternity – is what is preventing students from joining Acacia. Regardless of what Acacia decides to do about its future at the University, the rest of the Greek system will be behind them, said Tricia Phaup, director of the office of fraternity and sorority affairs. "Whatever decision they make, we'll support them," Phaup said yesterday.
(09/21/93 9:00am)
Acacia is trying to move on. The fraternity, which is trying to restart its program after essentially closing its doors last year, held an introductory meeting last night for upperclassmen interested in creating a new Acacia. But no one showed up. The fraternity is apparently still suffering from an image problem stemming from a 1991 sexual harassment charge filed against four former brothers. The fraternity received probation for the incident, in which a nude photo of an Acacia brother's girlfriend was photocopied and distributed. National and local alumni said last night they believe the fraternity's negative reputation is unjustified. John Zentgarf, vice president of Acacia's national fraternity board, said Acacia is not the same fraternity it was in 1991. "The concept is that the new people will be the fraternity," said Zentgarf. Neil Fuenmayor, president of the local Acacia alumni group, said a new group of brothers will be able to "set the future". "They'll get the chance to mold it into something they'll be proud of," Fuenmayor said. Matt Bixler, vice president of the local alumni group, said a fresh start for the fraternity is definitely needed. "As an undergraduate, I saw that no one at the house wanted to put in the time to do positive things," said Bixler. Acacia's Walnut Street house is currently being used by members of the BiCultural Inter-Greek Council. If enough new people show interest and join the reformed fraternity, Fuenmayor said, "there's a really good chance we would get that house back" from the University. According to Zentgarf, reforming Acacia has worked at other universities and he believes it will work here as well. He said local alumni will be valuable resources for the new members who will start up the new Acacia. "There are a lot of alumni that this group will have the benefit of drawing upon for financial resources, networking and guidance," Zentgarf said. "So many people would benefit from this organization," he added. Another meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 8 p.m. in room 301 of Houston Hall.
(09/17/93 9:00am)
Says would be 'premature' Steven Blum, the University's new Judicial Inquiry Officer, indicated Tuesday night that he will not sign an Undergraduate Assembly resolution asking him to pledge to uphold First Amendment rights. "To sign anything or to commit to anything like [the resolution] is terribly premature for me," said Blum, who had not seen or heard of the resolution prior to the interview. "But I'm excited because it sounds like [the University is] a community full of people who are excited about issues and full ideas, and I want to join you all in that." The resolution, sponsored by UA member Dan Schorr's First Amendment Task Force, was passed by the UA Monday and sent to Blum, who is currently the undergraduate judicial affairs officer at Dartmouth College. Blum said he wants to meet with all University groups concerned about the judicial process. "I look forward to meeting [student groups] and sharing their concerns and some of mine," he said. "I am truly very excited and quite anxious about getting to Penn. My first month will be one of my getting to know Penn and of my getting Penn to know me." Schorr has said he wants Blum to sign the resolution prior to his arrival on campus October 13. Some UA members have threatened to take action against Blum, possibly including picketing his office, if he does not sign the pledge. Blum said he could not comment further on the pledge without seeing it. At the University, Blum said he hopes he will be able to ease campus tensions. "The JIO position seems like a very challenging one in which I sincerely hope and believe my experience can bring about some positive results by making disciplinary procedures at Penn less confrontational and less adversarial," he said. Blum received a specialization in negotiation and dispute resolution from Harvard University Law School in 1989 and has been moonlighting as a divorce, family and small business mediator in Hanover, N.H. He would like to do similar mediation here in Philadelphia and teach two courses at the University on negotiation and conflict resolution. The new JIO gave little indication as to what kind of judicial officer he will be once he arrives at the University. He refused to say how he would have handled recent controversial University cases, including the "water buffalo" case and the "DP" case. Blum said he had "heard some vague stories" about those events which received widespread national media attention last spring. He would not answer a question about what role he thinks the First Amendment should take in University judicial systems. Blum's position on speech codes also