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(09/22/92 9:00am)
Assistant Vice President for Commonwealth Relations James Shada will resign from his position as the University's chief lobbyist by the end of the month, he announced today. Shada, who has been the University's main liaison with the state and federal government, said yesterday that he is retiring for "reasons of health," but did not elaborate. This news comes on the heels of the announced resignation of Executive Vice President Marna Whittington. Whittington will also step down this month. Whittington said yesterday that Shada "is going to be a very, very difficult person to replace." Paul Cribbins, director for City and Commonwealth Relations and Shada's assistant for more than four years, will assume the vice president's duties until a replacement is found, Whittington said. Whittington said that a search for Shada's successor has not yet been started. In a statement released by the University, Whittington said that Shada "has worked tirelessly on the University's behalf, forging a strong relationship with our leaders in Harrisburg." Shada, who spent much of his time in the state capital, lobbied on behalf of the University for state funding and favorable higher education laws. But the University lost its entire state funding this year despite Shada's efforts. Whittington said yesterday that Shada's retirement is unrelated to this year's state budget cuts. But she said that Shada has left the University in an excellent position for negotiating next year's budget with the state government. She added that "his energy and commitment have made him enormously effective, and have earned him the respect of our elected officials." Shada will still play some roll in the University's Commonwealth Relations division, Whittington said, saying that Shada will advise the University from time to time. Shada, a graduate of the Wharton School, joined the University in 1960 as an assistant to the admissions dean. During his 30-year tenure at the University, he has been director of financial aid, vice-dean of admissions and director of student financial aid. At a time when the University faces a potentially stiff fight to regain state funding, the absence of Whittington, who has frequently pressed the University's case in Harrisburg, and Shada, who conducts day-to-day lobbying, could make the battle all the more difficult. While the most visible aspect of his job has been his efforts to maintain the University's budget, Shada has also lobbied against certain attempts by lawmakers to force Universities to open financial records to government officials. And Shada has also worked to quell backlash from some lawmakers who feel the University has violated a scholarship agreement with the city. Whittington said she is pleased that University benefits programs "will enable [Shada] to take this step at a time when his health no loner permits him to continue working."
(09/18/92 9:00am)
Seeking to "empower" students, the 27th Democratic Ward and the Vote For A Change organization will bring three local politicians to campus today to encourage students to register to vote in this November's election. U.S. Congressman Lucien Blackwell, election board commissioner Alex Talmadge, West Philadelphia Democratic Ward Leader Cheryl George-Macalpine, and University Communications Professor Carolyn Marvin will speak to students during the rally on College Green this afternoon. The rally, designed to increase voter registration among students, will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will include tables at which students can register to vote in Philadelphia. "Historically, the [election day] turnout on campus has been very weak, not unlike many campuses," Ward leader George-Macalpine said last night. "Many students have shown a lack of interest." But George-Macalpine said she hopes registration rallies like today's will help stem the tide of voter apathy which has prevailed on college campuses across the nation. "My speech is going to focus on the importance of empowering yourself as a human being," she said, adding that she thinks "there isn't enough of a connection in students' minds between controlling their lives and the natural connection of voting." Talmadge will instruct students on voter registration procedure, she said. Students' registrations forms, which can be completed at the rally, will immediately be taken to the city's election board office to be processed, George-Macalpine said. Students should receive notice that they have registered within two weeks. College senior David Boyer, co-chairperson of the newly-formed campus group Vote For A Change, said yesterday that "this campus has one of the lowest voter turnouts city-wide." "This is notoriously an apolitical school, especially considering the caliber of students," Boyer added. Organizers said that while today's speeches will focus on the need to register to vote, students will be encouraged to vote for the Clinton/Gore ticket for president. Bill Clinton, who will speak to college students on other campuses via a closed-circuit television program broadcast from the University of New Mexico, will not be heard at the University because of technical limitations. While the University can receive closed-circuit broadcasts of this sort, the Communications School is unable to receive the specific station on which Clinton can be seen, Boyer, a 34th Street staff member said. The speech will be broadcast at Temple University, however. Boyer said that Vote For A Change, a group he has recently organized with College senior Marsha Zabusky, will continue its registration drive efforts until October 5 -- the Pennsylvania registration deadline. "Until October 5, our concern is voter registration," Boyer added. "We are partisan, but at the same time we want to make sure that everyone on this campus registers." During the last month of the presidential campaign, Vote For A Change will be one of several groups on campus which will actively campaign for the Clinton/Gore ticket. "This election will represent a turning in this nation," Boyer added. "There is a notion that something is wrong, that there is a real choice to be made." "Vote For A Change is the student arm of the Democratic National Committee," Zabusky said. "This is being operated out of almost any campus." The Clinton national campaign in Washington, D.C. has contacted Boyer about coordinating campus campaign efforts. The University's Vote For A Change campaign will mix politics with social events, Boyer said. "At Penn so far the political atmosphere has been dead or latent . . . and no one has shown any support either way," Zabusky added. "It's now a month-and-a-half until the election and this is to stir up the waters." Monday night, the group will host a "Murphy Brown at Murph's" night during which students can watch the season premier of the television show which was criticized by Vice President Dan Quayle last spring and discuss politics. Boyer, whose group numbers about 25 students and is "growing every day," said the group will also organize registration drives in the neighboring community. This election year promises to be one of the most active in recent memory, George-Macalpine said. "I am encouraged this time out that there seems to be a tremendous interest," she said. "I anticipate this year will be our best year since 1980 in voter turnout." "This is our chance to make a difference," Zabusky said. "Alot of people, who were not previously politically active like myself, have suddenly realized the impact of the vote." Zabusky added that it is important for students to understand that they can register in Pennsylvania, whose election laws stipulate voters live in the state for 30 days before the election. Zabusky said students who come from states which are decidedly Republican or Democratic should register in Pennsylvania because it is expected to be a hotly contested state where every vote will be crucial. Students will also be able to purchase Clinton/ Gore paraphernalia at today's rally, although organizers said they are more concerned with registering students than attracting their votes. "I am going to urge people to vote their conscience," George-Macalpine said. "The people are tired of living in a system which identifes people as adversaries."
