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Protests cease as Campus Copy signs agreement

(04/23/01 9:00am)

Nearly three weeks after an incident at Campus Copy Center galvanized the Penn community, business at the Walnut Street store appears to be returning to normal. Protesters have stopped marching up and down in front of Campus Copy, where a Graduate School of Education student alleges he was the victim of a racially motivated assault. Student leaders and administrators say the incident lies in the hands of the Penn Police, who are currently investigating. And on Wednesday, Penn student leaders issued a statement, which Campus Copy signed, following a joint meeting to discuss the implications of the April 3 incident -- satisfying the demands of many student groups that have been attacking the store for its customer service and handling of the incident. The store will provide sensitivity training for its staff, apologize directly to Seaton for unsatisfactory service and ensure that all customers receive equal treatment in the future. According to the statement, "Campus Copy said they were unprepared to deal with the situation that transpired at their store, as an incident such as this had never previously occurred." "There aren't going to be people picketing outside Campus Copy because they have agreed to sign the agreement," College of General Studies student Melissa Byrne said. "I am excited that so many groups are coming together from different backgrounds and it is an issue of safety for the entire community." At the University Council meeting last week, President Judith Rodin issued a statement regarding the incident. Rodin said she is concerned about the welfare of the students and regrets what happened to Gregory Seaton, the student alleging assault. "I want to make myself clear: We do not and will not tolerate violence at this University," Rodin said. "We do not and will not tolerate discrimination of any sort." Campus Copy store owner Stanley Shapiro declined to comment on the statement. "We have put out a document and I am going to let the University handle it from there," Shapiro said. The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, which moderated last week's meeting, will provide guidance for the sensitivity training program, and will incorporate both conflict management and learning to deal with emergencies. Campus Copy will also issue an apology to Seaton. Vice President for Business Services Leroy Nunery, who was present at the meeting, said the agreement is beneficial to all parties involved. "My general opinion is that some of the issues that were presented will be constructive, but a lot more has to be done in order to ensure that something like this will not happen again," Nunery said. "What we need to do is to ensure that for people doing business with the University there is a way to have dialogue." And Penn has discussed the possibility of creating a complaint center under Business Services to deal with unfair treatment involving vendors in the University community. "What we should do is facilitate a climate that enables a dialogue to go on between the different groups involved," Nunnery said. He also noted the prospect of creating a code of conduct for businesses. "A code of conduct has to go both ways for the customers, as well as for those who operate businesses in the Penn community," Nunery said. "Sometimes it is actually the businesses who are treated badly by the customers. This is a matter of the quality of life." But Nunery says that it is vital to continually evaluate the quality of service offered in the Penn community and help facilitate a better relationship between customers and vendors. "It is important for us to make sure that on a day-to-day basis there is a standard of good service," Nunery noted. "Now in light of the incident there is a greater urgency to do so." Byrne said that although the immediate problem has been resolved, there is still more work to be done by student leaders and the administration. "The issue isn't being dropped, but we are going to be looking more internally in terms of the University and examining issues of race on campus," said "Hopefully we'll see the University progress over the semester." Members of the Undergraduate Assembly along with other student leaders and University officials will meet with Campus Copy after the official investigation is complete.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/04/protests_cease_as_campus_copy_signs_agreement

Campus Copy apologizes for `poor service'

(04/18/01 9:00am)

Representatives of Campus Copy Center will sign an apology today for providing "poor service" to a Penn student who is alleging racially motivated assault, per an agreement set at a meeting last night between Campus Copy, student groups and Penn officials. In this statement, Campus Copy also pledges to undergo sensitivity training for handling delicate situations. "That is what we asked for and we are very glad that we got it," UMOJA Political Action and Committee Coordinator Kimberly Noble said. "What is really good is that they admitted that they were unprepared for a situation like this." "They were very agreeable to sensitivity training and conflict resolution and I think that is something we need to look at for all the entities in the community," the College sophomore added. Graduate School of Education student Gregory Seaton has accused Campus Copy Center employees of refusing him service and then coming from behind the counter to assault him. Campus Copy denies the charges, and University Police are currently investigating the incident. At last night's meeting, student leaders made three requests of Campus Copy officials: to apologize for giving preferential treatment to a professor while giving Seaton poor service; to agree to undergo sensitivity training; and to apologize for resorting to violence. While the store agreed to sign a document with the first two requests, they did not agree to the third claim while the investigation is still under way. "They admit that they were unprepared to deal with they situation, and they promise to be prepared in the future by sensitivity training," said former Undergraduate Assembly Chairman Michael Bassik, a College senior. He added that Campus Copy officials were open to looking into other possibilities to make sure similar situations do not arise in the future. Students leaders who were present at the meeting said that the session was productive despite the ongoing investigation. "I think the meeting went well," Noble said. "I think there were some questions that we weren't going to get answers to because there is a legal case going on. I think both parties left the table feeling that something had been accomplished." The meeting -- held from around 8 p.m. to 10 p.m in a conference room at the Sheraton Hotel on Chestnut Street -- was moderated by representatives of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. Others in attendance at the meeting noted that although some of the students' demands will be answered, it is up to Campus Copy to keep their end of the agreement. "I hope that they follow through with what they said they will do, and I encourage students to press Campus Copy to do these things," Latino Coalition member and Wharton sophomore Sabrina Harvey said. Penn Vice President for Business Services Leroy Nunnery was also at last night's meeting, and discussed the possibility of forming a complaint center within Penn's business services division. He also addressed the prospect of Penn developing a code of conduct for businesses. Following the end of the investigation, student leaders and Penn officials will meet one last time with Campus Copy. Bassik said that the investigation is likely to be completed at the end of this week or early next week. Harvey said that she feels a follow-up is an important next step. "I think a follow up meeting after the investigation is officially closed will be very important," Harvey noted. "I think they are very worried about their reputation -- they are trying to figure out ways to really work with the students."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/04/campus_copy_apologizes_for_poor_service

