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(03/04/91 10:00am)
A University employee was the victim of an attempted rape on 36th Street near Locust Walk early Saturday morning, prompting University Police to increase patrols on campus during early-morning hours, University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said last night. The victim was was walking on 36th Street between Locust and Spruce streets at 7:20 a.m. when she was grabbed from behind by a man she did not know, Kuprevich said. The man, who was unarmed, attempted to rape her, he said, but the woman managed to escape. A HUP security officer notified University Police and the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Division of the incident, Kuprevich said. Detectives from both units are conducting an investigation, the commissioner added. The woman is receiving counseling from Victim Support Services, Victim Support Services Director Ruth Wells said last night. Kuprevich said he did not know whether the victim intends to press charges. The commissioner said the victim described the assailant as a black male, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, clean shaven, and in his early 30s. Because of the attempted rape, Kuprevich said, University Police will increase patrols on campus during early-morning hours. Kuprevich said yesterday that under normal circumstances, many police patrols stretch from Spruce to Chestnut streets. But under the revised schedule, the area of two foot patrols will be cut to concentrate more officers between Spruce and Walnut Streets. He added that vehicle patrols will be increased to maintain the usual level of coverage for the northern part of campus and some officers will work overtime to staff the revised patrol areas. Kuprevich cautioned that revised patrols are no guarantee against another incident occurring. "People have to realize that we could put 100 more officers on the street and that wouldn't guarantee that nothing will happen," Kuprevich said. Kuprevich said everyone on campus should be cautious, recommending that people walk in groups, take Escort Service or call police dispatch if they need to travel after dark and call University Police at special emergency phones if they feel uncomfortable.
(03/04/91 10:00am)
The last three years have been a period of tremendous change for the University Police Department. Three years ago, the "Department of Public Safety" was suffering from image problems and a lack of connection with students and faculty. Even the University administration didn't consider Public Safety officers real policemen, arguing in a contract fight that they were as much security guards as police. But things have changed. The department has made wholesale changes in administration, training and focus. They have hired dozens of new officers and added five new patrol cars. Many students and faculty said that it is now an organization more responsive to there requests and more understanding of their needs. Four years ago, when a wave of crime hit the 40th and Walnut streets area -- including the stabbing of three students and the shooting murder of a man in front of McDolnald's -- the response from the police was slow and minimal. Last semester, when a rash of crimes hit an area just west of campus, University Police doubled patrols in a matter of days and kept officers working 12 hour shifts for weeks. The change in the department began in 1988 with a University-commissioned security report outlining ways to improve the department. The report recommended numerous procedural as well as organizational changes, including adding a new administrator to relieve Director John Logan of day-to-day responsibilities and allow him to concentrate on long-range planning and policy making. Another major reason for the change was the work of Senior Vice President Marna Whittington. Whittington added the new position recommended in the report, but placed the new commissioner over Logan. Whittington also went beyond the report's recommendations, deciding to more than double the size of the police force. Further improvements for the department are still in the planning stages, the most important being a possible new police station on 40th and Walnut streets. · In 1988, the University asked two private security consultants to study the Department of Public Safety and make recommendations on ways to improve its capabilities and resources. The result was two independent reports -- the principle one by Philadelphia Police Captain Thomas Cooney and University of Washington Police Chief Michael Shanahan, and a smaller one by Ira Somerson, president of a private security consulting firm in Philadelphia -- both of which arrived at the same conclusion: a lot of work needed to be done. The reports found that Public Safety was still viewed by the University community as a separate entity. The report said there was an "us and them" mentality prevalent among students. Students and faculty did not feel that the department, as well as the administration, really were committed to doing something to improve campus security. The reports added that the department needed to improve its relationship and cooperate more with Philadelphia Police's 18th district. Furthermore, the reports said that the University's Victim Support Services needed to be broadened and that police officers themselves needed further training in victim support skills. The reports suggested several ways to improve different facets of the department, ranging from a police newsletter, to training officers in victim support skills, to improving police benefits. Additionally, the reports stressed that a task force should be formed, made up of officials from security-related departments within the University, to discuss the best ways to implement the reports' suggestions. Later that year, Senior Vice President Helen O'Bannon, among whose duties was supervising Public Safety, passed away. In December 1988, Marna Whittington was appointed to O'Bannon's post. This appointment proved to be a turning point in the status of campus security as Whittington adopted improving campus security as a major goal. Microbiology Professor Helen Davies, the former chairperson of the University Council Safety and Security Committee, said last week that many of the changes of the past three years might not have come about were it not for Whittington and her dedication to security concerns and issues. Since Whittington's appointment, the department has steadily improved its services as well as its relationship with the community by making the community aware of its programs and has started working more closely with Philadelphia Police. The department now has an officer appointed to coordinate investigations with Philadelphia Police. "Our relationship with Philadelphia is definitely much stronger than it ever was," Whittington said. "The work of the liaison officer has allowed us to dramatically increase the arrest record and to get the message out that if you commit a crime, you will be caught and prosecuted." Whittington has also tried to implement a policy of "community policing," a system based on residents of the community becoming more involved in maintaining safety and security. "I meet regularly with the University Council Safety and Security Committee, as well as with students and parents, and other administrators to help them deal with their concerns over the safety of our campus," Whittington said. But Whittington and the task force did not just follow the letter of the consultants' reports, but also molded their ideas into concrete programs tailored for the University. For example, Cooney and Shanahan's report said the department needed another supervisory position called "Chief of Operations" to relieve overburdened Director John Logan of some responsibilities. Whittington, together with the task force, decided that a commissioner was needed whose job it would be to examine long-term goals for the department, be the department's policy-maker, and act as a liaison between the administration and the department. It was to this position, that former Brown University Police Chief John Kuprevich was appointed last December. Another major change, and one which neither report suggested, is the large increase in the past three years in the number of officers in the force. Both reports specifically say that they do not recommend hiring any new officers. But Whittington said the task force decided on the level and concentration of security coverage it wanted for the campus and realized that such coverage would require more officers. "The reason for the increase in manpower is very simple," Whittington said. "We divided the area into sectors and decided that we needed 24-hour coverage in each sector and made the decision to hire as many officers as would facilitate that type of coverage." The University has gone from employing 43 officers in 1988, to 88 in 1991. In addition, in the past three years, foot patrols have been extended west to 41st Street. Three new patrol cars have been added, allowing vehicle patrols to extend to 43rd Street and bringing the total number of vehicles to five. An increase in officers has been a trend that many urban schools have undertaken in the last three years. But few have had increases as dramatic as the University's. The University of Chicago, for example, has upped its force by 35 percent. An impressive increase, but one which pales in comparison to the 104.5 percent increase at the University. Only the University of Southern California, which has been besieged by gang warfare in the area south of downtown Los Angeles, has a comparable increase, upping its force by 106 percent. · Although administrators and students seem to be in agreement that while a lot has been accomplished, most say more must be done. Upcoming plans for the department include relocation to a soon-to-be-built parking garage on the corner of 40th and Walnut streets. Not only will the new site have more space than the department's cramped Superblock office, but it may eventually accommodate a shooting range, gymnasium and holding cells. University Police officials said the station will serve as a deterrent on a corner which has become notorious for incidents of violent crime. President Sheldon Hackney said last week that while he is pleased with the improvements he sees, he is hesitant to say the problem has been solved "I would give us an 'A' for the effort we're putting into solving the problem," Hackney said. "It's too soon to see if we've turned the corner but we're seeing signs of that, like the lowering of off-campus crime. "The one thing we can completely control is our own measures to combat crime," Hackney added. "And we are making every effort to make this campus as crime-free an area as possible." Whittington also believes that today's students have different concerns than those at the University three years ago. She believes that the issue of acquaintance rape is more of a concern now than in 1988. "Acquaintance rape has become a bigger issue than it ever has been and the administration is re-evaluating our programs to help victims of acquaintance rape," Whittington said. "I think we, in 1991, are much better equipped to deal with these problems than three years ago."