(09/17/92 9:00am)
Nearly a week after Executive Vice President Marna Whittington announced that she is stepping down, a private firm hired by the University has begun its search for her successor and plans to conclude it by the end of this calendar year. Jim Hess, executive vice-president of Diversified Search of Philadelphia, said yesterday that, while a list of names has not yet been drawn up, the company has "begun to identify potential candidates for the position." Hess refused to disclose the names of any candidates because he said that in a search of this type, confidentiality must be guaranteed. Hess said the search will be a two-pronged effort. His company will conduct a "proactive" search, actively looking for specific candidates across the nation, he said. "We will proactively search for people at other institutions," Hess said. Diversified Search will also place advertisements in newspapers and journals to attract applicants. In the past, the University has successfully enticed administrators at competing institutions to come to the University. Hess, a former English doctoral student at the University, said he hopes Whittington's replacement will be selected by the end of this calendar year, adding that this is a "fairly aggressive timetable in this type of search." But Hess said he could not guarantee the search would be completed that soon. Hess stressed that his company provides the staff for the University's search, but that all important decisions are made by "President [Sheldon] Hackney and the people who he chooses." Whittington, who has been at the University for the past eight years, is the senior ranking woman in the University's administration. Executive Director of the President's Office John Gould said last night that, "of course, we will emphasize a search for minorities and women." Hess said that his company will not compile "a magical short list" of candidates, but will "bring candidates forward who will be evaluated," by the University administration. He said that the company will conduct a nationwide search and will look for qualified replacements in government, academia, and the private sector. While experience in academia is not an essential criteria, Hess said that Diversified Search will look carefully at a candidate's experience in higher education. "The person will have to have a familiarity with" academia, Hess said, adding that his company will "pare down" the number of candidates referred to the University. Whittington came to the University in 1984 after working in state government as Delaware's Secretary of Finance and served as Pennsylvania's deputy secretary of education between 1979 and 1981. Whittington will step down at the end of this month and Gould will fill in as acting executive vice president beginning September 30 and will remain until a replacement is found. Gould will retain his responsibilities in the president's office as well. The most recent search in the University's financial office was for Selimo Rael, formerly vice chancellor of financial and business services at the University of California at Berkeley, who was selected as the University's vice president of finance in the spring of 1991 after a 10 month search. The search, culminating in Rael's selection, was initially called off by administrators who cited no pressing need to fill the position. But soon after the University's state funding was slashed by $19 million in 1991, the University resumed the search. In her announcement of Rael's appointment to vice president of finance in the spring of 1991, Whittington said that "we've been limping along," adding that Rael was just the person to help the University deal with its financial crisis. Now that the University has been stripped entirely of its state funding, a speedy search for a new senior vice president -- the administrator who will coordinate the University's financial efforts -- seems even more crucial. "Everyone from the trustees down recognizes the importance of this position and the need for speed," Gould said, adding that those working on "the search are working just as hard as they can."
(03/02/92 10:00am)
Undergraduate Assembly members last night approved several changes to the Fair Practices Code which governs UA elections and also agreed to several proposals which they hope will help streamline future elections and increase voter turnout. In one major change to the Fair Practices Code, the UA modified a section of the guideline which prevents students from signing "work appearing in any campus publication or any other form of campus media" during the days of the election. After over an hour of debate and rejection of two proposals by UA representatives, the group accepted the Nominations and Elections Committee proposal which would allow candidates to be quoted by the media as "an unidentifiable source" during the campaigns. The new section prevents candidates from issuing any statement that "has relevance to elections," and allows the NEC to decide if violations of this rule have occured. Several UA members questioned last night the fairness of the rule which prevents students, who have worked on projects unrelated to the UA, from being quoted in campus media. David Rose, chairperson of the UA Student Services Task Force Committee, said last night that "the NEC is dooming the election process to be nothing more than a popularity contest by removing issues and achievements from the public eye." UA Vice Chairperson Ethan Youderian agreed, adding that the new code "bans students from the press." College sophomore Youderian said students who work on different activities should be rewarded by having their names in the newspaper. The UA also approved several other changes which UA Chairperson Mitch Winston said he hopes will increase voter participation. The NEC, the body which oversees the election process, will set up multiple voting booths, which they avoided in the past because of the threat of double voting. The machines, which will cost between $500 and $750 dollars for the election's two days, will allow students the freedom of voting at various places on campus. The UA also agreed to allow the NEC to rent two computers to read ballots which will shorten the time it takes for the committee to count votes. And the NEC will allow candidates to have their picture printed in The Daily Pennsylvanian. In other business, the UA adopted a resolution sponsored by UA representatives Leonard Cooperman and Youderian calling on President Sheldon Hackney to hold office hours. And the UA approved a second resolution sponsored by Wharton freshman Eric Leathers and College sophomore Brian Bora objecting to the University Council Safety and Security Committee's proposed ban of bicycles on Locust Walk. "I hope that this is going to help the University Council focus more on student safety explicitly rather than bikes on the Walk," Leather said. In other matters, the UA raised the minimum amount of signatures on petitions in fall and spring elections in order to place the petition on the ballot.
