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(05/30/91 9:00am)
Longtime minority affairs administrator Valarie Swain-Cade is a finalist in the University of the District of Columbia's search for a new president, according to an announcement made this week by the search committee. Cade is currently an assistant provost and an assistant to the president. Cade, who has been at the University since 1978, called the position "an unprecedented opportunity," adding that she considered being a member of the short list of five candidates for the position an honor. "It's just wonderful to be in the company of so many wonderful people," she said. "It's very early in the process -- at this point I'm very excited." Calling UDC an "extraordinary institution," Cade said the decision will probably not be made until the beginning of July, with candidates facing a battery of interviews at the Washington school before then. "There will be a period over the next month where all of us will have the opportunity to meet the students, staff, faculty at UDC," said Cade, who holds a doctorate in Urban Education and Adolescent Psychology from Temple University. The other four candidates are administrators from California State University at Sacramento, Tuskegee University in Alabama, the City University of New York and the University of California at San Diego. Joann Mitchell, the director of the Office of Affirmative Action, called Cade a "catalyst" at the University, saying that she has been important in many respects. She said that were Cade to leave, "it would be a loss for the institution," but that Cade's impact would continue to be felt through the support systems she has created. "She has been able to impact the quality of life for students, faculty, and staff who are people of color," she said, adding that "it's been an across-the-board impact." Several other administrators declined to comment on Cade's appearance on the list, saying that their public statements at this time could interfere with the process. Cade said that her time at the University has been challenging and rewarding, and were she to leave, minority affairs would be in capable hands. The search process began after the firing of then-president Rafael Cortada after a dispute with university trustees a year ago over the handling of the university. Nor has the search itself escaped controversy. UDC students staged an 11 day protest at the school after being snubbed in their bid for representation on the search committee. Student government leaders eventually were permitted a say on the final decision. The Washington Post contributed to this story.
(05/23/91 9:00am)
The sons and daughters of the University returned to their alma mater, this past weekend, to celebrate class reunions -- with checkbooks in hand. Development officials said this week that many of the class gifts to the University, while not reaching the levels reached during last year's 250th celebrations, still broke records. Calling Alumni Weekend "terrific," Vice President for Development Rick Nahm said the festivities were successful "both in terms of number of alumni who returned and the enthusiasm of those who came." Hanna said that reunion gifts to the University this year have totalled over $10 million, $4 million of which will go into the unrestricted Penn Fund, which is used for financial aid, faculty salaries, library books, classroom and laboratory equipment, campus maintenance and programs in research and education. Nahm said that because the University's fiscal year does not end until June 30, these figures probably do not represent the total amount that each class will give. Hanna added that reunion gifts to the Penn Fund have steadily increased to about $6 million in recent years. She said she hopes the University will reach this level this year as well. Often the 25th and 50th reunion classes will choose a special project which their funding supports, Hanna said, from a list provided by the Development Office. To qualify, the projects "need to be broad needs that will serve as much of the [University] as possible." "It needs to have very broad use and appeal," she added. This year's senior class, 25th reunion and 50th reunion classes each selected projects to support. The class of 1991 gave its $12 thousand donation to the planned campus center, as did the class of 1966. The class of 1941 donated money both to a scholarship it began during its 25th reunion and for computers in the Quadrangle's Bodine Lounge. Despite the donations to the proposed Revlon Center which is to be constructed on the 3600 block of Walnut Street, Nahm said that groundbreaking is still postponed due to undetermined cuts in the University's state appropriations. Nahm explained that Alumni Weekend is important to the University because not only are the gifts officially presented, but new gifts may be encouraged. "A lot of the success of Alumni Weekend is the connection of people that will ultimately result in gifts," he said. "We are writing a lot of letters as follow-ups to the weekend."
(05/23/91 9:00am)
The decision, according to University lawyers, may be a precedent-setting case for university-fraternity legal relationships nationwide. Had the court found in favor of Psi U, the planned community service residence project, scheduled to begin in the fall, in Psi U's castle-house on Locust Walk, could have been derailed, University officials said this week. "It would have been postponed," according to University lawyer Frank Roth who argued the case. "[Psi U] would have had to go for a permanent injunction," to indefinately suspend the University's diversification plans. The case was brought before the court after the fraternity's original motion was dismissed by the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas last July. The complaint charged that the University denied Psi U due process by deciding the fraternity had collective responsibility for the kidnapping of a member of another fraternity last year. The decision, rendered by Judges Justin Johnson, Frank Montemuro and John Hester, dismissed these charges, saying the University did not violate the fraternity's rights of association -- assembly and free speech. It also called the claim made by the fraternity to a "'clear right to relief . . .[is] without merit." Roth said that now, the University can proceed with its plans for the Castle, barring any further appeals which he termed "unlikely." "They tried to block us and we can go ahead," said Roth, who argued the University's case in March. "Things go on as they are. Their recognition is withdrawn." But Psi U's lawyer, John Ledwith, left open the possibility for further legal action against the University, saying that "there were minor errors in the decision." "The basic problem was with the decision of the lower court," he said. "The appellate court did not address certain issues because the lower court did not consider them." Roth explained that the case may have relevance for future university-fraternity disputes, as it legitimizes the system by which the University controls the Greek system on campus. "This was a challenge to the whole recognition policy," he said. "[The decision] upholds what the University has under its recognition policy is acceptable under the law." Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson, who implemented the punishment against Psi U and was named in the suit against the University, said she was not surprised with the decision. "It's always sad when something like this goes to litigation anyway," she said, adding that now, "our plans for the Castle will continue." Under the terms of the settlement, the fraternity may not apply for re-recognition until the spring of 1993. Morrisson added that the court case should not have any effect on its application, should it make one. "Their re-recognition will depend on the case they present before the Fraternity Sorority Advisory Board," she said. And she declined to speculate on who would occupy the Castle should the fraternity be allowed to return to campus, saying the question "will really be up to the president to decide."