(02/15/91 10:00am)
A male and female student were robbed of a little over $10 at 42nd and Locust streets late Tuesday night. According to University Police spokesperson Sylvia Canada, the two students were standing on the northwest corner at about midnight when they observed the assailants, two males, walking west on Locust Street away from them. Canada said that after passing the couple, the two men turned around and started walking back toward them. The victims told police that the men then confronted the couple. One assailant said, "Give it up," and demanded that the students hand over their money. A total of $10 was taken from the male student and 35 cents from the woman, but Canada said the assailants did not display a weapon. After taking the money, the assailants fled west on Locust Street towards 43rd Street. Neither student sustained any injuries, Canada said. Police have no suspects in the case, but both men were described by the victims as approximately five foot, ten inches tall, of medium build, and between 19 and 24 years old. One was described as wearing a baseball cap, a dark, full length jacket with the word "Yankees" printed on the back, and dark pants. The other assailant was described as wearing a dark baseball cap, a dark, full length jacket, and other dark clothing. Canada said Philadelphia Police were given a copy of the incident report and will also be investigating the incident.
(02/11/91 10:00am)
A female University student was a victim of indecent assault Friday night on 40th Street near Chestnut Street, according to University Police. In an unrelated incident, a West Philadelphia resident was shot in the hip during a robbery on Saturday morning at 40th and Baltimore streets. According to University Police Sergeant Michael Fink, in the first incident, a man not affiliated with the University "went off" into an angry tirade on the 100 block of 40th Street around 7:42 p.m. Friday evening and pushed around several pedestrians. Fink added that the man then grabbed the student, who requested that her name be withheld, and pushed her to the ground. The assailant then punched the student several times and "fondled her." University Police Officers Keith Christian and David Ball, who were in plainclothes at the time, observed the incident from their unmarked car, Fink said yesterday. The assailant was arrested by the plainclothes officers and taken to the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit located at 17th and Patterson Streets where he was charged with one count of indecent assault and one count of simple assault. Fink added that other pedestrians, who had also been pushed around by the assailant, fled the scene before they could be questioned by the officers. Fink did not know at what amount bail had been set, but added that it is likely that the assailant had a bail hearing shortly after his arrest. Officers at the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit could not be reached for comment yesterday. In the other incident, a man was attacked at 2:32 a.m. Saturday morning by two men on 40th Street and Baltimore Avenue, and was shot in the hip by one of them. Fink said that police did not know whether the victim was shot before or after the robbery, and did not know what was taken from the victim. Philadelphia Police Officer Tracy Griffin said yesterday that her department had no information on the incident. Both assailants fled the scene and no arrests were made. One of the men wore a brown leather jacket and the other was described as wearing dark clothing, Fink said. Police do not know which of the men carried the gun. Fink added that the police did not have any information on the victim's condition.
(02/06/91 10:00am)
For Sharon Hannum, the Halfway There rooming house is a place to give recovered drug and alcohol users a chance to live in a safe and comfortable environment while they try to find work and get their lives in order. For Linda Henson, Halfway There means bringing former drug and alcohol users into her already drug-infested community, which helps neither the rooming house occupants nor the troubled community. Hannum opened Halfway There on Chestnut Street between 41st and 42nd streets last November. She said last week that she opened the house in order to provide affordable housing for recovered drug and alcohol users while they hunt for jobs and try to regain their independence. Only single men are allowed to live in the house, Hannum said, and they must be out of the house during the day, looking for employment. If they do not succeed in finding work within eight weeks after they take up residence at Halfway There, they are asked to leave. Women are only permitted to visit in a public area on the ground floor. In order for recovering addicts to live in the house, they must produce proof of discharge from a rehabilitation or detoxification program, Hannum added. In addition, if any of the residents are found or discovered to have used drugs or consumed alcohol, they are immediately expelled from the house. But despite these ground rules, several community residents said last week that they do not believe their community is appropriate for such a facility. Linda Henson, director of South Of Market Against Drugs, claims that the neighborhood is already "drug-infested" and that placing recovered addicts in the community will only enhance their chances of relapse. Henson said that her group, known as SOMAD, is a community action group organized to battle the widespread drug use in the community. Henson also said last week that the community's existing "drug economy" creates an overwhelming temptation for recovered addicts to return to drugs and alcohol, making it unsafe to have recovered addicts in the community. Hannum is not present at the facility on a full-time basis. She also works as director of Edgewood Retirement Home, dividing her time between the two homes. Tony Nelson, the manager of Halfway There who is in charge of the day-to-day upkeep of the facilities, said last week that he is a former drug addict himself and has been "clean" for 19 months. But Nelson added that he is also not present in the house during the entire day, saying that he serves as manager of Miller Home, a facility similar to Halfway There, located at 3214 Baring Street. While he is off the premises, Nelson said he has a staff of other recovered addicts, all of whom have been "clean" for at least a year, who live in the home and deal with any problems that arise. Henson insisted last week that she is not against rooming houses such as Halfway There. She said that the houses are necessary to complete the rehabilitation process, but she added that such a facility does not belong in a community which she described as overrun with the very problems from which the residents of the home have just recovered. "It's not helpful to the residents of the home because its not a clean environment for them to live in," Henson said. "And it's not helpful to the neighborhood because increasing the number of potential clients increases the drug economy." The Rev. Larry Falcon, pastor at the Covenant Community Church on 43rd Street, said last week that adding former drug users to the community will cause more problems than it will solve. "We are in an impacted, overcrowded community where crack is the drug of choice among our youth," Falcon said. "We're not against drug rehabilitation centers, but to put a place like this in this community is absurd. Frankly, I'd rather they be any place but our neighborhood." Halfway There manager Nelson said that those who oppose the home