Search Results
Below are your search results. You can also try a Basic Search.
(02/01/99 10:00am)
Robert Barchi enters an office whose great responsibilities have changed over time. The office of the provost dates back to 1754, when University founder Benjamin Franklin recruited the first in a line of scholars to hold the post which was for nearly 200 years the highest-ranking position at Penn. Today, 245 years later, Robert Barchi steps into one of the oldest and most powerful jobs at the University -- one that has long shaped the development of academic policy. The provost became the University's chief academic officer in 1930, when the University's Board of Trustees established the office of the president, which has since been the top job in the University hierarchy. Then and now, the University provost has faced a long list of responsibilities -- few of which are tackled from within the confines of College Hall. Today, the provost is responsible to the president for the coordination and quality of academic and research programs. "As chief academic officer of the University, the provost provides the foundation for strong and vital teaching and research institutions," University President Judith Rodin said. "[Barchi] will bring new spirit and vigor to current projects, and vision and energy to old ones." To further the advancement of academic initiatives, the provost consults with faculty and students to bring new projects to fruition. The deans of Penn's 12 undergraduate and graduate schools report to the provost, who also oversees vice provosts and institutes directors. To ease the transition into his new job, Barchi has spent the past month consulting with the diverse range of academic faculty. "He's hit the floor running," School of Nursing Dean Norma Lang said. "He's listening to all the constituent groups." Through his work as an academic leader, the provost can create and develop educational programs and initiatives. Past provosts have created the University Scholars Program -- which supports and funds student research projects -- as well as the Speaking Across the University program and the Faculty Council of Undergraduate Education, which has worked to implement programs such as freshman seminars. The University's provost also chairs advisory bodies on academic and budget issues, such as the Council of Deans and the Academic Planning and Budget Committee. As well as working closely with the current academic staff, the provost also oversees the intake of new faculty and recommends appointments of deans and department chairs to the president, according to Executive Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons. University administrators are confident that Barchi, Penn's newest provost, will devote himself to his job. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Richard Beeman said Barchi is "smart, efficient and energetic." "He will challenge us every step of the way," he added.
(02/01/99 10:00am)
Provost Robert Barchi has outlined a 'longitudinal list' of four agenda items for his term as Penn's top academic. Longtime Medical School Professor Robert Barchi will officially take over today as the Penn's newest provost, ending 15 months of flux in the office of the University's chief academic officer. Barchi, 52, has already developed what he calls a "longitudinal list" of academic projects to help realize his vision of education at Penn, encompassing both long- and short-term plans for his tenure as the University's highest ranking academic official. After consulting with all 12 undergraduate and graduate deans as well as University faculty and students throughout the past month, Barchi has devised a list of four wide-ranging goals he plans to focus on and "wants the provost's office to contribute to." "The things that I see as being important have to be worked through with all those constituencies," Barchi explained. And today, as he officially steps into office, Barchi will continue to outline the major needs of the institution and will work toward implementing those goals. Some of Barchi's plans will, he hopes, be implemented within the next six months: the structuring of the college house system throughout the $300 million dorm overhaul project, the series of provost-sponsored events and the development of greater research opportunities for students. Barchi said that he currently is planning on a six-year tenure. "Academic leaders have a curve of productivity," he said. Firstly, the provost said that he wants to create programming and develop initiatives to "enrich the intellectual atmosphere" at the University. His second academic goal includes plans to "foster and encourage innovation in education and research." Third, Barchi will continue to "implement and move forward" the Agenda for Excellence -- a five-year academic and financial plan released by University President Judith Rodin in 1995. And lastly, the new academic head of the University said he wants to "reaffirm the role of the provost's office having a leadership position" and "strengthen the academic infrastructure" within the University. Each of these plans, Barchi explained, leads to one overarching goal: to develop programming and innovations that create the atmosphere of "a community of scholars" at Penn. As part of his first goal, Barchi said he will continue "rolling forward" with the college house system. He also cited the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education's newly released White Paper -- which requests increased student research opportunities and greater student-faculty interaction -- as an example of "things we should be doing." The provost added that the University needs a centrally-located research hub and improved recreational, performing arts and social opportunities on campus for both faculty and students. And starting next semester, students may be able to attend campus-wide cultural events sponsored by the provost. The events could include performing arts, concerts or lectures, Barchi said. Falling under his second goal of encouraging education and research, Barchi noted that interdisciplinary and inter-school programs -- such as dual-degree programs between schools or specialized majors -- are areas he plans to expand. "[One role of the provost's office] is supporting interdisciplinary and inter-school programs and fostering the development of new programs that bridge schools and intellectual disciplines," Barchi said. Another thing Barchi hopes to achieve is the creation of more opportunities and increased funding for student participation in research. "I don't mean just molecular biology or gene therapy," he explained. "I mean research in every sense of the academic word -- whether it's writing creatively or thinking about philosophical concepts." He added that "the capacity of the institution in giving grants hasn't kept up with the success of the faculty as a research engine." Barchi also plans to increase faculty recruitment and to "nurture" desirable faculty members to keep them at Penn. "I want to use the resources of the provost's office for the recruitment and retention of creative and talented teachers and researchers," he explained. Barchi's third goal includes plans to work on the Agenda for Excellence. He said he will work with faculty, deans and the president to develop "the next chapter of the Agenda." And lastly, as Barchi develops academic planning for the future, he wants to "reaffirm" the leadership role of the provost's office within the University -- which has been without a permanent provost since Stanley Chodorow stepped down at the end of 1997. Barchi also stressed that he will work with Executive Vice President John Fry -- who focuses mainly on large-scale business and campus development projects -- and Rodin to "develop mechanisms of strategic academic planning" and pay attention to the relationship between the academic and business developments on campus. In particular, Barchi said the University's expansion must mesh with its academic goals and priorities.
(02/01/99 10:00am)
Several former Penn provosts are serving as models for Barchi as he assumes his new office. While Provost Robert Barchi is working to successfully launch the University into the future, he has said he plans to keep the spirit of past Penn provosts by his side. Looking to those past officials for "wisdom" and "advice," Barchi specifically cited recent former provosts Eliot Stellar, Vartan Gregorian and Thomas Ehrlich as leaders he hopes to emulate during his tenure as the University's chief academic officer. "Those are the kinds of people that brought me along and I think contributed tremendously to the growth of the University," Barchi said. Stellar, who died of cancer six years ago, served as provost from 1972 to 1978. Gregorian, the former president of Brown University and current president of the Carnegie Corporation in New York, followed immediately after and stayed in the provost's office until 1980. And Ehrlich, the former president of Indiana University and now a visiting professor at Stanford Law School, served as Penn's provost from 1981 to 1987. Stellar especially was both a friend and mentor when Barchi first became a faculty member of the University in 1972, the new provost said. "In many ways [Stellar] was a father figure for me and if I could be ever a quarter of what he was, that would be an achievement," Barchi said, stressing Stellar's "remarkable intellect" and commitment to the needs of "his colleagues and students." Barchi has said that he wants his tenure as provost to be as academically successful as Stellar's was. Stellar presided during a time when the College for Women was fully integrated into the men's school, together forming the co-educational School of Arts and Sciences. Stellar dedicated himself to the development of the "one-University concept," which worked to implement interdisciplinary programs. But Barchi also looks to the past provost for his "stellar" interpersonal relations with the faculty and students, stressing that Stellar focused on consulting with those constituents and listening carefully to their concerns. "He was an excellent problem solver, but the first thing he did was listen," Barchi said. "Eliot was a scholar. He brought to the job a deep and thoughtful approach." Additionally, the 52-year-old former chairperson of the Medical School's Neurology and Neuroscience departments noted that Stellar focused his energy not on the advancement of his own career but instead on the needs of students. "Eliot was always looking outside himself to see what he could do," Barchi noted. Both Barchi and Stellar worked at the Medical School before moving into the University's top academic post. After stepping down in 1978, Stellar served as chairperson of the Medical School's Anatomy Department until his death in 1993. "[Stellar] was a wonderful person," said Pathology Professor Peter Nowell, stressing that the former provost was liked by "everyone on both sides of Spruce Street." Stellar was immediately followed by Vartan Gregorian, who had previously served as the first dean of SAS. According to Executive Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons, Gregorian was very popular among faculty and students. Through his "charisma and intellectual excitement, [Gregorian] could really lead people," she said. During Gregorian's brief two-year tenure, the University saw an increase in research funding and the addition of new faculty members in SAS. Gregorian, who was seeking to be the successor to then-University President Martin Meyerson, left Penn in 1980 when Sheldon Hackney received the appointment. Some students and faculty hoped for and expected Gregorian to be selected. "Gregorian was a magnificent provost. He cared about all aspects of the University," History Professor Alan Kors said. "It was a tragedy beyond tragedies that he did not become president of the University." Gregorian, who served as president of Brown University from 1988 until the end of 1997, currently is the president of the grant-making Carnegie Corporation in New York. Two interim provosts oversaw the school before Thomas Ehrlich, then dean of Stanford Law School, took office in 1981. Ehrlich -- the first provost selected from outside the University since 1868 -- established the Faculty Council on Undergraduate Education. "He led efforts to enhance the undergraduate experience," said Assistant to the President Steve Steinberg, who stressed that Ehrlich tried to "build a sense of Penn as an undergraduate institution." Programs initiated under Ehrlich included the addition of academic programs to freshman orientation as well as the creation of freshman seminars. Ehrlich left Penn in 1987 to assume the presidency of Indiana University. He left that position seven years later. After a long career in University administration, Ehrlich said he enjoyed his tenure at Penn and that Barchi has received "a wonderful job." "I enjoyed it enormously," Ehrlich said. "It's a wonderful job for anyone interested in institutional architecture." Like Barchi, who has discussed the future of the University with faculty and students in detail over the last month, Ehrlich said "the thing I like best is working with people."