(05/17/91 9:00am)
According to Philadelphia Police Detective Ed Tenudo, two groups of males were involved in fist fight around midnight when one man, who had been punched in the eye, pulled a handgun and shot two bystanders before fleeing. Tenudo said the 21-year-old man, Danny Linton of the 1900 block of South 22nd Street, was apprehended by Philadelphia Police and identified as being one of the participants in the fight. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, a firearms violation, possession of instruments of crime, and conspiracy. During his arrest, police were also involved in two other chases around the Penn Tower area. In the first incident, 18-year-old Anthony Molten of the 1300 block of South Ruby Street was chased to a wall by several officers. Tenudo said Molten then turned and pointed a weapon, before jumping over the wall and falling 25 feet into the underground service exit of the Civic Center. He then jumped up and pointed his weapon at police, who fired and wounded him in the left ear. After dropping his .25 caliber pistol, Molten was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he was treated for a fractured right leg and a gunshot to his left ear. In the second incident, Tenudo said, police saw a man in a blue sweatsuit hand a MAC-10 machine pistol to another male who was wearing an "eight ball" jacket. When officers tackled the jacketed man and attempted to get the weapon, the sweatsuited man hit one of the officers on the back of his head. After picking up the weapon, he handed it back to the man in the jacket, who proceeded to stick it in the mouth of one of the officers. The officer pushed the gun away, and while trying to draw his weapon, both men fled, one east, and the other into the Penn Tower parking lot. Police were unable to apprehend either man. Tenudo said the two injured men were identified as 18-year-old Stanley McFall, who was shot in the left leg, and 22-year-old Frank White who was injured in the right hand. Both men were taken to HUP, and no further information was available about their conditions. University Police Spokesperson Sylvia Canada said University Police were not involved in the incident.
(05/17/91 9:00am)
As part of the nation's "human genome project" to understand human genetic structure, University researchers have been awarded a five-year, $10 million grant to completely map one of the the 24 human chromosomes. Pediatrics Professor Beverly Emanuel and Human Genetics Associate Professor Robert Nussbaum will head the University's Genome Center, which will involve nearly 20 researchers from the Philadelphia area. The effort is a major portion of the national project, which researchers hope will shed new light on genetic diseases and various cancers. "The most important [goal] has to do with human genetic diseases," said Nussbaum, the project's science director. "If we had a complete map, you could pull down the part of the chromosome and find all the genes that are there and find which is responsible for the problem." Describing the project as "one of the greatest adventures in biology of this half of the century," Nussbaum said the project will involve researchers in microbiology, genetics and bioengineering. He said earlier this week that the first step will be creating a low-resolution map of chromosome 22 and will take approximately five years to complete. Then, should the team's grant be renewed, creating higher-resolution maps of the chromosome and sequencing the DNA found on it will take another five years. Nussbaum said sequencing the DNA involves identifying and decoding the DNA found on the genes, which are responsible for all the traits which shape human development. There are some three billion "bases" in each human cell. The scientist said that it will require a massive interdisciplinary effort to design and construct the devices which will automate the process. "Some crude estimates put the cost [of sequencing] at about a dollar a base," he explained. "For just the sequencing, that's much too expensive." He said that with the help of computer scientists, machines could be operated which would dramatically shrink this cost. Medical School spokesperson Al Shar said the computer demands created by the project will be the most challenging part of the experiment, adding that computer scientists will be needed to support the necessary hardware and software. "One of the interesting things is that you're collecting a lot of non-standard data," he said. "A question will be, 'How do you set up databases involved with human genetics?' " In addition to the prestige of having such a center on campus, researchers said it will help the University in other ways as well. "Having the Genome Center here is a drawing card for undergraduates, graduates, medical students and fellows," he said. "It gives a certain higher level of visibility nationally." Shar said the Medical School will try to involve students, both undergraduate and graduate, in the project. "We're trying to put together programs in medical computer science," he said. "If we can find a way to give computer science undergraduates exposure, that would be wonderful." Nussbaum added that the University is especially well-suited for conducting this research.
(05/17/91 9:00am)
Over a combination of mixed drinks and mixed emotions, graduating seniors toasted their final days as undergraduates throughout this past week, celebrating with everything from "high teas" at Center City hotels to bar-hopping up Walnut Street. Senior Week, which each year begins on the last day of final exams with a Happy Hour at the Palladium, is organized by the outgoing senior class board and is one of their top annual responsibilities. "The events so far have been great," said Senior Class President Brian Gordon last week. "Everyone's having a great time. People are really getting into it. The weather has really helped." Unlike some previous years, the week did not include a "booze cruise," during which the class rents a ship for an evening on the Delaware River. Instead, organizers planned both a Day at the Races at Garden State Raceway and an afternoon in Atlantic City for gambling. Senior Class Board members said both events sold out. "Every single event that we sold tickets for, we sold out," said Board Secretary Suzanne Berman. The week also featured two campus crawls, events during which students travel between local bars. One included traditional campus haunts Murphy's and Smokey Joe's, while the annual "Walnut Walk" featured drink specials at bars along Walnut Street from Front Street to campus. "Fish tanks, air conditioning, and beer, that's all you need," said College senior Jennifer Applegate during the Walk. "The Walk rocks." "I got to celebrate with two of my best friends," added College senior Jessica Cooperman. New this year, officers planned a series of "geographic gatherings," during which seniors gathered at various campus restaurants. Seniors met at each location according to their anticipated homes next year. The week also featured a formal at the Warwick Hotel and a "Sun-In" on College Green. "It's just a place where everyone will go and hang out," Berman said. "You might as well try and go where everyone else is." The traditional Ivy Day ceremony was held yesterday, during which the class' Ivy Day stone was revealed at the Furness Building and a sprig of ivy was planted. L.A. Law star and former University student Alan Rachins was the featured speaker. Throughout the week, seniors had time to reflect on their college years, which are about to conclude. Most had mixed feelings about leaving the University and entering the "real world." "I think one important thing is it's a sad time and a happy time," Berman said. "That's why it doesn't matter what you do -- it's a time to see your friends." "I'm happy to graduate," Applegate added. "I'm leaving behind a lot of people I like, but I'll keep in touch with those who I care about."
