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(04/09/91 9:00am)
The University will abandon its United-Way-only charity campaign next year to implement a so-called combined campaign that gives employees more say in how their donations are spent. Hackney's decision comes after a month-long referendum, in which University empoyees overwhelmingly voted in favor of the combined campaign. The combined campaign received 1929 votes compared to the 1133 votes for the United Way-run system. Another 343 voters did not express a choice. Until 1988, the University's charitable campaign, through which employees can donate a portion of their paycheck to charity, was entirely under the auspices of the United Way. Employees could designate charities to which they would donate, but all funds were channeled through the United Way. In 1988, a group of faculty and staff, calling itself the "Committee for a Combined Campaign," argued that the United Way guided campaign stifled freedom of choice and information. The University adopted a hybrid form of the combined campaign in 1989. Under the new campaign, the University raised nearly $324,000 for the United Way and increased total charitable contributions by about 30 percent. President Hackney said yesterday several factors went into his decision to adopt the combined campaign for the next year, including last months referendum. In the referendum, employees were asked if they supported a campaign at all, and, if so, would they like a combined campaign or a United Way campaign. Of the 9,000 ballots distributed to University employees, 3,405 were returned to the President's Office. Of these, 2,528 employees voted for a charitable campaign, while 877 voted against having any campaign at all. "The referendum played a part . . . and I listened to the discussion," Hackney said. "I looked at the charitable campaign as something the University does for its faculty and staff." Combined Campaign committee member Jane Combrinck-Graham said last night she was "thrilled" and called the 62 percent vote for the combined campaign "astonishing." She said she feared that the referendum would have been won by the United Way because the organization still receives the greatest number of contributions of all the groups under the current plan. United Way officials declined to comment yesterday, but they expressed displeasure with the vote in a statement released yesterday evening. In the statement, the officials called the decision "a change for change's sake," adding that the combined campaign "does not offer Penn employees anything that they were not already receiving through the United Way campaign." "It is President Hackney's prerogative to determine how the University will conduct its workplace fundraising," the statement said. "We respect that." Along with the decision, the President announced that Dental School Dean Raymond Fonseca would serve as Penn's Way Campaign Chair. Fonseca said he was "excited" about being asked to take the position and added he looks forward to a successful campaign. He said he does not believe the past year's controversy will affect employee's good will. "I think that the better instincts will come out in people," Fonseca said.
(04/08/91 9:00am)
The College of Arts and Sciences has tentatively approved a long-awaited writing requirement which will be implemented within "two or three years," according to Associate Dean for the College Norman Adler. The requirement, which will not affect any present College students, will be fulfilled through the completion of a freshman seminar, two WATU classes, or one writing lab attached to a course. Adler said he does not expect the proposed requirement to be delayed by the vacancy in the School of Arts and Sciences dean's post, but added that the requirement must receive approval from the new SAS head. A writing requirement committee approved and implemented three writing labs in September and established the requirements in accordance with a 1988 faculty mandate to formulate a writing requirement. Faculty said they hope students will be able to articulate their ideas, adding that the requirement should bring the University one step closer to that ideal. Adler said he hopes to establish writing labs which will be connected to non-English classes. Adler stressed that the requirement is "not remedial," but an attempt to improve writing because "communication is the essence of being in a civilized society." English seminars, offered to freshmen, have been criticized by students since they are usually taught by graduate students who are less qualified than full professors, according to David Kaufman, president of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education. He added students need and desire more interaction with quality faculty members. But English Professor Robert Lucid said he was very enthusiastic about the requirement, adding that freshman seminars are "very well taught." The associate dean was expected to announce the adoption of a common book reading program for incoming freshmen, but its approval was delayed. "The faculty is looking at the possibility of a common book reading by all incoming freshmen," Adler said, though he would not elaborate on what caused the delay. "I think that the faculty decision-making practice is the most complicated of all political processes," Kaufman said yesterday, adding that this may be a reason why the common book reading decision has been delayed.
(04/08/91 9:00am)
Ending a 30 month nationwide search, the University appointed former University of California at Berkeley administrator Selimo Rael as the new vice president of finance. The post was vacated in 1988 when Marna Whittington was promoted after the death of then-Senior Vice President Helen O'Bannon. The original search for Whittington's replacement was called off last summer after administrators failed to reach a consensus on whom to appoint. A new search for the position, however, began 10 months ago and has culminated in the naming of Rael, currently the associate vice chancellor of financial and business services at Berkeley. Administrators said last year that there was no pressing need to fill the position, saying that Whittington and others in the financial affairs division are able to complete the duties. But Whittington said yesterday that it is a crucial time for the University now that its state budget has been cut by nearly $19 million and that the University could not cope with the amount of work. "We've been limping along," she said, adding that Rael is just the person to help the University deal with its financial crisis. "I am enthusiastic about moving to the East Coast and look forward to the new challenges, both personally and professionally, that this opportunity presents," he added. Rael's appointment is not a further increase in the number of administrators, Whittington said, adding "this position has always been there." "We have reduced the number of positions in the office of the vice president during the past year," she added. Rael was wooed away from Berkeley despite a strong effort hold onto him, according to Whittington. Whittington said Rael "has the strengths we need for the 1990s."