All students to be affected by dining changes

(04/13/01 9:00am)

A new residential dining program, which will decrease the number of meal plans available to upperclassmen, was released to students by Dining Services at a Dining Advisory Board meeting Wednesday night. The new meal program, called Penn Dining, will go into effect next semester. The actual decision concerning the changes was made in time to send it out with the freshmen acceptance packets, which have already been mailed. The biggest change increases the minimum meal plan for upperclassmen from 70 to 160 declining meals per year. Other features of the program include making meal plans binding for one year and prohibiting cancellations unless a student is either leaving the University or studying abroad. These changes come just days after Penn decided that all incoming freshmen will be required to sign up for a 17-meal-per-week plan for their first semester. Dining officials did not return repeated phone calls for comment last night. "Their idea is that they want to be good to loyal customers, but unfortunately, there are a lot of students who like to only eat a few meals a week at the dining halls," said Dining Advisory Board member Adrian Jones, a Wharton senior. "My concern that I expressed to dining is that many students are not going to sign up." With such an increase in the size of the smallest plan available, students said upperclassmen may opt not to have any meal plan at all. "It's going to drive a lot of people away," Undergraduate Assembly member and College sophomore Seth Schreiberg said. "I can't eat five meals a week at the dining hall. I think there are a lot of upperclassmen who won't want to either." Students on the board also found frustration in the no-cancellation policy. Jones said he thought that the purpose of the policy would be to raise more money to keep the dining halls in operation. "The idea behind it is that they will be having more people eat at the dining halls, but my impression is that I have to either get150 meals or none, and I think most students will chose to have none," Jones said. "That is why they have the freshmen meal plan -- to cover overhead costs." Penn officials have said in recent days that the new freshman plan is, in part, an attempt to stabilize Dining Services' finances. Schreiberg, also a member of the Dining Advisory Board, said the no-cancellation policy is the least harmful of the new changes. "As upperclassmen it's your responsibility to understand the meal plans and be familiar with them," Schreiberg said. "It's bad, but not as appalling as the other changes made to the meal plan." The Undergraduate Assembly released a statement objecting to the new freshmen meal plan on Wednesday night. UA Chairman Michael Bassik said he is upset that the University did not consult students before reaching such decisions. "We are opposed to the Draconian style in which they are forcing, and we are opposed to the way this decision was reached," the College senior said. But Jones said there are other options. "The college house system is mandating that they keep five dining halls open, but it would make more sense to only keep open three or four," Jones said. But it was the lack of student input on the decision to alter the meal plan that troubled members of the advisory board the most. Students on the board said they were not consulted before the new plan was announced at the meeting. "Last year they did a very good job of getting student input concerning meal plans, and this year they just made the announcement without consulting us," Jones said. "The dining advisory board is supposed to be the group with the most input, and I don't think this was the case." "That was the first time they were going to announce it," Schreiberg noted. "I think it sucks. They didn't consult the Dining Advisory Board -- more specifically, the students."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/04/all_students_to_be_affected_by_dining_changes

U. plans $23 mil. fitness center

(04/06/01 9:00am)