(04/25/91 9:00am)
The simmering dispute between Turks and Armenians exploded on the floor of the last monthly meeting of the Student Activities Council last night. For decades, Armenians have claimed that Turks massacred millions of Armenians during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That controversy spilled into the final portion of the meeting, which was devoted to challenging SAC groups' budgets for next year. When the name of the Armenian Club was read, Turkish Students Association's SAC representative Cenk Uygur, began grilling the leader of the Armenian group about his group's activities. But SAC members dismissed the issue from the floor, overwhelmingly voting not to overturn the Armenian Club's budget of $228 and uncharacteristically applauding after the results were announced. During the debate, Uygur pointed to the Armenian Club's request and allocation of funds for purposes such as office supplies, stamps and phone charges, with none allocated for "other programs." He then asked the group's representative what activities the group is involved in. "What are they spending [their budget] on?" Uygur said. "Everything they do is political." The Council's rules prohibit the use of SAC funds for political reasons. He pointed to protests held during the recent visit of Turkish President Turgut Ozal to the University, in which many Armenian students participated. But Zaven Kalayjian, the Armenian Club's president, denied such charges, saying that the group participates in several activities, many of which involve the Philadelphia Armenian community. He said that much of the group's SAC funding goes to publicizing these joint programs. Kalayjian also lamented the fact that the historical battle was brought to the SAC floor. "Unfortunately, what transpired tonight was a result of a long history of enmity between the Armenians and the Turks," he said. "What we're fighting for is the recognition of history. It'll be an issue as long as there are Armenians and Turks." Newly elected SAC Chairperson Dave Wessels said last night that the dispute in budgets should be addressed by SAC, but added that the steering committee should be the group to investigate. "I don't think its appropriate for the SAC floor, but it's definitely appropriate for SAC," he said. "I think SAC is the place for people to realize that there can be communication between groups." During the other portions of the meeting, SAC listened to appeals of groups wanting to increase their allocations for next year, and it also approved the budgets of groups receiving funds. Wessels said last night he was concerned representatives were voting to cut discussion short and hurry through the appeals process, apparently in an effort to shorten the meeting. "It's so important to me that people listen to the appeals," he said. "They shouldn't just vote not to hear anything."
(04/22/91 9:00am)
As Spring Fling's theme promised, the annual April festival was "wild" -- in more ways than one. Besides providing a wild time for students, it also exceeded its organizers' wildest dreams. Fling began Friday with some of the best weather the annual fete has seen in recent years, with many students garbed in shorts and spread out on blankets in the lower portion of the Quadrangle. But as the day wore on, Mother Nature seemed to remember that it was Spring Fling, which seems to perpetually signal an end to any warm, sunny weather. After reaching a high of nearly 60 degrees at 2 p.m. Friday, the thermometer plunged to just over 40 degrees as the headline Indigo Girls were wrapping up their show at Hill Field after 11 p.m. And Saturday was marked by intermittent showers and smaller crowds in the Quad. But the Friday night cold snap did little to turn away students from the Hill Field concert. Fling leaders said they were "very impressed" with the turnout for the show. Nearly 6000 students paid the $6 ticket price to see the three-band concert, which featured local reggae favorite Sons of Ace, guitarist Gerard McHugh and the headlining Georgia folk duo, Indigo Girls. Fling Co-director Todd Fruchterman, who addressed the crowd before the Indigo Girls took the stage, said the spectacle was impressive. "There were just thousands of people," he said. "It was just awesome." The Indigo Girls went on at about 9:30 p.m., with member Emily Saliers sporting a blue "PENN" sweatshirt. They then played for nearly 90 minutes. The show climaxed when the guitar duo performed their hit song "Closer to Fine," during which they frequently requested and received audience participation. The show ended after a three-song encore, including a spirited cover of the Grateful Dead song "Uncle John's Band." Fling leaders said the success of the outdoor concert proves that students will turn out for popular, well-planned events. "I would hope they have it there again next year," said Fling Co-director Rob Cohen. "There's a potential to generate an awful lot of money there, so maybe a bigger name could be gotten after next year." During each of the two days, revelers flocked to the Quad, where local vendors and student groups had set up booths to hawk their wares. While several vendors reported lower volume than from previous Flings, Chili's manager Rob Long said sales this year "were definitely up from past years." "I'm sure we did better this year than in the past," he said of the restaurant's fourth year operating a booth in the Quad. University performing arts groups continued the annual tradition of giving short performances to the assembled masses in the Quad, with 18 groups taking the stage that had been set up in the southeastern corner of Lower Quad. While the nasty weather on Saturday may have reduced the number of students who caroused in the courtyards of the freshman dormitory, it did little to deter from the groups' performances. Nearly 2000 students participated in the annual rendition of "The Red and the Blue" led by the Mask and Wig Club to end the daytime activities Saturday. "Everyone was really excited -- they were definitely into it," despite the weather, said Club member David Koff. "It was an incredible rush, as usual." On Saturday, the annual airband competition took place, and although originally scheduled for Hill Field, it was once again held in Irvine Auditorium due to inclement weather. Six lip-synch groups took the stage in the 40-minute performance, which closed with a laser-light show. Fling organizers said they were pleased that nearly 1,300 students turned out for the finale. "As always you'd like more people involved," said Co-director Denise Rubin. "Hopefully next year they'll have that." Fruchterman added that one of the bands may have caused some damage to the lighting equipment when senior Jeff Goldenberg threw a full bottle of beer behind the laser screen and "knocked out" two lights valued at about $3,000 each. Organizers immediately pulled Goldenberg off the stage and cancelled the last airband act in order to assess the damage.