remains a mystery. "I'm not going to answer to [speech code questions] just yet," he said. "I will say Dartmouth doesn't have [a speech code], but each community needs to have community-specific rules." "Some [speech codes] may be good ones and some may call for more examination," he said. "I am aware of court decisions addressing speech codes at public Universities and have read those decisions, but I need to look into what laws govern private Universities." Blum also said he was "not prepared to answer" questions about what balance should be struck between privacy and the community's right to know in University judicial proceedings. Blum was clearer in his thoughts about why universities need their own judicial systems. "The university has a set of rules which as a community of learners and teachers it feels are necessary for the university to do its job," he said. "The purpose of the university judicial system is to deal with a violation of these rules. It is like a family with its own internal rules, quite separate from municipal, state, or federal rules." Soon after Blum started working at Dartmouth in 1990, the school's judicial system received national scrutiny after a student was suspended for alleged sexual harassment even though there was never any attempt to charge him criminally with the offense. Blum said he had no role in the case, but did learn from observing events at Dartmouth. "That case had begun before I got here," he said. "But [it] gave me an opportunity to see that when the national media decides to examine a disciplinary case on a college campus, it is very easy for them to stray very far from the actual events and from the actual motivations of people involved." The hardest cases for Blum at Dartmouth involve inter-group conflicts because "frequently the appropriate sanction for the behavior involved will not satisfactorily meet the larger goals of the groups involved." Blum graduated from Wesleyan University in 1981 and received his law degree from Northeastern University in 1984. He has a degree in education from Harvard University as well as the specialization in negotiation and dispute resolution from Harvard. Blum worked in various non-academic legal positions before coming to Dartmouth in 1990.
(09/16/93 9:00am)
Mitchell will take Princeton job Affirmative Action Director Joann Mitchell announced her resignation Tuesday, after accepting a two-part job at Princeton University as associate provost and affirmative action officer. Mitchell, who has been working as affirmative action director for the past seven years, said her decision to leave the University was a difficult one. "It was a very hard decision to make," she said. "There are so many people I know and like here, but I decided it was really time to move on." Mitchell said her new job at Princeton represents a significant promotion from her present position. "Being associate provost [at Princeton] gives me the opportunity to really broaden my portfolio," she said. "I'll have more general duties and more responsibilities." Her last day at the University will be September 30, she said. Howard Arnold, an associate social work professor, will head the Affirmative Action Council – a group made up of faculty and students – which will advise the President's Office in finding a new director. Mitchell said she expects the administration to announce an interim director in the next few days. Interim Pro-vost Marvin Lazerson called Mitchell's new job a well deserved promotion. "Becoming associate provost is just a marvelous opportunity for Joann," he said. "She's so talented and so outstanding. I worked with her on affirmative action issues and she was a model of professionalism and compassion." He added that her talents – which helped to improve the University's AIDS and sexual harassment policies – would be missed. Assistant Provost and Assistant to the President Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, who had worked very closely with Mitchell over the past several years, said she, too, will miss Mitchell. "I'm so close to her that it's hard to imagine her gone," McCoullum said. "I think Joann's wonderful new position will leave an enormous void in the Penn family." McCoullum added that although Mitchell's leaving puts an added workload on her desk, she hopes Mitchell finds success in her new position. "She's a woman of great integrity and strength," McCoullum said. "She's one of my best friends and I will miss her every hour, but I wish her well." Mitchell said she looks forward to her new job, but regrets having to leave the people she has worked with over the years. "I've met some phenomenal people here at Penn," she said. "That's probably contributed to my staying longer than I originally intended. I thought I'd only stay three to five years, not seven." Mitchell said, however, that "with a little bit of luck" she may one day return to the University in different capacity. Until then, she said, the campus will benefit from the "new blood" that a different affirmative action director will bring.