(03/02/92 10:00am)
Two University students are recruiting undergraduates for a trip to Harrisburg to lobby Gov. Robert Casey and state legislators to restore full funding to the University for next year. College junior David Rose and College senior Jonathan Colton plan to make the trip late this month with at least 50 University students as part of a grassroots movement to change Casey's mind about slashing all state funding to the University. The organizers said last night that The Philadelphia Inquirer and several television stations are eager to cover the rally. Casey, in last month's budget announcement to the State Assembly, proposed cutting over $41 million in funding requested by the University. "The purpose clear and simple is to make sure the students of the University of Pennsylvania don't get screwed," Rose said, adding that students contributed $72 million to the state's economy last year. Rose and Colton asked the Undergraduate Assembly to help fund the planned trip to the Capitol, but the student government instead only passed a motion tentatively endorsing the plan. If the UA will not fund the trip, Rose said he will raise the money himself instead of asking students to pay for the trip. "I'll go to the administration, faculty, non-profit organizations and corporations," Rose said. "Students are taxpayers, the University is a taxpayer, and work study students are taxpayers," Rose said. "Wouldn't it be nice for us to get a little bit of this money that we pay in taxes back?" While Colton has just five students who have committed to the trip so far, he said he has only been working on the plan for three days. Colton said last night the trip to Harrisburg will provide a means of personalizing the proposed budget cut. He said Casey views the cuts as affecting a big institution, but said students are ultimately hurt when the University passes along the impact of the cuts in the form of a higher tuition. Colton stressed that the students should not simply ask the University to keep tuition levels the same, but that students should put forth the effort by going to Harrisburg and lobbying state officials. "We want to target the governor and the General Assembly," Colton said, adding that state governments complained when President Reagan cut federal funding to states, but now the governor has turned around and done the same thing to students. Rose said that each bus will cost about $550 and the trip will be scheduled for sometime at the end of this month. "Right now we are in the process of setting up meetings with the governor and the speaker of the house," Rose said. "But we have no illusions they're going to speak to us if they have a political alternative." "If it means that we have to sing 'The Red and Blue' on the steps of the Capitol [building in order to get a meeting with Casey], then so be it," Rose said.
(02/28/92 10:00am)
This Old House has come to the University. At least that is the hope of William Zucker and Hanley Bodek. Emeritus Professor Zucker and Lecturer Bodek teach Entrepreneurial Intercity Housing Markets, a class designed to bring University students in contact with the community while teaching them about the various aspects of real estate development. The class includes a standard lecture, but students then don work gloves and an old pair of jeans and travel out to West Philadelphia to do some dirty work. Aside from a seven page paper requirement and a weekly one-and-one-half hour long lecture, students must contribute six hours of their time each week at an off-campus renovation site. The house, on Peach Street in West Philadelphia, is in the final stages of the renovation process and has been renovated by students for the past two years, according to Zucker. Zucker, who is a retired Wharton management professor, said during that time he and his students have renovated three houses including the project currently being finished. But students will not be given a break after this house is completed, because Zucker, with the money made from the Peach Street house, purchased a fourth house just this week on 32nd Street. Zucker, who calls himself a "social activist," said, when creating the class, he thought it would be valuable because "anybody who is interested in real estate, ought to know the important ingredients about" real estate development. The class, originally a Wharton program, is now in the masters program Dynamics of Organization in the School of Arts and Sciences and is taken by seniors and graduate students from across the University. Zucker said normally many people work on various parts of renovating and selling a house, but generally they are isolated from each other. This class, he said, enables students to work on the nuts-and-bolts of renovation while being able to understand the financial, legal and real estate angles of the business. Zucker, armed with $35,000 raised from real estate developers, bought the first house in South Philadelphia for just $1700. And local businesses have helped the program by contributing materials and discounting prices on other equipment the class purchases. The remaining $33,000 was used to purchase materials for the house. "I went around and got a number of real estate developers to ante up about $35,000 and then this money was used to acquire the house and buy the various equipment and resources," Zucker said. Zucker said after finishing the first house, he used the proceeds to by a second house on the same street for $2500. The street, which he said was terrible condition, is being rejuvenated with the help of the class because other homeowners on the block have begun renovations on their houses. There are over 25,000 homes which have fallen into decay in West Philadelphia and, although it takes the class over two years to complete a project, every effort helps, Zucker said. Bodek, a local real estate developer, has been hired by the University to help students' coordinate their weekly projects at the site. Bodek, who is president of the Philadelphia Construction Company, said the proof of students' commitment "is in the pudding." The 40 students in the class are broken down into groups and during the weekly lectures, they coordinate their efforts for the next week. The "trial-and-error method" of teaching is one of the reasons for the class' success, Bodek said. "Students actually learn by devising solutions on their own and implementing those solutions," he said, adding that if the solution works, it is used on later projects as well. Bodek said "as long as there is an abandoned house Philadelphia," he would like to continue the project. Although the class has hired a carpenter to help students work out problems at the site, students generally come up with solutions on their own. And Bodek occassionally travels to the West Philadelphia site when he is needed. The class must also hire a plumber and electrician because of city regulations which require such workers to have licenses. Usually a project takes at least two years to complete, but Hanley said this current project, which is "95 percent complete," will before that. The house is then sold to a needy member of the community who qualifies for a mortgage and can pay the $2000 or $3000 downpayment. The houses are sold at cost, which for the latest house is $41,000, and the money is used to purchase the next house and the materials required to renovate it. The buyer for the Peach Street house has already been selected and Zucker and Bodek have provided a favorable mortgage agreement. The class is open to undergraduate seniors and graduate students. Wharton senior Jessica Kostner, who spends eight hours a week at the work site, said the class talks about all aspects of real estate renovations. "We discuss rehabilitation process issues, insurance issues [and] legal issues," she said. Kostner said, that while the class requires a lot of time and commitment, the satisfaction of creating a house is well worth it. Zucker said work on the next house will begin after spring break and that, because it is a bigger project than previous sites, he hopes to have about 40 students in next semesters' class. Before work can begin, stairs must be built and a door must be put on the house, Zucker said.