are employing a "double standard." He said that community residents consider rooming houses in their communities troublesome, although the same people may believe that the concept can work in other neighborhoods. "It's not up to them to draw the conclusion that if [the recovered addicts] are in this environment, they'll have a harder time," Nelson said." · The history of the building in which the home is located also contributes to the controversy surrounding the rooming house. The two buildings comprising Halfway There were previously rented to the city for use as a homeless shelter. According to area residents, when the city operated the homeless shelter in the house, there was an drastic increase in the amount of crime and loitering in the area. Haig Injaian, who owns a carpet store next to the house, recalled last week all the problems he had when the building was used as a shelter and, subsequently, when the squatters moved into the house. Injaian expressed concern that Halfway There would just be a renovated version of the old problems. "In the old place, it was like a garbage dump," he said. "People were urinating out the windows, throwing rocks at people, scratching our cars, and dealing drugs. We just don't want this to be another 'Here we go again . . . ' " However, Injaian added that he had not had any major problems yet with any of the residents of the present home. · SOMAD director Henson and members of the community organization said that they have numerous concerns about Halfway There and its management. First, they said that they are concerned that supervision at the home is inadequate. They cite the fact that neither Nelson nor Hannum is on the house's premises full time, which they say could allow residents to slip back to their old habits without anyone noticing. Henson said that Halway There owner Hannum has not had enough experience at running such a rooming house and is not equipped to deal with unforeseen problems. "I don't believe that the supervisory people there can be trusted to deal with the problems that could arise," she said. But Hannum said last week that she has worked extensively at the Thoroughgood Nursing Home and at the Presbyterian Hospital for 12 years. But Falcon said he believed Hannum and Nelson do not have enough clinical experience in treating drug abuse, adding that that having former drug addicts in charge of security for other recovered drug addicts is not effective supervision. "Sharon Hannum doesn't even know the symptoms of someone on cocaine," Falcon said. "She doesn't realize that when their eyes look like pissholes in the snow, they're on crack cocaine." "And Tony Nelson means well, but he's naive in thinking that everyone can be as big a success as he is," Falcon added. "Someone who at one time did not have complete control over himself should not be charged with supervising up to 60 former addicts." Nelson, however, said last week that it is precisely the fact that he is a former addict which adds to his capabilities in dealing with former users. He believes that only a former addict can truly understand the feelings of other former users and help them re-enter mainstream life. "As a recovered user, I can see things that no one else can see," Nelson said. "Progress with these men can only come as a direct result of one addict helping another. Only a former addict can best understand another former addict because they've been through the same thing." · SOMAD's Henson said that, because area residents have little confidence in the management of Halfway There, they feel they have no recourse if conflicts develop between house occupants and residents of the community. Halfway There owner Hannum and manager Nelson both have assured residents of the community that there will not be any problems. They added that they promised area residents that they would summarily handle any complaints about the rooming house. "We gave our numbers to SOMAD," Hannum said. "If anyone has a problem, they know how to find us. We'll investigate, and if we find a problem, we'll solve it." Falcon said he doesn't accept Hannum's pledge to cooperate with the community. He believes that Hannum is only concerned with the "bottom line" -- profit. "We have a vested interest in the community," Falcon said. "[Hannum] has a vested interest in her back pocket." Residents of Halfway There who have a job pay a $75 weekly fee for which they receive a room and two meals a day. If a resident does not have work, Hannum said she tries to get the resident Public Welfare Assistance and charges a rent of $45 per week. Hannum and Nelson said that they are very hopeful for the house's success, despite the concerns of the area residents. They said that they hope that they can give the residents of the home a fair chance at getting their lives back together. They also hope that the community will come to accept what they are trying to do and work with them to solve problems. "We look at them as people who trying to start a new life," Nelson said. "They still look at them as drug addicts. If the community would take the time to understand what we are doing, they wouldn't be afraid or concerned. Until then, there's nothing I can do."
(02/04/91 10:00am)
A former Van Pelt Library employee was sentenced to seven years of psychiatric probation last week for the theft of over 100 books and documents valued at $1,798,310 from the library's rare book collection. According to Christine Ruggere, the library's curator of special collections, 34-year-old Kathleen Wilkerson, of the 3900 block of Spruce Street, was also ordered to pay over $45,000 in restitution and instructed to help library authorities find any other books that are missing from the library's collection. Ruggere added that Wilkerson received an additional two-year probation sentence for tampering with library records which will run concurrently with the first sentence. The sentence was handed down last Thursday by Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Russell Nigro, the same judge who found Wilkerson guilty last November of stealing the books and covering up her crime by altering library records. Ruggere said that Wilkerson, who received a master's degree in English from the University, had entered a plea of "no contest" to the charges. Her attorneys backed up the plea claiming that Wilkerson has multiple personalities and did not remember stealing the books. Wilkerson faced a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and $15,000 in fines. Wilkerson's first thefts from the library were in December 1985 when she took a few books from the library and gave them to friends, Ruggere said. These books were not particularly valuable, she added. Ruggere said that in the summer of 1989, Wilkerson began taking large numbers of books, including many valuable ones, some of which she attempted to sell to a rare book store in Center City. Among the books Wilkerson stole was the most valuable printed book in the library's collection, a 1611 edition of Shakespeare's Hamlet valued at $1 million. When a Baltimore book dealer saw the 1611 Hamlet in the rare book store, he suspected it had been stolen and alerted the University, which began an investigation which led to Wilkerson's arrest on February 28 last year. At her trial in November, Wilkerson's attorney said that Wilkerson had been suffering from a mental illness since her childhood and was so upset by the arrest that she had to be hospitalized. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, University officials believe they have retrieved all 101 books that were found missing.