Penn officials yesterday released artists' renderings and specific plans for the new Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, which will transform the face of campus recreation and fitness over the next two years. A specific timeline was also announced, with construction beginning on May 22, immediately following Commencement. Officials hope to have the facility completed in 2003. "I think a lot of people are going to use it," Athletic Director Steve Bilsky said. "It wouldn't surprise me if it is somewhere between 12 and 13 thousand users. The end result is that when this is all done we will have a really beautiful facility." The Pottruck Center will add 65,000 square feet to Gimbel Gymnasium, which currently covers 50,000 square feet. The joint facility will total 115,000 square feet. "One of our main priorities is to create a fitness center that is more up to date that houses a larger facility," Vice President of Facilities Services Omar Blaik said. "There is a tremendous need for recreational facilities here at Penn." The total cost of the facility will be $23 million dollars, $10 million of which was given by University Trustee and College alumnus David Pottruck. Another $2 million in donations have already been collected, while the University still needs to locate $11 million to complete the funding process. The facility will have various floors and will be connected to Gimbel through an atrium on the second floor. Architectural plans call for the building to be made of sheer glass so that passers-by can observe the different activities available. "It gives you the feeling that something is going on, an inviting kind of atmosphere," Director of Recreational Services Michael Diorka said. "From the street side it is a nice feature and it gives you a sense of openness instead of the closed-in look." The plans call for an increased social atmosphere for the new facility, a pro shop and a juice bar. Bilsky said that some of these social amenities were added in response to surveys that asked for increased interaction between graduate and undergraduate students. "It is just the nature of the activities that are going to be available," he explained. In addition to the aesthetic character of the new facility, the design of the building is unusual. Pottruck Center will have floors that extend progressively further west as they get higher -- a technique known as cantilevering -- in order to utilize the space between the parking garage and Gimbel. "The facility is a narrow fit and in order to get additional space we have to build it that way," Diorka noted. "If we build it straight up we would not have as much square footage and the atrium would not be possible. We were able to get good square footage, a neat design and minimize the time it takes to build." In order to lay the groundwork for the facility, Gimbel will be closed for the summer. "We do have to close because of mechanical setups and the new building is generating power to the older building which will allow it to last longer," Diorka said. "This gives us a chunk of time to put mechanicals in place and gives us time to fix piping at the pool which was in dire need of repair." "I think that obviously there will be some disruption, but if people are willing to go down to Hutchinson to use the facilities they have the means to do so," Bilsky said. The transition stage also includes closing off the pool for the summer, but Drexel University's pool will be available to the Penn community for use. Although Diorka says it is a minor inconvenience, transportation will be provided by the Lucy Loop, which runs through Penn's campus and makes a stop at Drexel. Other changes include the dismantling of the Katz Fitness Center on the first floor, which will be relocated to the first basketball court in Gimbel. The cardiovascular center will be in a climate-controlled room. Gimbel Gymnasium, as well as the pool, will reopen on September 6. At that time, the entrance to Gimbel will be on Sansom, and the cardiovascular center will be accessible via the second floor off Sansom.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/04/u-plans-23-mil-fitness-center

Recycling effort hampered

(04/05/01 9:00am)

Contamination problems resulting from Penn's outdoor recycling initiative on campus are causing concern among University officials and environmentalists. The initiative -- which provides separate well-marked recycling containers across campus -- is coordinated by the Penn Environmental Group, the Undergraduate Assembly and various University officials. But since its formation last semester, the policy has made little progress due to contamination problems in the recycling bins. "We have increased the amount of [recycling] cans, but we still seem to have contamination," Director of Maintenance in Facilities Services Mike Coleman said. "I just don't think enough students are aware of the recycling bins." The bins extend from 33rd Street by the athletic complex down to 38th Street and in between Walnut and Spruce streets. PEG has relocated some of the bins to make them more prominent to students. "We have been trying to place the bins near trash cans to encourage recycling, but we really just need for students to use them correctly," PEG President Sharon Hsu said. Despite some of the bins' relocation, the contamination problem remains. "I think some of the cans are clean enough to be accepted, but some of them are still contaminated with trash," said Hsu, a College sophomore. Coleman attributed the problem to both a lack of student awareness and the cold winter. "I just don't think enough students are aware of the recycling bins since the weather has been so bad," Coleman said. "We hope that it will improve as the spring weather comes." He also says that the nicer weather will allow the project to get its feet off the ground. "When it gets a bit warmer out we will be able to go on College Green and get the word out about the initiative," Coleman said. "We are going to start campaigning and get people to participate more." UA member Jed Gross, one of the creators of the project, hopes that the physical proximity of the different bins will produce better results. "We've tried physically grouping them together, but I think we may have to go further in that direction," said Gross, a College sophomore. "If they are right next to each other it will be easier for students to dispose of things appropriately." Although the weather may solve some of the project's obstacles, PEG has decided that the big igloos scattered across campus, which are also used for recycling purposes, are going to be relabeled to make them more visible. "As it stands now they are all taken away together and when that happens everything is not recycled properly," Hsu said. "We hope this will encourage more recycling which will be more convenient and visible to students." Hsu said that once the contamination problems are solved, PEG will work with Facilities Services to expand the project off campus. "It is hard to expand when the current ones aren't working well," Hsu noted. "We really need student participation and low contamination levels for this to work effectively." Eventually, the recycling initiative will be expanded to the dorms. The Office of College Houses and Academic Services introduced indoor recycling to the Quad over the past year. But Gross notes that they must ensure the success of the outdoor project. "It is great that the geographical area is expanding but we also have to make sure people are utilizing the containers in the areas available," Gross said. "We're still trying to hope for the highest level of participation that we can get."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/04/recycling_effort_hampered