(04/08/91 9:00am)
It's 10:30 a.m. and it's time to go to another "Health, Environment, and Behavior," lecture, just set up by the School of Arts and Sciences with the help of the Pew Charitable Funds commitment of $1.5 million. But besides the regular in-class talk, which this week is being given by the president of the World Health Organization, the course also includes several other prominent guest lecturers, special lunch hours with experts, and living and learning programs with instructors. · Such a scenario is not unrealistic, according to Associate Dean for the College Norman Adler, who announced Friday the creation of nine interdisciplinary courses which will fulfill the general requirement. The courses, which faculty still have to design, will cross several disciplines and will include guest lecturers. The first few years of the program will be paid for by a $1.5 million "commitment" from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The ambitious program will be phased in over the next three years, with a pilot program beginning in the Spring of 1992. "We want to obliterate the distinction between broad bodies of knowledge and advanced knowledge," Adler said, adding that interdisciplinary courses will provide a connection between different disciplines now viewed by students as unrelated. Alder said he expects the courses to have one lecture section of about 150 students each and between 10 and 15 recitations, some of which will be taught in student's dorms. The courses will provide "a seamless bond for students between outside life and intellectual learning," incorporating "lab work . . . and much better uses of the city's resources." The nine courses, for which descriptions have not yet been created, include Asian Civilization: Individuals, Social Units and Societies; Cognitive Science: A View of the Mind; Health, Environment, and Behavior; Modernism; Molecular Biology; Origin and Development of the Natural World; and Origin and Development of the Social World. Adler said that the "commitments" from Pew are "just a beginning," adding that the program will be expensive. "We'll just have to go out and hustle money," Adler joked. He could not rule out the possibility that the future budget crises may force the program to be cut back or eliminated. "We will be affected by budget cuts," Adler said, adding that he hopes to attract more outside funding for the program. "This [program] is a response to the fragmentation of knowledge," Adler said. "All we can do is give the students the sum total of the knowledge and the tools to use it." President Sheldon Hackney said in a statement released Friday that he hopes "before long to have all of our undergraduates participate in a living experience in which faculty are included." Adler said he hopes to create a Center for Interdisciplinary Study which will expand the concept of the interdisciplinary courses. The nine courses will be opened to freshmen and sophomores beginning in 1992.
(04/05/91 10:00am)
President Sheldon Hackney will release his decision Monday on what employee charity campaign the University will use, ending a three year-long debate on the issue. Hackney will choose between the United Way, which has had exclusive access to deductions from University employee checks in past years, and a combined campaign. The administration submitted the issue to the University's faculty and staff last month in a non-binding referendum. Employees were asked to decide if there should be a charity campaign at all, and if so, to choose between the two fundraisers. Employees were to submit their referendum ballots to the president's office by March 22. Results of the vote have not been released. The referendum is among several factors which Hackney has taken into consideration, according to Assistant to the President Linda Hyatt. Hackney's statement Monday will be his final decision and will not include a tally of the employee's vote. Hyatt said last week Hackney has also received letters from individuals which will affect his decision. She added that the president is unlikely to allow the United Way's controversial campaigning practices to interfere with his decision. Hackney was in California yesterday and could not be reached for comment. The president's decision will have major implications for the future of United Way's employee charity campaigns. The University is Philadelphia's second largest employer and the United Way lost combined campaigns in the city government, Philadelphia's largest employer, and the Philadelphia School District two years ago. The fight over the control of the more than $300,000 in University donations began in 1988 when the University altered its policy to allow employees more say in how their donations were spent. Combined Campaign supporters say donations to the charity drive have increased as restrictions on where their donations can be spent have been eased. Committee member Jane Combrink-Graham said last week the University increased its contributions 30 percent last year. Nan Langen Steketee, Director of the Center for Responsible Funding, said the jump "represents a very, very, very large increase." She called the increase exceptional, saying it indicates employees are much more willing to give when they have more choices. Combrink-Graham added that between 1985 and 1988, when the United Way controlled charity information, "we never met our goals." United Way spokesperson Joseph Divis said last week the credit for the amount of money raised in the workplace belongs with the University and not the United Way, but he contested the Combined Campaign Committee's contention that a combined campaign raises more money. Divis noted that the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, which is still under the United Way, increased its total contributions by 70 percent last year, a jump from $80,500 to $141,000. Combrink-Graham said that at the very least, she hopes there is "overwhelming support for a campaign," but that if there is "a United Way [controlled] and all the gains we have had over the past two years will be lost."
(04/02/91 10:00am)
Students whose class schedules conflict with Dining Services' lunch schedules will no longer have to grab a quick meal from a food truck. Dining Services will provide near-continuous service beginning next fall, according to Director William Canney. Despite budget cuts which have left Dining Services without a nutritionist and an associate director, Canney said last night that hours at Stouffer Dining Commons and the Hill House dining room will be extended to provide almost continuous service on both ends of the campus. Hill House will open for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and shut down only for dinner preparation at 3:45 p.m. and a 15-minute break at 10:30 a.m. The dining area will close at 7:30 p.m., which is an hour later than the current schedule. Stouffer Dining Commons, which serves the Quadrangle, will be closed for 45 minutes at 3:45 p.m. and will remain open the entire day. Its closing time will not change. Canney said last night the changes are a response to student requests for continuous service and, despite the longer hours, Canney said he does not forsee a large increase in costs. Canney said longer hours may increase food costs, but it will not increase labor or other operational costs. The additional costs will be offset by the smaller food lines and the convenience students will now have, Canney added. Dining Commons managers said last night they do not expect an increased strain on the workers. Stouffer Dining Commons Manager Addie Flowers said the food service workers work throughout the day and the additional hours will not present a problem. Canney said he views the new schedules as a contingency plan should the Law School Dining Services and Kings Court/English House Commons be shut down when the area undergoes major renovations. Although Canney expects to lose some of the 7500 students on meal plan if the Kings Court and Law dining services are closed, he expects the longer hours to entice students to remain on the plan. "I truly think this will benefit the students," Canney said.