(01/29/91 10:00am)
As a University student, Susan Holmes was captain of the women's volleyball team. She was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. She knew what it meant to study all hours of the night. As a police officer, Susan Holmes is one of two new lieutenants in the University Police Department. She is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police. She knows what it means to be on patrol all hours of the night. Holmes came to the University almost 13 years ago as an undergraduate and excelled athletically and academically during her college years. But, being a third generation police officer, she knew from the outset what she wanted to do after college. There was no criminal justice department at the University, so Holmes majored in sociology while also taking courses in psychology, legal studies, and English. Holmes, who lives in Delaware County with her husband and their nine-month-old son James, joined the University Police Department in September 1983, after a year of working in Gloucester County with delinquent children and teenagers. And because her family had a long history in law enforcement, Holmes said last week that her parents weren't too worried about their daughter pursuing the family business. "They were very proud that I chose this profession," she said. "They understood the stresses and the dangers, but because they went through it first hand, they knew how to cope with it." The 31-year-old lieutenant walked beats as an officer for nearly five years until March 1988 when she was promoted to sergeant. Two and a half years later, she was promoted to lieutenant. Holmes has received numerous letters of commendation for her outstanding service in the department, but she does not wear the bars on her uniform to show off her awards. "I know what I'm capable of and my co-workers know what I'm capable of," she said. "I don't need to advertise it to anyone else." And because she was a student at the University, Holmes said that she thinks she has a unique perspective on crime and her job to protect the residents of the University community. "I see things from both sides of the fence," she said. She said problems arise when students think University Police are only here to protect them while forgetting that they must enforce all laws. "[The students think] that the University Police are there just to serve them," Holmes said. "They don't always realize that we're here to uphold the law and also to instruct and guide students to become pro-active." "Pro-activity," Holmes insisted, is one of the most valuable lessons University Police can teach students, faculty and staff. She stressed that people can not expect to deal with crime only after it happens, but must learn to prevent it from occurring in the first place. Holmes said she thinks the University community has gained more of a trust in the department in the past few years. "I don't think there's any more or any less crime than there was," she said. "People just have more confidence in the department nowadays. People have come to feel that they can rely on us to deal with crime." Holmes said she sees her job as a way to give back to the University. "A diploma from this University served me very well when I was looking for jobs in social work," she said. "Now it's my turn to repay the school and its residents by serving them."
(01/28/91 10:00am)
Two people were shot at in front of the Eric 3 on Campus theater Saturday night, but police do not know whether anyone was injured in the incident. University Police Lieutenant Susan Holmes said yesterday that one of the victims told police he and his girlfriend were shot at by two men in front of the movie theater, located at 220 S. 40th Street, at about 10:48 p.m. The two men then stole his car, he told police. The victim, 21-year-old Constantine Hurray, told police that he had not been hit by any of the bullets. Police said yesterday that they did not know the girlfriend's name or if she had been hit by a bullet. Holmes said Hurry, who is not a University student, went into the Eric 3 to pick up his girlfriend. When they exited the theater, the two got into an argument with two unidentified males, during which one pulled a gun and fired. Police said they have been unable to determine the number of shots fired. Holmes said yesterday that after interviewing Hurray, police suspect the assailants and the victims may know each other. A Philadelphia Police officer said yesterday the assailants, two black males, fled the scene in Hurray's car. One of the men was described as five foot, six inches tall, 19 years old, and wearing a red jacket while the other was described as five foot, one inch tall, 20 years old, and wearing a green jacket. Both men were said to be of thin build. The stolen automobile was a BMW, but University Police did not know what model or year. In an unrelated incident, University Police arrested a teenager for possessing an air gun at 10:34 p.m. that same evening. Police stopped him and two other teens outside of High Rise North and took them into custody. The three teenagers were 14, 16, and 17 years old. Police did not say which of the three had been arrested. Police also arrested a local man Saturday evening and charged him with the knifepoint robbery of local resident at 45th and Locust Streets. Holmes said University Police picked up a report at 6:25 p.m. of a robbery on the Philadelphia Police radio. Two plainclothes University Police officers apprehended the man at 42nd and Walnut Streets. Holmes said the the victim identified her assailant and her property was recovered. University Police would not release the name of the alleged assailant.
(01/24/91 10:00am)
Philadelphia Police arrested a 35-year-old Philadelphia man Monday and charged him with the December 30th rape of a student in her 41st and Spruce street residence. University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said yesterday that Raydell Luke, of 1620 Cecil B. Moore Street, was arraigned Tuesday on six felony counts, including rape and burglary, as well as nine misdemeanor charges. According to Kuprevich, Luke entered the victim's apartment via the fire escape in a burglary attempt. He said Luke sexually assaulted the victim during the burglary and the victim immediately reported the incident to Philadelphia Police. Philadelphia and University Police responded to the call along with University Police's Victim Support Services department. Kuprevich said the major breakthrough in the case came January 4th when University Police Detective Supervisor Mike Carroll and Detective Jane Curry recalled a case in November in which a man had been arrested for criminally trespassing on people's fire escapes. On November 26th, plainclothes police officers observed a man climbing on fire escapes of buildings in the 41st Street area but had not succeeded in gaining entry to any of the buildings. When the officers tried to pursue the man, they lost him but Luke was later caught by University Police Officers James Dunlap and Hugh McBreen. "[Carroll and Curry] both felt that this may be a possible lead in this case . . . to take a look at the suspect," Kuprevich said. "Officer Gillespie did do that and found out the subject did have a criminal record." The police assembled a photo spread of Luke, and the victim identified him as her assailant. A warrant was issued for Luke's arrest on January 16th and on the 20th, University and Philadelphia Police executed a search warrant on Luke's mother's residence at 4445 Holden Street. Luke, however, was not there. But Tuesday, two city housing police officers in the area, who had been informed to be on the lookout for Luke, arrested him and took him into custody at 4:30 p.m. Luke was arraigned yesterday and is being held at a city detention center on $25,000 bail. "This is one of those cases where officers back in November did a good job documenting the case," Kuprevich said. "The complainant cooperated, looked at the spread and now we have a positive ID and a defendant behind bars." Kuprevich said he did not know if a pre-trial hearing date had been set. "[The officers] worked real hard at it and it all came together for them," he said. "We now have a case solved and one person we are going to remove from our community as a threat." "I think the whole community can be proud of our officers," Kuprevich added. "They're out there, they're doing their job and it's working."