Students petition for lockers

(03/30/01 10:00am)

Members of the house council in Harrison College House are circulating a petition to prevent the University from permanently sealing off the lockers in all three Hamilton Village high rises. University Police notified Penn officials that several residents have reported incidents of theft from the lockers in the hallways of Hamilton, Harrison, and Harnwell college houses. Typically, residents use these lockers to store boxes and suitcases, but some have stored valuables instead. The house council in Harrison decided to circulate a petition to prevent the Office of Housing and Conference Services from sealing off the lockers. Each representative was given a petition and asked to get his or her entire floor to sign it. The University has been considering the possibility of sealing the lockers for a while. "Housing and Conference Services and the deans figured that the easiest way would be to permanently put locks on the lockers to seal them off from usage," said Jessica Bell, president of the house council. Harrison College House Dean Frank Pellicone, who has not seen the actual petition, said that the University is concerned about the recent thefts. "I know there are students putting valuable items in them, and no matter how many times you tell them not to, they are still doing it," Pellicone said. According to Bell, students will have to agree to use the lockers at their own risk. The petition states that students are aware of the possibility for theft, and that they will not hold Harrison College House or the University liable. "It just seems like a waste of space, and we are doing a petition to see if we can stop it," said Bell, a College sophomore. "The dean is letting us do this, and the petition is completely under the control of house council and is in no way affiliated with the house dean." The house council members on the 17th, 20th and 21st floors have gotten everyone on their floors to sign the petition. All of the petitions are due at the council's next meeting on April 1. Shuo-Ju Chou, the council representative for the 20th floor, said that sealing the lockers will cause problems for residents. "I use them to store my boxes for moving. I don't put my valuables in there so if they are sealed I will have nowhere to put the boxes," Chou said. "Hopefully, all of the signatures will make them think twice about doing it." Other council members said they are aggravated by the possibility of sealing off the lockers permanently because students were not consulted about the matter. "The University Police took it upon themselves to coordinate this with Harrison House, and they didn't feel the need to ask the students about it," said Stephen Kossuth, 17th floor council representative. "I hope that the petition will turn some heads because in the meeting it appeared as if they didn't even give the idea a second thought." Pellicone, who has been at his post since December, said the lockers have been a concern for a while now, but, ultimately, the issue is in the hands of the house council. "If it is an issue they feel strongly about then they should pursue it," Pellicone noted. "I think the issue here is how the lockers should be administered properly so if [house council] is willing to, and can come up with, a proposal that is cost effective, I don't see the problem with it." The council is looking for alternatives to sealing the lockers permanently. "We are thinking about changing the handles so there are no holes in them," Bell said. "[University officials] do not want to think about the alternatives because it would be much easier to seal them." Bell said she hopes that the petition will be a success, but admits there are no guarantees. "If it gets going in Harrison College House then maybe we can get the house councils in the other two high rises to do the same," she noted. "This petition does not necessarily mean that they will not seal off the lockers, but we are going to try."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/03/students_petition_for_lockers

Investigation of high rises' missing mail still under way

(03/30/01 10:00am)