(05/14/93 9:00am)
Four Acacia fraternity members will try to keep the fraternity alive next year as its only brothers, after alumni failed to attract any new members last semester. And the fraternity is also giving up its Walnut Street house for at least one year, said Matt Bixler, Acacia's alumni vice president in charge of on-campus activities. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup said the house -- with a capacity for 16 to 18 people -- will be occupied by a combination of BiCultural Inter-Greek Council fraternity and sorority members. The common areas of the house will be used for Big-C activities and functions, she added. Phaup said brothers will not be living in Acacia's house next year because of financial constraints. Since the University owns the property, she said, it cannot afford to let just four people occupy the entire house. "They will be vacating the property for at least next year," she said. "What will happen after that I can't determine at this point." Acacia tried to rebuild itself this year. Bixler said in January that all current Acacia brothers would be given alumni status in favor of a completely new set of members. He then said he was "pleased" when over 30 men showed interest in joining the fraternity by attending an introductory meeting. But none of the 30 men decided to join the fraternity. "We do have four people who are continuing to be members of the house next year," Bixler said. "Everybody else has lost interest." The four people are current brothers of Acacia who will now not be placed on alumni status. The brothers -- John Avedian, Andrew Hooper, Jeff Ott and Brian Pellham -- will all be seniors next year. "Basically most of us had the same feelings -- we've put so much into it, and . . . we really didn't want to give up on it," said Avedian, an Engineering junior. "We're still here and in theory the fraternity should outlast us by many many years, [so] for us to outlast the fraternity wouldn't make any sense." Avedian said the four brothers have all signed off-campus leases for next semester, but they will not all be living together. Acacia is currently "not on probation" but "being monitored," according to Bixler. The fraternity was on probation as a result of a nude photo incident in 1991. Judy Schlossberg, a December 1992 College graduate, filed sexual harassment charges against members of Acacia after they photocopied and distributed a nude photo of her which belonged to her boyfriend, then an Acacia brother. In November 1991, the Judicial Inquiry Office and OFSA ruled that Acacia was collectively responsible for the incident. Bixler has said many times that he wants to shed the fraternity's negative image as a result of that incident. Avedian said his "ideal goal" would be for Acacia to rebound and win the coveted Mediera Cup, an award symbolizing the overall best fraternity of the year. Acacia held the Cup during the 1990-1991 school year. But Phaup said the fraternity "couldn't go much longer than next year" without new members, because all four brothers will be graduating.
(04/15/93 9:00am)
It was a toned-down version of the Oscars. In a room filled with red and blue balloons, food and soft drinks, the Greek system held its annual Greek Awards Reception last night. Almost 175 fraternity brothers, sorority sisters and alumni showed up to recognize their chapters' accomplishments at the Penn Tower Hotel. The three-hour event was sponsored by the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, the Greek Alumni Council and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Order of Omega President Lisa Nass was the Mistress of Ceremonies. The big Interfraternity Council winner was the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, which won the coveted Crawford C. Madeira Cup for Fraternity Excellence, as well as four other awards and two runner-ups. In the Bicultural Inter-Greek Council, Sigma Lambda Upsilon Senoritas Latinas Unidas won the first ever BIG-C Award for Excellence, in addition to three other awards and one runner-up. And in the Panhellenic Council, Alpha Phi won the prestigious Helen S. Berkowitz Award for Sorority Excellence, as well as six other awards. In addition, Kappa Alpha Psi won the Most Improved Fraternity award, while Kappa Alpha Theta won the Most Improved Sorority award. The awards were presented by former BIG-C President Mia Piggee, former IFC President Jeffrey Blount, and former Panhel President Debbie Frank. Over 65 awards were presented in 23 different categories, ranging from alumni and alumnae relations and charitable activities to risk management and non-alcoholic social events. The evening began with brief performances from Off The Beat and The Inspiration, and speeches by GAC Chairperson Chris Albani, Kappa Alpha Psi President Allison Rouse and D. Jason DeSousa, associate executive director for the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. Greeted with boos and hisses for his role in proposing the new Alcohol Management Policy, Albani spoke about the need for change in the Greek system. He called for audience members to "become the leaders on this campus once again," and to prepare themselves "for the real world as future leaders." Rouse spoke about the vital roles which predominantly black fraternities and sororities play in the University community, and then introduced the keynote speaker DeSousa. Rouse described DeSousa as "an African-American man who has not only made a place for himself but a place for African American sororities as well as fraternities." DeSousa called for fraternities to be more protective of women and their rights, and to put an end to the increasing trends of rape, attempted rape and sexual coercion on college campuses. "The reality is that women do not owe sex as payment for a wonderful date," he said. "If it is against her will, it is against the law." DeSousa also called for fraternities and sororities to take stands on racial harassment and hazing issues. In other awards, Director of Student Life Programs Terri White won the award for outstanding administrator, Phi Sigma Kappa President Hayden Horowitz won outstanding sophomore as the only sophomore chapter president and Erik Paulino and Elizabeth Cedillo won outstanding senior awards. OFSA Director Tricia Phaup, former Assistant OFSA Director Eric Newman and OFSA Programming Coordinator Bernice Dowdy were also recognized as outstanding advisors for Panhel, the IFC and the BIG-C, respectively.
