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(03/21/94 10:00am)
Santirocco to depart in June After only a year and a half as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Matthew Santirocco will leave the University after this semester to become dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at New York University. There, he will receive a full deanship and play an intricate role in coordinating the research and study of classical studies, his area of interest. "The combination of being an architect for rethinking undergraduate education and coordinating classical studies is a special opportunity," Santirocco said. "I'm being given a free hand to create something special in classics as well as the college." Santirocco said last night that he was not leaving his position of College Dean and Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences because of any differences or problems with the University. "I'm very concerned that people realize that I still feel positively about Penn," he said. "I love Penn." In fact, Santirocco said he had not been looking for other jobs, citing his satisfaction at the University. He said, though, that he and NYU had been talking "casually" for some time before he was offered the position over spring break. After debating his options, Santirocco said he accepted the position Thursday. NYU administrators and faculty expressed widespread excitement over Santirocco's acceptance of the offer at their university. "We are lucky to have been able to bring the leadership of the College a scholar of this prominence," said C. Duncan Rice, vice chancellor and dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at NYU, in a statement. Anticipation over Santirocco's arrival was also expressed last week by members of the Classical Studies Department, where he will be a professor. "Dr. Santirocco is a very distinguished scholar in classical studies and he has considerable interest and experience in developing programs in ancient studies," Classical Studies Department Chairperson Melvin Dilts said in a statement. "He will be a tremendous asset to the College's new core program, which focuses in part on integrating the classical with the modern, and highlighting the ongoing dialogue we maintain with ancient literatures, art and culture," he added. While NYU administrators are overjoyed with Santirocco's selection, University administrators, faculty and students are upset over their loss. "Matthew Santirocco has made a terrific mark on the College in the past year and a half," School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said last week. "He'll be sorely missed by all of us." Matthew Kratter, chairperson of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, also expressed sorrow over Santirocco's decision to leave. "NYU really got a great person to be leading their School of Arts and Sciences," said Kratter, an Engineering junior. "He's always been close with students here and he is the best candidate for dean at NYU and anywhere else." Melvyn Hammarberg, Undergraduate Chairperson of the American Civilization Department, voiced similar sentiments. "I congratulate him," Hammarberg said. "He's had many good ideas and he has tried to work hard for them." Santirocco initiated a number of educational and institutional reforms focused on giving the College "an identity it did not have" during his year and a half as dean. He was the main force behind the College office's move to Houston Hall this summer, the revamping of the freshmen advising system and a rethinking of the General Requirement, which is currently underway. "I am absolutely devastated [by Santirocco's leaving] because he is absolutely wonderful and because he brought a new spirit to undergraduate education," Interim President Claire Fagin said last night. "It is going to be a daunting challenge to find somebody who has similar values, is as strong a person and can carry forth the things that Matthew has put in place." Stevens said last week that she intends to form advisory groups of faculty and students to consult with her in her search to find the next College dean. Santirocco said he will miss everybody at the University. "I feel extraordinarily close to [Rosemary Stevens], the faculty, the staff of the College office and, most importantly, the students," Santirocco said. "Penn has become not only a group of colleagues, but family to me."
(03/21/94 10:00am)
Columbia, Emory, Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania. These are the colleges atop high school senior Tara Bedeau's list of perspective schools. She has applied to all of them and only awaits responses. What elements of each will help her make an educated decision on where she will spend the next four years? The Minority Scholars Invitational Weekend, which took place last weekend, attempted to give prospective students, like Bedeau, a feeling of what the University is all about. The weekend involved many activities ranging from a student panel discussion, allowing the group to hear about the University experience first-hand from students, to attending fraternity parties. Each prospective student is matched up with a host or hostess, who among other things, is intended to give the student a feeling for actual University life. Bedeau said her experiences this weekend have helped in her decision to choose a college, but not greatly. She has been partial to the University since the beginning of the admissions process. But, still, she said she will not know the complete University experience until she is a student here. Bedeau had some problems applying to the University because she could not pay for the application fee, but once the fee was waived, she had an easy time deciding to apply. "I had a wonderful interview with Dean Stetson," Bedeau said. "Because of him my process has been cool." Bedeau says the main reason she is interested in the University is because of the "aura" of diversity. Citing the Daily Pennsylvanian confiscation as an example of the University "belonging to everyone," Bedeau said, "the fact that people could do that" and not be reprimanded is truly indicative of a multi-cultural institution. On the discussion of diversity, Bedeau said she was not interested in living in W.E.B. Dubois College House. She said she would prefer a single dorm room in the Quadrangle. Bedeau said she is considering majoring in English and would like to try her hand at theatre. As far as the weekend is concerned, both Wharton sophomore Kendrick Cox and College junior Jeanette Melendez, co-chairs of the Admissions Committee of the United Minority Council, said they found the weekend to be successful. Melendez said that activities such as the student panel discussion allowed the prospective students to see what the University is all about. "A lot of students wonder whether Penn is where they can feel at home," Melendez said. "[At the student panel discussion], Penn students said that no university is perfect, but that there are organizations that help you deal with stress or social isolation." Melendez also expressed appreciation over the fact that the weekend was sponsored by many outside groups. "Many of the events were co-sponsored by other groups," Melendez said. "There wasn't a feeling of people working in a vacuum, even if they were from different organizations and ethnicities." Cox said he was also pleased with the number of outside sponsors, including the Greenfield Intercultural Center's and Annenberg Center's partial funding of the performance of Two Trains Running, which was shown to the students Thursday night.