Nearly two months after residents filed complaints about mail delivery problems in Hamilton Village, the investigation appears to be at a standstill. Residents in Hamilton, Harrison and Harnwell college houses had filed a total of 48 official mail room complaints as of several weeks ago, according to Marketing Manager of Housing and Conference Services Lynn Rotoli. "Back in October, Business Services asked us to do a process review, so we looked to see how we can improve our mail process internally," Rotoli said. Penn officials say the investigation into what happened with the missing mail is now in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service. Postal Service officials, however, could not confirm this. "We don't comment in the event of an investigation," said Debra Whyte of the Postal Inspectors Department of the USPS. "If you give out information then the person will stop or make it seem as though there is another problem and you will never find out the truth." "If there is information concerning the mail that has been turned over to us it doesn't actually mean there is an official investigation," Whyte said. More than 30 pieces of mail and 15 packages were reported missing, and the majority of the missing mail includes cards and packages which were said to contain money. Director of Facilities Support Gordon Rickards, who has been handling the problem from the Penn side, forwarded the student complaints to the Penn Mail Service. The complaints were then sent to the University of Pennsylvania Police Department. According to Det. John Peterson, there have been problems with mail service in the past when the Penn Police arrested a man in connection with a similar incident in 1997. But the department is not handling the current situation. "I know there is an active investigation with the postal authorities," Peterson said. "The complaints were filed back in February. It's an investigation, so it could break tomorrow or in months." Until the USPS finds out why some residents did not receive their mail, Housing and Conference Services, Penn Mail Service and the UPPD have no involvement in the event of an investigation. "We have sent our information to the proper authorities, and it is out of our hands now," Rotoli noted. "Until it's done we won't get an update because everyone is part of the investigation." In order to prevent similar incidents in the future, Rotoli said that Housing and Conferences services has put together a committee of seven people to brainstorm ways to improve the Penn mail system. "We will evaluate how to improve several things: getting mail faster, reducing costs and becoming more efficient in general," Rotoli said. "We want to requestion ourselves and see how we do business." Residents have not received an update on the status of the investigation since the complaints were filed back in February. But students said they have had no additional problems with mail delivery. "I actually did receive a card since the problem was exposed, and it was from the same person who sent me something earlier this year when I didn't receive it," said Amanda Codd, a resident advisor on the 11th floor in Harrison. Others who experienced problems are not confident that mail delivery to the high rises is improving. "I filed a complaint months ago and I have not been notified since then," College sophomore Alexis Marchio said. "When I lived in Hill [College House] I never had problems with the mail service, and here it has been consistently bad." But whether or not the Postal Service finds the root of the problem, residents are unsure of how they will be compensated, if at all. "I don't know that you really can compensate them," Codd noted. "I would just feel better knowing whoever did it is not employed by the University anymore. It would make me feel better to know that nobody else's stuff is getting stolen."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/03/investigation_of_high_rises_missing_mail_still_under_way

Former University president dead at 93

(03/06/01 10:00am)

Harold Stassen, who spent four years as University president, died of natural causes on Sunday. He was 93. The former Minnesota governor had a long and distinguished political career, despite nine failed attempts to secure the Republican Party's presidential nomination. Stassen served as Penn's president from 1948 to 1952, in between his efforts to get on the Republican Party ticket in '48 and again in '52. "Stassen became a kind of running joke because of his numerous runs for the presidency, but he was a very talented and capable individual," College of Arts and Sciences Dean Richard Beeman said. Stassen, who was born on April 13, 1907 on a farm near St. Paul, Minn., started off his career as a county prosecutor. In 1938, at the age of 31, he was elected to the first of his three terms as governor. He won reelection as governor in 1940 and 1942, but resigned in April 1943 to serve in the Navy as assistant chief of staff to Adm. William Hasley. "When he was governor of Minnesota there were many who wanted him to be president," Penn President Emeritus Martin Meyerson said. "He was regarded as a very sensible, thoughtful governor. He had an international law practice and they said 'It isn't wonderful that one of our lawyers is running for president.'" In his brief period at Penn, Stassen is credited with the University's emergence onto the Ivy League scene. "He really did help orchestrate Penn's movement into the Ivy League," Beeman said. "So in that sense I really do think he had an important impact." And others also noted Stassen's contribution to the Penn football team. When post-war financial problems plagued the University, Stassen thought big-time football could be a solution. He introduced the "Victory with Honor" campaign in 1950 to boost Penn's football revenues while maintaining a commitment to academics. Stassen selected former sportscaster and Philadelphia Eagles player Fran Murray as the new athletic director to carry out the plan. Murray, who also played football at Penn, scheduled games against powerhouses such as Penn State, Vanderbilt and Notre Dame. But Meyerson noted that Stassen made other important contributions to Penn as well. "I thought he had a lot of imagination and he played an important role in getting the Ivy League flourishing," Meyerson noted. "He did certain things in the West Philadelphia community, but it was a different time." Beeman and Meyerson added that Penn's campus was quite different 50 years ago, leaving Stassen with a very different role than current University President Judith Rodin now fills. "The president was not really a terribly important figure until late 50s and 60s," noted Beeman, who is also a History professor. "The most important person up until that time was the provost, so the Office of the President was a very novel invention at Penn." Meyerson, who came to Penn during Stassen's final year as president in 1952, said that he had a unique relationship with Stassen. "There were those who were cruel to him, but I had a bit more to do with him than most," Meyerson said. "You could get answers quickly from him and that was an important attribute." And Meyerson added that Stassen thought it was important to maintain good president-student relationships. "There is lots of talk these days about the accessibility of presidents," Meyerson said. "He took pride in being accessible to students and was very excited when students and parents came to visit him." Stassen eventually left the University in 1952 to once again pursue the Republican nomination for president. He had made his first presidential bid in 1948 before heading to the University, traveling cross-country on a liberal platform only to lose to Thomas Dewey, who in turn was defeated by President Harry Truman. Stassen ran for president eight more times, the first in 1952 and the last in 1992. In the 1992 election, he won one delegate in the Minnesota primary, but later released the delegate to vote for whomever he desired. Meyerson kept in touch with Stassen over the years, and even brought him back to Penn for a visit. "He was very happy to be back. I would talk with him from time to time in Minnesota," Meyerson said. " He and I would talk about Penn becoming more international and that is something we both wanted." Stassen's wife of 70 years died last fall. They had two children. The Associated Press contributed to this article.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/03/former_university_president_dead_at_93