(04/14/93 9:00am)
The protest graffiti on Locust Walk yesterday might have been the subject of lunchtime conversation for weeks to come. That is, of course, if anyone had seen it. QUIP -- Queers Invading Penn -- covered the Walk with chalk slogans yesterday morning protesting homophobia at the University. But few people actually saw the grafitti because University Physical Plant workers had washed the Walk clean by 9:15 a.m. QUIP members, who began "decorating" the Walk around 7:30 a.m., were approached about an hour later by workers who asked "when [they] planned to clean [it] up." One QUIP member, who identified himself as "Boy Prince Albert," said that the chalk would be washed away by the first rain. But Physical Plant workers would not wait. "I'm really mad that our [slogans] won't be read," the QUIP member said. "We just wanted to have visibility." Ken Neborak, the plant supervisor of hard surfaces, said the workers were just doing their job. "Our job is to clean the campus," Neborak said. "It's our campus too. It bothers us when any group does something to deface it." Neborak said that no administrator ordered the work to be done, adding that he became aware of the graffiti after another worker saw QUIP members at work around 7:40 a.m. The QUIP slogans -- some of which said "Queers Bash Back" and "The Few, the Proud, the Queer" -- covered the Walk from the Palladium to the end of Van Pelt Library. Another QUIP member, who called himself "an early morning, fashionably-dressed terrorist," said he came up with the idea as a means of getting the University's attention. "It's about time we take back our Walk," he said. "We can't wait for this racist, sexist, homophobic institution to acknowledge us. Diversify the Walk means more than just office space." QUIP member "Boy Prince Albert" said that some Plant workers thought the slogans were "interesting," while others, he said, harassed him and called him a "faggot." Neborak said he did not witness or participate in any such harassment of the students. "I don't care what their sexual orientation is," he said. "I don't care what group they are. In our eyes [the graffiti] was profane, whether or not it [contained] any profanities." Neborak added he did not think any charges would be brought against QUIP members, but said the University would seek reimbursement for the additional working hours required to clean the Walk. QUIP member "Boy Prince Albert" said that while he was disappointed about the efficiency of the Plant workers, QUIP has future plans. "We will be at Spring Fling," he said. "That's a threat and a promise."