(02/26/92 10:00am)
The Undergraduate Assembly and the Nominations and Elections Committee are currently devising ways to change this spring's student government elections to attract a large turnout. UA Chairperson Mitch Winston said yesterday that NEC and UA officials have had three or four meetings so far during which they have discussed ideas which could improve voter turnout at this April's UA elections. In the past, UA elections have been plagued by low voter turnout. In last spring's election, just 19 percent of the undergraduates cast ballots. And last fall, only 31 percent of the freshman class voted for the nine incoming freshmen to the UA. Winston also said that scanners, like the kind used to check PennCards, could be used to prevent students from voting more than once. Previously, the NEC, the group responsible for overseeing elections to student government and nominations of undergraduates to committees, has had only one voting station open at a time to prevent double voting. Winston said the UA and NEC are investigating ways to prevent voting fraud should the NEC decide to open several voting booths at once. NEC member Michael Monson said last week that applications for UA elections will be available after spring break. Winston said one problem with the UA elections has been the small number of candidates who run for positions. He said 24 freshmen ran for nine slots, which he said is "a little bit low." But Winston said the UA's method of calculating the turnout percentage has also come under fire. Winston said that when referendum, which need a 20 percent participation rate to be valid, are up for decision, the NEC counts the senior class. But he said seniors generally do not vote because the issues do not affect them. Winston said he would like to see the NEC exclude the senior class when calculating the turnout percentage.
(02/26/92 10:00am)
A school as large as the University can sometimes make students feel like they have no impact on their own lives. But students who would like the opportunity to involve themselves in such diverse areas as academic planning, fraternity and sorority affairs or undergraduate admissions, can now submit an application to the Nominations and Elections Committee. The NEC is independent of the other four branches of student government and oversees both elections to the Undergraduate Assembly and nominations of undergraduates to various committees. The NEC holds biannual nominations to the numerous University-wide committees, during which candidates apply for committee positions, are interviewed by NEC members, and sit on most committees for up to a year. "It is a way to get involved and have a voice," Nominations Commitee chairperson Sharon Dunn said yesterday. "You're an actual member [of a committee] and you're sitting with faculty." NEC member Michael Monson said this week that "people should stop complaining and start acting." "It's an opportunity to get involved," Monson said, adding that committee members will have the opportunity to work with faculty, administrators and, occasionally, University Trustees. Monson said in past years the committee has had trouble fighting apathy from students toward their government. This year the committee has begun an aggressive advertising campaign which Monson said he hopes will get "the whole student body involved." "One of the things we want to do this year is to get word out [about NEC]," Monson added. "Students can make a difference." The committee, which just completed student nominations to University Trustee committees, will spend approximately $600 on the present campaign for University-wide committee nominations. "I felt that publicity hadn't been done very well in the past," Dunn said "[This year] we have put in a little extra effort." The NEC announced Wednesday night its appointments to six Trustees Committees including the Facility and Campus Planning, External Affairs, Student Affairs, Responsibility, Budget and Finance, and Academic Policy committees. Monson said that 44 students applied for positions on the six Trustee committees, adding that the turnout was large compared to previous years. The NEC, while monitoring elections and conducting nominations, collects feedback from committee members and students. Applications for the committees must be filled out in triplicate, but students who apply for a position on the NEC must submit five copies of their application. Students must submit applications between 12 and 5 p.m. on Thursday February 27 at the NEC office. Students can sit on more than one University-wide committee, although they must apply separately for each committee. After interviews, the NEC will select their nominations.
(02/19/92 10:00am)
As University administrators lobby for the restoration of state aid to the University, Undergraduate Assembly members are continuing their petition drive. UA members said they hope to collect 5000 signatures, or about half of the undergraduate student population, on the petition, which calls for the University to keep any possible tuition increase low and asks the state to return the $41.2 million in requested funding. "We're gunning for 5000 [signatures], and there's really no reason why we shouldn't get them," UA Chairperson Mitch Winston said yesterday. David Chun, the UA's Budget and Finance Committee chairperson, said yesterday that the UA has collected at least 3500 signatures so far. The petition, after being checked by the UA, will be sent to the administration, while just the signatures of Pennsylvania residents will be sent to Harrisburg. And UA members will meet with James Shada, the University's lobbyist, to coordinate the University's and UA's lobbying efforts. According to Winston, the UA originally decided to meet with Shada before the budget announcement but later decided that it would be better to meet after Gov. Robert Casey made his announcement to the State Assembly. "Now we are going to get together with him to give him our help," Winston said yesterday. Casey said in his address, which proposed cutting funding to public and private universities alike, that "our public universities and institutions must come first." UA members point to last year's funding battle with the state as an example of the pressure lobbying efforts can place on the state legislators. Last year Casey proposed cutting the University's funding by over $18 million, but the University's successful lobbying effort convinced state legislators to restore the entire budget of $37.6 million. Each UA member has been asked to collect "a couple hundred" signatures, Winston said. Winston said the UA will collect the lists of signatures from representatives at the next meeting, planned for March 1, and will check the lists for double counting and forgeries. But Winston said it would be nearly impossible for the group to examine all of the 5000 expected signatures. In the past, UA members in fraternities have had brothers and pledges collect signatures, which Winston said can run into difficulties. Winston said he does not think members should go out and collect signatures for the sake of collecting signatures, but should make sure students understand what they are signing. But Winston said "if they take it seriously," fraternities can significantly help the UA fulfill its signature goal. Winston said last year's effort earned the UA letters of thanks from University administrators and local legislators who lobbied for state funding for the University. Last year, the UA collected over 4000 signatures, compiled them, and sent the list to both the University and the state. The petition also calls for the University to keep any tuition increase low. Last year, the University Trustees, after listening to a plea from the UA to keep tuition low, lowered the proposed tuition increase from 6.9 percent to 6.7 percent, yielding about a $30 savings for each student. The UA will also begin a letter writing drive on March 1, during which UA members will hand out form letters to students who reside in Pennsylvania. Students will be asked to sign the form letter supplied by the University, address it to the appropriate state senator and write in how much state funding the University should receive, Chun said. The UA will continue the letter writing drive through the month of March, with a goal of having 500 letters sent. UA members are shooting for 5000 signatures on the petition, Chun said. The UA will present the petition to the Trustees during the board's spring meeting in March.