(01/28/99 10:00am)
When Engineering senior Kimberly Kirby was deciding which university to attend, she picked Penn over eight other schools because of its strong Bioengineering Department. And while Kirby, who is African-American, was sure Penn would be the best academic option for her, she said she had doubts about attending the University because its financial aid package was less attractive than those offered by other schools. "[Penn's] was the worst [offer] out of eight schools, including Harvard," Kirby noted. Kirby is one of many minority students who say that Penn's financial aid offers are not matching up to students' needs. Student Financial Aid Director William Schilling explained that while there are students with financial needs among all racial groups on campus, "the percentage of minorities who have need is higher." He said there are approximately 750 African-American and Latino students, combined, on financial aid at Penn. "Other schools have initiatives that make it easier," said United Minorities Council Chairperson Chaz Howard, who said Penn's financial aid packages have "turned [minorities] away from [Penn]." "If you want me to come, I need more than $10," the College junior added. But Howard said he was confident that the University administration is actively fundraising to better its financial aid packages for all students -- a move that is likely to increase the minority population on campus. Admissions Dean Lee Stetson said increased funding for financial aid and greater minority recruitment go "hand in hand." Currently, African-Americans and Latinos make up just 5.9 percent and 4.8 percent of Penn's freshman class, respectively. Those figures are lower than the minority groups' representation throughout the nation, which rank in at 12.7 percent and 11.4 percent, respectively, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. College junior Leslie Heredia, who is Latina and of the first generation in her family to attend college, said that better financial offers may attract minority students who otherwise would not consider schools like Penn. "My parents wanted me to go to community college up until the bitter end," she said. Schilling attributed Penn's small packages to its low endowment. He said only 5 percent to 6 percent of the approximately $52 million spent on financial aid comes out of the University's $2.7 billion endowment. The rest, Schilling said, is taken from the University's annual operating budget. Since Penn's endowment is the lowest on a per student basis in the Ivy League, the University cannot offer financial aid packages comparable to those offered by its peer institutions. "Penn's endowment for undergraduate financial aid is meager in comparison to fellow institutions," Associate Vice President for Finance Frank Claus said. At Princeton University, in comparison, 95 percent of money spent on financial aid is taken from the school's $4.8 billion endowment. Since Princeton spends very few of its own budget dollars on financial aid, it can use the majority of its budget to focus on quality of life at the school. And after overhauling their financial aid program a year ago, Princeton students with an annual income of less than $40,000 now receive entirely grant-based aid. Schilling said the University has been aggressively fundraising for nearly a year to increase its endowment. The goal, he added, is to triple the endowment over the next five years, which would push the endowment's contribution to financial aid up to 15 percent. "We're making a major effort to increase the endowment," Schilling said. "And we've had some good success with pledges [within the past year]."
(01/21/99 10:00am)
The University is focusing on internal and external candidates to replace Law Dean Colin Diver in July. When outgoing Law School Dean Colin Diver officially steps down from his position July 1, the search committee seeking his replacement says it wants someone poised to step right into his shoes. After two months of searching, though, no one has been singled out for the job. "Everybody wants to do this as quickly as possible," said Law School Search Committee Chairperson Richard Herring, the Wharton School's vice dean for undergraduate education. The search committee -- appointed by University President Judith Rodin in November -- has been advertising in national publications and contacting associates at other institutions in its quest for a qualified candidate to head the Law School, Herring said. Herring explained that the 11-member committee, which consists of four Penn faculty members, four Law School professors, two Law students and one alumnus, has held weekly meetings since November to discuss their options in finding a new Law School dean. The committee will nominate three to five candidates to the president and provost, according to Herring. "This is the premier law dean opening in the country at this time," said committee member and Law Professor Robert Gorman, adding that "Penn is regarded as a highly desirable place to serve." The committee has contacted every member of the Law School faculty, University Trustees and other universities for suggestions of possible candidates for the position. Herring added that the committee has been working with a search firm, Korn/Ferry International, which is helping to gather information. He said the position has been advertised in The Chronicle for Higher Education, The New York Times, The National Law Journal, Black Issues in Higher Education and Hispanic Outlook. The advertisement specifies that the University wants an "outstanding scholar" with "leadership experience," Herring explained. "We're not just looking at the old boy network," he said, stressing that minority and female candidates are being strongly considered for the job. The committee "wants to look as broadly as [it] can." And the committee may recommend both internal and external candidates for the post. "[The final candidate] may very well be someone inside the Law School," Herring said. "There are some very credible candidates." Committee member and second-year Law student Daniel Garodnick said he was pleased with the committee's progress so far. "Things are moving along and we're looking forward to finding a strong replacement for Dean Diver," he noted. During Diver's 10 years at the Law School, he has increased the faculty by one third, expanded facilities and academic support services and raised over $100 million for the school's activities and endowment. He announced in October that he would step down from the post this summer. With its current financial stability and new crop of professors, Herring said that the school is "poised to make a move to the very top tier." Several other members of the search committee refused to comment about their progress.
(01/20/99 10:00am)
The University received $414 million in outside research funds for fiscal year 1998. External funding for research projects at the University hit an all-time high during fiscal year 1998. The University received $414 million in grants -- a 14 percent increase from the previous year -- from government agencies, public foundations and private institutions this year, according to Vice Provost for Research Ralph Amado. "[The rise in research funding] contributes to the general intellectual excitement at the institution," Amado said, stressing that the financial gains will benefit both students and faculty. The rate of increase has also been significantly high. While the Agenda for Excellence -- University President Judith Rodin's five-year campus master plan -- set a funding increase goal of 2 percent per year, the compound growth rate of external funding between 1993 and 1998 totaled 8.6 percent per year. "We're having a blockbuster year," Vice President for Finance Kathy Engebretson said. "Research has been growing at an incredible pace." Amado explained that the federal government has become more generous in spending money on research since the Agenda was first announced four years ago. He added that the University has acquired funds due to the "high quality" of faculty and new research facilities such as the Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories. The University receives about 80 percent of its grants from federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. The remaining 20 percent of grants are kicked in by public agencies such as the American Heart Association, as well as by private industries. The Medical School receives the bulk of the total research funding given to Penn -- a clear 60 percent, according to Amado. Glen Gaulton, vice dean for research and research training in the Medical School, said the ability to finance research and faculty is revolutionizing the school. "It opens up whole new areas of research," the professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine said, citing the gene therapy program and breast cancer research as two endeavors that benefitted from external grants. He added that the rise in funding also aids faculty recruitment at the Medical School. "Penn is in the forefront in growth of faculty and growth of funding," Gaulton said. Funding and faculty growth at the University are similar to "trickle down economics," he added, stressing that more research grants enable professors to employ more students -- both graduate and undergraduate -- to work with them on research projects. The four schools that receive the remaining funding are -- in descending order -- the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Graduate School of Education. The actual funding distributions were not available. Interim Engineering Dean Eduardo Glandt said the additional funding has helped the school gain new resources, laboratories and faculty. "Hires in the past few years have been phenomenal," said the Chemical Engineering professor, who added that the "spectacular" faculty are involving the students in research projects. College Dean Richard Beeman stressed that research and teaching are the two priorities of the College. He noted that nearly all 450 faculty members of the College are engaged in ongoing research. Beeman added that since faculty members in the sciences need laboratory equipment and facilities for their research, they often seek external grants. But English or History professors need "the gift of time," which enables them to research and write about their subject at length, Beeman said.