(04/19/91 9:00am)
Asserting that there is a need to emphasize undergraduate teaching, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education's recently released White Paper calls on the University to restructure teacher evaluations and encourage professors to lead recitations. SCUE delivered their latest paper, focusing on excellence in undergraduate teaching, to each of the four undergraduate deans in hopes of having its proposals implemented, according to SCUE Chairperson David Kaufman. "We presented several concrete recommendations that, if instituted, would enhance the quality of undergraduate instruction at the University," Kaufman said. "We would hope the individual faculty members would see this as a message to them that undergraduate education needs to be improved." Past SCUE White Papers, Kaufman said, have addressed academic integrity, freshman seminars and advising. He added that they are typically well received by administrators. "Typically they take it as a basis for discussion," he said. "I think they respect our opinion. They won't take our recommendations and not discuss them." Engineering Undergraduate Dean John Keenan agreed, saying the University takes a thorough look at the documents produced by SCUE. "They're taking a very considered, scholarly approach to educational problems," Kennan said. "I think that goes over very well in a university setting. I think that's an ideal approach." The 1991 paper calls for a drastic restructuring of the current system by which faculty members are evaluated, pushing for an "Office of Teaching Evaluation" which would oversee the collection and distribution of a new, universal rating form which both current students and alumni would be invited to complete. "We would hope that there would be one form that would be used in all four schools," Kaufman said, adding that this would enable professors to be more efficiently and accurately rated. But he also added that departments would be encouraged to add questions to personalize the form for their area. "To use the form effectively," Kaufman explained, "you need to be flexible about it." The paper also suggests that lecturers and teaching assistants be rotated in recitation sections. This, SCUE says, would have benefits for all participants in the class. It would better acquaint students with their professors, enable teaching assistants to observe the professor leading a discussion and give professors more immediate feedback from their pupils. "We see no point in why the lecturer could not participate in at least one recitation a week," Kaufman said. "It would give him one-on-one interaction with students and could help clear up misinterpretations from lectures."
(04/18/91 9:00am)
This year's Spring Fling may be called the "Wild Fling," but organizers will need to have some tricks up their sleeves if they hope to make it as wild as the annual April event used to be, according to seniors. "It used to be a complete zoo," recalled College senior Mike Feinberg. "It was excellent." When the current seniors were freshmen, the spring fete was a very different experience than it is now. The combination of strict alcohol policies and administrators' fear of structural damage to the Quadrangle turned the three-day party into two-days and forced the headline concert out of the freshman dormitory after the 1988 Fling. That year, carousing crowds caused between $30,000 and $70,000 in damage to the buildings, according to Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson. "These traditions are important, but they're fragile," she said. That year, the headline act was blues guitarist Bo Diddley. Like last year's Fling, rain plagued the weekend, and students said while they did not mind the downpour, Diddley was not as amenable, and consequently did not perform. "He just refused to do anything," said Sue Moss, a College and Wharton senior. "They offered to set him up in Irvine and he just sat there." Rain has been a consistent feature of the past three Flings, giving current seniors one last chance, this year, to have some sun during the weekend. "I've never had a real sunny Fling," Moss said. "The upperclassmen [three years ago] said our freshman year was the worst Fling they'd ever had." Several seniors agreed that good weather is one of the most important elements for a successful Fling. "If it's sunny and warm, it's going to be a good Spring Fling," Feinberg said. "If there's good weather, everyone's going to have a blast." This year's concert featuring the Indigo Girls will be held outside, and College senior and Fling co-director Rob Cohen said the weekend's 'wild' theme was an important factor in bringing it back outside. "The atmosphere differs greatly between an indoor show and an outdoor show," he said. "We're taking a bit of a risk by having it outside, but the benefits far outweighs those risks." Typically alcohol plays a role in the festivities, and since the administration has taken measures to curtail underage drinking, students have found new ways to swill their favorite spirits. "In general, I remember in the past couple years people being more secretive" about alcohol, Feinberg said. "There was [in previous years] a lot more open alcohol," Moss agreed. "We were more blatant about it." Alcohol has not been allowed in the Quad for the past several years and this year is no exception. Cohen said University Police will be in force at both the day-time events at the Quad and the evening events. The annual airband show, which in recent years has been held in Irvine Auditorium, used to draw large crowds to the Quad on Saturday nights. This year the lip-synchers will take the stage at Hill Field, just before a laser-light show on Saturday. "Airbands used to be a lot bigger than they were last year," Feinberg said. "They used to fill Irvine." Two years ago, Paul Schaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band from Late Night with David Letterman performed in the Class of 1923 Ice Rink. "No one really went to see Paul Schaffer," Feinberg said. "It was a joke." "The acoustics are just beyond bad in the ice rink," Moss agreed, saying that Schaffer and his band "were terrible." While having this year's concert outside at Hill Field may recall the atmosphere of past Flings, seniors said administrators should do more to help Fling. "I think the administration should make a financial commitment to Fling," Moss said. "Fling is one of the trademarks of an undergraduate career. An investment in Fling will result in stronger support for the University later."