(02/03/92 10:00am)
President Sheldon Hackney will answer questions from Undergraduate Assembly members and other students during a half-hour session at a UA meeting tonight. UA Vice-Chairperson Ethan Youderian said yesterday that Hackney will speak to students in the High Rise South Rooftop lounge at 6:00 p.m. Youderian said that Hackney, who is in the midst of budget meetings, will not stay for the remainder of the meeting. The meeting will provide an opportunity for UA members to question Hackney about the expected tuition increase. Youderian said last week that the UA will press Hackney to keep any tuition increase low. Youderian said that, because students accepted the 6.7 percent increase last year even though state funding was restored to the University, students should be given a break this year even if the state cuts funding. UA Chairperson Mitch Winston said last night that Hackney will discuss the Mayor's Scholarship controversy with the UA. Winston said the status of bicycles on Locust Walk, undergraduate representation on University committees, and various issues brought up by students will be discussed at the meeting as well. "Basically, it's going to be a free interchange of questions and answers," Winston said last night. Winston said the UA will also invite Hackney to the UAs off-campus living forum to be held tomorrow in Houston Hall. Winston said he views this meeting as an opportunity to present students' concerns directly to the president, bypassing University Council, the president's advisory board. Council has proposed eliminating its Committee on Undergraduate Admissions, which Winston said provides students with a voice in such policies. Instead, the University seeks to replace the committee with the Provost's Committee on Undergraduate Admissions, which has just one undergraduate representative. Winston said he welcomes students' comments and questions for Hackney.
(01/29/92 10:00am)
President Sheldon Hackney tomorrow will kick off a semester-long speaking series about issues facing the black community in America. And Connaissance, a student group which brings speakers to the University, will also host Danny Glover, featured in the film Lethal Weapon, early next month. Connaissance Chairperson Richard Smith said yesterday that Hackney, scheduled to speak tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the High Rise East rooftop lounge, will discuss the the role of universities in the community. Smith said Connaissance is hoping to attract "speakers who have a vision" for the series. "Our goal is to focus this semester on activities that will improve society," Smith added. Smith said the particular focus of this semester's lecture series will be the African-American community. Connaissance is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and Smith said the group's first lecturer in 1963 spoke on black issues. He added that the group has come full circle this year. Glover, currently featured in Grand Canyon, will read some of Langston Hughes' works and speak about his own experiences on February 11 in Irvine Auditorium. Smith said Connaissance is currently setting up speaking engagements with "a prominent African-American woman," but refused to disclose the name. Connaissance will sponsor five speakers, including Hackney, spread throughout the semester. Hackney's 20-minute speech will be followed by a short question and answer session. In the past, the Connaissance Club has sponsored such guests as controversial Public Enemy rapper Chuck D, consumer watchdog Ralph Nader, and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz.
(01/29/92 10:00am)
He may not be sinking baskets at the Palestra anymore, but Senator Bill Bradley will try to score some points with University students this semester. The former Princeton University basketball star and Rhodes scholar will visit the University in March as part of the Student Committee on Education's weeklong look at higher education. Bradley, who ran for the Democratic bid for president in 1988, has been a long-time advocate for higher education issues, according to Education Week Committee Chairperson Liz Rabii. "We wanted to get a speaker people would know," Rabii said. "One of Bradley's pet projects is education." Bradley is scheduled to speak on the afternoon of Monday, March 30, but Rabii said the time and location have not yet been finalized. Rabii said the New Jersey senator will speak about the role of education in American economic competitiveness with Japan and Europe. Rabii said yesterday that she hopes to attract at least 500 students to Bradley's speech. Bradley's scheduled appearance is a major coup for SCUE, a group comprised of several dozen undergraduate student activists. "We want to make students more aware of educational issues," Education Week Committee Co-Chairperson Steven Jamison said yesterday, adding that he too would like to give as many people as possible the opportunity to see Bradley. SCUE, which represents student's academic concerns to University administrators and faculty, has in the past been credited with helping to create the Freshman Seminar Program, increasing the number of undergraduate chairs, and pushing for changes in faculty evaluation forms. Rabii, a Wharton junior, said that education week, which runs from Monday, March 30 to Thursday, April 3, will be accompanied by Take-a-Professor-to-Lunch Week and a Course Majors Fair, where students will be able to learn about various majors and educational opportunities. Students will be able to meet the deans of the various undergraduate schools on Tuesday of Education Week. On Wednesday, Leon Botstein, the president of Bard College in New York, will head a panel of experts on multi-cultural education. Rabii said she plans to recruit University faculty to sit on the panel as well. Finally, on Friday, national Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education John Childers will speak about the financial aspects of higher education.