(01/15/99 10:00am)
Provost-designate Robert Barchi is learning the ins and outs of his post while working on an agenda. When incoming Provost Robert Barchi arrived at his new office this month, his first task was to fix a large, 19th-century grandfather clock that hasn't worked in more than three years. "Now the clock is running and it's on time," Barchi said excitedly. "That's symbolic." Just like the 17th- and 18th-century clocks and watches Barchi repairs and collects in his spare time, the provost's office will tick with similar activity when he officially takes over February 1. Although he is still easing out of his former job as chairperson of the Neuroscience and Neurology departments, Barchi is spending this month in the provost's office learning the ropes of his new job. Above all, the provost-designate said he wants to "take the pulse of the school." In an effort to educate himself as he prepares to move up as the University's chief academic officer, Barchi has met with the deans of each individual school at the University, administrators and some student leaders to discuss their concerns for the future of the University and where to go next. "I'm learning how I might help them achieve their individual goals," he said. He has already indicated three major areas as his focal points. Barchi pointed to interdisciplinary programs and provost-sponsored "intellectual enrichment events" as initiatives which would impact the University as a "community of scholars." Emphasizing a desire to maintain and improve the University as both a "collegial" and "academic" environment, Barchi said he also plans to continue the initiatives laid out in the Agenda for Excellence -- a five-year academic and financial plan released by University President Judith Rodin in 1995 -- and will also be moving forward with his own strategic planning for the next five years. "It is about the appropriate time to look onto the next page [of the Agenda]," he said. Even as he prepares to tackle Penn's academic strategic planning, the 52-year-old still makes time to run regularly, ski and row on the Schuylkill River. But don't for a minute think that College Hall was where North Philadelphia-bred Barchi pictured himself a few decades ago. As the captain of the football team and a defenseman on the lacrosse team during his undergraduate days at Georgetown University, Barchi was never involved in university politics. With no immediate interest in returning to Philadelphia after his college graduation, Barchi concedes that it was an innovative dual degree program at Penn that lured him back. He earned a doctorate in 1972 and his medical degree one year later. He then joined the Neurology Department faculty in 1974 and hasn't left the University since. Barchi said he remained at Penn despite offers from other institutions, "because I can do things at Penn that I could not do at [other schools]." Currently residing in the nearby suburb of Gladwyne with his wife -- also a Penn neurologist -- and his two high-school-aged children, his family cares for a menagerie of pets, including a dog, two rabbits, two lizards and a bird. He said he wants people to remember his time as provost, instead of remembering him as an individual. "I would like people to remember this as a time of excitement, a time of collegial dialogue, a time when we pushed the envelope on what an academic institution can do," he explained.
(01/14/99 10:00am)
Included were resolutions about a security camera policy and changes in how employees give to charity. University Council overwhelmingly passed three resolutions yesterday at its monthly meeting, including one that implements a cohesive policy for how Penn will use security video cameras. The other two resolutions dealt with a policy on how the administration will consult with faculty on academic issues and on trying a new way of processing employees' charitable donations. Approximately 38 of the 92 Council members -- two more than are required for a vote to be held -- attended the meeting in McClelland Hall. All three votes were nearly unanimous. Faculty Senate Chairperson John Keene said he was pleased that enough people attended the meeting to ensure a quorum. "We did not succeed in getting a quorum last spring," the City and Regional Planning professor noted. Council spent more half of its two-hour meeting times discussing video monitoring. Safety and Security Committee Chairperson Sean Kennedy, an Anesthesia professor, presented the policy, which sets regulations regarding security usage of closed circuit video cameras on campus. According to the policy, cameras can be used for surveillance in public facilities on campus -- such as buildings, dorms or outdoor parking lots. It cannot be used in so-called "sensitive" areas, like bathrooms and the Penn Women's Center. Council's Open Expression Committee examined the proposal for privacy concerns, according to its chairperson, Social Work Professor Dennis Culhane. He noted that certain areas, such as the Women's Center, need to be treated sensitively because people often go there to discuss confidential problems. Council members discussed the make-up of a proposed committee to oversee closed-circuit television usage. They agreed to an amendment that will allow student and faculty participation on the committee. "We offer a unique perspective that's not there from the administration," said Undergraduate Assembly representative Dave Burd, a Wharton freshman who proposed the amendment. Council then approved the Faculty Senate Committee Faculty Consultation Resolution. Law Professor Howard Lesnick explained that the policies say the administration should consult with the faculty about campus issues that may affect them. Keene called the resolution "a major step; it sets the framework for consultation on major issues among administrators, faculty, students and staff." Finally, in discussing the charitable giving resolution, Council noted the significant drop in donations over the past 10 years and decided to remedy that by cutting ties with the United Way organization. The key debate between the two proposals was the use of the charity group, which currently processes the University's charitable contributions but favors specific charities, meaning that donors do not have full control over where the money goes. Dental School Biochemistry Professor Phoebe Leboy submitted the resolution proposing that Penn stop using United Way -- a move it also took in 1991, only to return four years later. The University will now use charitable agencies that enable employees to give money to charities of their choice.
(01/13/99 10:00am)
Use of video-monitoring on campus,faculty consultation and Penn's charitable contributions top today's agenda. Resolutions on the University's video-monitoring policy, consultation practices and charitable contribution policies will headline the first University Council meeting of the new year today in the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall. As Council members convene from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for their monthly meeting, they will hear presentations from four Council committees. The Committee on Open Expression and the Committee on Safety and Security will co-present recommendations for how the University would use video cameras around campus to increase security. Anesthesia Professor Sean Kennedy, who chairs the Safety and Security Committee, said the policy focuses on monitoring public areas on campus. "It sets limits on what should be monitored on campus for safety and security reasons," Kennedy said. Psychology Professor Dennis Culhane, chairperson of the Committee on Open Expression, said his committee debated which campus-wide public areas "might have potential open expression issues" and infringe on the privacy rights of the University community. Council will hold a discussion session following the presentation to pinpoint which facilities should be monitored, since some -- like the Women's Center, where students often go with confidential or sensitive concerns -- raise issues of privacy. Council will also hear Faculty Senate Chairperson John Keene -- a City and Regional Planning professor -- present the Faculty Senate Executive Committee's policy on consultation. The policy, which was approved by the Faculty Senate December 2, is "designed to make clear that there be consultation between the administration and faculty? and clarify the conditions under which consultation takes place," Keene said. Finally, Biochemistry Professor Phoebe Leboy will make a presentation on the status of the University's charitable donations. Leboy explained that the University's donations to charities have dropped over the past 10 years. She attributed the drop to Penn's affiliation with United Way, the agency which organizes donations to a certain group of preferred charities. Leboy added that such a program makes it increasingly difficult for the University's employees to donate to charities of their choice. The University adopted a charitable program separate from United Way in 1991, but decided to abolish it in 1996. The goal of the current campaign is for University employees to be able to choose a "broader range of opportunity" among charities, according to Leboy. University Secretary Rosemary McManus described the three issues on the agenda for today's meeting as "very important to the community as a whole." Council, which is composed of about 92 faculty, students and staff, meets monthly to advise the president and provost on major issues facing the University.