(01/24/91 10:00am)
One of the two city men arrested in the attempted armed robbery of two plainclothes University Police officers last fall is still at large after failing to appear in court for his arraignment last semester. Twenty-year-old Melvin Gore, one of the five men connected with the attempted robbery, did not appear for his November arraignment, but one of his alleged accomplices, 19-year-old Omar Burnett, as well as numerous other suspects in University-area crimes are awaiting trials later this year. Burnett is scheduled for trial in March. In May, the city man accused of several fall stabbings around the campus will also go on trial, and the two men accused of running over a College senior during a robbery attempt in October, will be on trial in June. According to University Police, Gore and Burnett were part of a group of five men who tried to hold up two plainclothes officers on the 4100 block of Locust Street with what appeared to be a shotgun. The weapon turned out to be an axe handle painted to look like a shotgun. Police maintain Burnett was one of the men who approached the officers and Gore was the intended driver of the getaway car. When one of the officers shot Burnett in the hand the other three men fled and remain at large, police said. Laura Linton, director of Communications for the Philadelphia District Attorney's office, explained yesterday that "sign your own bail" means that Gore merely had to sign his name without actually paying any money. Only if Gore had used a gun would he have had to actually post cash bail. She added that the "sign your own bail" policy is a necessity due to prison overcrowding. Burnett appeared for his arraignment and is scheduled for trial on March 28th, but Gore remains a fugitive. Wayne Christian, a 30-year-old charged with a string of knifepoint robberies on and and near campus during late October and early November, is in prison and is awaiting trial on numerous counts of robbery. Linton said this week that Christian was in prison with bail set at $25,000. She said Christian was originally charged with three counts of robbery, but has since been charged with an additional three counts. She added that Christian will stand trial for the first three robberies on May 28th and for one of the additional counts on May 6th. Christian has not yet been arraigned on the rest of the robbery charges, she said. Mike Carroll, University Police's detective supervisor, said that after Christian was arrested and charged with the first three robberies, three other knifepoint robbery victims came forth and identified Christian as their assailant. Linton also said the two men charged with robbery, aggravated assault, and other crimes in connection with the October 19th robbery of College Junior Roberta Koeppel, are in prison on over $100,000 bail. Koeppel was seriously injured in the robbery when a van -- allegedly driven by 27-year-old Christopher Turner, and 23-year-old Allan Waters -- ran over her. Linton said a readiness conference is scheduled for Friday and the trial for June 4th.
(01/24/91 10:00am)
Even the experts don't have all the answers. That's the lesson over 200 students learned last night as they heard Middle East expert and Political Studies Coordinator Adam Garfinkle discuss the war with Iraq and its effects on Israel. The Vance Hall lecture, organized by the student group Israel Crisis Committee, covered topics that were broad and varied, including American politics, the Israeli government, and possible after-effects of the war on the entire world. Israel has been bombarded by several missile attacks from Iraq over the past week, but has yet to retaliate against Saddam Hussein -- winning the praise of the White House and several foreign governments. Throughout the nearly two-hour talk, Garfinkle -- who serves as an analyst for serveral government departments including the Central Intelligence Agency -- said that although he did not think Israel would retaliate in the immediate future, Israeli leaders might be planning smaller raids as a direct result of domestic pressure. "Many Israeli people don't understand why the government is sitting with their hands tied behind their backs," Garfinkle said. "Israel may feel the need to respond strictly for domestic political reasons." Garfinkle said that the Israelis may soon tell the U.S. that they will make a modest, proportional response to the missile attacks. He added that Israel may act with secure guarantees from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait that they will not object to such a response. However, he pointed out throughout his lecture that no matter how long one analyzes this problem, no one can say for sure what will happen. "Nobody knows. No one knows for sure what the Israelis will do," he said. "My opinion is just an educated guess." Garfinkle, who teaches courses on the Middle East for the political science department, told the audience that it is inappropriate for Americans to delight in the U.S. military offensive while forgetting the immense destruction that is being done by allied forces. "Do not celebrate the downfall of your enemies," Garfinkle quoted from an ancient Jewish text. "This is a period of mourning, not just for Israel, but for the entire world." Garfinkle also focused on the specific capabilities of the various weapons being used by the U.S. and the Iraqis -- a topic about which the audience felt they had been told very little. Overall, students said they were very satisfied with the lecture adding that they had gained a tremendous amount of insight into the war. "I really wasn't sure about the Israeli perspective and whether they would retaliate," College freshman Scott Danziger said. "I think its important to have lectures such as this from people who know the facts. More importantly, it's important for people to come to these lectures to hear them." College freshman Halyse Richard added that although the lecture didn't resolve many questions, it certainly gave people things to think about. "A whole lot of people have a whole lot of questions," she said. "This gave people a lot of good ideas to consider even if it didn't provide any answers." "The war is the topic of everyone's discussions," College sophomore Rachel Schuldiner, one of the organizers of the event said. "Things happen so fast that people can't keep up with it. The situation changes every day. We just want to keep people informed and conscious of the problems and help them express their opinions." Schuldiner said that the Israel Crisis Committee is planning more Wednesday night lectures on the Middle East in the coming weeks and also has set up a telephone number people can call to find out the latest news regarding the war. Schuldiner said the number is 898-9999, followed by the letters I-S-R-A-E-L.