(01/28/92 10:00am)
The Student Committee on Undergraduate Education elected its steering committee, the group responsible for guiding its policies, during an hour-long closed session last night. College junior Hallie Levin, who served on the steering committee this year, was elected chairperson of the six member steering board. Levin, who has worked on SCUE for three years, said last night that she is "interested in working with the faculty and administration to serve as a means of communicating students' academic concerns." General requirement reform leads Levin's list as one of her goals for the upcoming year. "Many students are dissatisfied with the general requirement at Penn," she said, adding that she does not yet have any specific ideas about changes. SCUE, which has served the undergraduate body for over 26 years, has been responsible in past years for helping to implement the Freshman Seminar program, changes in professor evaluation forms, and increases in endowments for undergraduate chairs. College and Engineering junior David Haynes, currently a member of the steering committee, was chosen to be SCUE's vice-chairperson. SCUE's $4000 budget will be administered by College junior Jim Stewart, who said that he will also be called upon to "provide leadership for the committee." Outgoing Chairperson David Kaufman said last night he is "pleased" with the new steering committee and hopes it "will reach new heights." Levin said she does not see herself as an autocrat on the committee. "It's like being a leader among leaders," Levin said of her peers. "I don't foresee dictating policies." Levin will be responsible for articulating the committee's goals, and serving on various University committees responsible for undergraduate education. Levin, who is a History of Science and Sociology major, said the committee is "in the process of completing the Practical Scholar, a comprehensive guide to academic life." The Practical Scholar, which SCUE has been producing for the past year, will be the academic equivalent of the Practical Penn, the social guide freshmen receive before they arrive at the University. Vice Chairperson Haynes said last night that he "will handle all internal activities including membership duties." Haynes said that the upcoming year will provide SCUE with the opportunity of becoming a better "advocate of undergraduate education needs." Wharton freshman Brian Toll, College junior Michael Unglo and College sophomore Jon Pitt were chosen as general members of the steering committee.
(01/27/92 10:00am)
Undergraduate Assembly representatives said Friday they are launching a massive petition drive which they hope will encourage University Trustees to keep tuition increases low. And student leaders said they also hope the petition, which will be sent to Harrisburg, will encourage state leaders to maintain, or even increase, the University's current level of state funding. Last year, the University raised this year's tuition by 6.7 percent, bringing the cost of an undergraduate education to $15,894. The 6.7 percent hike was the same increase as the year before. UA Budget and Tuition Committee Chairperson David Chun said that the student government, fraternities, and other student organizations have begun collecting names on the petition which will "urge the Trustees to lower the tuition increase for the 1993 academic year." Chun said that as of Friday afternoon, over 500 students had signed the petition. Chun said he hopes to collect signatures from at least half of undergraduates within the next two weeks. The UA will submit the petition to the University Trustees and state officials after Governor Robert Casey's State of the Commonwealth address on February 4. Chun said he expects that tuition will be increased by almost seven percent. UA officials credit last year's petition with helping urge trustees lower this year's tuition increase by .2 percent or about $35 per student. "I honestly feel the work of the UA had a direct impact on bringing [the increase] back down," UA Chairperson Mitchell Winston said last spring. "It shows students can make a difference." Chun said that several fraternities, including Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha, and Alpha Epsilon Pi, have volunteered to help collect signatures. After the lists are checked for accuracy, Chun said that names of students who are Pennsylvania residents, will be separated from the general list and those names will be sent to the state government. The UA will present the petition next month to Assistant Vice President for Commonwealth Relations James Shada and state representatives. Chun said that the UA is "trying to be realistic." The petition does not ask for a decrease or freeze in tuition, but merely a smaller increase. Chun also said that the UA helped persuade the state to maintain $30 million in funding which it had threatened to stop.
(01/24/92 10:00am)
and STEPHEN GLASS A Trustees committee recommended yesterday that the University build a multi-level parking garage that will house a chilled-water facility and ground-level retail stores near campus. The Facilities and Campus Planning Committee unanimously recommended that the garage be built on the northeast corner of Walnut and 38th streets. The facility will provide 660 parking spaces to absorb spots displaced by the construction of the Revlon Campus Center. The committee also recommended adding a temporary building on the corner of 33rd and Chestnut streets to house the Fine Arts School. The school now uses parts of Smith Hall, which is scheduled to be demolished. The garage, stretching from Walnut to Sansom streets, will house the chilling facility on the Sansom Street side of the building. According to Vice President for Facilities Management Art Gravina, the chilling facility will make ice at night when utility rates are low to cool the Law School complex and the planned campus center. In a 40-minute presentation before the committee, architect John Bower discussed both the aesthetic and logistical advantages of the garage. Bower said the red-brick style of the building will continue the same color scheme as Gimble Gymnasium and a tower on the southwest corner of the building will serve as a landmark. Several trustees questioned the value of building huge garages while neglecting the advantages public transportation provides for students and faculty who commute to the University. At one point, Gravina and Committee Chairman Myles Tanenbaum pressed the committee to approve the garage and cooling center. Several reluctant Trustees continued questioning the benefits of the garage, but Gravina forced the issue by arguing that if the proposal was rejected, the University would be unable to cool the Revlon Center or provide adequate parking facilities in the future. The recommendation passed unanimously by voice vote. The committee's recommendations will go before the full board of Trustees today. In other business, the Trustees' Responsibility Committee extensively discussed the University's commitment to community service and outreach programs. John Gould, executive director of the president's office, said that the accepted "Ivory Tower" perception of universities years ago has since passed and higher education is now under the microscope. "There is increasing suspicion of institutes of higher education," Gould said. "No longer separate and distinct, we are in an age of scrutiny." Gould endorsed what he called the "the Triad" as the ongoing mission of the University. The Triad links teaching, research and service in a unified purpose for the University. School of Arts and Sciences Vice Dean Ira Harkavy added that he believes teaching through service is an important educational model that is gaining in popularity at the University. Harkavy said that numerous other colleges were visiting campus to learn about a University program that revitalizes local communities by making a neighborhood school the focal point of the community. "It is believed Benjamin Franklin each morning said 'What good can I do?' " Harkavy said. "To his University he would have said 'What good may Penn do?' " The committee expressed interest in a community service center which would allow the University to continue its decentralized outreach work, but unite the many groups with a home base. The Student Life Committee sat through nearly two hours of presentations by several student counseling groups. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson, who opened the meeting, described student peer counseling services as some of the most effective educational programs at the University. "Peer-to-peer discussion is one of the most effective means of education," Morrisson said, adding that students have a "legitimacy" when dealing with fellow students. University Health Educator Susan Villari said that Student Health has provided over 100 workshops on everything from sexual awareness to drug education to over 4000 students. Students from Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health, Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape, Drug and Alcohol Resource Team and Reach-A-Peer Phone Line described their accomplishments over the past year. Students from all groups stressed the importance of peer counseling, stating that students trust other students far more than they rely on administrators. Students representing two graduate counseling efforts described their successes in acclimating foreign students to the University and helping Medical School students cope with stress. Several Trustees praised the students' efforts, adding that the University has vast resources to help students deal with social problems. The Committee on External Affairs discussed trying to publicize the University's successful management in the wake of peer institution's financial woes. But some Trustees said they would prefer to stick to the University's traditional policy of "not knocking others." Committee Chairperson Leonard Lauder said he did not think it would be wise to allow Harrisburg and the general public to think the University was doing well financially since it is dependent on state funding. "I worry about Harrisburg at night," Lauder said. "We sell the programs and say second that they do well because of management." The committee overwhelmingly agreed. At the Academic Policy Committee meeting, the state of University research was considered "healthy" and is gaining ground with respect to its peer institutions. Trustees stressed the need for the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, noting that the University was "simply running out of space" for laboratories and other research. Staff writers Scott Calvert and Stephanie Desmon contributed to this story.