(01/12/99 10:00am)
Former Interim Provost Michael Wachter returns to teaching and research. After spending more than three years in the provost's office, Michael Wachter is moving back to the Law School -- and the 55-year-old academic expects the view from his new window to be just as bright. After serving as deputy provost from June 1995 until the end of 1997, Wachter took over as Penn's chief academic officer during the extended search for a permanent successor to former Provost Stanley Chodorow. He officially stepped down on December 31, 1997, after a full year in office, to return to teaching and research at Penn's Law School. Wachter interviewed with the search committee charged with finding a new provost, but the job was ultimately awarded to Neurology and Neuroscience Department Chairperson Robert Barchi. Though Wachter's resignation as interim provost was effective at the end of last year, Barchi will not take over officially until February 1. "I'm absolutely going back to research, teaching and running the Institute of Law and Economics," Wachter said. "You can't take off any longer than [three years] without it being hard to come back." Wachter said that at the time Chodorow offered him the deputy provost's post, he only intended to spend three years working in the office. He explained that he strayed from the plan -- serving a total of 3 1/2 years in College Hall -- because of the timing of Chodorow's December 1997 resignation. As interim provost, Wachter presided over the implementation of the college house system, which reorganized on-campus housing into 12 residential colleges with expanded services and residential staffing. He also initiated the first evaluative external review program for the University's schools and departments and helped create distributed-learning programs with the Wharton School and the School of Arts and Sciences. In addition, Wachter chaired the Academic Planning and Budget Committee for the Agenda for Excellence, University President Judith Rodin's five-year master plan aimed at increased academic programming and campus improvement. Wachter said his final duties were to spend time helping Barchi ease into the provost's office. As he returns to the Law School, where he has worked for the last 15 years, Wachter plans to dedicate his time to research projects throughout the semester and resume teaching next fall. Wachter has taught at the University since 1969, previously holding his primary faculty appointments in SAS and Wharton. In addition to his teaching and research, Wachter will continue to work as director of the Institute of Law and Economics, a position he has held since 1984. Law Professor Ed Rock said he "has been waiting years" for Wachter to come back to the Law School. Rock has served with Wachter since 1991 and the two professors will continue to collaborate this semester on research focusing on corporate and labor law. According to Rock, Wachter's return will be nothing short of a boon to the Law School. "I don't think we've gotten the credit we deserve for giving [Wachter] up for the last 3 1/2 years," Rock said. Wachter labeled his transition from provost to professor "as smooth as can be." While Wachter said he is looking forward to going back to the Law School, he added that he "thoroughly enjoyed" his time as both deputy and interim provost.
(12/15/98 10:00am)
The fund was created last year to pay for alcohol-free activities. With the school year half over, the InterFraternity Council has used $11,500 of the $30,000 placed in a discretionary fund for joint IFC-Undergraduate Assembly activities to pay for just two events. Almost all of the money, which was set aside by the UA to co-sponsor non-alcoholic programming, was used for parts of October's widely criticized Greek Week. UA Chairperson Bill Conway said he didn't approve of the way the fraternities have used the UA-allocated money this semester. "I was upset that Greek Week wasn't a success," the Wharton junior said, adding that "the funds for Greek Week could have been used better." Besides the $10,000 Greek Week in October, the IFC has held just one other event with the money -- spending $1,500 for a three-on-three basketball tournament last month. Outgoing IFC President Josh Belinfante said he originally planned to hold several block parties and barbeques with the $30,000, but fraternity members have been too busy with other activities to plan them. "Greek Week took a lot more organizing time than we thought," the College senior explained. He added that the "houses were very busy with fall showcasing." Greek Week took over six months to plan. Originally intended as a week-long series of events for the entire campus, Greek Week was to include a party at Dave & Buster's entertainment complex, a movie screening on College Green, a community service carnival and an "All-Greek" mixer. The UA funds only covered non-alcoholic events such as the movie night and the carnival. But rain forced the movie indoors, the carnival was sparsely attended and the Division of Public Safety cancelled the mixer -- which was not funded by the UA -- because of security concerns and miscommunications between the Greeks and police. Conway explained that although the $30,000 was set aside for a "Greek Fund," the UA must still essentially approve every expenditure that uses money from the fund. Because the UA constitution prohibits them from setting aside money for non-student government organizations, the fund serves as a money source for events co-sponsored by the IFC and UA. Additionally, Conway stressed the word "discretionary," saying that though the money is set aside for the Greeks it can still be used for other activities. "We can give this money to any student group at our own discretion to fund anyone we choose," he explained. But he noted that the IFC has priority for the money. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski said the students need to work harder to develop ideas and use the funding as a resource. "Penn students are very bright and creative people," he noted, explaining that they need to apply this creativity when creating non-alcoholic programs. Belinfante said that the IFC plans to request money next semester to fund workshops by Students Against Acquaintance Rape, Drug and Alcohol Resource Team and Training for Intervention Procedures. Next semester the IFC will also plan a Greek Weekend, which will include a community service event and a barbeque, incoming IFC President Mark Metzl said. The $30,000 was originally allocated by the UA last spring in a move that was hotly contested by student group leaders --Ewho unsuccessfully tried to pass a referendum to recover the funds -- because the allocation effectively lessened the budget of the Student Activities Council. SAC doles out money to 150 campus student groups. Daily Pennsylvanian staff writer Erin Johnson contributed to this article.
(12/15/98 10:00am)
With the school year half over, the InterFraternity Council has used $11,500 of the $30,000 placed in a discretionary fund for joint IFC-Undergraduate Assembly activities to pay for just two events. Almost all of the money, which was set aside by the UA to co-sponsor non-alcoholic programming, was used for parts of October's widely criticized Greek Week. UA Chairperson Bill Conway said he didn't approve of the way the fraternities have used the UA-allocated money this semester. "I was upset that Greek Week wasn't a success," the Wharton junior said, adding that "the funds for Greek Week could have been used better." Besides the $10,000 Greek Week in October, the IFC has held just one other event with the money -- spending $1,500 for a three-on-three basketball tournament last month. Outgoing IFC President Josh Belinfante said he originally planned to hold several block parties and barbeques with the $30,000, but fraternity members have been too busy with other activities to plan them. "Greek Week took a lot more organizing time than we thought," the College senior explained. He added that the "houses were very busy with fall showcasing." Greek Week took over six months to plan. Originally intended as a week-long series of events for the entire campus, Greek Week was to include a party at Dave & Buster's entertainment complex, a movie screening on College Green, a community service carnival and an "All-Greek" mixer. The UA funds only covered non-alcoholic events such as the movie night and the carnival. But rain forced the movie indoors, the carnival was sparsely attended and the Division of Public Safety cancelled the mixer -- which was not funded by the UA -- because of security concerns and miscommunications between the Greeks and police. Conway explained that although the $30,000 was set aside for a "Greek Fund," the UA must still essentially approve every expenditure that uses money from the fund. Because the UA constitution prohibits them from setting aside money for non-student government organizations, the fund serves as a money source for events co-sponsored by the IFC and UA. Additionally, Conway stressed the word "discretionary," saying that though the money is set aside for the Greeks it can still be used for other activities. "We can give this money to any student group at our own discretion to fund anyone we choose," he explained. But he noted that the IFC has priority for the money. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski said the students need to work harder to develop ideas and use the funding as a resource. "Penn students are very bright and creative people," he noted, explaining that they need to apply this creativity when creating non-alcoholic programs. Belinfante said that the IFC plans to request money next semester to fund workshops by Students Against Acquaintance Rape, Drug and Alcohol Resource Team and Training for Intervention Procedures. Next semester the IFC will also plan a Greek Weekend, which will include a community service event and a barbeque, incoming IFC President Mark Metzl said. The $30,000 was originally allocated by the UA last spring in a move that was hotly contested by student group leaders --Ewho unsuccessfully tried to pass a referendum to recover the funds -- because the allocation effectively lessened the budget of the Student Activities Council. SAC doles out money to 150 campus student groups. Daily Pennsylvanian staff writer Erin Johnson contributed to this article.