(03/02/94 10:00am)
Hearing date not yet set in matter Both sides in the sexual harassment case against Assistant English Professor Malcolm Woodfield disagree over when charges were served to Woodfield. Woodfield is accused of coercing a female student in his class to have sexual relations with him in the fall of 1992. He has denied the charges. According to a source close to the woman who is accusing Woodfield of sexual harassment, the College Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility initially served Woodfield with a formal notice of the charge against him on Nov. 16 of this year. "The chair of the Committee [Madeline Joullie] gave Woodfield the complaint on Nov. 16," the source, who wished to remain anonymous, said. "They gave [the formal notice] to Woodfield by sliding it under his door, which is not the smartest thing to do." The source said a formal document exists which states that Alan Lerner, Woodfield's attorney in the matter, had seen the notice on Nov. 20, 1993. Lerner said last night that Woodfield did not receive official notice of the accusations against him from the Committee until Nov. 30. He also denied that he had seen the notice on Nov. 20, adding that he was not retained as counsel for Woodfield until "sometime in December." After the Committee accepted Woodfield's assertion that he did not receive the formal notice until November 30, the source said it allowed him 20 working days to respond to the accusations -- January 14 -- in accordance with University Policies and Procedures. On Jan. 11, one working day before the deadline, the source said Joullie approached Woodfield to remind him of the impending deadline. She also said that if he did not respond, the Committee would have to proceed without him, the source added. According to the source close to the woman accusing Woodfield of sexual harassment, Woodfield did not respond and told Joullie that he had not obtained an attorney. Joullie refused to comment on the matter last night. "Jan. 14 came and went, and there was no response from [Woodfield]," the source said. "Woodfield essentially forfeited his right [to be involved in University hearings]." Lerner said he personally mailed Woodfield's response to the Committee's charge on January 11. He added that he received a phone call from Woodfield toward the end of January. Lerner said Woodfield was upset over the fact that the Committee had not received a letter of response. Lerner said he contacted Joullie that week and voiced Woodfield's concern that the Committee would proceed with the matter without his response. He added that Joullie told him the Committee had the response in their possession and would be meeting to discuss the matter later that week. After the meeting, Lerner said the Committee scheduled Woodfield's hearings for Feb. 4 and told him they would be conducted as if no response from Woodfield had been received. After speaking with Joullie again, Lerner said the Committee decided to postpone the hearings and allow Woodfield to present his case due to a "misunderstanding" and in "fairness" to Woodfield. According to the source close to the woman, Lerner's depiction of the events is incorrect. The source said Joullie did not receive a letter of response from Woodfield until Jan. 26. The letter, dated January 11, had not been mailed, but rather placed in Joullie's mailbox. Since Joullie checks her mailbox every day, the source said, there was no way she could have overlooked it for 12 days. The source said the letter from Woodfield asked the Committee to postpone the hearings until September of this year. "I probably had some communication with [Joullie] and suggested the possibility of postponing the hearings until September," Lerner said last night. Since the administration had close to six months to prepare its case, Lerner said Woodfield should be given an ample amount of time to prepare for the hearings. "[The Committee] told us that [a September postponement] was out of the question," Lerner added. Lerner said he has no knowledge of a new hearing date for Woodfield. Joullie would not comment on when or if a hearing would be held.
(02/23/94 10:00am)
Topics discussed yesterday at the Commission on Strengthening the Community's open forum focused on only two aspects of the Commission's preliminary report. Most of the hour and a half forum, the first of two planned, was spent discussing the ramifications of assigned housing and delaying fraternity and sorority rush. Commission Director Rebecca Bushnell began the meeting by laying out the forum's purpose. "The purpose of these open forums is for [the Commission] to listen to the community," Bushnell said. "We are interested in your comments and reactions." After a quick question about a student-run judiciary, the following 45 minutes were consumed by heated remarks on the "randomized" housing issue. Associate Nursing Professor Rosalyn Watts first broached the subject of assigned housing. "An expected outcome is that, after one year [of assigned housing], students will have the opportunity to make an authentic decision on where they want to live," Watts said. "Right now, there is a major disparity in the cost of housing and some [incoming freshmen] have more information to make a decision," she added. "The freedom of choice is a quasi-choice." Many students in attendance expressed great interest in the matter. Juanita Irving brought up the sentiments of many students in attendance. The College senior said she would not have enrolled at the University without the W.E.B. DuBois College House. Irving said she and many others developed a pride and understanding of their African-American heritage by way of DuBois College House. "Many blacks arrive at [the University] on the verge of hating and loving themselves," Irving said. "Without DuBois, they are going to hate themselves, and there are going to be less productive blacks in the community." Wharton junior Nicole Maloy agreed, saying she feels comfortable returning every night to a house of people who share her perspective. "There are mostly white people on the track team and on Locust Walk, but then I am able to go home," Maloy said. The only Commission member to write a dissenting opinion on assigned housing, Sociology Professor Samuel Klausner, said he does not agree with the Commission's idea of in loco parentis, or the ability of the administration to know enough to structure students' lives. Commission member Louis Pollak, a United States District Court Judge, described Klausner's assertions as "dramatically unpersuasive." "The proposal allows first-year students to have a complete undergraduate experience -- most [freshmen] being ignorant to make a decision," Pollak said. "In their sophomore year, they can make their decision -- if they want to segregate, they can." College sophomore and editor of The Vision Chris Lake disagreed with both Pollak and Klausner and said he was insulted that they referred to blacks living in DuBois as self-segregating. "You have your white family to go home to," Lake said, pointing to Pollak. "I have my black family to go home to at DuBois." In order to prevent the housing discussion from taking the entire hour and a half, Bushnell stepped in to direct the conversation in another direction. With only 40 minutes left, though, College junior and Interfraternity Council President Hayden Horowitz proceeded to speak for 20 minutes against the Commission's suggestion to delay fraternity and sorority rush until sophomore year. Horowitz spoke of the stereotypes of fraternities, the mutual process of rush, the economic ramifications of delaying rush and the overall benefits of having fraternities on campus. Horowitz offered two proposals for the Commission to consider on the IFC's behalf. First, he suggested delaying and shortening rush to the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This would allow pledging to fall in the second semester, he said. He also suggested the formation of a Greek Task Force which would review the "feasibility" of the Commission's proposal.
(02/18/94 10:00am)
The College Alumni Society, along with the College of Arts and Sciences and individual donors, has established eight new undergraduate research grants, College Dean Matthew Santirocco said yesterday. The research grants, which will be awarded at the College Alumni Society Prize Ceremony at the end of the semester, will allow funding for research projects developed by undergraduates in the College. The need for research funding can range from housing to plane tickets to lab supplies, Santirocco said. Santirocco added that he encourages all College undergraduates interested in doing research, including freshmen, to apply for the grants. "Students in all disciplines are able to compete," Santirocco said. "The research can be related to nothing or to a specific course that a student is taking." Executive Assistant to the College Dean Kent Peterman said applying for the grants involves working with a mentor of the student's choosing to develop a proposal and budget that projects "reasonable" expenses. To get their projects underway, Santirocco recommends students approach faculty members for support and help. While eight individual funds have been established by donors, Peterman said the money from them will be pooled and probably allow for more than eight grants to be awarded to students. The number of grants available will ultimately depend on the amount of money that research proposals require, he added. "We expect a wide range of dollar amounts," Peterman said. "One student may only need $100 dollars to travel to [Washington,] D.C. to visit the Shakespeare Archives, while another may need much more to purchase research equipment." Santirocco said the University, as a major research institution, must try to make research opportunities available to all undergraduates. "The unique thing about [the University] are the opportunities that undergraduates have to get involved in serious research," said John Sabini, Psychology Department chairperson and chairperson of the grant selection committee. Until now, the only formally established undergraduate research grants have been endowed by the Nassau Fund and the Rose Fund. The two are administered by the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life. Santirocco described these grants as "wonderful, but limited." "The new funds offer more money and are just for the College," he said. With the establishment of the eight new grants, Santirocco said he hopes more will be created to provide added opportunities. "I hope these grants are only the tip of the iceberg," Santirocco said. "I hope there will be a grant for every department someday."