Lowered temps in buildings prompt gripes

(02/22/01 10:00am)

Several weeks after Penn decided to lower the temperatures in dozens of campus buildings, faculty and staff members are complaining that the new settings have created intolerable working conditions. In an effort to cut back on energy costs, the University announced a few weeks ago that it would lower temperatures in certain campus facilities. Faculty members and staff, who work in the Biomedical Research Building II, have voiced concerns over the recent temperature decrease. "We have had many complaints about the low temperatures in the building and in some laboratories it has been either 59 degrees or 63 degrees," said Doerte Smith, department manager for cell and developmental biology. "I think people are very uncomfortably adjusting -- it is not a great working situation." University officials say that skyrocketing gas prices in the past few months would potentially cost the University hundreds of thousands of dollars. Gas prices nationwide have been increasing with an unusually cold winter and limited gas supply. To cut costs, the University decided to drop the thermostats of approximately 20 to 30 buildings across campus to 65 degrees. The thermostats were previously set to 70 degrees. The settings have now been implemented in 15 to 25 of the University's buildings -- including the Biomedical Research Building II and Stellar-Chance Laboratories. According to Eric Weckel, a senior managing director in the School of Medicine, staff members have been complaining about the 65-degree setting in their building. "People got no warning and had no time to prepare for the temperature change," Weckel said. "They immediately responded negatively to the cold temperatures, and since then we have been trying to advocate on their behalf." Weckel, who works in the office of Facilities Planning and Operational Services, expressed concern over the 65-degree setting. In response, Facilities Services agreed to increase the temperature in BRB2 and Stellar-Chance laboratories to 68 degrees during daytime hours and to keep it at 65 degrees from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. But some report that temperatures still continue to drop below the new 68-degree setting. "It has gone down to 60 degrees at times," Mary Jo Pauxtis, a Manager of Administration and Finance, said. "On the days when it is that cold it has been uncomfortable." Vice President of Facilities Services Omar Blaik said he is aware of the problems in BRB II. "That is the building we have had the most calls coming from, and the one where we dispatched the most mechanics," Blaik said. Weckel said that Facilities Services has been responsive to the complaints. "They have been pretty good about coming out again and again where there are problematic areas," Weckel said. "In one case they found one reheat that wasn't working, and I have been informed that it has been corrected." However, some claimed that Facilities Services has not been helpful. "My office has been running at about 58 degrees on occasion, which is well below the set temperature," Director of Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health Jerome F. Strauss said. "When my business administrator reported it to facilities they said 'oh no, the building is at 65 and you are just experiencing windchill,'" he added. Pauxtis noted that her office has yet to be examined. "I have a note saying that someone would come over to check my sensor," Pauxtis said. "A mechanic came to the building, but he never checked out the sensor. When I saw him, he agreed he had never been in my office." However, Smith said Facilities Services has responded to the problem. "They have said they have responded to individual requests but I don't know how successful they have been," Smith noted. "Facilities administration has tried to respond to protect the research in the laboratories." Weckel says officials are trying to balance the energy cost cuts with the well being of the University's research. "We need to support the intent of the energy conservation initiative, and at the same time make sure it does not negatively affect the safety, health, and research endeavors of the University."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/02/lowered_temps_in_buildings_prompt_gripes

Two college house founders set to leave at year's end

(02/15/01 10:00am)