(04/16/91 9:00am)
The Social Planning and Events Committee is ready to pump . . . (clap) . . . students up for Spring Fling this week. And they hope Kevin Nealon, the castmember of Saturday Night Live who made those words famous, is the man to do just that. Nealon will perform at Irvine Auditorium tonight at 8 p.m. as a "kick off for Fling," according to SPEC Comedy Club Co-director Wai-Sum Lee. Half of the proceeds from the show will go to Students Against Driving Drunk, an organization founded to encourage responsible drinking. Nealon will be the fourth SNL castmember to perform at the University in two weeks, after Adam Sandler, David Spade and Rob Schneider took the same stage for a benefit concert for Comic Relief in Irvine last week. But Nealon said he isn't worried about following his co-stars. "I am the funniest," Nealon said last week. "I am also the tallest -- even combining Spade and Schneider together." Nealon said he is looking forward to the concert because his roots are with stand-up comedy, even though in addition to working on SNL, he is currently writing a screenplay for a romantic comedy. "My real forte is stand-up," he said from his home in New York. "That's really what I enjoy doing the most. I was doing that long before SNL." Famous for co-starring with Dana Carvey in the weekly show's "Hans and Franz" weightlifting skit, Nealon also plays the popular "Mr. Subliminal" on the show. He said he will perform each character and "some of the attitude stuff I do on the show." "I hope people aren't laughed out down there," he added. Nealon is a veteran of the college circuit, having performed at several West Coast and Boston-area colleges. He said he especially enjoys playing to a college audience. "They're a little more intuitive than a night club crowd," he said. "If you're in a college, you can get across more clever material, more current topical material." Lee said last night that ticket sales are going "pretty well," with over 100 sold yesterday alone. Tickets are still available for $2 on Locust Walk until 5 p.m. At 5:30, students will be able to purchase them at the Irvine Auditorium Box office.
(04/15/91 9:00am)
You can't judge a book by its cover, but the Undergraduate Assembly thinks it's a pretty good start. At the first meeting of the UA since the annual spring elections, new Chairperson Mitch Winston announced that representatives will be expected to dress up for the bi-weekly meetings. Former Chairperson Duchess Harris last year instituted a similar code, but few members observed it. "It promotes a good image of the UA and people tend to have a more professional attitude when they have more professional dress," said Vice-Chairperson Ethan Youderian. As a "consensus" decision by the steering committee, the new code asks members to wear "at least collars," according to Winston. But Youderian said that "we recommend all male members come in jacket and tie and women members dress accordingly." Former Student Activities Council Chairperson Sue Moss said she thought the dress code "couldn't hurt" the group. She said SAC has long had an informal dress code for members of the steering and finance committees, who each give reports to the full body during the monthly meetings. "When you look presentable, people take you more seriously," she said. "It makes for a more productive atmosphere." The UA also discussed plans for improving Dining Services, with leaders announcing that members will be conducting surveys of students who use Dining Service this week. The survey will focus on the amount of food students waste in the University's dining halls. Members will monitor what food students throw away and ask them why they chose not to eat it. They will also weigh the amount of trash collected by the service. Winston said Dining Service Director William Canney will use those results in future planning. "It's a direct benefit to the student body," Winston said. "Those results will show in the menu and in the way food is served." Winston also presented the concluding report for the UA's tuition letter drive to press state legislators to maintain University funding. A UA petition drive to the University administration to keep need-blind admissions was also discussed. Leaders hope to collect at least 1000 signatures this week. "It's a direct signal from the students," Winston said. "It shows that we are immediately coming in and focusing on an issue that will affect the lives of the student body." Members also discussed the University Council's recent debate on the racial harassment policy. The members of the UA's Budget and Finance Committee were also elected. This committee allocates funds to each of the student government organizations, including the Student Activities Council, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and the Nominations and Elections Committee. The members are College sophomores Allison Bieber and David Rose.
(04/15/91 9:00am)
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. But some, apparently, find ways to duck it entirely. Both students and administrators say that there has been a vacuum at the top of many student groups at the University. And, citing the recent Undergraduate Assembly and Student Activities Council elections as examples, most say the reason behind the void is the upcoming senior class. This usual source of campus leadership seems to have sidestepped its perennial duties. Every member of this year's UA is an underclassman and not surprisingly, every member of the UA's new steering committee is either a freshman or sophomore. And many, both at the University and nationwide, say that this may be part of a trend, in which students are putting extracurricular activities on the back burner to concentrate on academics. In the recent Student Activities Council steering elections, for example, only nine students pursued the five prestigious positions. That number has been steadily declining according to Albert Moore, the assistant director for student life activities and facilities, noting that as many as 25 used to run. While administrators said they remember a recent, one-year dearth of student leaders about five or six years ago, few recall such a widespread absence of students willing to take the helm of their organizations. "What we're seeing in the case of this particular junior class is an example of a wider trend," said Student Life Programs Director Fran Walker. "It's disturbing to those of us who work with student programs." The UA has been particularly hard-hit by the apparent decrease in interest in student activities. The number of candidates running in each of the four undergraduate schools has steadily declined in the past ten years, from a high of 65 students seeking seats on the assembly in 1981 to this year's low of 33. Outgoing UA Vice-chairperson Mike Feinberg said he is concerned for the future of the UA if this trend continues. "The students have got to find some way of dealing with the problems of apathy and lack of involvement," he said. "If nothing is done to change student government and to try to attack the general apathy on campus, I'm very afraid of that." Moore said SAC leadership, both for its steering and finance committees, has faced similar conditions, with fewer and fewer candidates vying for spots. · Walker said the problem has not been confined to the University, either. Administrators across the country have also seen a loss of interest in leadership positions. Judi Biggs, the assistant director of student activities at the University of Southern California, said administrators there have noticed a shift of priorities among students as well. "What we're seeing is that the ways students are involved is changing," Biggs said, adding that many students are changing their priorities toward community service and the environment. While administrators say the apparent trend is "troubling," other universities have taken steps to increase participation in activities. By giving credit for participation in certain activities, some colleges are both encouraging participation and reaffirming their commitment to the importance of these activities. "They're creating programs that can be taken for credit," Moore said. "People are finally recognizing that this is an important part of the experience." Walker explained that some schools have had these programs