(02/17/94 10:00am)
The deans of the University's four undergraduate schools voted unanimously yesterday to require that faculty permission be granted before students can obtain copies of old exams. At yesterday's meeting of the Council of Undergraduate Deans, they enacted a plan much like one which was proposed by College of Arts and Sciences Dean Matthew Santirocco earlier this month. The College, the Wharton School, the School of Nursing and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will require their respective faculty members to inform the Tutoring Center whether they want their exams on file or not. Then, students will not have to approach their professors, individually, to obtain copies of old exams, Santirocco said. "I firmly support the faculty, but at the same time I have heard, loud and clear, the legitimate concerns of the students," Santirocco said. "For that reason, I'm going to put in place a speedy procedure that removes the burden of obtaining exams from the students." Santirocco said he believes that by requiring the faculty to deal with the Tutoring Center on a one-to-one basis, a firm relationship will be created between the two. Engineering Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education John Keenan, Nursing Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Mary Naylor and Santirocco will be mailing individual letters to their faculty members within the next week outlining the procedure. These letters, they said, will encourage the faculty to offer their exams to the Tutoring Center. If some faculty members choose not to offer their exams, the deans ask that they offer sample questions and other study aides. "In the letter, if some faculty don't want to forward their exams, I will ask them to offer some sample questions to help students prepare for exams," Naylor said. "The questions will be truly indicative of the types of questions that the professors will be using on their exams, to allow students to know what they should expect to see on their tests." Another option Santirocco said he will offer the faculty is the establishment of departmental exam files, such as those which currently exist in the Chemistry and Economics Departments. In a poll conducted by the College Office, he added, many departments said they are considering establishing their own exam files. The deans will allow the faculty two weeks to decide whether or not their exams can be kept on record at the Tutoring Center, Keenan said. If the faculty do not respond within that time frame, their exams will automatically go on file at the Tutoring Center. Along with granting faculty members the right to dictate the fate of their own exams, the new policy intends to allow all students equal access to old exams, Keenan said. "It is naive [for the faculty] to think that their exams aren't in circulation," Keenan said. "The proper thing to do is to allow all students equal access to them. If some students have access and others don't, then you have an issue of inequity." Santirocco said he believes the issue of the Old Exam File will dissipate over the next couple of weeks, leaving the University community to discuss the much larger issue of assessment. "I've heard the legitimate concerns of the faculty and students, and I'm bringing up questions of how best to help students prepare," Santirocco said. He added that he hopes questions, such as "do we teach for exams or for the sake of teaching?" will be answered over the next couple of months. Wharton Vice Dean, Janice Bellace could not be reached for comment yesterday.
(02/16/94 10:00am)
Faculty permission for students to obtain copies of old exams from the Tutoring Center will be discussed at today's meeting of the Council of Undergraduate Deans. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Matthew Santirocco initially announced the policy decision on February 1 which requires that students enrolled in College classes obtain permission from their professors to get copies of the old exams. Santirocco said he hopes to formalize different aspects of the policy at the meeting. The formation of a consistent University policy regarding old exams is at the top of Santirocco's agenda for the meeting. As of now, the required permission only applies to College courses. Courses taught in the Wharton School, the Nursing School and the School of Engineering and Applied Science have not been affected by the changes. Santirocco said he would like to see the burden of obtaining permission taken off of the students and placed on faculty members. With faculty members more responsible for the process, Santirocco said he believes a better relationship can be fostered between them and the Tutoring Center. "The faculty needs to be partners with academic support services like the Tutoring Center," Santirocco said. "A partnership can't exist if the faculty exams are being sold without permission." But Santirocco insists the main issue is not specifically the old exam file, per se. "What is really important here is that I would like to open the conversation on the campus to the larger issue of assessment," he said. "On a campus that is so grade conscious, we have to have conversation between faculty and students on what is the best assessment of a student's progress." Whatever the case, many students are still skeptical or outright opposed to the policy. "I think that since the Old Exam File has been around for 10 years, it becomes a fundamental right," said College senior Pilar Ramos, manager of the Old Exam File. "The fact is that the exams are not used for cheating, but they are used as study aids, like notes." Earlier this month, History Professor Bruce Kucklick said using old exams amounts to cheating. Many students, however, have said that they do not share Kucklick's sentiments and are worried about the difficulty they will encounter obtaining exams.
(02/11/94 10:00am)
Applaud College dean Undergraduate chairpersons in the College of Arts and Sciences said they applaud the drastic changes being made to the College Academic Advising Program. And they said this week that they applaud College of Arts and Sciences Dean Matthew Santirocco's committment to changing the system for the better. Among the many changes slated for the next school year are a sophomore advising option, a four-tier advising program and an increase in communication at many different levels of the advising process, Santirocco said earlier this week. He also plans to offer next year's freshmen the option of choosing advisors who have the same academic interests as them. Alan Filreis, undergraduate chairperson of the English Department, commended the changes, which he says will offer students a better advising system. "All the proposals are great and I applaud Matthew [Santirocco] and the College Office for taking the subject of advising very seriously," he said. While many undergraduate chairs agreed with Filreis, the issue of faculty participation, or the lack of it, in the advising program serves as a source of contention. Santirocco said the current system has enough problems functioning effectively because of the small number of faculty who agree to participate in it. He added that, presently, all freshman do not even receive a faculty member as their "faculty advisor," but are given either an assistant dean for advising or assistant dean for residence. Over the summer, Santirocco asked each department to submit at least one-third of its faculty to the advising program, but many did not even come close, he said. "I think it is reprehensible that , somewhere along the line, the faculty don't think they are responsible for advising," Filreis said. Mark Trachtenberg, undergraduate chairperson of the History Department, shares Filreis' belief. "A lot of the faculty wonder why they should go out of their way to do more work," Trachtenberg said. "There is no reason why [faculty members] can't see students -- it's a part of their jobs." Santirocco attributed the lack of faculty participation to a lack of interest and time. Many, though, disagree with his claim. Astronomy and Astrophysics undergraduate chairperson Benjamin Shen said he believes that faculty members lose interest in advising because of a lack of interest from the student population. "I know many faculty members who would want to spend the time advising if they could make sure that students would come," Shen said. But both Shen and Undergraduate Mathematics Chairperson Dennis DeTurck said a number of faculty members do not want to be bothered with advising at all. Joseph Farrel, undergraduate chairperson of the Comparative Literature Department, has similar beliefs. "I think that some of the faculty felt that their role [as an advisor] was just not clear and [they] decided to put their efforts into other areas," Farrel said. "The College has to communicate to the faculty what exactly they would be doing as advisors." Many of the chairs said they feel the changes will positively effect the appeal of advising. Interest matching, for example, will help in increasing the number of faculty advisors, according to Ingrid Waldron, undergraduate chair of the Biology Department. "Matching of interests works a lot better for both students and faculty who are interested in the sciences," Waldron said. "We are delighted to be advisors when a student's interests are in our range of expertise." Waldron added, though, that the faculty in her department do not have a lot of extra time to advise freshmen because of the increase in Biology majors over the last two years. Above all, Filreis said, he believes something must be done to promote the idea of freshman advising to the faculty. "Another memo from the College office will not be effective," he said. "The individual departments need to do something about it."