(12/09/98 10:00am)
Tau Epsilon Phi brother Mark Metzl will ead the fraternity umbrella group for the next year. The votes are in, the fraternities have spoken and Tau Epsilon Phi brother Mark Metzl will be the 1999 president of the InterFraternity Council executive board. But the elections were notable for another reason: The board will also include its first female member, as Peggy Hanefors, a member of Delta Phi -- commonly known as St. Elmo's -- was elected the board's secretary. Hanefors, a College junior, said she plans to be "just one of the guys" to her colleagues on the IFC board. St. Elmo's is the only coed IFC fraternity on campus. Metzl said last night that he was "very excited about the new board and pleased with the outcome." "We plan to continue the academics and building initiatives that the IFC has taken on this semester," said Metzl, a College junior who was the IFC's vice president of community service this semester. He added that he also wanted to work on several community service projects over the next year. The new board includes Sigma Nu brother and College junior Andrew Exum -- a Daily Pennsylvanian columnist -- as its executive vice president. Also named to the board were Phi Kappa Sigma brother and College junior Matt Chait, who was named vice president of rush; Vice President of Academics Andrew Mandelbaum, an Alpha Chi Ro brother and College sophomore; Sigma Alpha Mu brother Michael Flicker, a College junior, as vice president of community service; Delta Kappa Epsilon brother and College junior Kevin McCabe as treasurer; and Pi Kappa Phi brother Steven Fechheimer, a Wharton junior, as judicial inquiry representative. At the IFC elections the 31 fraternities each have one vote, which they cast at the meeting after viewing all of the candidates. Either the chapter president or another house representative was required to be present at the meeting last night. The elections were originally scheduled for December 1. The meeting was closed to the public, and IFC officials refused to disclose names of the unsuccessful candidates. Outgoing IFC President Josh Belinfante said that three houses were not present at the meeting. They will be fined $50 each and put on a two-week social probation. The College senior said that there were no surprises, such as spontaneous nominations, at the meeting. Additionally, Belinfante expressed satisfaction with the election results. "I'm extremely pleased with the composition of the board," he said. The newly elected IFC board takes office after winter vacation. Last night's elections come eight days after the new Panhellenic Council executive board was elected. College junior and Chi Omega sister Becca Iverson will be the 1999 Panhel president, leading the eight sororities in the organization.
(12/07/98 10:00am)
Whether in the closet or out some homosexual men find only ten uo us support in the fraternity system. Mike was a brother for almost a semester before he began to question his sexuality. Once he realized he was gay he faced one of the hardest tasks of his life -- coming out to his fraternity. Mike first came out to one of his brothers, a close friend who Mike said was understanding of him. "I talked to one of the brothers," said Mike, who asked that his last name and fraternity not be identified. "I said it's not a choice. It's not something you can choose." Telling the rest of the fraternity was far from easy, Mike said. He explained that a few brothers in the house gave him a hard time about being gay. "I think there's a lot less sensitivity in a fraternity," he noted. Derogatory comments and jokes became frequent. Finally, Mike asked the fraternity's president to help him stop the constant verbal abuse. Overall, Mike said, the guys in the house tried to be supportive. They decided that if Mike wanted to live in the house for a second year, the fraternity would ask the brothers who were making derogatory comments to move out. But Mike decided it would be better if he was the one to move out. "I think its a lot easier," he explained. "It gives me some peace of mind." But despite that decision, Mike has not abandoned the fraternity altogether. "When I leave [Penn] I don't want to regret anything," he explained, adding that he has stayed active in the fraternity because he does not want to "miss out" on social experiences due to his sexual orientation. The fraternity has provided him with a social center and a group of close friends, Mike added. But his sexual orientation has definitely proven to be a barrier between him and the house. "It was awkward when I had my boyfriend over," Mike noted. The president of Mike's fraternity stressed that most of the brothers were supportive of Mike, and those that initially weren't learned from the experience. "Once people began talking out loud and not whispering behind Mike's back, a dialogue was started that brought the house closer together," he said. "I definitely feel that gay men can be comfortable in a fraternity environment," the fraternity president explained, adding that, "It does take time for people to adjust, but that is to some extent to be expected." 'Gay, Greek and Proud' The issue of being gay in a fraternity came to the forefront two years ago when former Penn student Ron Jenkins wrote two columns about being a gay fraternity member, one for 34th Street magazine and one for The Daily Pennsylvanian. Initially Jenkins wrote a column entitled "Gay, Greek and proud," saying that his house, Sigma Phi Epsilon, was very accepting of his sexual orientation. But over time, Jenkins began to feel that his brothers displayed homophobic prejudices, and his second column said that the fraternity was not an "acceptable community" to live in as a gay man. "I read that column when I was in the closet," said College senior Michael Hammer, a gay Delta Tau Delta brother, "and his story made a lot of sense to me." Jenkins did not respond to a request for comment. InterFraternity President Josh Belinfante said he does not believe fraternities aren't supportive of their gay members. He explained that, "After going through pledging and becoming a brother, it's my belief that the fraternity would be supportive." But he conceded that the atmosphere in many fraternities may not be conducive to their happiness. Acting as a Role Model Scott Reikofski, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, explained that fraternity life is typically uncomfortable for gay men. "Frats are a very heterosexual environment. There's a lot of talk and pressure about who are you dating and what are you doing with her," said Reikofski, who is gay. Belinfante, a College senior, acknowledged that when you "get together males from [ages] 18 to 22, similar topics [such as girls] are going to be brought up." Reikofski added that there are a "couple of handfuls" of individuals who are in fraternities and openly gay. "If you go by the generally accepted 8 to 10 percent [of the population that is gay], there's probably 140 to 160 gay frat men," he said. "But only 20 or so are out." Reikofski said that he had a positive experience as a member of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Northern Colorado --Ebut he didn't come out of the closet until after he graduated. "Going to school 12 years ago in rural Colorado, it wasn't really something that I saw as an option," he explained. Reikofski said he tries to act as a role model for gay students on campus, adding that he believes that was one of the University's expectations when he was hired. He has also devoted time and energy to co-writing a chapter in the second version of the book Beyond Tolerance Toward Acceptance, which will be published soon. The book examines different issues facing gay and lesbian students on college campuses. His chapter focuses on homosexuality within the Greek system. Reikofski said gay men and women are hurt by stereotypes that encourage the belief that they join Greek organizations to find sexual partners. "People assume that gay men or lesbian women would join fraternities or sororities to hook up," Reikofski noted, adding that "they join for the camaraderie, not for romance." Out in the Cold One of the most harmful situations for gay fraternity members is when someone "outs" them, Reikofski said. Hammer, the gay DTD brother, said he was "outed" by a closeted brother in the fraternity who exposed Hammer's homosexuality without revealing his own. Hammer said he joined the fraternity to try to end the confusion about his sexuality. "I wanted to be a boy and do what boys did," he explained, adding that a "fraternity is about boys getting together and doing boy things, drinking beer and having parties." But Hammer said he could not deny his sexual orientation forever. After being outed he went through a difficult period when he turned to the club scene and drugs for happiness. Now Hammer said he realizes that isn't the type of life he wants to lead. He said he has now "gained strength in himself." Hammer, unlike Mike, said that being in a fraternity didn't make coming out any harder, because "coming out is the hardest thing that anyone can do" anyway. But Hammer said if he had known his sexuality beforehand, he may have opted out of Greek life. "I'm not sure if I had made my decision to come out earlier that I would have joined a fraternity," he said. "It's a hard scene for someone who's in the closet, and it's not the same for someone who is open[ly gay] than for someone who is heterosexual." Hammer had to face offensive comments when he first came out, but he said the brothers who made them have since left the fraternity. He also considered quitting the fraternity but he decided after a discussion with his parents that "by remaining in the fraternity it sets a good example for other gay men who want to be in a fraternity." Hammer said that the current DTD brotherhood respects him as a friend. He also feels comfortable bringing boyfriends to the house and brought a straight male friend to the fraternity's last formal. Although Hammer said he enjoys the company of his fraternity brothers, he doesn't know if the system is ready to welcome gay men with open arms. "I can't say that homosexuals will feel entirely comfortable in any fraternity other than a fraternity full of gay men," he said. Sexual Interaction National gay leaders claim that although fraternities often engage in homoerotic activities either as part of pledging or a male bonding ritual, fraternities shun gay members because they pose a challenge to the masculinity of the institution. Shelby Blanton, the director of the National Collegiate Pride Association, a national gay-rights organization that focuses on campus issues, said fraternity brothers engage in homoerotic behavior such as "masturbating with each other or 'circle jerk'," but do not want members to define themselves as gay. Belinfante said that he had no knowledge of homoerotic sexual interaction between fraternity brothers at Penn. He also said that he believes fraternities do not isolate their gay members and in fact can be very supportive. Blanton, a seventh-year senior at Northern Arizona University, said that although a gay brother may be threatening to some fraternities, it's also possible for a gay person to "feel quite comfortable in a heterosexual [fraternity] environment." But Robert Schoenberg, director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Center, noted that being gay in a predominantly straight fraternity is difficult. "My essential position is that although there certainly are some gay students who are out and accepted, most gay men in fraternities at Penn are not," he explained. Remaining Active in the House Another Penn fraternity member, Christopher, said that he feels comfortable within his fraternity -- he lives in the house and is the chapter treasurer -- despite his homosexuality. "I wanted to join because a lot of my friends were joining," he explained. "But I was concerned that I couldn't be in a frat and be gay." But Chris, who requested that his last name and fraternity affiliation not be printed, said his brothers were supportive and that he "never got any negative feedback." Although Chris enjoys the camaraderie in the house and his close friendships, he noted that being a gay fraternity brother does prove difficult at times. "There was a lot of tension in the house [last year]," he said. "I felt like a lot of the brothers were very tense, and they thought that my being gay and their knowledge of that was going to adversely affect the house." The danger, as Chris explained, is that his house would get a reputation as "the gay frat" and then no one would want to pledge the house. "I considered [being president] last year and ended up not being president, in part because we thought that might send the wrong signals," he said. Some brothers told Chris they thought he would not be an appropriate president. "I was kind of hurt that people thought that," he said. But Christopher said he believes his house is more open and accepting than other fraternities. "I know of gay brothers at a lot of fraternities; I know they're still in the closet," he noted, adding that some brothers may remain in the closet because they fear becoming uncomfortable in the house. Chris said he believes no one in his fraternity feels threatened by his sexuality, although he said that it often confuses them. "Every once in a while they'll say 'I don't understand why you don't like girls'," he said laughing, "Well I don't understand why you don't like guys."