in place for many years. She said the institutions, often state-administered commuter schools, enable students to earn credit for research or writing papers dealing with their experiences. "They are frequently courses in leadership," she said. "It's not a traditional academic subject which fits neatly into an academic department." But Moore added that giving credit for activities is a "mixed blessing," as it can be perceived as an attempt to bribe students into participation. He said starting such programs would probably spur heated debate at the University on how credit at the University is awarded. USC is already implementing a "co-transcript" of classes, an official listing of extra-curricular activities prepared by the university. "It's an evolving thing," Biggs said. Duchess Harris, the outgoing chairperson of the UA, agreed that such initiatives could be useful, saying students may need more incentive to pursue activities outside the classroom. "I think there should be some kind of benefit the University gives for community service," she said. · Administrators blame most of the shift away from activities to a rise in the perceived importance of scholastics. "It's been relatively clear that students have been more interested in academics and less interested in extra activities than in the past," Moore said. He points to SAC and the UA as just two examples of this waning interest in student activities. He said that interest in leadership retreats, which are organized twice yearly by the Office for Student Life, has fallen off as well. The retreats, which have been held for at least eight to 10 years, have in the past been "very popular," according to Moore. "It's been harder for us to attract people to the leadership retreat," he said, adding that even those who do commit to the retreat make it "very clear" that they may need to back out if a paper is almost due or a test is approaching. "It is always subsumed under their pursuit of academics," he said. Some have blamed the lack of interest to an attitude change, saying students today are simply less civic-minded than students in past years. Outgoing UA chairperson Harris agreed, calling this selfishness a possible outgrowth of the "me-ism of the '80s." She said the competitiveness of the job market and graduate schools adds to this, as does the high tuition which many prestigious universities charge. "People take with more seriousness the amount of money their parents spend to send them here," she said. "They put much more emphasis on the academics and [reevaluate] why they are here." Roper cites decreasing numbers involved in national youth organizations which encourage leadership and service, like the Boy and Girl Scouts. "To a certain extent, those kinds of organizations that one might be involved in before coming to college that involve leadership and leadership training do not have the same numbers as they did before," he said. "Accordingly, when they arrive at the University, they are less prepared than they were before." Another factor which may be drawing students away from activities outside the classroom, administrators say, may be a growing lack of confidence or unwillingness to take chances. "There's less willingness to take on leadership positions that require more time and more work," Walker said. She added that she sees "an unwillingness to take on leadership roles, and also a decline in student confidence in their ability to take on this responsibility." But this unwillingness could also spring from a general decline in the interest and respect held for government outside of the University, Roper said. He suggested that parents' attitudes could be leaving a bigger mark on their children than many realize. "If students grow up and see their parents not voting and not participating, then that sort of cynicism is going to be contagious," he said. "If our idea of a hero is a basketball player who makes a couple of million dollars, then we're going to have lots more people going into basketball than into public service." · But most blame the decline on the fact that for some, student activities do not provide enough tangible rewards. The committment of time and energy to out-of-class activities always cuts into time that could be spent getting a better grade point average, student leaders said. "For the job to be done right in any large student group, it requires a big time commitment," Feinberg said. "getting a 4.0 [GPA] and being the chair of the UA -- you can pretty much call those contradictory goals." Black Student League President Jessica Dixon said she sees this problem in her group as well. "Everyone has the idea that it's just an awesome responsibility," she said. "The time commitment, the status -- there's a lot of responsibility placed on you." Moore said that students may be shifting more towards classwork because of the growing economic uncertainty in the nation, which has constricted the job market and made GPA's more important. "I really think people are much more interested in getting ahead in the classroom," he said. "The crumbling of traditional ideas makes people a little less secure and sure of themselves." Administrators said the highly competitive job market combined with the uncertainty of the economy has also made students less willing to take risks or positions apart from the crowd. "They see the way people get ahead is by following the rules," he explained. "People are less willing to be seen as different from the rest of the group." But Roper maintained that students are missing out on opportunities that would make them more equipped in the job market when they only pursue high grade point averages. "If students don't use their opportunites on campus to learn about interpersonal and organizational dynamics and leadership, I think it's going to end up hurting them later," he said. "I am quite confident that the skills I honed here at the University [extracurricularly] were more useful to me in the workplace than what I learned in class." · Feinberg said that if the current trend continues, he sees a problems looming, especially for the legitimacy of student government. "The decreasing amount of people running is something that really needs to be looked at," he said. "The more people you have running, the more potential you have for stronger and legitimate leadership." But Moore said that most student groups at the University are currently not facing a crisis for want of participants or leaders. "I don't think we're in any danger of not having student in activities and being leaders," he said. But he warned "that the quality of leadership when the number and diversity of people goes down" may decrease. Without leaders on campus, however, some say it may take time for students to be re-exposed to leadership role models. "Most leadership skills are learned, not through the classroom but through observation," Roper said. "I think part of the problem right now is that we've lost a tradition of leadership. We have to jumpstart it, but once you do, it will continue." 'There is less of an ethic of public service in general in the current generation than in the last generation. They have somewhat more selfish interests in general.' Tex Roper Wharton junior 'The only thing you're going to get out of extracurricular activities is personal satisfaction -- you're not going to get paid. It's totally overrated for what it's going to do on your resume.' Duchess Harris Former UA chair
(04/12/91 9:00am)
Two men robbed a male pedestrian at gunpoint early Wednesday morning on the 4000 block of Locust Street, University Police reported Wednesday. University Police Sergeant Larry Salotti said they were unsure if the victim was a student or if anything had been taken from the victim. Police said they did not have any suspects as of last night. Salotti said the victim described the first assailant as approximately 20 years old, 5 foot 8 inches tall, and weighing about 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a red sweatshirt with a hood. The second suspect was described as having a light complexion and as approximately 5 foot 10 inches tall and armed with a gun. The incident, which occured at approximately 1 a.m. on Wednesday at 4040 Locust Street, was the most recent in a string of gunpoint robberies reported in the University area over the past several weeks.