(02/10/94 10:00am)
Academic advising services for the College of Arts and Sciences will drastically change in the upcoming school year, College Dean Matthew Santirocco said this week. Changes include a sophomore advising option, an advisor/advisee interest match, the introduction of a four-tier advising system and an increase in efficient communication with incoming freshmen, Santirocco said. But, he stressed, the only way for his plans to work is if more faculty advisors participate in advising. One new aspect of the advising program is an attempt to bridge the "sophomore gap" -- the fact that no formal sophomore advising program currently exists. While many students choose a major by their second year, there are those who remain undecided and without formal advising, Santirocco said. The new program encourages students in need of advising to return to their freshman advisor. "It is my notion that students were being turned away as sophomores," said Director of Advising Services Diane Frey. "We asked faculty whether they would be willing [to advise sophomores] and most said they would." Out of the 63 faculty advisors who returned a questionnaire circulated by the advising office, 45 said they would advise sophomores on top of the 10 freshmen they receive each year. To compensate for the increase in students, though, the advising office will decrease the number of freshman advisees to nine. "We need more faculty advisors," Santirocco repeated. "We want to keep the number of students to faculty low." Meeting with an advisor as a sophomore will not be mandatory and it will not be enforced with a hold on registration, as is done for freshmen, Santirocco said. Another change, Santirocco said, will match freshmen with faculty advisors who share the same general interests. And since not all faculty agree with the matching system, only those who want to will take part in the program. "Sharing something in common will allow for improved human contact," Santirocco said. He said the means by which the College obtains a student's academic interests will also be updated. Currently, this information is only known by way of the University application. According to Santirocco, though, students interests may change between the time they apply and the time they enroll. To account for this discrepancy, he said the Advising Office will enclose an interest questionnaire along with the housing forms sent to matriculants in April. The questionnaire will ask whether students want to be matched with faculty advisors who share their interests. "Matching the students will be very complicated, but we will try our hardest," Santirocco said. Freshmen, under the new system, will also have more advisors. Presently, incoming freshman receive only two advisors -- peer and faculty -- but with a new four-tier system, each student will also receive a designated assistant dean for advising and an assistant dean for residence as secondary sources. "All four levels presently exist, but not formally," Santirocco said. "[With the four-tier system] the advisors will be coordinated better, and better trained." The list of the four assigned advisors will be sent to all incoming freshmen and their parents during the summer. Currently, because there are not enough faculty advisors, students may have assistant deans for advising or assistant deans for residence as primary advisors. But Santirocco hopes to change that. "I want every student to get a faculty advisor," Santirocco said. Efforts to accomplish this have so far been unsuccessful. Last summer, Santirocco asked College departments to offer at least a third of their faculty to the advising program. Many, however, did not even come close to filling that number, he said. "Advising is to talk to people," he said. "The purpose is to encourage students to reflect on their education." Other improvements to be made are "radical" changes to the College handbook in order to give students a better sense of their future and electronic advising to enhance one-on-one interaction.
(01/25/94 10:00am)
Wharton junior Stephanie Packer woke up in the middle of the night to the sight of a strange, 300-pound naked man last semester. Travelling alone by train one night in Russia, Packer awoke to this unseemly sight after a night in a four passenger sleeping cabin. Where in Philadelphia is this possible? For many students each year who leave the urban academic surroundings of Philadelphia for trains winding through the Russian countryside, academics are only part of the experience known by all as studying abroad. University officials are trying harder than ever to push study abroad programs in hopes that students will be more well-rounded when they graduate. For students, the opportunity equates fun, sightseeing and a chance to learn with a unique academic environment. And everyone can easily find a reason to get away from Locust Walk, whether they are studying European economics in Belgium or Ayurveda, India's traditional medicine, in its country of origin. · While studying abroad is described by most to be exciting and worthwhile, the process of studying abroad is not as easy as buying an airplane ticket, and even if students enjoy the experience, they may encounter problems. Semester study abroad programs allow University students to travel to the far reaches of the globe, but only if they are willing to go on a University-sponsored or accredited program. The new International Programs Policy, voted on last April by School of Arts and Sciences faculty, will go into effect next semester. The largest part of the policy will streamline the transferring of SAS course credit from study abroad programs to the University. At the same time, students will only be allowed to go on University study abroad programs or affiliates. As of this semester, about half of the students who study abroad travel via University-sponsored programs and the remaining half study on other programs, taking a leave of absence for a semester, and apply for transfer credit. The second option will no longer be feasible as of next semester, said International Programs Director Joyce M. Randolph. "The faculty decided to change [the study abroad process] because the departments want a greater familiarity with the programs and courses that students take," Randolph said. Next year, students will need approval from related departments to go abroad. To make the process easier, the College Office is beginning to list department-approved courses available in foreign countries on a database. Eventually, students will only have to check if the international program they are interested in is on the database. While the policy creates some problems, it does manage to prevent others that have proven difficult in the past. College junior Eve Greenspan studied in Prague last semester, but only one of her four courses was taken for credit, so as to avoid any problems. "The Sociology Department was pretty lenient [regarding the course she took for credit], but I didn't dare ask the History Department for credit, because their requirements are pretty stringent," Greenspan said. Packer, the student who inadvertently slept with a quite large and naked Russian man, also compromised her abroad experience so as to conform to University procedure. Packer travelled to Moscow last semester, but not under a program she would have chosen given the choice. She did not want to deal with the problems surrounding a non-University abroad program. "I went on ACTR, the only Penn-sponsored program," Packer said. "I would like to have had other options." Packer said the the ACTR program was too regimented, adding that there was too much "hand-holding". College senior Amy Kaufman loved going abroad so much