At the end of the semester, Penn will say goodbye to two of the founding members of the three-year old College House system -- Harrison College House Faculty Master John Richetti and Dean of W.E.B. DuBois College House Sonia Elliott. Richetti will take an academic leave from Penn to focus on another project, while Elliott plans to apply to doctoral programs. College Houses and Academic Services Director David Brownlee said in a statement that both Richetti and Elliott had been influential in shaping the College House system. "Under John's leadership, Harrison was a high rise that became a home, earning a reputation as the big house with the big heart," Brownlee said. He also praised Elliott's contribution. "Under Sonia's leadership, DuBois has been an exemplary College House, and she has been an exemplary house dean," Brownlee said. Richetti will take an academic leave to complete a biography of Daniel Defoe for Blackwell Publishers and to edit the "Restoration and Eighteenth-Century" volume of the New Cambridge History of English Literature for Cambridge University Press. Richetti, English Department chairman and A.M. Rosenthal Professor of English, is largely credited with playing a significant role in the restructuring of the department over the last few years. Some of his other accolades include a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Lindback Award for teaching. Prior to the introduction of the College House system, Richetti served as Faculty Fellow in Van Pelt College House for two years. In 1998, Richetti moved to Harrison to assume to position of Faculty Master with his wife Deidre David, a Temple University English professor. "It's been fun, but it's time for me to move on," Richetti said. Richetti also said that although he enjoyed his time in the College Houses, the high rises weren't always the best place to build community atmosphere. "I have gotten to know a fair number of students, but it's frustrating not to get to know everyone," he added. Elliott will also step down from her post to pursue other interests. She plans to spend the coming year applying to doctoral programs in education and will be married in August. DuBois College House has played both a personal and professional role in Elliott's life. Elliott came to Penn as a freshman in 1984 and remained a DuBois resident for her entire undergraduate career. She later served as an administrator from 1992 on, becoming one of the original twelve House Deans when the new College House system was introduced in 1998. Under Elliott, DuBois has expanded its programs and activities, including a Saturday School program conducted for West Philadelphia children by DuBois residents. Elliott said she enjoyed interacting with students while in DuBois. "They give testimony to the claim that they could not have made it though Penn without the W.E.B. DuBois College House," Elliott said in statement.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/02/two_college_house_founders_set_to_leave_at_years_end

Complaints flooding high rise mailrooms

(02/15/01 10:00am)

Residents in Hamilton Village have filed more than 60 official mailroom complaints, alleging that cards and packages they were expecting was never delivered to their mailboxes. The majority of the missing mail is cards or envelopes that residents say contained money. Approximately 23 complaints from Harnwell College House residents and 40 from Harrison residents have been filed with the Office of Housing and Conference Services, according to Marketing Manager Lynn Rotoli. "This is a serious matter and we are not taking it lightly," Rotoli said. "This problem has been going on since before winter break so we are very concerned." The problem began when Assistant Director of Facilities Support Gordon Rickards received a number of complaints from residents in Harnwell College House. Rickards sent out a notice requesting that all residents of the house report any problems, and he received 23 complaints in response. Those complaints reported that a total of 30 pieces of mail and 15 packages were missing. "We encourage students to get in touch with us so we can get to the root of the problem," Rotoli said. "We want to work together with the students in order to help them." Rickards had Official Postal Authority Forms -- also called 1510s -- placed in the mailboxes of students who had sent him complaints, and he has received five of them back. The complaints have been forwarded to the United States Postal Authorities and the issue is being investigated by the Penn Mail Service and the University of Pennsylvania Police. Amanda Codd, a Resident Advisor on the 11th floor in Harrison, said she never received mail she was expecting. "In January, it was my birthday and two of my friends said they had sent me cards. I never got them, and Ithought it was suspicious," the College senior said. After contacting other RAs and graduate associates, Codd realized the problem was more widespread than she had originally thought. "I have gotten about 15 e-mails from RAs and GAs responding that they have had the same problems on their floors," Codd noted. "It is mostly just birthday cards not coming in, but a lot of people are infuriated about it." Codd spoke with Rickards about the problem and she then notified residents of the house to send their complaints to Rickards. He received 40 responses and placed 1510 forms in the mailboxes of the students who filed them. GA Mike Byers was another resident affected by the mail problems. "I know of at least one birthday card that I didn't get," Byers said. "I e-mailed students about the problem and a few students e-mailed me back saying that they have not received multiple mailings dating back to around Thanksgiving Break." Other Harrison residents said they were also victims of the mail disappearances. "My mom had sent me on two separate occasions cards with money in them that I never received," College freshman Jen Cartus said. "It was really frustrating and now I am afraid I am going to start getting bills late." And now Hamilton residents, as well, have begun to complain about missing mail. College sophomore and Hamilton resident Alexis Marchio said she did not receive several birthday cards last semester. "I thought it was kind of strange so I filed a complaint with the house dean, who forwarded it to the mailroom," Marchio said. College sophomore Dayna Finkelstein, also a Hamilton resident, echoed Marchio's experience. "The mail is unreliable and I never know whether or not I am getting all of my mail," Finkelstein said. "They were good with getting back to me when I put in a complaint."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/02/complaints_flooding_high_rise_mailrooms