(12/07/98 10:00am)
Whether in the closet or out, some homosexual men find only tenuous support in the fraternity system. Mike was a brother for almost a semester before he began to question his sexuality. Once he realized he was gay he faced one of the hardest tasks of his life -- coming out to his fraternity. Mike first came out to one of his brothers, a close friend who Mike said was understanding of him. "I talked to one of the brothers," said Mike, who asked that his last name and fraternity not be identified. "I said it's not a choice. It's not something you can choose." Telling the rest of the fraternity was far from easy, Mike said. He explained that a few brothers in the house gave him a hard time about being gay. "I think there's a lot less sensitivity in a fraternity," he noted. Derogatory comments and jokes became frequent. Finally, Mike asked the fraternity's president to help him stop the constant verbal abuse. Overall, Mike said, the guys in the house tried to be supportive. They decided that if Mike wanted to live in the house for a second year, the fraternity would ask the brothers who were making derogatory comments to move out. But Mike decided it would be better if he was the one to move out. "I think its a lot easier," he explained. "It gives me some peace of mind." But despite that decision, Mike has not abandoned the fraternity altogether. "When I leave [Penn] I don't want to regret anything," he explained, adding that he has stayed active in the fraternity because he does not want to "miss out" on social experiences due to his sexual orientation. The fraternity has provided him with a social center and a group of close friends, Mike added. But his sexual orientation has definitely proven to be a barrier between him and the house. "It was awkward when I had my boyfriend over," Mike noted. The president of Mike's fraternity stressed that most of the brothers were supportive of Mike, and those that initially weren't learned from the experience. "Once people began talking out loud and not whispering behind Mike's back, a dialogue was started that brought the house closer together," he said. "I definitely feel that gay men can be comfortable in a fraternity environment," the fraternity president explained, adding that, "It does take time for people to adjust, but that is to some extent to be expected." 'Gay, Greek and Proud' The issue of being gay in a fraternity came to the forefront two years ago when former Penn student Ron Jenkins wrote two columns about being a gay fraternity member, one for 34th Street magazine and one for The Daily Pennsylvanian. Initially Jenkins wrote a column entitled "Gay, Greek and proud," saying that his house, Sigma Phi Epsilon, was very accepting of his sexual orientation. But over time, Jenkins began to feel that his brothers displayed homophobic prejudices, and his second column said that the fraternity was not an "acceptable community" to live in as a gay man. "I read that column when I was in the closet," said College senior Michael Hammer, a gay Delta Tau Delta brother, "and his story made a lot of sense to me." Jenkins did not respond to a request for comment. InterFraternity President Josh Belinfante said he does not believe fraternities aren't supportive of their gay members. He explained that, "After going through pledging and becoming a brother, it's my belief that the fraternity would be supportive." But he conceded that the atmosphere in many fraternities may not be conducive to their happiness. Acting as a Role Model Scott Reikofski, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, explained that fraternity life is typically uncomfortable for gay men. "Frats are a very heterosexual environment. There's a lot of talk and pressure about who are you dating and what are you doing with her," said Reikofski, who is gay. Belinfante, a College senior, acknowledged that when you "get together males from [ages] 18 to 22, similar topics [such as girls] are going to be brought up." Reikofski added that there are a "couple of handfuls" of individuals who are in fraternities and openly gay. "If you go by the generally accepted 8 to 10 percent [of the population that is gay], there's probably 140 to 160 gay frat men," he said. "But only 20 or so are out." Reikofski said that he had a positive experience as a member of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Northern Colorado --Ebut he didn't come out of the closet until after he graduated. "Going to school 12 years ago in rural Colorado, it wasn't really something that I saw as an option," he explained. Reikofski said he tries to act as a role model for gay students on campus, adding that he believes that was one of the University's expectations when he was hired. He has also devoted time and energy to co-writing a chapter in the second version of the book Beyond Tolerance Toward Acceptance, which will be published soon. The book examines different issues facing gay and lesbian students on college campuses. His chapter focuses on homosexuality within the Greek system. Reikofski said gay men and women are hurt by stereotypes that encourage the belief that they join Greek organizations to find sexual partners. "People assume that gay men or lesbian women would join fraternities or sororities to hook up," Reikofski noted, adding that "they join for the camaraderie, not for romance." Out in the Cold One of the most harmful situations for gay fraternity members is when someone "outs" them, Reikofski said. Hammer, the gay DTD brother, said he was "outed" by a closeted brother in the fraternity who exposed Hammer's homosexuality without revealing his own. Hammer said he joined the fraternity to try to end the confusion about his sexuality. "I wanted to be a boy and do what boys did," he explained, adding that a "fraternity is about boys getting together and doing boy things, drinking beer and having parties." But Hammer said he could not deny his sexual orientation forever. After being outed he went through a difficult period when he turned to the club scene and drugs for happiness. Now Hammer said he realizes that isn't the type of life he wants to lead. He said he has now "gained strength in himself." Hammer, unlike Mike, said that being in a fraternity didn't make coming out any harder, because "coming out is the hardest thing that anyone can do" anyway. But Hammer said if he had known his sexuality beforehand, he may have opted out of Greek life. "I'm not sure if I had made my decision to come out earlier that I would have joined a fraternity," he said. "It's a hard scene for someone who's in the closet, and it's not the same for someone who is open[ly gay] than for someone who is heterosexual." Hammer had to face offensive comments when he first came out, but he said the brothers who made them have since left the fraternity. He also considered quitting the fraternity but he decided after a discussion with his parents that "by remaining in the fraternity it sets a good example for other gay men who want to be in a fraternity." Hammer said that the current DTD brotherhood respects him as a friend. He also feels comfortable bringing boyfriends to the house and brought a straight male friend to the fraternity's last formal. Although Hammer said he enjoys the company of his fraternity brothers, he doesn't know if the system is ready to welcome gay men with open arms. "I can't say that homosexuals will feel entirely comfortable in any fraternity other than a fraternity full of gay men," he said. Sexual Interaction National gay leaders claim that although fraternities often engage in homoerotic activities either as part of pledging or a male bonding ritual, fraternities shun gay members because they pose a challenge to the masculinity of the institution. Shelby Blanton, the director of the National Collegiate Pride Association, a national gay-rights organization that focuses on campus issues, said fraternity brothers engage in homoerotic behavior such as "masturbating with each other or 'circle jerk'," but do not want members to define themselves as gay. Belinfante said that he had no knowledge of homoerotic sexual interaction between fraternity brothers at Penn. He also said that he believes fraternities do not isolate their gay members and in fact can be very supportive. Blanton, a seventh-year senior at Northern Arizona University, said that although a gay brother may be threatening to some fraternities, it's also possible for a gay person to "feel quite comfortable in a heterosexual [fraternity] environment." But Robert Schoenberg, director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Center, noted that being gay in a predominantly straight fraternity is difficult. "My essential position is that although there certainly are some gay students who are out and accepted, most gay men in fraternities at Penn are not," he explained. Remaining Active in the House Another Penn fraternity member, Christopher, said that he feels comfortable within his fraternity -- he lives in the house and is the chapter treasurer -- despite his homosexuality. "I wanted to join because a lot of my friends were joining," he explained. "But I was concerned that I couldn't be in a frat and be gay." But Chris, who requested that his last name and fraternity affiliation not be printed, said his brothers were supportive and that he "never got any negative feedback." Although Chris enjoys the camaraderie in the house and his close friendships, he noted that being a gay fraternity brother does prove difficult at times. "There was a lot of tension in the house [last year]," he said. "I felt like a lot of the brothers were very tense, and they thought that my being gay and their knowledge of that was going to adversely affect the house." The danger, as Chris explained, is that his house would get a reputation as "the gay frat" and then no one would want to pledge the house. "I considered [being president] last year and ended up not being president, in part because we thought that might send the wrong signals," he said. Some brothers told Chris they thought he would not be an appropriate president. "I was kind of hurt that people thought that," he said. But Christopher said he believes his house is more open and accepting than other fraternities. "I know of gay brothers at a lot of fraternities; I know they're still in the closet," he noted, adding that some brothers may remain in the closet because they fear becoming uncomfortable in the house. Chris said he believes no one in his fraternity feels threatened by his sexuality, although he said that it often confuses them. "Every once in a while they'll say 'I don't understand why you don't like girls'," he said laughing, "Well I don't understand why you don't like guys."