that she went twice. She enjoyed her experiences in Madrid, and more recently in Prague. "I think everybody should go abroad," Kaufman said. College junior Geoff Gussis described his experience in Belgium as "amazing." Gussis added, "The nightlife there kills [University] nightlife." · University students do not have to cross an ocean to go abroad, though. Programs exist which enable them to study just within the Beltway. Aside from traditional study abroad programs, students can now study in Washington D.C. for a semester under a new program designed by Political Science Department Chairperson Oliver Williams. Now in its first semester, the program is designed to give students exposure to the policy making process, Williams said. Students take two courses for two credits, which are taught by University faculty who go to Washington every week. Students must also obtain internships in agencies related to the program's theme, such as working for a Congressman or for political parties or interest groups. "Students have to participate in the search for internships, but we help with the obstacles and with offering leads," said Williams. While there are only six students studying in Washington this semester, Williams hopes the number will increase to 20 next year. "The larger the program gets, the more variety it will offer, but this is a little down the road, though," Williams said. · For those who do not have the time to go abroad during the school year there are many options available for summer study abroad. The Summer Abroad Program, a part of the College of General Studies, offers twelve different sites at which to study this coming summer. Four different programs at the University go to different areas of France with separate academic concentrations. The trip to Bordeaux centers around anthropology, as some of the oldest remains of early civilization are located there, while the program to Cannes revolves around the study of film. College sophomore Paul Shore enjoyed studying in Cannes last summer around the time of the International Film Festival. "It was a good experience for me," said Shore. "I was able to see 30 films in two weeks." Shore added that the program is not for everybody because of its lax nature. After attending the "required meetings," entitled Perspectives on International Cinema, for a couple of weeks, Shore said he realized that the seminars were lacking in substance and stopped going. "I would get to the meeting, and the teacher would ask what we wanted to talk about," Shore said. "I got a lot out of the program, but it's not for people who don't have previous knowledge of film." Another summer program is Penn In Prague, which has two tracks of study, Sachs said. One program involves the study of the language and the politics of the region. With one of the greatest Jewish museums located in Prague, Jewish studies are the second mode of study, Sachs said. Like the semester abroad programs, many students found the summer abroad programs as enjoyable, if not more. "I learned a lot, but at the same time I had fun," said College senior Lori Brand, who travelled to Alicante, Spain last summer. She attributed much of her enjoyment to Ignacio Lopez, Spanish department chairperson. She applauded the two classes he taught, but at the same time his laidback persona. Likewise, many students applauded the organization of the summer programs. A new addition to the array of summer programs is the Penn In India program. Set to run for the first time this summer, the program will center around the University of Poona in Pune, located 120 miles from Bombay. Students who go on the program choose two of four available courses. The first course is titled the Legacy of India. The second studies the performing arts of the area, and students can learn about India's economic development and corporate world in the the third. The last course offers an in-depth look at India's traditional medicine, the Ayurveda. Along with the available courses, students will be able to intern at institutes of their choice, said South Asian Languages and Linguistics Senior Lecturer Surendra Gambhir, director of the Penn In India program. "The basic intention of the program is to internationalize [University] curriculum as much as possible," Gambhir said. "The program also provides intercultural and international exposure to students at [the University]." The program will also provide informal language instruction in any major Indian language. While only twenty people will be allowed to go this semester, 18 have already applied. Even with the apparent attention the new program is already receiving, Gambhir hopes that the program will eventually grow into a full semester program in two or three years.
(01/24/94 10:00am)
University officials said they are overjoyed with the record-breaking increase in regular decision applications this year. With the estimated number of applications reaching around 13,700, a 10.5 percent increase over last year, School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said the University is finally becoming more visible to outsiders. "I'm very pleased with the increase in applications," Stevens said. "I think the word is getting out about [the University]." The College of Arts and Sciences received a record 9,180 applications, and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences broke their record with 2,418 applications. Engineering School Dean Gregory Farrington is "tickled" by the 11 percent increase in applications to his school. "A couple of years ago we established a goal of increasing number of applications and each year we've grown quite substantially," Farrington said. The Engineering School revised its undergraduate literature and made changes to the informational videotape, which describes the school, in an effort to be more visible to potential students, Farrington said. "All these things add together to attract more applicants," he added. The School of Nursing also had a rise in applications, with a nine percent increase over last year. "We are very pleased with the quality of our applicants and by the continued growth and interest in our program," said Associate Nursing Dean Mary Naylor. "While growth is projected in the future, we really feel we are where we want to be as far as the undergraduate program is concerned." The only one of the four undergraduate schools that experienced a decrease in applications is the Wharton School. Wharton experienced a one percent drop this year, with 1,902 applications. While Admissions Dean Lee Stetson attributes this slight decrease to a stabilization in the interest level, Janice Bellace, vice dean of Wharton, offers another reason. Bellace said the 400 hundred applications received for the new joint-degree International Relations program between Wharton and the College were all counted in the College's applicant pool. If those applications had been included in the Wharton applicant pool, the figures would have shown a 20 percent increase, she said. "We can't figure out how many of these people would have applied to Wharton or the College alone," Bellace said. "I wondered if this program attributed to the increase [in College applications]." Bellace added that she was excited by the interest level the program has received. "While 400 applications were received, only 40 students will be allowed into the program," Bellace said. "Thus, the program is proving to be extremely attractive." Overall, Stevens said she was pleased that the University's dedication to quality education and research is becoming more widely known, with help from students and alumni. "I hope that we will see a continuous rise in applications," Stevens added. "I think we deserve it."