(04/02/91 10:00am)
Wasserstein, whose The Heidi Chronicles has been playing on Broadway for two years, is scheduled to center her speech around "A Life in the Theatre." The 40-year-old Guggenheim Foundation grant-winner will also participate in two classes -- a theater arts class and an English class. Wasserstein, a Yale University Drama School graduate, wrote the critically-acclaimed Heidi Chronicles, a story of an art historian confronting the lost goals of the women's movement. Wasserstein also had some success with other productions, including writing an off-Broadway play called Uncommon Women and Others and producing Isn't It Romantic a decade later. Wasserstein's presentation will include an introduction by English Professor Cary Mazer and will be followed by a half-hour audience question-and-answer period. A two-hour reception with audience participation is also scheduled to be held at the Sweeten Alumni Center on Locust Walk after the speech. PEN at Penn is a program which brings prominent playwrights, historians, and authors to the University and Wasserstein's visit marks the third such presentation this Spring. It is sponsored by the School of Arts and Sciences and Trustee Saul Steinberg. The presentation will be open free-of-charge to all University students and staff. The speech will be held in room B-1 of Meyerson Hall this afternoon at 4:00 p.m.
(03/25/91 10:00am)
School of Arts and Sciences Dean Hugo Sonnenschein's departure from the University this summer will mark the end of the term for the fifth permanent dean in the 17-year history of the liberal arts college. Although faculty and administrators have praised Sonnenschein's term as dean, their underlying message is one of disappointment that the progress Sonnenschein fostered will be slowed, or even halted, as the school shifts gears and administrations yet again. And although they lauded Sonnenschein as a forward thinker and innovator, some faculty said this month his short stay at the University has prevented him from making long-term plans for the school. But Sonnenschein's short tenure at the University is not unusual. SAS deans have turned over at a rapid rate since the school was established in 1974, leaving the school in a near-constant state of flux. The school, originally called the "Faculty of Arts and Sciences," was first governed by Vartan Gregorian, who had been a popular and influential history professor at the University. Gregorian served from 1974 to 1979. Since then, the school has had a string of changes in rapid succession: Robert Dyson took over from Gregorian and stepped down in 1982; former English Professor Joel Conarroe replaced Dyson, but only served for a year-and-a-half; in 1985, Michael Aiken was appointed dean and served until 1987; finally, Sonnenschein was drawn away from his 25-year career at Princeton University to head up the school in 1988. Faculty, administrators, and past SAS deans agree that such frequent turnover at the school, although sometimes unavoidable, leads to fragmented and discontinuous long-term policy. "Rapid transition has fostered a climate of distrust in that agreements worked out with one dean are not necessarily carried out by the next administration," History and Sociology of Science Chairperson Rosemary Stevens said. Former Provost Eliot Stellar, who oversaw the creation of the School of Arts and Sciences in 1974 and now chairs the Anatomy Department in the Medical School, agreed that "in general, everything from fundraising to new educational programs run the risk of being slowed down and changed when you change from one dean to another." "It doesn't have to be disruptive and it's not a disaster," Stellar added. "But all of those things come to a near halt." Sonnenschein, a graduate of the University of Rochester, came to the University in July, 1988 to take control of Arts and Sciences after Aiken moved up the administrative ladder to become provost. Sonnenschein, an economics professor and president of Princeton's Econometrics Society, assumed control from acting dean Walter Wales, but according to faculty, Sonnenschein was naturally unfamiliar with the school. Although Sonnenschein will leave this July -- making his stay here exactly three years -- many say that his effective time as dean is much shorter. Geology Department Chairperson Hermann Pfefferkorn said last month that it can take as long as a year for a new dean who is unfamiliar with the University to settle in. "I would agree that such frequent change is not good," Pfefferkorn said. "There is often an interim dean and normally there is a year in which no decisions are made." Subtracting one year of familiarization and these five months in which Sonnenschein prepares to leave for Princeton, the dean has had an effective stay of a year-and-a-half. "Two years is the minimum amount of time [for a dean] to accomplish anything," Stevens said last month. "I think it takes at least four years . . . and I think it's a great shame that one doesn't get continuity." · The School of Arts and Sciences was created in 1974 by then-President Martin Meyerson and Provost Stellar in an effort to unite the liberal arts departments of the University. Prior to 1974, the responsibility of liberal arts education rested upon the College, the College for Women, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and four Wharton departments -- Sociology, Economics, Political Science, and Regional Science. Stellar, who oversaw the formation of the "Faculty of Arts and Sciences," as it was then called, said last month that "it was really logical for us to bring the departments together . . . it made academic sense." "It brought together 28 departments organized and led by Vartan Gregorian, who turned out to be a charismatic