(04/08/91 9:00am)
The Undergraduate Assembly elected its new steering committee yesterday, uncharacteristically placing underclassmen in every position. In an equally rare move, the outgoing chairperson blasted the new leadership. College sophomore Mitch Winston was elected chairperson of the UA. Wharton freshman Ethan Youderian was elected the assembly's vice-chair, College sophomore Jeff Lichtman was tapped as treasurer and Wharton freshman Beth Azia was named secretary. The two nominees for the UA's representative to the University Council steering committee are College sophomores Allison Bieber and You-Lee Kim. While outgoing leaders typically praise their successors, former Chairperson Duchess Harris' response was uncommonly non-congratulatory. "Once again, a fraternal organization has succeeded in placing inadequate, unqualified leadership in student government," she said. "The UA met its downfall at 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon." Winston is a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, as are three other members of the body. Treasurer Lichtman is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Harris last year fought a bitter battle against College senior and Phi Gamma Delta brother Hunter Heaney for the chair of the UA. Following his loss in last year's race, Heaney resigned from the body. Harris' predecessor, Benjy Karsch, also had to defeat a large fraternity bloc to win his seat on the body. Harris said the new board may have problems due to their lack of experience on the assembly. "They just might have a difficult time interacting with other student leaders," she said. Winston said last night he was "mortified" with Harris' criticism and denied that his fraternity membership would affect his command. "For her to turn around and backstab the organization, I'm really upset," he said. "I would think that she would have a little faith in the organization that she has left behind." But Winston said the advantages from having "new blood" leading the UA would outweigh the negatives. "We have young, new people," he said. "We're going to be excited with the whole thing." Youderian defended Winston and called Harris' attack, "immature." "I think Mitch has the potential for being a decent chair," he said yesterday. "I don't think it's fair to totally discount someone's work before they have the chance to prove themselves." After heading the UA's efforts this year to lower tuition increases, Winston won the seat after nearly an hour of questioning by his fellow representatives and three secret ballots. A candidate needed 13 votes, a majority of the assembly, to win any of the offices. During the questioning, Winston told UA reps that undergraduates at the University care about "eating, sleeping, going out at night, and not getting killed." "The UA has gotten in over its head," he told them, by pursuing issues about which the students do not care. "We need issues that excite members and students." Promising to "command the respect and support of the student body at the University," Winston said student apathy is the biggest issue facing student government. "In a student body filled with apathy, perception is sometimes more important than reality," he said.
(04/08/91 9:00am)
An "enormous" number of colleagues of Associate Rheumatology Professor Bruce Freundlich turned out yesterday for the funeral of his daughter Lauren, who was killed Thursday in the plane crash that also killed Sen. John Heinz. Lauren, age six, was one of two schoolchildren killed on the grounds of Merion Elementary School when they were struck by debris from the accident. The plane carrying Heinz collided with a helicopter directly above the school. Medical School employees have established a fund in her name. Donations will be used for scholarships for underprivileged children to attend the University as undergraduates. At funeral services held for her yesterday at Goldstein Funeral Home, an "enormous" number of University community members turned out to support the Freundlichs, according to former Chief of Rheumatology Robert Zurier, who said the hall was "totally full and overflowing." Freundlich said last night the turnout was a "terrific help" to his family. "Every single person that came out is going to mean something to us," he said. Freundlich added that the tragedy was not only one for his family, but one for the community as well and that he "felt [he] had to help other people." "The community is of tremendous importance and help," he said. "We all desperately need each other for friendship and love and peace." Zurier praised Lauren as "an exceptional little six year old," who "loved school and learning." Freundlich added that she "was able to live life to its fullest."
(04/08/91 9:00am)
Popular local reggae band Sons of Ace will open this year's Spring Fling, officials announced last night. This decision brings to three the number of acts set to take the stage during the outdoor show later this month at Hill Field. The other acts are the Indigo Girls, a Grammy-winning folk guitar duo, and Gerard McHugh, an acoustic guitarist who is touring with the Indigo Girls. "We wanted a band that had name recognition in the Philadelphia area," said Fling Co-director Rob Cohen yesterday. "We also wanted to diversify the musical venue. We thought that Sons of Ace was the best band to combine the two." He said the band will start its set at about 7:30 p.m. April 19, with McHugh playing from about 8:30 to 9 p.m. and the Indigo Girls performing at around 9 p.m. Ed Gold, a co-director of the Social Planning and Events Committee Concerts committee, said adding the third band has prompted the committee to rent another stage for the performance. The Indigo Girls specify that their stage be set up for their acoustic performance. The Indigo Girls will play on a covered stage and the local band will play on an uncovered platform. He added that despite the move, Fling will stay within its budget. "We didn't want to compromise our ultimate goal because of their limitations," Gold said last night. Cohen also said last night that four of the vendors who are set to sell their wares in the Quadrangle during the daytime portion of Fling will move to Hill for the evening concert. He declined to specify which vendors would be represented but said they would sell "everything from Mexican [food] to ice cream." Cohen also said students have bought about 2500 tickets for the show, which sell for $6. He said he hopes the announcement of the third act will push students to purchase the remaining 2500. "We're hoping that people who would not have gone to the Indigo Girls alone will go to see Sons of Ace too," he said. "We don't think we'll have a problem at all [selling the remaining tickets]."