(01/21/94 10:00am)
Trustee committee votes to ax Am Civ, Regional Science The University Trustees' Academic Policy Committee voted unanimously yesterday to recommend closing the American Civilization and Regional Science departments. The committee also recommended the merger of the Astronomy and Physics departments into the Department of Physics and Astronomy, which will study and research the field of astrophysics. The recommendations, first proposed by School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens in September, will be voted on by the full Board of Trustees today. A decision on the fate of the Religious Studies Department, which Stevens also is proposing to eliminate, has been postponed. Although the committee passed the resolution presented by Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson, the wording of the resolution is to be enhanced before the full board votes on it today, said Academic Policy Committee Chairperson Donald Langenberg. "The general consensus [of the committee] is that the resolution should carry a sense that the trustees expect the faculty and administration to make every effort possible, consistent with available resources and as expeditiously as possible, to enhance [the University's] overall strength in the areas represented by the departments," Langenberg said. Although the two departments are being cut and the other merged, neither the administration nor the committee is passing judgment on the importance of these subject areas, Langenberg said. The existence of departmental structure is not necessary for the study of these subject areas, he added. "[Cutting the departments] may cause these concentrations to diffuse and lose strength, but this is not necessarily going to happen," Langenberg said. "I am certain that Astronomy will be strengthened by the merger, though." The closing of the Regional Science and Am Civ departments will not mean an end to the study of those subjects at the University. The University is currently considering whether to develop an American Civilization undergraduate program similar to the International Relations program. Lazerson cited a number of the reasons that Stevens targeted these specific departments for closure. The first, said Lazerson, was that the departments of regional science, American civilization and astronomy had long been low priorities of the administration. The "non-commitment of many years" is being finished off by closing the departments, he said. "Substantial investments would have to be made to bring the three departments up to a level the school would find acceptable," Lazerson added. "Because of the financial situation, the University is not prepared to make these investments." Lazerson also told the committee that a University committee on academic freedom and responsibility concluded that Stevens did not violate academic freedom, according to a memorandum circulated by former Provost Michael Aiken in 1991 outlining the proper procedure for departmental closure. And while Langenberg said critics of the cuts have had ample opportunity to express their opinions, he admitted the process surrounding departmental cuts was far from perfect. "There has not been much practice at [cutting the departments], thereby allowing little chance to perfect the process," he said.
(01/20/94 10:00am)
Surpass last year by ten percent The number of regular decision applications reached an all-time high of 13,700 this year, surpassing last year's total by approximately 10.5 percent, Admissions Dean Lee Stetson said yesterday. Stetson said the number of applications broke the record of 13,105 set in 1988 and was a 1,306 increase over last year. Following the University's lead, the College of Arts and Sciences received an estimated 9,180 applications -- an all-time high. The number is 14 percent higher than last year's total of 8,075. And the number of applicants for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Nursing School also rose by 11 and nine percent, respectively. A projected 2,418 high school students applied to the Engineering School, and 240 students to the Nursing School. The Wharton School experienced a one percent drop from last year, decreasing from 1928 to 1902 applicants. The University's female applicant pool of 6,068 also set a record, Stetson said. The number of minority applications, 5336, rose by 9 percent this year. But, more significantly, Stetson said, was that the number of African-Americans reached an all-time high of 875, a jump of 13 percent. The number of Asian Americans applying to the University also rose by 11 percent, from 3,475 to 3842. The number of Hispanic applications declined this year, though, falling from 633 to 603. Many states showed significant increases in applicants, with Illinois, Colorado and New Jersey reaching all-time highs. The number of Pennsylvania applicants rose to 1,662 from 1,527, and the number of Philadelphia applications may be as high as 400, Stetson said, adding that it is a 13 percent jump from last year. Stetson attributes the growth in applications to increased visibility, enhanced recruiting and more personalized programs. "We're finding more ways each year to tell our story more clearly and more effectively," he said. "We are described by others as one of the most aggressive admissions departments in the country." Stetson also credited the increase to both University professors and students. Students are travelling back to their high schools to promote the University by way of the Student Recruitment Network. And some professors are keeping in touch with applicants throughout the admissions process. "I am finding in my travels that [the University] is more naturally on students' lists than it had been a couple of years ago," Stetson said. He added that many students are attracted to the University's unique programs. "The dual-degree programs are a statement to students that they can cross various disciplines and graduate with a larger academic background than many universities in the country," said Stetson. Aside from his office's recruiting efforts, he said he believes the uncertain economic climate is a factor in a student's choice to apply to the University. While the University is expensive, he added, parents are "investing" in a quality education to protect their children from the insecurities of the marketplace. "Parents are looking at colleges as durable consumer goods," Stetson said. "Parents see the potential for growth in employment opportunities that a good college education affords." Along with an increase in students, Stetson said the applicant pool is slightly stronger than last year's, when grade point average and standardized test scores are taken into consideration. "There is a more positive feeling about [the University] across the country," Interim President Claire Fagin said last night. "I think that our competitiveness as an Ivy and as a national university has increased over the years." Stetson said the increases are due not only to the amount of exposure the University receives, but also to the quality of that exposure. "We are a University that takes seriously the development and promotion of our image," he said.
(01/19/94 10:00am)
Trustees will vote on other cuts While the dissolution of the American Civilization and Regional Science Departments appears imminent, the fate of the Religious Studies Department remains up in the air. The Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility was unable to decide on School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens' recommendation to cut the Religious Studies Department, one of three SAS departments she proposed to eliminate in September. Citing a lack of time to review Religious Studies' case before winter break, the committee was unable to determine whether the procedure Stevens used to cut the department was within University guidelines. Without a decision, no recommendation to cut the department will be offered to the University Board of Trustees, who will vote on the other two department cuts Thursday. And because the Trustees are not scheduled to meet again until June, Stevens' office and the Religious Studies Department are going to take advantage of the added time to discuss the matter amongst themselves, SAS Associate Dean Richard Beeman said. "Had the Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility made a decision, we would have gone ahead with a recommendation because our position has not changed," Beeman said. "With this delay, we now have more time for consultation with the department." Beeman said he and other associate deans already met with Religious Studies Chairperson Ann Matter at the end of last week to begin discussing the future of the department and religious studies as a concentration at the University. While Beeman believes this semester's discussions will follow up on what has already been discussed, Matter sees a new direction for the talks. "Last semester, the only thing we discussed was the implementation of [Stevens'] program," Matter said. "What really encourages me is that we are now discussing the teaching of religious studies at the University." Beeman said last week's meeting only involved discussion of ways to continue further talks between the department and the Dean's office, and how to get into a conversation about substance. According to Matter, though, talks centered around establishing a committee to discuss how to make religious instruction as vibrant and successful as possible at the University. Other possibilities, Matter added, include the development of a Religious Studies program and new ways to keep the department together. "The creation of a program will only happen if further consultation decides that it would be viable," Matter said. "But I have heard from Rick Beeman that [not abolishing our department] is a possibility." With the discussions under way, the Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility involvement has been put on the back burner, Beeman said. "What we've told the committee is that with this delay [in the process] we want to further our discussions with the department," he added. Madeleine Joullie, chairperson of the committee, said the committee has no intention to discuss the case of Religious Studies in the future. The committee was initially convened before winter break at the request of the chairpersons of the American Civilization, Regional Science and Religious Studies Departments. It found that no problem existed regarding the procedure used in deciding to close the American Civilization and Regional Science Departments.