leader," Stellar said. "It was Gregorian's leadership which made it into a school instead of pieces patched together." Former SAS Dean Dyson, now director of the University Museum, said the "schools were combined because Arts and Sciences was [politically] weak and because it could not overcome the political power of the Medical School." And former SAS Dean Conarroe, now president of the Guggenheim Foundation, said he thinks "bringing all of the schools together brought some identity to the School of Arts and Sciences which was scattered." "It was like bringing five horses together and making them go in the same direction," Conarroe said. "It complicated the position [of dean], but it had to be done." Although the move strengthened the liberal arts, some observers suggested that the current conglomeration makes the job too difficult for a single dean, which might be one of the reasons behind the high attrition rate at the top. "I think you can suggest that it is a very hard job to maintain," English Professor Robert Lucid said last month. "It could be that it's just too heavy a burden." While SAS is looking for its sixth permanent dean in two decades, Wharton, Engineering, and Nursing have witnessed very few changes when compared with SAS. Wharton has had just three deans since 1972. Nursing has had two deans in as many decades. Engineering has had three deans since 1972. And the graduate schools have had similar stable track records. The less frequent changes at the Nursing, Engineering and Wharton Schools could be indicative of a tradition of liberal arts deans being promoted to provost or even president. For the Nursing and Wharton schools, which are considered leaders in the nation, becoming dean is often considered the pinnacle of a career. "The Wharton deanship is the end of the line," Sociology Chair Samuel Preston said last month. Arts and Sciences deans, on the other hand, still have a chance for promotions. The list of positions past SAS deans have moved on to is an impressive one: Gregorian became University provost and then left in 1980 to head the New York City Public Library System. He is now president of Brown University. Dyson changed his line of work to become director of the University Museum. Conarroe was wooed away by the Guggenheim Foundation to become its president. And Aiken was promoted to provost. In all, three deans have become provosts, one has become president of a major foundation and one moved to a major position within the University. Despite the turnover, former Dean Conarroe contends that there is nothing "structurally wrong with the position." "We are just going to have to start appointing mediocre people to the position," Conarroe joked. "In the good-old-bad-old days, it was much easier for deans to stay [longer]." Aiken insists that all "great universities," face similar dilemmas holding onto their deans. While the University is looking for its sixth dean in 17 years, schools like Harvard, Princeton and Brown universities, for example, have had four deans each in the last 20 years. "I think you have to look at each one of [the former deans] individually," Aiken said, indicating that each has moved on for his own reason. Former President Meyerson agrees such constant change is common at large universities and insists that the School of Arts and Sciences is no more complex than any other school of its type. Although there is little consensus on the cause of such rapid turnover and many insist it is normal, many students, faculty and administrators hope that the next dean will put a stop to College Hall's revolving door.
(03/19/91 10:00am)
The Art History department received a $2 million gift from University alumni last week that will be used for renovations to the building at 3400 Walnut Street this summer. Once renovated, the department will transfer operations to the building, which currently houses the Urban Studies department. Urban Studies is scheduled to move to Meyerson Hall this summer. College alumni Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe made the donation last week. Elliot Jaffe, who is chief executive officer of a national retail clothing corporation, said in a statement last week that he is "delighted" that the Art History department will have "a home of its own after many years of being housed in separate areas." Art History Acting Chairperson Malcolm Campbell said yesterday that he is "absolutely delighted" with the gift. "We are immensely grateful to the Jaffes," Campbell said. "The money is for renovation of the building, expansion of the department, and improvement of facilities." The Art History department, which is currently located in Meyerson Hall, will temporarily move to the Science Center at 3440 Market Street this summer, Campbell said, adding that they expect to remain there for the next 18 to 20 months. "There will be some inconvenience for faculty, not for students," he said. "The inconvenience is worth it . . . and all of our lectures will still be held in Meyerson." The acting chairperson said a committee of architects, Art History department members, students and other officials will decide the architectural structure of both the temporary and permanent locations for the department. School of Arts and Sciences Dean Hugo Sonnenschein said last night that "it's a wonderful gift and it's being used to expand and renovate this wonderful building." "During this last year I've gotten to know Roslyn and Elliot Jaffe very well," Sonnenschein said. "They are magnificent people and very deeply committed to undergraduate education." The donation, which is part of the University's $1 billion capital campaign comes near the midpoint of the five-year fundraising drive, which has raised about $600 million to date.