(01/24/92 10:00am)
Foreign exchange students and students who have studied abroad sometimes feel a little detached from the rest of the University. But a handful of students are trying to bring world travelers into the University fold by publishing a new magazine called Passport, later this semester. "The purpose is to provide a forum for students and faculty to talk about their international experiences, whether they be study, or travel or volunteer work," College senior and Passport editor Kathy Cartwright said yesterday. "Passport's aim is to communicate the importance of cross-cultural experiences to the University community," College senior and senior editor Elizabeth Gerst added. Cartwright, who studied in France as part of Swarthmore College's exchange program, said her stay in Europe helped eliminate some of the stereotypes she had about foreigners. According to Gerst, hundreds of students travel overseas and even more come from abroad to study at the University. She said that many of these students have "wonderful experiences" they want to share with the community, but, until now, they have had no forum. The new student organization, which Gerst founded last semester, will distribute close to 4000 copies of the first edition in late March. Gerst hopes that the Student Activities Council, the student group responsible for funding campus organizations, will grant recognition to Passport. SAC members will vote on whether or not to give the magazine money on January 30. Although the senior editor said she does not know what the cover story will be for the first issue, she said that at least one story will be written by a University student who traveled in Iraq before and after the Gulf War. "The article will talk about what it was like before the war and then when he went back to work with Kurdish refugees," Gerst explained. Gerst, who is an English major and a French minor, studied literary and film theory last semester at the Centre d'Etudes Critiques in France. She said that, after returning from abroad last semester, she felt she had lost touch with the University community. Gerst said she hopes to be able to make the free magazine available to students in dormitories, the International House and at various foreign language departments. The magazine will feature a glossy color cover and black and white photographs submitted by University students and will be about 32 pages long. Gerst said she expects to include one article from a student currently studying in Italy and is also looking at an article submitted by a student who taught Shakespearean literature in Japan. "We are interested in people sharing experiences which are personal and we want them to be interactive," Gerst said. "We don't want to be an exclusively political forum."
(01/21/92 10:00am)
The Red and Blue, the controversial student newspaper, last month lost its Student Activities Council recognition for the second time in as many years for failure to attend the organization's monthly meetings. And the Red and Blue owes SAC nearly $2000, two top SAC officials said last night. The Red and Blue, the campus' conservative publication, lost its recognition December 3, one year after winning a highly-charged bid for readmission into the student funding organization. The newspaper, which 1989 SAC representatives said attacked the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Alliance, was denied re-recognition three times before regaining acceptance into SAC in December 1990. Last month, the Red and Blue was again removed from the list of over 150 recognized student organizations because it missed at least two of the four mandatory SAC meetings last semester, SAC Chairperson David Wessels said last night. SAC rules mandate that groups desiring University recognition can only miss one of the eight meetings held during the academic year. SAC-recognized organizations must also register with the Office of Student Activites at the beginning of each academic year. A Red and Blue editor said last night that one of the two meetings the newspaper representative missed last semester was a meeting specifically held for SAC groups with funding. The editor, who asked for anonymity, said that because the newspaper has not received money from the University for over two years, it should not have been required to attend the meeting. The newspaper has not applied for SAC funding for the past two years. SAC Finance Committee Chairperson Howard Radzeley said last night that the newspaper also owes $1998 to SAC and that it has not made an effort to repay the loan for nearly two years. "The debt first arose in 1986-87 and a small portion was paid off in 1987-88," Radzeley said. SAC has charged the Red and Blue 20 percent interest because it failed to repay its loan within two years. The newspaper's SAC account is currently frozen, Radzeley said. The Red and Blue editor said last night that he was unaware the group's recognition had been pulled by SAC. The editor said that the paper would not apply for re-recognition and that the end of SAC recognition will be "no great loss" to the conservative publication, which now receives all of its funding from private donors. According to the editor, the Red and Blue took out a loan for about $2000 in 1984 or 1985 to finance the publication of a summer issue for incoming freshman. The loan, however, was never fully repaid by the editorial board overseeing the paper in 1985 and the Red and Blue was penalized. But the editor said that SAC was not diligent enough in asking past Red and Blue editorial boards to repay the debt. The editor said that the Red and Blue does not have the $2000 it owes and that the current members should not be required to repay the debt. The outstanding debt would have been an issue when the Red and Blue was re-admitted to SAC last year, but Radzeley said the political issues surrounding the re-recognition fight dwarfed questions about the financial stability of the newspaper. Radzeley said the newspaper's representatives and SAC officials reached an agreement last year that the Red and Blue would repay its debt. At one point last year the paper had an account surplus of over $400, but Radzeley said the group did not use the money towards repayment of the loan and has made few attempts to correct the problem since 1989. "If they come for recognition again, the [outstanding debt] issue will come up," Radzeley said. The Red and Blue editor said that the organization currently receives no funding from the University and that the staff is negotiating a deal with a University alumnus which will give them the necessary money to continue publishing.