(01/14/94 10:00am)
The University's decision to extend the admissions deadline for Philadelphia students involves more than just alleviating the confusion over the Mayor's Scholarship deadline, State Representative Harold James said last night. According to James, the real reason for the delay is that some Philadelphia students did not even know the Mayor's Scholarship existed. He said many realized they could afford to attend the University when they heard him discussing the Mayor's Scholarship on two major Philadelphia radio stations just days before the admissions deadline. James said Philadelphia high school students were not confused over deadlines, but over their eligibility to apply to the University and for the Mayor's Scholarship. He said a lack of information exists about the Mayor's Scholarship, adding that because of this the University seems inaccessible to many Philadelphia students. "There is a feeling in the Philadelphia community that [Philadelphia students] aren't welcome there," said James. "The scholarship makes the University more accessible to Philadelphia students." After James' broadcast on WHAT and WDAS, several Philadelphia high school students went to the College Admissions Office but could not find any applications, James said. They then contacted James' office, and he began working to extend the application deadline along with Chairperson of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and State Representative Vincent Hughes. Hughes' role in the matter not only relies on the fact that the University lies within his district, but also because of his concern that there are not enough African Americans at the University, James said. Because of a "cloud of confusion" that has surrounded the Mayor's Scholarship for many years, James said, people in the city do not know that the scholarship exists, especially in the African American community. Hughes did not return phone calls placed to his office yesterday. In working together, James and Hughes contacted the University and "strongly recommended" that the deadline be extended for another month, James said. Within a day, Executive Vice President Janet Hale, one of the few people that James was able to get in touch with over winter break, agreed that the University would extend the applications deadline. Michael Churchill, a lawyer at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, which is presently suing the University over a Mayor's Scholarship controversy, said he was glad the University agreed to extend the deadline. "As an outsider, I find it surprising that no one was in the admissions office a week before the application deadline," he said. Churchill said he was not sure if the University extended the deadline as quickly as it did because of the pending Mayor's Scholarship lawsuit. "I'm certain the lawsuit has made the University more aware of its need to bolster its image in Philadelphia," Churchill said. "I think it's a great step in meeting the needs of Philadelphia students." James said the University is not getting the word out about the Mayor's Scholarship. This, he said, is creating an unsettling feeling among Philadelphia residents. By extending the deadline, James added, the University is starting to take more notice of its surrounding community. Interim President Claire Fagin said she does not think the University's application deadline causes confusion. "We did not have confusing procedures," she said. "But if there was a perception that we were confusing, then I must apologize for that, and we are doing everything we can to correct the problem." Fagin added that the move to extend the deadline is not intended to set a precedent.
(01/11/94 10:00am)
In an unprecedented move, the Admissions Office extended the deadline for undergraduate admissions applications for Philadelphia high school students to the University, State Representative Harold James said last week. James announced that due to confusion over the deadline for applications for the Mayor's Scholarship, the admissions application deadline would be extended until Jan. 31. Many city residents believed the scholarship, not the application, deadline was Jan. 1. While there may have been confusion, the extension comes at a time when the number of applicants from Philadelphia are on the rise. The number of Philadelphia students accepted early decision, alone, rose this year from 16 to 20. Admissions Dean Lee Stetson said, however, he did not want the confusion to stop additional students from applying. "I didn't want anything as artificial as a deadline to prevent them from applying," Stetson said. Stetson said he was not worried that the extension granted in this case would set a precedent for the future. He added that the extension was geared towards a specific problem. University Executive Vice President Janet Hale echoed Stetson statements. "We want to make sure that there aren't any people who want to apply to Penn and aren't able to because of the confusion," Hale said. Over break, a number of Philadelphia high school districts complained of the mix-up to Hale. Once aware of the problem, Hale acted as a liaison, working to alleviate the confusion between the concerned parties. "The application deadline does nothing else but give Philadelphia students [an extra] chance to apply," Stetson said. "The whole issue relates to our attempt to build a strong relationship with the students in our city." Stetson said extending the deadline is not a drastic change from the normal application process. The admissions office normally processes applications received even after the deadline. James said he endorses the University's decision. "I applaud the University of Pennsylvania for showing understanding in this situation," said James, who worked closely with administrators to work out a plan to extend the application deadline. James also worked with Philadelphia Delegation Co-Chairperson Anthony Williams and Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Vincent Hughes to develop the extension plan. Once admissions applications from Philadelphia students are received by the University, applications for Mayor's Scholarship will be sent to them. Scholarship winners are selected in the spring.
(01/11/94 10:00am)
When Amy Korn arrived at the University last week, she did not know what to expect. As a transfer student, she was looking forward to her stay at the University, but at the same time she had many questions, and few answers. How was she going to transfer her credits from Brandeis? What classes did she have to take? How was she going to make friends entering in the middle of the year? The Transfer Orientation Program, now in its seventh year, set out to answer those questions for her. The program, which is organized solely by students, ran for five days last week and was aimed at creating a more comfortable atmosphere for transfer students, according to College Junior Jeff Cohen, one of the program's three directors. "The goal of the program is to create the easiest transition possible for the transfer students," he said. In an effort to alleviate the problems that transfer students encounter, the program includes meetings with Credit Transfer Coordinator Shelley Krause and College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Dean Eric Schneider. Krause gave the official welcoming speech to students last Tuesday, as well as a session where she offered tips on how to get credits transferred. "I tried to orient the students in terms of our general requirement and offered them suggestions on selecting courses," said Schneider. "Basically, I explained the A to Z's at Penn." Along with academic tensions that transfer students experience, the program aimed to make the social transition easier, said Cohen. The program organized parties and social events that allowed the transfer students to get to know one another and have fun on and around campus. Cohen, along with College juniors Aimee Taxin and Nancy Epstein, the two other directors of the program, said the only problem they think the program faces is a lack of University funding. "We are funded by the SAC and they give us practically no money," said Taxin, a transfer student herself. "We think we should receive funding directly from the University." The program provides the same services as a freshman orientation, Cohen said, adding that it should be treated the same. Taxin said the lack of food service for the week the transfer students were here is an example of the University's negligence. "The University basically leaves the transfer students out in the cold," Cohen said. In the past, some efforts were made to receive University funding, but no changes were made, Cohen said. He added that he plans to talk to Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson sometime in the spring. Monetary problems did not damper the "amazing" time the transfer students had during orientation. "I loved [the transfer orientation program]," said College sophomore Amy Korn. "It was very inclusive. I said to a friend of mine that it was like coming into a co-ed fraternity without pledging." Transfer students applauded the amount and variety of activities that the program offered. They felt that they were being welcomed into the University community with open arms. "This is the fourth college I've been to and this is the best [orientation program] I've ever seen," College junior Bill Weber said.