The tangled Web of room selection

(02/08/01 10:00am)

While the application for on-campus housing is now online, many students say that the process is more problematic and tiresome than filling out the paperwork by hand. The Department of Housing and Conference Services contracted with a local software development company to put the application process for on campus housing on the Web. The same application used in years past is accessible via campusexpress.com, a Penn site developed last summer. "We would like to go online as much as possible," Director of Housing and Conference Services Doug Berger said. "My goal for the department is that we will have a system eventually where people can just pick the room they want without having to apply." But for some students, the process has been more trouble than its worth. Students in Harnwell College House, for one, had problems accessing the application online. "I tried to get to the site from my computer and it wouldn't open," College sophomore Susan Goodman said. "We got an e-mail saying if it doesn't work then we had to go get a hard copy so we could get it in on time." Students staying in their current room had from February 1 through February 5 to fill out the application. Those wishing to change residences can apply online at the end of February and the beginning of March. According to Berger, 1,100 students applied for room retention -- and about 100 had problems with the online process. But members of the department said that the conversion of the process from manual applications to the Internet was in response to student requests. "The process is student-driven, coming through student surveys and other forms of feedback," Marketing Manager for Housing and Conference Services Lynn Rotoli said. "Our department is trying to take suggestions and be pioneers." Currently, Penn is the only Ivy League school where students can apply online for on-campus housing. Officials from the Office of College Houses and Academic Services noted that coordinating such a task could be difficult. "We have so many different options since there are so many types of rooms so it is quite an undertaking," Director of the Office of College Houses and Academic Services David Brownlee said. "You have to design a system capable of dealing with all of them," the Harnwell Faculty Advisor noted. But students said the system isn't ready to deal with all of their requests. "We sat in front of the computer for hours trying to get our application to go through," College sophomore Kathryn Hague said. "It was difficult to coordinate all the roommate preferences on the computer since we had to do it one at a time." Berger recognized that the online system has some glitches. Students were notified via e-mail after the application was taken offline if they had a problem. "The number one issue students had with the online application was coordinating roommate preferences," Berger said. "We will be working in the next few years to fix it because right now it isn't very student friendly." But Berger said that in general, students have told him they liked the new system. "The feedback we are getting is positive," Berger said. "This is our first jump into an online system -- it is a work in progress." Some students, however, said they thought the online application was helpful. "It is more convenient because that way you don't have to go out and get the form," College sophomore Miriam Sadek said. "You can edit it and you won't lose it as easily."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/02/the_tangled_web_of_room_selection

Houston Market raises prices

(01/23/01 10:00am)

Nearly four months after opening its doors, Houston Market has increased prices on a select group of items -- leaving many students questioning the decision. According to Larry Moneta, Associate Vice President of Campus Services, the price increase is part of the normal course of action for new dining services. "Since Houston Market is so new, you are guesstimating prices and the attractiveness of those prices," Moneta said. "When you open up a place like Houston, you have to wait a few months to see how the market will respond." Houston Market was introduced in September as a low-price alternative to other dining options on and around campus. While Houston's prices remain relatively competitive, the recent hike has bothered some students. "I am disappointed in the University for raising prices," College freshman Andrew Gomez said. "We do have to pay a lot to go here and for meal plans, and the least they could do is charge us affordable prices for food." Campus dining raised prices at the majority of the five eateries in the Market. At Ciao, the pasta and pizza eatery, a bowl of pasta and sauce now costs $3.75 instead of $3, and a slice of cheese pizza went up from $1.25 to $1.50. Prices also increased at The Wall, Houston Market's salad and deli eatery. Half of a hoagie increased in price from $2.85 to $3.25. At Blaze -- the grill area which serves fast foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken fingers -- the price of a cheeseburger went up from $2.80 to $2.90. College sophomore Kathryn Hague said the increase was unnecessary. "It bothers me because I don't think the food is worth the money," Hague said. "Houston Market is supposed to provide us with a reasonably-priced place to eat on campus besides the dining halls." Moneta said he realizes that students would not be happy with the increases, but he hopes students will understand nonetheless. "I am hoping that students who are savvy about the market will understand that we are still price conscious, and we do our best to keep them that way," he said. "We are not trying to make a profit off of the students." Moneta added that the price increases will not necessarily continue in future months. "We don't have any formal prices," Moneta said. "It is just a system of reviewing sales and revenues." Any further price increases will correspond to market prices, according to Moneta. "We are just as likely to lower prices on some things in order to do our best and comply with the market," he said. "Houston still has lower prices than most of the off-campus places around."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/01/houston_market_raises_prices

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