(01/22/91 10:00am)
College freshman Shelly Bruxvoort was warming up for the Quaker Notes' concert in Center City Wednesday night. The all-female singing group had been invited to perform at the Astronomical Society's national dinner, and they were about to take the stage. Then the word came -- war had broken out. The dinner was shortened and the performance was cancelled. "We were very surprised that [the war] had finally started," Bruxvoort said last week. "We weren't really in the mood to sing and entertain at a time like that." Bruxvoort is among thousands on campus and millions across the country who may never forget where they were the night war broke out. Men's Basketball Coach Fran Dunphy was at St. Joseph's University in the middle of a game when the news of the Persian Gulf war hit the airwaves. But Dunphy did not find out about it until the beginning of the second half, almost an hour after the war had begun. He decided not to tell his team until after the game. "I was flabbergasted," Dunphy said. "I didn't know how to react. I was damned if I told them and damned if I didn't. I just didn't think that there was anything that we could do about it." Dunphy added that when the team found out after the game, many were stunned and speechless. "It made them appreciate how lucky they were to be college students at this point in their lives," Dunphy said. Many students, such as College junior Marc Price, found out immediately because they were watching the evening news or listening to the radio when fighting broke out. "I was watching the news as usual," Price said. "And suddenly Peter Jennings came on and told people what had happened." Price added that in Ware College House, where he lives, many people keep their doors open and the news spread very quickly. But he noted that while many people were temporarily shocked when given the news, it was not totally unexpected. "People really weren't surprised," Price said. "But they definitely took an immediate interest." College freshman Danny Sadinoff was having dinner at Hillel when the news came. "The TV had been on at Hillel almost non-stop since the January 15th deadline," Sadinoff recalled last week. "A big crowd gathered around the television instantaneously to find out what was going on." Basya Meyer, a first year graduate student who was also at Hillel, added that it helped everyone to find out about the war in a group rather than privately. "It was really tense," Meyer said. "People were really glad to be together with other people rather than in their rooms alone." College freshman MaryBeth Eyrich, a cheerleader at men's basketball game, found out from a fan in the stands towards the beginning of the game. She said that the news of war put a damper on the spirits of the cheerleaders. "I think we all felt kind of pointless to be cheering at a basketball game while the U.S. was at war," she said. Actors in the Philadelphia Drama Guild began their performance at Zellerbach Theater at 7:00 p.m. at virtually the same time news of war became clear. But the actors only found out at intermission what had happened.
(01/18/91 10:00am)
University and city police were called to Logan Hall early yesterday morning in response to a bomb threat in the building, but the scare proved false when police found only air conditioner parts in the suspected box. Just after midnight, an unidentified man called WPVI-TV Channel 6 news and threatened that he would place a bomb in a University building within the hour. According to sources at WPVI, the caller gave no explanation for his intentions in placing the bomb. The timing of the threat coincided with the outbreak of war in the Persian Gulf and amid nationwide concern over the possibility of terrorist attacks. University Police Spokesperson Sylvia Canada said yesterday that at 12:21 a.m., Philadelphia Police Radio reported a bomb threat at 249 South 36th Street in Logan Hall. Philadelphia Police, assisted by University Police, formed a command post on the south side of Logan Hall. Canada said that the Philadelphia Police bomb unit then entered and searched the building for any suspicious looking items. Shortly after the search began, Canada said, the unit reported to the command post that they had found a box wrapped in plastic near an air conditioner on the east side of the building. The box was removed and the building was thoroughly searched to insure that no people were inside. At 1:10 a.m. the bomb unit determined that the box contained an air conditioner air compressor. At that point, Canada added, University police officers went back to their regular patrols. Jim Miller, the University's director of fire and occupational safety, said yesterday that while it is impossible to guess why someone would make such a threat, the situation in the Persian Gulf might be a possibility. "I would have no way of knowing," Miller said. "But it would be a fair assumption to make." Physical Plant Executive Director Jim Wargo said, however, that the threat may have had absolutely nothing to do with the outbreak of war in Iraq. "It could be any sort of person who likes to see police and firemen chasing around frantically," he said. Barbara Greco, the building manager of Logan Hall, refused to comment yesterday on whether any additional security measures would be taken. Canada said that police have received no requests for additional security.
(01/17/91 10:00am)
A group calling itself "The Women's Army" wrote a list of men it claims have committed crimes against women in a Van Pelt Library bathroom late last semester. The list, which included University students, listed the crime each man is accused of next to his name. The crimes listed are rape and battery. A note below the so-called "roll of shame" asked students to add the names of men who have committed similar crimes, women who read it said this week. According to Van Pelt Building Administrator Charles Jenkins and women who saw the list, it appeared sometime immediately before or during finals last fall. Students said the list is no longer on the wall. Jenkins said it is likely the list was washed off by one of the library's housekeeping workers. "We have housekeeping people working every day that the building is open," Jenkins said yesterday. "Our policy is to keep the walls clean so that we don't create an atmosphere where more graffiti does appear." In the spring of 1989, a group of people also calling themselves "The Women's Army" spray-painted "Stop Rape Now" in approximately 30 locations across campus where they believed a rape had taken place. It is unknown if the two groups are the same or if the same individuals are responsible for both incidents. University Life administrator Barbara Cassel said yesterday that the issue was discussed at a Safety and Security Committee meeting that she did not attend. Cassel said that if the person or people who wrote the list were identified it would be investigated through the University judicial system. But, she said that is unlikely since the identity of the writer is not known. Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi said yesterday she suspects that this is a copycat list, modeled after one that appeared in a women's bathroom of Brown University's Rockefeller Library. James Kaplan, Editor-in-Chief of The Brown Daily Herald explained this week that sometime in the fall of last year, a list of men was written on a wall in the bathroom along with a note which alleged that the men had committed sexual assault. The University attempted to paint over the list but someone continually rewrote it on the wall. Finally, in late November, the Coalition for Concerned Women held a forum with University officials and presented them with a list of their demands for reform. The demands included requests for a special Dean of Women's Concerns and improved security measures on campus. Subsequently, the University appointed two people to deal with the demands but, Kaplan said, there have been no major changes yet. DiLapi said she is most frustrated that when women speak against men who commit violent acts it is publicized and the accused men often gain public sympathy. But, said DiLapi, men have been writing derogatory things about women on bathroom walls for years without public outcry against it. DiLapi said that while she does not condone the action, she understands what might have motivated someone to begin such a list. "Women may be frustrated and feel that the system is slow and victim-blaming," she said. She said, however, that the University has improved its support services over the past few years. But these changes are "obviously not enough," she added. April O'Malley, an executive board member of Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape, said she considers the incident an indication that STAAR needs to continue to offer services to victims of sex crimes. "I can't condemn it or condone it," O'Malley said yesterday. "I think its a good example of the frustration that some people are feeling and that we need to take this as an indication that we should continue our work so people can be helped to deal with their feelings."