(12/03/98 10:00am)
In the suit, the owner of the building housing College Buffet accuses the fraternity of damaging its roof. The owner of the building leased to College Buffet, located at 3901 Walnut Street, said yesterday that he is suing Penn and the local and national chapters of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity for $250,000, charging fraternity with damaging the building's roof. The fraternity has repeatedly thrown bottles and trash on the building's roof over the past year, said Robert Herdelin, who has owned the property for 35 years. Herdelin said he is shocked by the students' "outrageous behavior." The civil suit will be filed on Monday with the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, requesting $15,000 for the roof, $9,000 for broken air conditioners, $50,000 for business interruption and property damage and $176,000 in punitive damages. Additionally, Herdelin plans to file an action with the City of Philadelphia to have the DTD house closed as a public nuisance. Alan Lee, the manager of College Buffet, said that he has seen students throwing trash on the roof out of the house's top story windows. And Herdelin said he found a trash bag on the roof that contained incriminating documents, including a phone bill that belonged to DTD brother Josh Lloyd. Lloyd, a Wharton and Engineering junior, admitted that the items were his but denied throwing the trash bag. He suggested that someone else may have found his garbage and thrown it on to the roof of College Buffet. "We have a common trash area [for the street]," he explained. "Anyone could have access to my trash." Herdelin has spoken to Lloyd about the trash, and he said he thought that the fraternity was at fault. "Did a helicopter drop it off on the way to Pittsburgh?" Herdelin asked. DTD President James Vergara denied the charges against his fraternity. He said the fraternity only admitted responsibility for breaking a car windshield after throwing a water balloon out a window in August. The fraternity agreed to pay $250 for the damage. Herdelin said that the victim had not received the check on Sunday, although Vergara said that they mailed the check the week before Thanksgiving. Vergara added that the fraternity cannot access their roof, which is locked. However, the house's top windows are above the roof of College Buffet. The local chapter has not spoken to Herdelin since September. In the meantime, he has negotiated with the DTD national fraternity, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and President Judith Rodin, Herdelin said. Negotiations broke down with Royal Surplus Lines Insurance Company, the national fraternity's agent, on Tuesday, December 1. Their highest offer was beneath $5,000 and Herdelin felt that it would be an "exercise in mental calisthenics to continue negotiations." Herdelin, who has owned all the buildings on the 3900 block at various points over the past 30 years, said he dislikes the effect the fraternity has had on the neighborhood since moving into the house in the fall of 1997. "They've got to put some kind of guidance counselor in these buildings," he explained, "They can't let students turn around and run the ship because they're out of control." Larry Moses, OFSA program director for the BiCultural InterGreek Council, has been working with Herdelin to resolve the differences between the two parties. Moses was unavailable for comment last night. InterFraternity Council President Josh Belinfante said that neither the fraternity or OFSA had informed him about the imminent legal problems.
(12/01/98 10:00am)
College junior Becca Iverson has a busy year ahead of her after being selected last night as the next head of the Panhellenic Council, the governing board for the eight sororities that attract about 30 percent of Penn's female undergraduates. A single slate of candidates for Panhel's seven-member executive board was selected by the eight chapter presidents before Thanksgiving, and was sent to the houses before the holiday. The houses only had the option of voting "yes" or "no" for the entire slate. Five houses are needed to confirm the slate. Iverson, the Chi Omega delegate to Panhel this year, said she is excited about her new job and eager to "protect the interests of Greek men and women." The Washington, D.C., native and former Daily Pennsylvanian reporter explained that she wants to improve the current Panhel system. "We really hope to have a wide-scale survey among sororities about what [sorority] women know about Panhel," Iverson said, adding that the results of the survey would determine changes in future programming. In addition, she wants to make Panhel more plugged-in -- by updating the group's World Wide Web page. The new board includes Alpha Chi Omega sister and Executive Vice President Dina Penny; Sigma Delta Tau sister and Vice President of Publicity Jennifer Chanowitz; Alpha Phi sister and Vice President of Rush Cara Schmid; Pi Beta Phi sister and Assistant Vice President of Rush Megan Gallenstein; Delta Delta Delta sister and Secretary Nicole Natoli; and Treasurer Jessica Barag, a Phi Sigma Sigma sister. Penny and Schmid are College juniors, while Chanowitz is a sophomore in the College. Gallenstein and Barag are a sophomore and a junior, respectively, in the Engineering School. Natoli's school affiliation was unclear as of last night. "I think it's a really good mix of people," Penny said, adding that she thought the board would work well together. Both Penny and Iverson stressed their desire to continue the community service partnership with Civic House next semester. "Greek men and women are much more than social groups-- they are community groups," said Iverson. Outgoing Executive Vice President Liz Bernard said she was pleased by the diversity on the new board. "Each position is represented by a different house. Seven of eight houses are represented," the College senior and SDT sister said. Kappa Alpha Theta is the only house without a member on Panhel. Except for assistant vice president of rush, each position had between three and five candidates, outgoing Panhel President Janelle Brodsky said. During the election process each candidate submits an application and makes a speech, then the eight sorority presidents vote on a slate of candidates, the College and Engineering senior said. Brodsky said she was pleased with the results of the elections, and confident about the future of Panhel. "They're really strong," she said.
(12/01/98 10:00am)
Greeks across campus are going to be busy putting on aprons and rattling pots and pans this week as they cook and serve food to the city's less fortunate. Fraternity and sorority members came to the Newman Center at 3720 Chestnut Street last night to work as volunteers on the first day of Greek Community Service Week -- a project uniting the InterFraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council with Civic House. Civic House, which opened in September, serves as a gathering place and a resource center for University community service groups -- including the Greek organizations -- all of which do at least one community service project a semester. Unfortunately, there were not enough jobs for all the volunteers who came to work with the chosen charity, the University City Hospitality Coalition, which provides hot meals for the homeless six nights a week at local churches. Greek volunteers will attend the soup kitchens every night this week. All told, there were about 15 people, Greek and non-Greek, working in the kitchen last night, but another 20 were lounging on couches outside because there were "too many cooks in the kitchen." "There's 40 of us down here [sitting around]," said College junior Sloane Krumland, an Alpha Tau Omega brother. "It's kind of pathetic right now." Lee Ann Draud, meal coordinator for the UCHC, said that "it's nice that there are so many people who want to help, but there is only so much people can do." When informed of the overcrowded kitchen, Sara Greene, the associate director of Civic House, said she was happy that so many students came out even if "we over-anticipated the number of volunteers that were needed." Although the kickoff day to he service week had a slightly bumpy start, the organizers have nothing but enthusiasm for a future alliance between the Greeks and the Civic House. The IFC still has to vote on the partnership, but IFC President Josh Belinfante, a College senior, said he was sure that the agreement would be approved. "This is the start of a new era for the Greek system," said College junior Megan Davidson, a member of the Civic House Steering Committee. She added that "it's already in the charters for fraternities and sororities that they have to do community service. We're facilitating that." Davidson explained that UCHC was selected for the first project because it it is local and manageable, and the homeless problem is visible to Penn students. "We're really excited because Panhel and IFC have never worked with a formal organization to do community service before," said Liz Bernard, Panhel's executive vice president. Next semester there will be a Greek "day of service" when each chapter will sponsor an individual event, Greene said. She added that in the fall the Greeks will focus on three ongoing service projects that the different fraternities and sororities will work on weekly. "It's an idea that could benefit the community and campus," Belinfante said. He added that with the new partnership, "[Greek] houses have a place they can go for information and Civic House has a place they can go for manpower."