(03/19/91 10:00am)
MEDIA -- Chester resident Arnold Butcher -- charged with the December 1989 shooting death of Engineering freshman Tyrone Robertson -- was found guilty of first degree murder by a Delaware County judge Friday afternoon. Butcher now faces a minimum of life imprisonment with possible parole in 15 years. The formal sentencing is scheduled for early next month. Defense attorney Spiros Angelos said he will appeal the decision. The ruling concludes the "degree of guilt" hearing in which Judge Antonio Semeraro was to determine whether Butcher was guilty of first or third degree murder. Butcher pled guilty to an unspecified charge of shooting Robertson in the right buttock last month. Butcher shot the Engineering freshman outside a seafood restaurant in Chester when Robertson and his brother Paul became involved in a fight with Butcher and two other Chester men. The defense concluded its side of the hearing with short testimony from Narcotics Unit Captain Commodore Harris who said Butcher willingly turned himself into the authorities. In his half-hour-long closing argument, defense attorney Angelos compared the incident to Romeo and Juliet, calling the shooting a result of too much "pride." Angelos also argued that by admitting his guilt, Butcher had spared the family the pain of a full trial. A first-degree murder conviction rests upon a "specific intent to kill," and throughout his argument, Angelos has countered that the prosecution failed to prove that Butcher shot Robertson with the specific intent to kill him. Angelos said Butcher aimed down and fired the fatal shot at Robertson only to scare him away from harming the man with whom he was fighting. Angelos added that several witnesses who testified during the trial indicated that Butcher was drunk and did not have the ability to commit premeditated murder. He added that Butcher panicked, didn't aim the gun, and fired just one shot at Robertson. Angelos concluded his final arguments by referring to several precedents in which the courts have convicted defendants of third degree murder under similar circumstances. Assistant District Attorney Jay Mattera, who prosecuted the case, agreed with Angelos in his closing argument that "we can't say what went on in Butcher's mind" in the moments leading up to the shooting. But he added that the .44 caliber pistol which Butcher used showed he intended to kill Robertson. During Mattera's closing argument, Ada Robertson -- the Tyrone Robertson's mother -- wept as her husband tried to comfort her. A court medical officer helped Robertson up and took her to a hospital, according to Mattera. Mattera said after the ruling that he was pleased with the verdict. "I am very satisfied [with the verdict]," Mattera said. "I assume the family is much relieved." Dwight Townsend and Michael Shaw, the two Chester residents who were also involved in the December 1989 incident, were convicted of involuntary manslaughter last month and will be sentenced along with Butcher next month.
(03/19/91 10:00am)
School of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Walter Wales will become acting SAS dean on July 1, when current Dean Hugo Sonnenschein officially leaves to become provost of Princeton University. Wales, who was SAS' acting dean before Sonnenschein came to the University in the fall of 1988, will serve as dean until the school's search committee names Sonnenschein's replacement. Sonnenschein, who was named Princeton's provost in February and is concluding a nearly three-year stay as SAS dean, said last night that "I and so many others in the School of Arts and Sciences have enormous trust and confidence in Dean Wales." "He is one of the great patriots of the institution," Sonnenschein added. "I'm delighted that he has agreed to serve in this way." The search committee, which began meeting two weeks ago, is accepting nominations for the dean of Arts and Sciences, and although several administrators and faculty said they hoped the new dean would be announced before Sonnenschein's departure, the Wales' appointment may signal a longer search period. Wales, who teaches Physics and was awarded the Ira Abrams Award for Distinguished Teaching last year, has been associate dean in the College for the past nine years. Wales, who does not anticipate being named to the post permanently, said last night that as acting dean he will maintain the present course of the school. "I have been in the office for quite a while," Wales said. "I'm reasonably familiar with the operation." Wales' appointment will mark the beginning of the seventh dean's term in the sixteen year history of SAS.
(03/07/91 10:00am)
The committee looking at complaints about the Oriental Studies Department's name presented its findings to the department last month, but details on their report will not be released until after the spring recess. Committee chairperson and Oriental Studies Professor William Hanaway, who has declined to comment throughout the two-month process, said yesterday that the committee was not formed to rename or restructure the Oriental Studies department -- only to examine the situation. He added that the department has agreed to continue to look into the situation. "The committee gathered information, but nothing was decided," Hanaway added. "[The department has] decided to pursue the matter further." Oriental Studies Department Chairperson Ludo Rocher declined to comment last night, saying that a statement will be released by the department in two weeks. Hanaway stressed the department's willingness to keep an open mind, saying that "the message is that the department is open to discussing the question." "The committee is really irrelevant," Hanaway said, adding that it was a fact-finding committee and "there was never any thought of including students on the committee." While the committee was busy evaluating the department, graduate student leaders gathered in two meetings this month to discuss the Oriental Studies name change issue, according to graduate student Leonard Reuter. Reuter said that several students proposed changing the department's name to "philology" -- or the study of historical linguistics. Reuter emphasized the graduate students' concerns that they will receive the doctorate in philology, while some of them have never studied the subject during their stay in the Oriental Studies Department. Asian students said they were upset with the pace of change in the Oriental Studies Department this week. "We find their whole strategy of not talking to student groups unacceptable," said Darryl Tom, a member of the Asian--American Student Alliance. "We had a meeting last semester in which they claimed they would allow students on the committee." College junior and vocal activist John Shu said Monday that he said he thinks "philology" is a "stupid" name. But he added that the term "oriental" is a racist name and "the name is a reflection of the structure." "I'm looking for everyone to come out as a winner," said Shu, the United Minorities Council vice-chairman. "It's not us versus them."