(01/17/91 10:00am)
A graduate student and a University employee were victims of two separate off-campus robberies Tuesday night, police officials said yesterday. According to University Police Spokesperson Sylvia Canada, the student told police she was in a store on the 200 block of 45th Street at 6:45 p.m. when she was distracted by two men. One of the men then grabbed her wallet containing $30 dollars, her credit cards, and other miscellaneous papers, Canada said, adding the men then men fled the scene. The victim flagged down a University Police officer in a patrol car and was escorted to her residence on the 500 block of 46th Street. Canada said there are no suspects in the case but said the victim described one of the men as five feet, two inches tall, approximately 20 years old and as wearing a light blue ski jacket, a dark knit cap and jeans. The other man was described as five foot, eight inches tall, 185 pounds and also wearing a dark knit cap and a long dark coat. The second robbery took place at 10:20 p.m. on the 4500 block of Spruce street, Canada said. The wallet he gave the men contained $15 and the victim said he was not injured. The victim called both Philadelphia and University Police. Both departments are investigating the crime. Canada said police have no suspects but one man was described as between five foot, eight inches and five foot, ten inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, and wearing a blue down jacket. The second man was described as 25-30 years old, around six feet, 170 pounds, and wearing a tan jacket and blue jeans.
(01/17/91 10:00am)
While no one knows what war with Iraq will bring, Darryl Northington is content not to find out. Northington, an officer with the University Police Department, is a reserve senior airman in the United States Air National Guard stationed at the Willow Grove Naval Base. As with many reservists, he is presently on alert status, waiting to find out whether he will become personally involved in Operation Desert Storm. Alert status normally means 72 hours prior notice before moving out but, Northington says, if war breaks out, he may get even less time to prepare. Northington is a jet-engine mechanic and spends his time in the National Guard working on A-10 anti-tank aircraft. The University Police Department has already lost one officer to the army. Officer Martin Turofski was supposed to graduate from the Police Academy on January 30th, but when he received his orders to report for duty, his graduation plans were postponed. There are also many University graduate students who are members of reserve forces. Jess Posey, a first-year Wharton graduate student and a resident advisor in Community House, joined the naval reserves in September last year after graduating the U.S. Naval Academy and serving eight years in the Navy. Posey said that since he is a ship engineer, it is doubtful that he will be called up "unless the actual ship is activated." Another Wharton MBA student, Brent Cavan, said he will probably not get called up for active duty either because he is primarily trained in the type of woodland and city fighting found in Europe. Air Force Academy graduate and Wharton graduate student Matt Johnson is technically in the inactive reserves since he left acctive duty in September of 1989. Like his classmates, Johnson described his chances of being called up "pretty slim." Even though there is no imminent chance of these men being called up, they are all watching the situation closely since they have ex-classmates and friends stationed in the Persian Gulf. In addition, Johnson is President of the Veterans Club at Wharton which has already sent care packages to two men who were supposed to be members of their class but were called up to active duty. All three reservists have much confidence in the troops stationed in the Arabian desert. Cavan said that Saddam Hussein is "in for a rude surprise", and "he will not know what hit him." Johnson added, "you will not see a waning resolve of American troops." Each of these graduate students has observed what Posey described as "intelligent commentary" on both sides of the issue at the University. Cavan said that he hopes this type of dialogue continues and that there will be no resurgence of "abhorrent" attacks on soldiers as seen during the Vietnam War. The reservists were not able to give their own opinions on the war because in their earliest days of training they are told not to give their feelings on military action to the press. This policy also applies to ROTC students, many of who refused to comment on the conflict last night because of the orders they received. But Midshipman Commander Doug Pfeifle, battalion commander of the Naval ROTC unit at the University and a Wharton senior, was given permission to give his own personal opinions on the conflict and information about the ROTC unit's status. Pfeifle said that the midshipmen "are not allowed to answer any policy questions" because as part of the Department of Defense their "job is not to dictate policy but to act when asked." ROTC members will not be called to active duty because they are considered civilians until they accept commissions from the Navy upon graduation. Pfeifle added that the general feeling among the ROTC ranks is "one of empathy" because the training they have had makes them feel like the soldiers' peers. In addition, Pfeifle said that he is personally concerned about the situation because of the people he knows serving in the Gulf, and that ROTC "will be giving them all the support we can give them." University Police Officer and active reservist Northington also was willing to support the war effort. He said he believes President Bush's choice to fight might have been the only one. "We have to quell this threat," he said. "If he is not stopped now, it could get much worse. If he can muster large support from the Arabs, it could get to be an even bigger problem." However, Northington still hopes that fighting will be limited. "War, in general, is not constructive," he added. "It's destructive and foolish."
(01/16/91 10:00am)
University Police officials have decided to discontinue doubled evening and early morning patrols, in place since a November crime wave, saying that the immediate threat of crime in the area has been substantially reduced. The police returned to normal patrols over Winter Break and administrators said there are no plans for them to be doubled again in the near future. Since mid-November, officers on two of the force's three shifts had been working extended 12-hour shifts as well as one extra day per week, effectively doubling patrols on campus during nighttime hours. The extra manpower was instituted after a series of violent crimes hit campus. During a two month period at the beginning of last semester, three students were stabbed, one was critically injured during a robbery attempt, and a University Police officer fired his gun when four men attempted to rob him and his partner. The return to normal patrols was expected. When the extra duties were instituted in November, police as well as University administrators insisted that the increase in patrols were emergency measures that would continue only until the number of crimes decreased over an extended period of time. Police Captain John Richardson said Monday that the current amount of crime does not require a prolonged increase in police patrols. He added, however, that University Police will use several recently-hired officers to permanently increase the amount of officers on each shift. These new officers will raise the number on patrol during normal periods, but patrols will be substantially smaller than during November and December, the police captain said. "I want people to be safety conscious and not safety unconscious," he said. "As long as people remain cautious of their surroundings, I would like to believe that we now have a safer environment and that the fear of crime is less." "This is no longer a band-aid solution," he added. "This is a permanent solution." Eight police officers were added to the force recently and seven more are about to join. In addition, eight cadets now in the police academy will join the force upon graduation. Also, four other officers will be transferring to University police from their previous jobs with other police departments. According to Jeffrey Jacobson, co-chairperson of the University Council Safety and Security Committee, stopping the doubled patrols should not lead to the return of crime to the area. "Although the double patrols have stopped, the criminals now know that if they commit a crime on campus, in all likelihood they will be caught," Jacobson said. "We tried to convey a message to the criminals in the area," the College junior added. "I feel that that message is still out there." He noted, however, that the doubled patrols could be put back in place if necessary. "We can reinstitute the patrols easily and at a moment's notice," Jacobson said. President Sheldon Hackney has said that security is the University's top priority, and Senior Vice President Marna Whittington said in November that the administration is dedicated to solve the problem no matter what the cost.