(04/05/91 10:00am)
If you want matzah, you may have to go to Beijing. The chinese restaurant, that is. The eatery on Spruce Street next to the Quadrangle may be student's best hope of finding the Passover staple on campus this year, because many local merchants have not gotten their regular shipments of the the flat, dry, cracker-like bread. "I haven't found matzah anywhere," College freshman Nicole Jacoby said said yesterday. "I know a lot of people are looking for it." She said she originally brought some matzah from home but added that her hallmates stole it and now she is unable to find it in the local stores. "I've been living off fruits and vegetables," she said. Passover is an eight-day holiday in which Jews commemorate their ancestors' exodus from Egypt in several ways, including not eating leavened bread or food with yeast. In order to follow this, many Jews eat matzah along with other traditional foods. Several stores in the University area said during the holiday they usually carry "kosher for Passover" items, which must meet many religious guidelines, but said they have not received their shipments this year. Bob Kane, manager of Uni-Mart Convenience Store, said that in the past he has carried between $800 and $900 worth of kosher food for the week, but that this year, his distributor sold him less than a quarter of that. "It sells fantastic," he said yesterday. "I'm very disappointed -- usually we have plenty on hand." WaWa, another popular convenience store on campus, also ran out of their supply of the unleavened delight, and employees said the two campus locations would "definitely do well with it." "People say all the time saying, 'Do you carry [matzah,]' and we say no," said employee Marge Fink. "I tell them to check at Thriftway." But students making the six-block trek to the popular supermarket may be disappointed. Thriftway also did not carry the crispy cracker this year, according to Night Manager Benny DeLoach, after a hectic renovation left the food off the shelves. "People have been asking about it," he said. "Next year, we'll be in better shape." The last place many would think to look for matzah is in fact, one of the few on campus serving the traditional food. Beijing Restaurant is serving matzah to its clientele who cannot eat their regular dishes during the celebration. "If they don't eat rice, we give them matzah," said store manager Andy Yuan. He said one of the restaurant's three owners is Jewish and recognized the opportunity to keep Jewish people coming to the restaurant during Passover close to three years ago. "We have a lot of Jewish people in the school here," Yuan said, adding that matzah will continue to be sold to keep customers coming back during the week. When asked if ancient Jewish and Asian fare mix well, Yuan would only say, "it's pretty good." Lee's Hoagie House has also been selling the food, providing it as an option to bread with many of its entrees, according to manager Juan Rodriguez. He said that the restaurant has sold it for the last five years and said that customers typically devour 10 to 12 boxes during the week. And Dining Services Director William Canney said the University cafeterias have been serving matzah for at least 16 years. He said during the festival, Dining serves up 22 cases or 120 pounds per day of the unleavened bread. "It's a lot of matzah," Canney noted. One traditional campus breakfast spot, Skolnik's in Houston Hall, does not serve matzah, and has seen a "slight decrease" in business over the week. Associate Manager Suzanne Vacanti said that while customers have not asked if the store carries matzah, there have been several orders for sandwiches sans the bagel. She said if the restaurant were to receive requests for matzah, "we would have no problem for catering to whatever people want," Vacanti said. "After all, that's what we're in business for," she said.
(04/05/91 10:00am)
A group of students in an American Civilization class will head to Washington, D.C., this morning to meet with politicians and consultants, and participate in a discussion to be broadcast on the C-SPAN television network. The first stop will be a round-table discussion with "some of the top journalists, some of the top consultants," according to Am Civ Lecturer Frank Luntz. Panelists will include Democratic pollster Harrison Hickman, and 1984 Reagan Campaign Director Ed Rollins. Students will also sit in on a taping of the McLaughlin Group featuring Pat Buchanan, Morton Kondrache, Jack Germond and Fred Barnes. After the taping, students will be able to ask questions. Luntz said the experience will give the students "information they could never get sitting down in a traditional classroom." In the class, entitled Candidates, Campaigns and Consultants, Luntz regularly brings consultants in to the candidates. "It teaches what consultants do, how they operate, what their views are and what is wrong with the electoral system," said College junior Mark Denbo. Luntz said the program will force students to become involved and ask questions. "Nothing I ever do will I just allow students to just sit there," he said. Denbo agreed, saying the class is "entertaining and very informative. I learned a lot about the American electoral system." Students will also talk with experts, including former Senator John Melcher (D-Mont.) about technology's effect on campaigns, negative advertising, and getting a job in the nation's capital. "It will be everything -- intellectual, challenging, and humorous," Luntz said. "I'm also hoping that some of the students will come away with a job or two." Denbo said he was looking forward to the class session away from the University. "It's essentially a field trip," he said.
(04/04/91 10:00am)
So when is John Belushi going to show up? Social Planning and Events Committee officials said yesterday that "Saturday Night Live" castmember Kevin Nealon will be then next in a string of comedians from the show to perform on campus. Nealon, a veteran castmember, will play Irvine Auditorium on April 16 for $2 per ticket, becoming the fourth "SNL" star to perform at Irvine in two weeks. David Spade, Adam Sandler, and Rob Schneider are scheduled to take the stage in tonight's Comic Relief show. Most noted for his role in the "SNL" Hans and Franz skit with co-star Dana Carvey, Nealon is a four-year veteran of the show. He has also appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show." He also appeared with Steve Martin in the movie "Roxanne." Half of the proceeds from the concert, which is co-sponsored by Pontiac, will benefit "Students Against Driving Drunk," a national organization which encourages young people to drink responsibly. SPEC Comedy Club leaders, who are helping to organize the event, said they consider the show a "countdown to Spring Fling," which will begin three days after the show, on April 19. "We thought it would be good for this [event] to kick off Spring Fling," said Wai-Sum Lee, director of the SPEC Comedy Club. Event organizers yesterday said the performance is part of a national "Comedy Caravan," which brings comedians to college campuses around the country. The University was selected due to its "population and popularity," according to event promoters. "SPEC was presented with an opportunity to bring a big-name comic to campus," said SPEC president Lisa Nass. "As the social planning committee for the University, we felt that we couldn't turn it down." She added that the recent success of other SPEC Comedy Club productions, including a comedy competition and an open mike night at the Underground Cafe, convinced leaders that students would want SPEC to bring the event. "Students have shown this semester a great interest in comedy," Nass said. "We are pretty sure that students would like to see more professional comedians on campus." SPEC is responsible for selling tickets to the event, publicizing it on campus, and running it on the night of the show, Nass said, with national event organizers handling the rest. SPEC will bear only a "very minimal cost," she added. Nass said that the concert, despite close proximity to Spring Fling events, which this year feature the Indigo Girls, will increase excitement for the annual April fete, "especially since there is not a comedian [performing]." "People wait for Spring Fling all year long," she said. "We don't have any doubt that Spring Fling will do very well this year." Tickets for the 1800 seats in Irvine Auditorium will go on sale Monday on Locust Walk, and will continue through the day of the show.