(02/28/91 10:00am)
Students said last night they were both overjoyed and skeptical upon hearing that the sixth-month crisis in the Persian Gulf was ending. While many students viewed the end of the war as a boon both to the U.S. and President Bush, they said they were wary about leaving Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in power. "I'm exhilarated that the war is over," College freshman Mayer Ezer said last night. "My support goes out to Bush and the troops." Ezer's "exhilaration" typified the reaction of most students last night. Unlike the start of the war, which sparked protests at the University and around the country, news of the ceasefire drew little public reaction on campus. Students went about their daily lives without interruption. Locust Walk remained quiet throughout the evening. College junior Phil Sipsipowicz called the cease-fire "fantastic" and added, "Like everyone else, I just want to get our guys home." Undergraduate Chairperson Duchess Harris, whose brother is a Green Beret on the front line, said, "I'm really excited that the war has ended, because it has caused a lot of anxiety in my family." But some students were skeptical that keeping Saddam in power might lead to a similar conflict down the road. "I'm not sure whether we should just stop right here and not get rid of him," College junior Michael Guastella said. Wharton junior Kurt Ekert said he fears for the lives of the troops. "[Saddam] is really an unpredictable, scary guy," he said. "It is almost like we have a noose around Iraq's neck and [we are saying] if you move we are going to hang you" College senior Michael Holliday said he feared Saddam "might feel like he has some score to settle." Students also said they were surprised at how quickly the U.S. won the war and praised President Bush as a perceptive leader. Guastella said he thought the war would be much longer. He recalled an economics class in which the professor asked the students how long they felt the war would last. He said all but one of the students felt the war would last at least six months. College sophomore Hilary Hotchkiss agreed, adding that "you could almost see a smile [on Bush's face] that says 'I will win the next presidential election.' " "I think that politically the implications for George Bush are enormous," Hotchkiss added. "In an ironic way it is almost anti-climactic ending the war so quickly. "We either overestimated them or underestimated ourselves in comparison to them," Ekert concluded. "What George Bush said he wanted in the beginning he pretty much got." Harris said late last night that, although she still believes it was unnecessary to send troops to Saudi Arabia in the first place, "Bush probably will come out looking like a hero because we were so successful and there were so few casualties." "I definitely believe we should bring the troops home right away," Harris added. While some students with relatives fighting in the Gulf agreed with Harris that the troops should come home immediately, others were concerned about the stability of the region and said Bush should not pull out so soon. College senior Yunsook Chang said he thought it will take a while to bring the troops home. "I think the troops should stay a while," Chang said, adding that it will take some time for things to settle down. Graduate student Brian Teaman, who was standing outside the Quadrangle with anti-war buttons on his coat, said he didn't think protesting the war was "a waste." "Part of protesting is to give a different voice, one that you don't see on the television," Teaman added. Daily Pennsylvanian Staff Writer Christine Lutton contributed to this article
(02/28/91 10:00am)
President Sheldon Hackney and Provost Michael Aiken charged the School of Arts and Sciences Dean search committee yesterday, nearly a month after Dean Hugo Sonnenschein announced he will assume Princeton University's provost position. The search committee, which includes eight faculty, one undergraduate, one graduate student and a University Trustee, will begin meeting this month in its search for a suitable replacement. Aiken and Hackney told the 11-member committee to nominate three to five candidates, from which the provost and president will choose the new dean. Aiken said yesterday he would like the nominations by the end of the academic year "if possible," and added that the committee has been instructed to look both inside and outside SAS for a new dean. "We don't have a deadline," committee Chairperson Lawrence Bernstein said last night. "But it's clear that if it's possible, [the committee] should have the nominations by the time Dean Sonnenschein leaves." The committee will begin its deliberations next week and will meet "no less than once a week," Bernstein added. The charge given to the committee, according to Bernstein, was broad and basic, although members were asked to keep open the possibility of minority candidates. The committee will select the most qualified candidates, regardless of race or gender, Bernstein said, adding that the committee is "looking for a candidate who can set the academic tone for the SAS, someone with proven leadership abilities." Aiken similarly called on the committee to select "an outstanding academic leader who can provide a vision for the school and continue the momentum of the school and who can also be successful in finding additional resources." The committee members are Physics Professor David Balamuth, Associate English Professor Rebecca Bushnell, Sociology Professor Samuel Preston, Psychology Professor John Sabini, Economics Professor Beth Allen, Music Department Chairperson Lawrence Bernstein, History Professor Mary Berry, Graduate School of Education Dean Marvin Lazerson, College sophomore Niranjan Karnik, anthropology graduate student Julie Pearce and Trustee Gloria Chisum.
(02/26/91 10:00am)
The 14 protesters, who stood expressionless with hands folded for 90 minutes, were observed by three open expression monitors, two University police officers, and two troop-supporting Operation Homefront members. Since the start of the war, which saw almost 300 protesters take to the streets, participation in such anti-war events has dwindled precipitously. The group of activists attracted little, if any, attention from the hundreds of students who passed by on their way to class. The two University police officers watched the demonstration from a distance because of two incidents at protests over the weekend. On Saturday night, anti-war protesters entered Van Pelt Library and laid down in Rosengarten Reading Room in a "die-in" and were later the targets of an egg-throwing incident on Superblock. Although most of the protesters maintained their silence, graduate student Brian Teaman said, "We got together to show some presence of opposition to the war." College of General Studies student and Vietnam veteran Joseph Parsio added that "since the war began, there's been a vigil here every day to call people's attention to the war." The dozen protesters left quietly at 1:30 p.m. without incident. Open Expression Monitor Christopher Dennis said monitors are "called out anytime we are aware of a protest." There were no incidents during the protest, and while the troop supporters and anti-war students faced each other, they did not exchange words. The two troop supporting students carried signs calling for a "Free Kuwait" and American flags. "Those people whose hearts weep for baby seals, why don't they weep for Kuwaiti or Jewish babies?" College freshman Mark Liberman asked. In a second, and apparently unrelated event, anti-war protesters hung a blue flag with a peace symbol on the pole atop Houston Hall. Several University Life officials said yesterday they were unaware of the flag and said they would have the flag removed either last night or today.