(01/21/92 10:00am)
History majors who thought they could take advantage of the department's big names might be in for a surprise next year. At least two of the University's most popular history professors, Drew Faust and Bruce Kuklick, will be on leave at least part of next year. And one other, Associate Professor Walter Licht, said yesterday that he has applied for leave and will know later this semester if he has received a grant. Several others are reportedly awaiting word from foundations before deciding whether they will stay on campus for the year. Department Chairperson Michael Katz declined yesterday to comment on which professors might take time off next year, adding that some "professors are waiting for grants to come through." The history department, considered by many to be one of the best in the country, was plagued last year by the absence of professors, including diplomatic history specialist Walter McDougall and European history Professor Thomas Childers. Katz said yesterday that he is "planning to have some excellent replacement faculty so that we will be able to offer the same excellent courses." But Katz would not comment on specific replacements, adding that he would have a better idea later this spring. In the past, senior history majors have found it difficult to enroll in courses which suit their interests or needs when professors in their field go on sabatical. American History Professor Kuklick said Sunday that while the loss of top professors may "strain" the department, the many grants that the department receives adds to its prominence in the academic world. Kuklick, according to Katz, has received a grant and will not teach at the University next fall. Kuklick, who is one of the best loved history professors at the University, teaches the popular War and Diplomacy course alternately with McDougall. University policy permits professors one semester of leave at full pay to conduct research, or two semesters of leave at half pay after every six years of service. Professors who accept outside scholarships or grants are permitted as much unpaid leave time as they need. "This is a terrific department and the people in the department are leaders in their field nationally," Katz said. "They get asked to do a lot of things. They win competitions. They win research grants."
(01/17/92 10:00am)
University administrators, led by two Undergraduate Assembly representatives, toured High Rise East yesterday in an attempt to see dormitory problems from a student's perspective. UA Vice Chairperson Ethan Youderian and UA representative Eric Palace escorted Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson and three other facilities administrators through various High Rise rooms, floors and the High Rise East rooftop lounge. During the hour-long tour, Youderian and Palace explained that more and more students are moving off-campus because of the high cost and low quality of the High Rises. The increase in off-campus living is reflected in the University dormitories' 96 percent occupancy rate and over 200 empty beds, according to Deputy Vice Provost George Koval. Koval said the occupancy rate will drop further when English House renovations are completed next fall. University officials are searching for new ways to make on-campus housing more attractive. Morrisson stressed the safety and convenience of University housing. Youderian agreed that the safety in the High Rises is "excellent," but added that students also desire an aesthetically pleasing living environment. Pointing to the dim lights in the 11th floor's hallway, Youderian told the administrators that dark and sterile hallways are two reasons why the High Rises are partially empty. Youderian took the entourage to his 11th floor room to point out a leaky faucet, flimsy walls, 23-year-old furniture and torn rugs. One High Rise resident told the group that his stove caught on fire last semester after water from the small kitchen's sink splashed onto the burners. Despite the fact that the elevators yesterday came for the group almost immediately, UA Residential Living Committee Chairperson Palace told the group that the elevators in the High Rises are sometimes out-of-order and are usually very slow. Morrisson, Koval, Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone, and Residential Maintenance Director Lynn Horner listened intently and asked questions about student needs. But, according to Koval, all of the problems administrators studied last night were cosmetic deficiencies which University officials have been aware of for a long time. Koval said that the University, which pays over $3 million in service payments for the three High Rises, currently does not have the funds to cover the cost of new renovations. Horner said that the dim incandescent hall lights, which replaced brighter flourescent bulbs eight years ago to lower energy costs, would cost $50,000 per High Rise to replace. The University would also have to pay another $700,000 per High Rise to buy new furniture. "When you build something new, you tend to think it will last forever," Koval said. "That's why we are $93 million in debt." The $93 million debt includes loans accumulated for all residential renovations and costs the University nearly $6 million yearly. Koval said that the University's budget for residence halls has also been sapped by routine maintenance costs and increases in utility costs which now run as high as $6 million yearly. "We get over 40,000 work requests each year," Koval said. Youderian, who plans to move off-campus next year, afterwards dismissed administrators' claims that they simply do not have the money to finance high rise renovations, adding that the University must stem the tide of students moving into off-campus housing. "The main purpose was to show them how to keep people on campus and fill the dorms," Youderian said, adding that he thought the tour was successful.
(12/09/91 10:00am)
A University student and a University employee were victims of a rape and a sexual assault in a robbery of their home on the 4500 block of Spruce Street Saturday, according to University Police. Commissioner John Kuprevich said the two roommates were robbed and assaulted at knifepoint and gunpoint. Kuprevich said both University Police and the Philadelphia Sex Crimes Unit are investigating the incident. A Philadelphia Sex Crimes official declined to comment on the case. The incident comes in the wake of five robberies and several burglaries this weekend in the University area. University Police said they could not give out any description of the assailant, say what was stolen from the apartment, how the assailant gained entry, how long he was there, or if they had any suspects. University Police also declined to say if the two victims were injured and if so, how seriously. Police also did not say if the victims knew their assailant.