(04/05/93 9:00am)
Women all over campus just might take over the empty Theta Xi fraternity house and hold the building hostage until the administration meets their demands. At least, Robin Morgan suggested the idea during her speech Friday night in Meyerson Hall. Morgan, editor of MS magazine, spoke in honor of the 20th anniversary of the University's anti-rape sit-in, which many say she inspired two decades ago with a similar speech. As Morgan walked to the stage Friday night, about 300 women and a few men in attendance, gave her a standing ovation. After several minutes of loud applause, Morgan began her speech by praising the accomplishments of women at the University, but added that the fight for women's rights is not over. "We have made amazing progress," she said. "Words like 'battered woman' and 'acquaintance rape' did not exist 20 years ago. The boys in power actually have lip-service for them now. "[But] we need to help the patriarchs on this campus put substance behind their rhetoric," she added. Morgan discussed many inequities for women on campus including the limited number of women faculty and administrators, underfunded women's groups and what she called the University's vague sexual harassment policy. "The good news is that Penn does have a sexual harassment policy," she said. "The bad news is lawyers can't even figure it out." Morgan added that the policy's vague nature allows the University to defend itself against disgruntled employees by saying the policy exists, while at the same time preventing the University from implementing meaningful policies to combat sexual harassment. Morgan went on to discuss problems with the Women's Center. "The Women's Center lacks funding and staff," she said. "After 20 years, it's time University officals stop bragging about organizations when they're not properly funded." Morgan added that she has also heard of "certain problems with frats" on Locust Walk in which fraternity brothers "with the intelligence level of gnats" have been known to yell loudly from their porches at passing women. "At the very minimum this is an insult," she said. "But after the sucking sounds stop, there is really the threat. It is a type of terrorism that takes an enormous toll on us. The woman doesn't know how much that [fraternity] brother has been drinking or what he's going to do next." Morgan added that behavior like this from fraternity brothers also sends a message of "entitlement" to all men on campus. She suggested to audience members that to solve this problem and to give more room to the Women's Center at the same time, they might consider taking over the vacant Theta Xi house. "Do keep in mind that's it's a building, sisters," she said. "It's an empty building and you don't have to march over anyone to get in it." Morgan added that with many of the adminstration's positions, some of these problems could be changed -- if the candidate of the correct gender were picked for the job. "There are a number of posts open at the University," she said. "It's time to help the boys out." After Morgan's speech, many students said they felt "inspired" and willing to take action. "My feeling was that [Morgan] gave a lot of hope and shared a lot of her passion with [us]," said Mary Delaney, a graduate student in the School of Social Work. "I hope it will affect the school I'm involved in, where [the students] are predominately women, but most of the teachers and the dean are male." "We're extremely inspired," College junior Kiera Horgahn said. "We've been standing here trying to figure out what to do [about it]." But College senior Alec Schwartz, one of the few men in the audience, seemed to best sum up the evening. "Events like this make you want to be a woman," he said.
(04/02/93 10:00am)
A male Engineering freshman received a stiff penalty from the judicial inquiry office in February for several violations of the University's Code of Conduct, Acting JIO Catherine Schifter said in a statement yesterday. The student -- who is the only student to be accused of vandalism this year -- was found guilty of putting graffiti in a Quadrangle hallway, underage drinking, throwing firecrackers and burning objects from his Quad window and smashing bottles in the Quad. His JIO sentence included a relocation from his Quad room, residential probation and a fine. He was also ordered to have a meeting with Fire and Occupational Safety Director Jim Miller and drug and psychiatric evaluations. The JIO also settled two harassment cases. In one, a male College freshman was sentenced to undergo an alcohol evaluation and write an apology to a residential advisor he harassed while his companion was being written up for underage alcohol possession in the Quad. Among the seven other cases settled by the JIO in February were another fire safety violation, one excessive noise violation, one security violation and two charges of harrassment. Twenty-one cases were reported to the JIO in February, including the only charge of drug violation to date this year, one charge of sexual harassment -- adding to two already reported this year -- and one reported case of plagiarism. None have yet been settled, according to Schifter. There are 41 cases still pending in Schifter's office.