(02/22/91 10:00am)
The Soviet Union's peace plan approved by Iraq and rejected by the U.S. last night received mixed reviews from University experts yesterday. The Soviet plan -- outlined in eight points -- included a bilateral cease-fire, a complete and unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait, and a release of all prisoners of war. And although the U.S. rejected the plan, faculty and on-campus experts said yesterday that the proposal opened new doors, especially since Iraq dropped its demand that a withdrawal from Kuwait be linked to an Israeli pullout from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. "They dropped the main conditions of the last half year," Foreign Policy Research Institute Director Daniel Pipes said last night. "Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon [were not mentioned]." The rejection of the plan, however, may lead to strains within the allied coalition. Some faculty said they feared a rejection would produce a split between the U.S. and other countries in the Gulf. Political Science Professor Frederick Frey said last night that the rejection may divide the delicate U.N. coalition along Cold War lines, with the Soviet Union and China on one side, and the U.S., Britain, France and Saudi Arabia on the other. He added that a rejection may make President Bush look like a war monger. Reasons as to why the Soviet-engineered proposal would be rejected varied. Frey speculated that a refusal could mean that Bush's publically announced goals in the war may not be the ones he is actually seeking. "The president is going to have to clarify his goals," Frey said last night. "If the president's goal is just to get Saddam out of Kuwait then, with some minor adjustments he will accept [the settlement]." If, however, Bush wants Saddam out of power, Frey said that he would reject the peace offer. History Professor Bruce Kuklick, an expert in diplomatic history, said the personal egos of Bush and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein may be the reason for the U.S. opposition to the plan. "[They] seemed to have shown themselves as men whose face and prestige is of immense proportions," he said. He added that if the plan had been accepted, Saddam may have looked like a hero, which he felt may be unacceptable to Bush. Assistant Political Science Professor Avery Goldstein, an expert in national security policy, said that the proposal simply did not lay the right groundwork for an agreement. "Under the right cicumstances they would be willing to get out of Kuwait," Goldstein said. "And under the right circumstances we would be willing to let them get out." Goldstein said, however, that he did not feel that this peace proposal offered the right circumstances. Before the U.S. announced its rejection, some faculty said that the proposal could have provided an opening for Bush to pursue a diplomatic conclusion to the war while still achieving the objectives laid out in the United Nations resolutions. "I'm real pleased," said FPRI Director Pipes, a nationally renown Middle East expert. "This is the first serious indication by Saddam Hussein that he has recognized that he will have to leave Kuwait." There should be "no cease-fire, but negotiations will take place if we continue to bomb," he said. "[Saddam] will have to make concessions." And History Professor Alfred Rieber, a Soviet expert, said the proposal also had left room for Saddam to save face. "My impression is that this is a good opening to negotiate," Reiber said. "In international affairs when you have someone pinned to the wall, you give them a way out."
(02/19/91 10:00am)
Nearly two weeks after School of Arts and Sciences Dean Hugo Sonnenschein announced he will leave for Princeton University, the school is still forming a search committee to find his successor. The committee, appointed by faculty, students and the administration, will search this spring for the sixth permanent dean in the 16 year history of the University's largest school. The committee will narrow the field of candidates to a "short list" of finalists. President Sheldon Hackney and Provost Michael Aiken will choose the new dean from this list. Executive Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons said Friday the formation of the selection committee will take at least two more weeks. Aiken has met with the school's constituent groups -- graduates, undergraduates and faculty -- and has asked each to choose representatives for the ten-person committee. The SAS's Committee on Committees is charged with selecting four faculty to be placed on a ballot that is sent to SAS professors. If the SAS faculty ratifies these choices, they will join the search committee. Committee on Committees Chairperson Janice Madden said last week her group has already selected and submitted the four candidates to the Provost's office. She added that she is anxious to see the process moving and that it is important to form the search committee as soon as possible. Two student groups, the Undergraduate Assembly and the Graduate Students Associations Council, will each select a student representative to the search committee. GSAC President Michael Polgar said yesterday although the council has tentatively selected a representative, he has received one more application for consideration. "We would like someone who is responsible to the needs of the graduates students [for SAS dean]," Polgar said. Despite having only one member on the committee, Polgar does not view it as a token position. "We are part of the committee, which is better than nothing," Polgar said last night, adding that GSAC will choose its representative Wednesday. UA member Susan Moss, who is handling the selection of the UA's representative, could not be reached for comment last night. Upon choosing the graduate, undergraduate and faculty nominations, the president and the provost will select four additional members for the committee. Although the committee will probably be empowered to look both inside and outside the University, Hackney said last month the University would begin by looking within SAS for a new dean. Several faculty said last week a dean from within the present structure would be preferable to an outsider. It takes at least a year for an outsider to become familiarized with the structure of any large administration, they said. In general, crucial programs in planning are put on hold while the new administration adjusts. But according to faculty, now is a particularly critical time, because the University is in the middle of a billion dollar capital campaign drive which will propel the University into the next century. Past SAS dean searches have taken up to a year and have included as many as 150 candidates.