(01/10/94 10:00am)
Rel. Studies decision delayed Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson and Interim President Claire Fagin endorsed School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens' proposal to cut the American Civilization and Regional Science departments over winter break. But, Lazerson and Fagin said they will postpone making a decision on the fate of the Religious Studies Department until the Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility has the opportunity to review the department's case in more depth. Lazerson and Fagin's recommendation, which includes the merger of the Astronomy and Physics Departments, must now be approved by the University Board of Trustees at its meeting this month. The Academic Freedom committee, which advised Lazerson about Stevens' dealing with the Am Civ and Regional Science Departments cuts, was summoned in October by the chairpersons of the affected departments to review the dean's actions. In December, the committee and its chair, Chemistry Professor Madeleine Joullie, concluded that the dean had handled her recommendations properly with regards to the American Civilization and Regional Science Departments. But, the committee decided to postpone making a final report on Stevens' handling of the recommendation to cut Religious Studies, citing the complexity of the department's case against Stevens. Over the past few months Religious Studies has had more support than the other two departments in jeopardy. And the University would be the only Ivy League institution without a religious studies department, if all Stevens' recommendations were approved by Fagin, Lazerson and the University Trustees. In its conclusion concerning the Am Civ and Regional Science departments, the committee found that Stevens did not violate University procedures. It concluded she followed a memorandum about department closures, circulated by former Provost Michael Aiken in 1991. "The question is whether the memorandum provides an adequate process," said Am Civ Associate Professor Melvyn Hammarberg. The committee has yet to make a final report concerning the Religious Studies Department. Stevens has repeatedly said that she plans to replace the eliminated departments with interdepartmental programs, similar to those for Biological Basis of Behavior and International Relations. But, the three departments foresee a lack of interest by the departments which take them in. Regional Science Chairperson Stephen Gale said the abolition of his department will mean an end to the regional science concentration at the University. "It's sad, particularly because instead of saying outright what [the administration] had in mind, they disguised what they said in Penn-Speak," he said. Lazerson has set up a task force, though, to study the placement of a regional science curriculum at the university. Stephen Dunning, graduate chair of Religious Studies, said the administration's plan is not as simple as it looks. "The departments are not just administrative structures, they are intellectual concepts," he said. "Abolition of these departments is a statement by the Dean that these departments are not as important as those retaining departmental structures." The administration does not foresee the problems envisioned by the departments. "There are numerous ways of consolidating and streamlining," Fagin said. "Some feel they need a department to lend weight to their subject, but if you look at sections within departments, you see they have extraordinary strength." Fagin admitted that it was harder for her to see dividing religious studies into other departments, because no existing departments have a natural fit. She added, however, that she can see a strengthening in the Am Civ and Regional Science concentrations through a program, rather than a departmental, structure.
(12/02/93 10:00am)
A small group of students met on Locust Walk yesterday morning and marched to Center City as part of the Black Umbrella Procession, a commemoration of those who have died of AIDS. The group held black umbrellas, as did many of the participants in the nationwide "Day Without Art" – a symbol of the many lives lost to AIDS over the years. In the same vein, the Button in front of Van Pelt Library was shrouded in black. "I like the symbolism of the black umbrellas," said Fine Arts graduate student Kenny Dinkin, one of the program's coordinators. "It seems to be a sort of dark protection." The procession was part of Philadelphia's second annual Day Without Art. While members of the University community participated last year through the Institute of Contemporary Art, this year was the first time the Fine Arts Department was involved. "We just tried to coordinate with the rest of the city," said Susana Jacobson, dean of the Fine Arts Department. "The students who were involved this year worked from scratch. Hopefully, our involvement will grow over the next couple of years." The University students marched down Locust Walk en route to the Moore College of Art in Center City, where they joined other students. The procession became nearly silent as it made its way to JFK plaza where a large group had already congregated to mark the observance. As the names of Philadelphians who have died of AIDS were read, the Love statue in JFK plaza was covered in a black sheet. Following the name reading, Jeremiah White, co-chairperson of the Philadelphia Day Without Art Committee, voiced the purpose behind the day. Besides remembering those who have died, he said, the country must remember those who are presently inflicted with the HIV virus by raising political and social awareness about the epidemic. Robert Vazquez-Pacheco, a writer and artist, spoke about living with the HIV virus. He told of his friends and lovers who have died of AIDS. While their deaths have brought the death of his past, he said, they all continue to live on as long as he remembers them. Remembrance and complete acceptance of those who are now affected is essential to combating the disease, he explained. "I stand witness to a worldwide tragedy that could have been prevented," explained Vazquez-Pacheco. "I will not forget and I will not forgive." The day's events also included the introduction of the AIDS awareness stamp and a proclamation from Mayor Ed Rendell, who was unable to attend. The only complaint voiced by some participants was that the commemoration was purely symbolic. "This is a great symbolic gesture, but we need more than one day of marching," said College junior Stephen Houghton, who is also the co-chairperson of the Lesbian, Gay and Bi-Sexual Association.
(11/24/93 10:00am)
Lynn Emmanuel, author of Hotel Fiesta and winner of the National Poetry Series, read a selection of poems from her new book, The Dig, Wednesday night in Houston Hall. The collection centers around a story of poverty and "the entire trajectory of a woman's life" in a small Nevada town during the atomic bomb tests, she said. Emmanuel described the collection as a series of dramatic monologues. To emphasize each voice, she moved from one side of the podium to the other. She began her reading with "The Politics of Narrative," involving a person who cannot resist that which she criticizes. The reading continued on with poems such as "The Planet Krypton," which compared her hometown to that of the comic world, and "Past and Present," in which she describes herself as "over-educated, but recovering." The point of this collection of works is to make a reader of the book question the representative "I," she explained. Her intention is to complicate readers' expectations of the "I," rather than just offering the poem as a window into herself. Gregory Djanikian, director of the Creative Writing Program, introduced Emmanuel by describing her poetry as an "explosion of sound." "While she offers the expanse of the world, she is also aware of the hardest edges of our lives," Djanikian said. The poetry reading was the third of six organized by a collaboration between the Philomathean Society and the Creative Writing Program. The readings are intended "to provide intellectual discourse and extracurricular activity," said Wharton and College junior Tyler Dickovick, Philomathean moderator.