(03/29/93 10:00am)
The Panhellenic Council held two informational meetings this weekend for women interested in a spring rush to join the sorority system. Though the event was advertised as a "Panhellenic Open Rush," Kappa Delta is the only house conducting a spring rush this year. Still, all nine Panhel sororities participated in the meetings and showed their support for KD. "As was reported in [The Daily Pennsylvanian], Kappa Delta did not make quota, and therefore they have the option of holding an open rush," Panhel President and Delta Delta Delta sister Allison Marinoff said. "Any house that doesn't make quota has the option." Approximately 40 women -- including Panhel chapter presidents, KD sisters and interested women -- attended each meeting. The meeting rooms were filled with KD paraphanalia ranging from hats, shirts, socks and boxers to shot glasses, playing cards, buttons and keychains. Both meetings began with a five-minute slide show depicting sorority and fraternity members enjoying the benefits of being in the Greek system. Following the slide show, there were speeches by four women who spoke about sisterhood and sorority life. Nancy Hacker, the Panhel vice president for rush and an Alpha Chi Omega sister, said that Panhel is the largest women's organization on campus with over 1,300 members. She added that all of its nine chapters share similar principles and structures, but that "1,300 women do have a very powerful voice when used together." Chi Omega President Kerry Walsh spoke about the lifetime benefits of sisterhood, saying that a Panhel sisterhood is "more than a best friend." She also called for the women of Panhel to take leadership roles in dealing with such issues as eating disorders, sexual harassment, date rape and alcohol and drug abuse. KD President Jessica Gross spoke about membership in her sorority, and offered the intrerested women an opportunity to join it. "I offer to you a chance to help build a sisterhood, your own group within the larger University community," Gross said in her speech. "I offer to you three formals a year, two major philanthropies to rally behind, your own house close to campus, educational programs . . . a group of sisters dedicated to you and women everywhere, social activites such as mixers and parties, and a voice in the direction of all this. I offer to you Kappa Delta." Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup also spoke at Friday night's meeting, and second-year Law student Margaret Scott spoke at Saturday afternoon's meeting. Scott was a third generation Kappa Delta sister at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "The empowerment of women through a sorority and the opportunity that a sorority provides for women on campus . . . shows so much of what a sorority has to offer," Phaup said Friday night. Marinoff said yesterday that the members of Panhel have been uniting in support of KD. "I personally respect Kappa Delta, I respect its president, and I think that its reputation on this campus is unfair and unwarranted," the College junior said. "[Panhel's] number one goal [has been] full support of Kappa Delta." Gross added that she was "overwhelmed by the tremendous support" from Panhel, and that she is looking forward to initiating new members to her sorority. "I believe that each woman adds her own unique personality and ideas to the organization," she said last night. "In that repsect, every time a new woman chooses to join Kappa Delta she brings with her a fresh new prospective." Phaup said Friday night that a spring rush is has a "completely different" procedure than a formal rush, but that since each sorority can use a different approach, it is unclear how KD will continue its rush process. Staff writer Cara Tanamachi contributed to this article.
(03/22/93 10:00am)
Over 700 fraternity and sorority pledges participated in workshops led by STAAR last month, marking the first time that the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council have combined to provide such workshops on a large scale. One sorority and two fraternity pledge classes were combined to form groups of 80 to 90 people for each workshop, said Paul Kostyack, an executive board member of Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape. Kostyack, a College senior, described the programs as "introductory first-tier workshops dealing with sexual assault and acquaintance rape, also with discussions on sexual harassment." According to Kostyack and STAAR Executive Board Member Shoshana Schwartz, each of the workshops began with an "icebreaking" exercise where men and women wrote anonymous questions on notecards to each other. Most of the questions were about sexual issues and dating, even though no topic was specified. The questions then led to discussion among the group. "You can discuss things about human sexuality even in a big group," said Kostyack. "They were questions that people wanted to ask, wanted to answer and wanted to talk about . . . We developed the discussions along the lines of those questions." Kostyack also said that the most common questions asked were about sexual assault on campus, sex and the use of alcohol, and the "different expectations between men and women about hooking up at fraternity parties." "There are a lot of things that men and women are unable to communicate with each other about," said Schwartz, a College senior. "No one will ever talk about it but they will write about it." Schwartz added that the questions asked often lead to very serious discussions, ranging in topic from the myths of masturbation to what it feels like for a woman to be raped. Reaction to the workshops was very positive. "I've only heard positive feedback about [the workshops]," said Panhellenic Council President Allison Marinoff, a College junior and Delta Delta Delta sister. "It's a real indication of Panhel and IFC working together to do something positive." "Feedback on our evalutation sheets was very positive," Schwartz said. "I really think that people enjoy asking questions that they've never really been able to ask before." Kostyack said he hopes the entire Greek system will agree to participate in STAAR workshops again next year.