(02/14/91 10:00am)
Last year, Vargas Llosa -- seeking to alleviate Peru's staggering economic problems and political instability -- ran unsuccessfully for president of Peru against Alfredo Fugimora, a landowner of Japanese decent. Author of The Time of the Hero -- a novel depicting life in a Peruvian military academy, Vargas Llosa supported socialism and the Castro regime in Cuba during the early part of his career. In 1971 Vargas Llosa renounced his ties with Cuba. Vargas Llosa also won the Peruvian National Prize for Best Novel, the Spanish Critics Award, and the Venezuelan Romula Gallegos Award in 1967 for his novel The Green House, a work based on his journey in the Andes Mountain range. The writer will make two public appearances at the University, including a discussion with Romance Language Professor Jose Oviedo and a question and answer period afterward. Tomorrow, Vargas Llosa will deliver a speech entitled "Karl Popper, Today" at 3:00 p.m. in room 17 of Logan Hall. English Professor Robert Lucid praised the author last week saying, "Mario Vargas Llosa is one of the most distinguished novelists from the Southern Hemisphere." "He would be celebrated even if he had no political identity at all," Lucid added. "But there's no denying the fact that his political identity is quite compelling." Oviedo said last week that Vargas Llosa "is in favor of democracy in Latin America . . . and out of all Latin American writers, he is the one who has opposed ideological dogmatism the most." Vargas Llosa is a former president of PEN -- Poets, Essayists and Novelists -- as well a former writer-in-residence at the Smithsonian Institute. In 1983, he released his most recent work, Against All Odds, a collection of political and literary essays. Vargas Llosa will appear this evening at 6:00 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Room in Houston hall to answer audience questions.
(02/08/91 10:00am)
Yevgeny Yevtushenko, considered by many to be the most famous living Soviet poet, will host the first U.S. viewing of his new film Stalin's Funeral Saturday evening at the Zellerbach Theatre. Yevtushenko, who is teaching a semester-long course on Russian poetry at the University, is presenting the film as a gift to the University community and, although tickets are required, it is free of charge. A semi-autobiographical film, Stalin's Funeral depicts oppression during Joseph Stalin's 25-year reign over the Soviet Union, culminating in the deaths of thousands of mourners at his funeral in April of 1953. Yevtushenko is depicted in the film as Zhenya, who is a nine year old boy who walks around reciting poetry. Yevtushenko himself acts in the film as a drunken sculptor and the film includes several members of his family. In a New York Times column this year, Yevtushenko wrote that "the hatred was created by Stalin's pact with Hitler and then by mass arrests." "There is silence, half truths, tricks. Not a shadow of regret or repentance," Yevtushenko wrote. "This is the beginning of . . . moral dissolution." Yevtushenko, whose most famous poem Babby Yar confronts anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union, has won international acclaim for his 12 books of poetry and two novels. Yevtushenko, a near heroic figure in the Soviet Union, is a representative in the country's Congress of People's Deputies and is an outspoken critic of the conservative regime. "Almost by definition, a Soviet poet is a political poet," Annenberg spokesperson Jon Enriquez said this week. "He has been in trouble before because he opposed some of the totalitarian aspects of Stalin's rule." "Poets in Russia have always been involved in politics because they have often taken stands on important political issues when others have remained silent," Russian History Professor Alfred Rieber said this week. "His poetry in the late 1950's and early 1960's was part of the process of demolishing the cult of Stalin." After the film, Yevtushenko will conclude the evening with a question and answer period. The film, already released in Moscow, will be shown this spring at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
(02/06/91 10:00am)
School of Arts and Sciences Dean Hugo Sonnenschein, appointed provost of Princeton University Monday afternoon, received unanimous praise from former and future colleagues at Princeton yesterday. Princeton President Harold Shapiro, who selected Sonnenschein for the position, yesterday called him "a person of outstanding integrity and vision." Although Shapiro would not name the other finalists for the position, he said Sonnenschein was the "most distinguished" candidate. "We are obviously delighted," Shapiro said. Sonnenschein will replace outgoing Provost Paul Benacerraf in the second highest position at Princeton. Sonnenschein received the unanimous consent of the six-member search committee who reviewed over 100 candidates. "He struck the committee as combining, in a really extraordinary way, the very important characteristics," Princeton Philosophy Professor and search committee member John Cooper said yesterday. Former associates at Princeton said they were also excited about the return of the economics professor, who taught at the New Jersey school from 1974 to 1988. Sonnenshein came across the Delaware River to become the fifth permanent dean of the University's largest school in the summer of 1988. "Sonnenschein is a superb teacher who was very close to his students," former Princeton economics chairman Allen Binder said last night. "He strikes you as a fairly quiet, not overtly aggressive person, but somebody with very strong views." Princeton Economics Department Chairman Stephen Goldseld, a friend of Sonnenschein's, echoed Binder's sentiments, adding that he is "delighted" that Sonnenschein will return. "We think your loss is our gain," Goldseld said. "He's a very thoughtful, caring individual. Sonnenschein was credited this week by President Sheldon Hackney and Provost Michael Aiken with improving the quality of SAS and exceeding the fundraising goals set for the school. And Princeton administrators said yesterday that his reputation precedes him. "He is reputed to be an excellent administrator," Princeton Vice Provost Janet McKay said yesterday. "I am delighted that he is going to be joining us." She added that Sonnenschein's long standing ties to Princeton will help him adapt to the administrative structure there. Sonnenschein will remain at the University until July, although he will make weekly trips to Princeton beginning next month. Provost Aiken, who knew about the job offer two weeks ago, is in the process establishing a search committee to find Sonnenschein's replacement.