(11/24/98 10:00am)
InterFraternity Council leaders and Penn administrators are busy trying to hammer out the Greek system of the future, one that will feature more coffee houses and fewer hotel parties. The Greek Active Partnership -- a network of University administrators and fraternity leaders -- held what attendees described as a successful second meeting last Wednesday, where they made plans to work together to create a safe, educational and philanthropic Greek system. Created a year ago by then-IFC President Matt Baker, a fifth-year College and Engineering senior, GAP replaced the 21st Century Report as the forum for students and faculty to discuss Greek plans and changes for the future. While the 21st Century Report was a set of static, long-term guidelines, GAP is intended to give the system more flexibility. Most students and staff in attendance said the meeting fostered constructive discussion. Executive Director of University Life Facilities John Smolen said he saw definite progress from the first meeting in March. "There was much more of a positive attitude," said Smolen, adding that the fraternities are now "committed to working with the college houses on drug and alcohol issues." "The administration wanted us to stop charging, keg violations [and] violence at or after parties and stop [alcohol related] hospitalization," said IFC Executive Vice President Clive Correia. Correia, a Wharton senior, said that over the past semester the IFC has successfully deterred charging and has reduced violence. In addition, the group is committed to continuing alcohol education. Correia noted that at Wednesday's meeting the administrators "had nothing negative to say." IFC President Josh Belinfante said the meeting gave the IFC the opportunity to give the faculty an "update on what we've done." "With the exception of [Alpha Epsilon Pi]," the College senior said, "Its really been a squeaky clean semester." Last week, AEPi agreed to a disciplinary measure prohibiting brothers from having alcohol in the house for two years. The punishment resulted from a September incident in which a female freshman was hospitalized after consuming more than 12 drinks at an AEPi party. GAP discussed increasing the amount of non-alcoholic programming, such as Greek sponsored barbecues, coffee houses and community service events, according to Belinfante. Belinfante explained that the IFC may let fraternities hold dry events next year during the first three weeks of school. Currently the houses are prohibited from having events during that time period. OFSA Director Scott Reikofski said that some GAP members had concerns about "where the fraternities were going with relationship to faculty." The IFC wants to create a better working relationship with the faculty by developing a Greek faculty advisory board, Reikofski explained. He added that the board of faculty members would meet once a semester with the scholarship chairs of the fraternities and would also act as a resource for the houses. Reikofski said OFSA sent out letters about the faculty advisory program to about 15 different faculty members and will start selecting board members as soon as the office knows who wants to join. GAP's endeavors are solely related to the IFC. The Panhellenic Council and the Bicultural InterGreek Council are not affiliated with GAP, although they were involved with the 21st Century Report. Panhel President Janelle Brodsky explained that Panhel already has well-established philanthropy and faculty advising programs and therefore would not benefit from the current discussion in the GAP meetings. BIG-C President Everett Sands said his organization already has "incredibly good relationships" with administration and faculty members.
(11/20/98 10:00am)
In September, a female freshman suffered from alcohol poisoning at an Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity party. The Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity will be prohibited from possessing alcohol in its on-campus house for two years as punishment for the chapter's role in September's non-fatal alcohol poisoning of a female freshman, officials said yesterday. After two months of negotiations and investigations, Penn's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and AEPi yesterday finalized an agreement, effective immediately, which permits the fraternity to serve alcohol only at parties in "commercial establishments" such as bars and restaurants. The fraternity -- currently one of the largest on campus, with a total of 55 members -- has been under investigation since the September 17 incident. A female freshman was hospitalized after consuming at least 12 drinks at an AEPi "hotel party." During the event, each room in the house at 3940 Spruce Street, next to Allegro Pizza, served a different type of mixed drink. In addition to the prohibition on alcohol in the house, brothers will participate in alcohol-education programs and community service projects. The Office of Student Conduct began investigating the fraternity after the party and presented OFSA with the results. OFSA Director Scott Reikofski had originally said the disciplinary measures would be released to the public a month ago. But negotiations among the house, its national fraternity office and OFSA dragged on, he said. Alumni and national officers will work closely with the brothers throughout the upcoming years, according to Reikofski, and the chapter will be regularly reviewed to ensure that it is meeting the terms of the agreement. If there are any further violations, it will be suspended. "We are planning to use this as an opportunity to educate ourselves and others about the dangers of alcohol," AEPi President and Wharton junior Dan Tehrani said in a statement. He also said that "we accept responsibility for our actions and have worked hard with the University as well as our national fraternity to come to an agreement that reflects our ideals as a brotherhood." Tehrani refused to comment further. The AEPi national officers, while acknowledging that the final agreement is strict, are confident the brothers will uphold the fraternity's standards and be a successful dry brotherhood. "It is never easy to be the first group on campus to try a new idea, but these men are being held responsible for their errors and the educational sanctions will help to bring focus back into the ideals of AEPi," said Scott Cohon, director of risk management for the Alpha Epsilon Pi International Fraternity, in a statement. Although both OFSA and the fraternity were vague about the precise violations, they did involve alcohol, according to Reikofski. The investigation proved the alleged violations true, and once OFSA received the investigation results on October 15 it began working with the national office and the alumni to reach a disciplinary agreement. Reikofski explained that once the agreement was almost complete, the brothers came in to discuss the terms and make minor modifications. Negotiations took longer than Reikofski intended, but he said the final product is beneficial for all the parties involved because it promotes positive change within the chapter. "If they were to go through a year's suspension, they will go underground," he said. He added that when they returned to campus, they would be the "same guys, same attitudes, same behaviors." Reikofski said he hopes that by going "dry" and allowing the members to engage in community service and alcohol education, the fraternity will undergo both "cultural and philosophical improvement." But although the fraternity may receive an emotional makeover over the next two years, members of other fraternities said that being dry may reduce the number of men who rush AEPi next spring. "A lot of people are interested in fraternities because they want to have a good time, and alcohol is a part of that," Sigma Phi Epsilon President Dan McCaughey said. The College senior admitted that the pledge class might be smaller this year, but he added that it might be made up of "guys who care about the fraternity and what it's about, other than drinking." Although there are no other dry houses on campus, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Nu, Phi Gamma Delta and Phi Kappa Sigma have all pledged nationally to be dry by the year 2000. Phi Kap President Jeffrey Snyder shared McCaughey's concerns about becoming an alcohol-free house. He said that with a dry house, AEPi would "certainly have to adapt how they do things," and "it may affect their intake process." But the Wharton senior acknowledged that the number of dry houses nationwide is growing and he thinks that "dry houses are the future of the Greek system." Others said that AEPi can definitely survive without a beer in the fridge. "Fraternities are about brotherhood and philanthropy, and a lack of alcohol will not be a detriment to them," said Wharton junior Steven Fechheimer, the president of Pi Kappa Phi. And InterFraternity Council President Josh Belinfante said he thinks "that they can have a very successful rush process and be substance free." The College senior added that Sigma Chi had two strong pledge classes when they had a similar dry policy. During the 1996 spring semester, Sigma Chi was disciplined for violating the University's dry rush policy, after Penn basketball player Jed Ryan was treated for alcohol poisoning after drinking at one of the fraternity's rush events. AEPi's punishment is the first of a University fraternity since last April, when Phi Sigma Kappa's national organization shut down its Penn chapter, citing repeated risk-management violations as well as pornographic material linked to its World Wide Web page. University officials have since renovated part of the Phi Sig house at 3615 Locust Walk and recently reopened it as the Veranda, an event center.