(01/15/91 10:00am)
Additionally, six other people may soon be charged with disorderly conduct in connection with the raid, according to Gary Kardisco, a supervisor at the State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. Kardisco added that charges would soon be filed to challenge the tavern's liquor license. If convicted, Smokey Joe's could be fined, or have their license suspended or even revoked. In the event that the license was revoked, the tavern would be prohibited from reapplying for a new license for one year. Smokey Joe's could receive a harsher sentence due to a prior record of arrests which includes a October 1988 raid in which 51 underage students were arrested. Despite repeated phone calls to the tavern last night, several members of the Ryan family, which owns the bar, declined to comment on the case. According to students at the bar during the raid, four plainclothes police officers wearing their badges on neck chains entered the tavern shortly after midnight and quietly checked the identification of several suspected underage drinkers. Some people were reported to have slipped out the front and back doors before the police had a chance to check their identification. However, those who did not have valid identification were asked to stand off to the side and await instructions, while others were told the bar was closing early. According to Wharton junior Phil Robinson, one of the students arrested for underage drinking, the police took the remaining people, including a few who were of legal age, downstairs where they conducted short personal interviews. The questions asked included how the people got in, did they show any identification, and did they drink any alcohol. The people were told that if they had drank any alcohol, they should admit it rather than have it showed up on a litmus test. Robinson said the students were told they have three choices: attend an alcohol awareness class, play a $45 fine and have their driver's license suspended for three months; go to court and be found guilty which would result in a $200 fine and a suspended license for one year; or go to court and be found not guilty. College junior Robert Garber, a 21-year-old who was in Smoke's that night, said that shortly before the bust, the rumor spread that there was going to be a raid. But once the search had begun, Garber added, it was not difficult to see what was going on. "It wasn't really discreet," Garber said. "The officers were dressed really cheesily and if anyone had opened their eyes and hadn't had too much to drink, they would've noticed."
(01/15/91 10:00am)
A University freshman was raped by a security guard at the Medical School last month, and another unidentified student was raped in her home on the 4100 block of Spruce Street December 30 in two unrelated incidents. The freshman, according to sources close to the case, was at the Medical School complex late at night and asked a University-hired security guard to escort her to her dormitory. Sources said the guard then raped her in a secluded part of the building. Sources said the guard was suspended without pay within two hours after the student reported the rape. After confessing to the crime, he was fired by the University. In the other incident, University Police officials said a student was raped by an intruder in her off-campus apartment at about 10:30 p.m., December 30. Police would not say how the intruder gained entry to the building. The student first reported the rape to the Philadelphia Police Department. University Police then picked up the report of the rape on the police radio and began a joint investigation. University Police Director John Logan said there are no suspects and would not release a description of the assailant. Both Logan and University Police spokesperson Sylvia Canada said Police Commissioner John Kuprevich has instructed them to not to release more specific details of the case until he returns from New York Thursday. Logan did say, however, the investigation was going "very well." Officials at the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes division would not release any information on the case yesterday. University Police also declined to release any information about the Medical School rape, saying it was being handled by George Forman, the director of facilities management for the Medical School. Forman declined comment yesterday, saying only that the incident has "been handled." Forman refused to elaborate on how he handled the incident. According to Assistant Biochemistry and Biophysics Professor Jacqueline Tanaka, a faculty member in the Medical School, the student called building security for an escort, and, when he arrived, was raped by him. Jeffrey Jacobson, co-chairperson of the University Council Safety and Security Committee said the woman asked the uniformed security guard to escort her home. "He said 'I need to get a package' and took her to a room," Jacobson said. "He did this on purpose to get her alone." "It was a situation that a rational person would believe to be safe," the College junior added. Tanaka said that the woman declined to file charges, apparently in fear that if her parents learned of the incident, she would have to leave the University. Instead, Tanaka said, the student reported the incident to the guard's supervisors. "It took less than two hours to suspend him without pay," after the incident was reported to supervisor, Jacobson said. "Subsequently he admitted to it and was terminated." Some school security officers, Jacobson said, were embarrassed by the incident. He said that as long-time University employees, they worried how this would be viewed by the public. "This was a very tragic but isolated incident," Jacobson said. "The last thing we need is to have people afraid of the security system at the University." Jacobson said the security guard was hired by the Medical Complex, which includes the school, and that two background checks were done on him prior to his employment. The checks showed no prior convictions. He emphasized that the guard was not a University Police officer or a contracted guard. One officer on duty last night declined to give his name but indicated that he knew the assailant. "Regardless of how thoroughly you check a person's background an apple could go sour any day," he said. "In the past, a situation which gets out to the public, can result in charges not being filed," she said yesterday. She said in assault cases, filing charges is not necessarily the "first thing on their minds." "The goal always is to allow the survivor to gain control," she continued, saying that "the focus is how to get that control." "We always try to attend to the medical, academic and emotional needs of the survivor," she said. She added that the University's support system is one of the best in the country. "It is a model for other schools in the country," Dilapi said. "The vice provost for university life has an emergency protocol which pulls together all of the support services." These are the first publicized student rapes since the summer of 1989, when a University student was raped at 6:30 a.m. on Pine Street on her way to work.
(12/06/90 10:00am)
The party's just about over. About six months after former President Ronald Reagan spoke on campus and students celebrated Benjamin Franklin's Birthday in a bash on College Green, the University will end its 250th anniversary celebration next week. The party officially concludes next Wednesday, with a "Winter Holiday Festival on the Green," that will feature performing arts groups, hot food, and hand-made crafts. And although the festival takes place the day before final exams begin, 250th Director Clare Wofford said she hopes that students will take time out from their studies to relax and have fun. "We're hoping that a lot of students will see this as a nice break to take from studying," Wofford said. "I mean, you can't study continuously." "I hope the students will say that they've really enjoyed the 250th celebration," said College senior Roslyn Evans, a member of the student committee planning the event. "And I also hope that it'll be a stress reliever before finals." Another scheduled event will be the arrival of President Sheldon Hackney in a horse-drawn carriage with University founder Ben Franklin, played by actor Ralph Archbald, at his side. Last January, a similar proceeding was staged to begin the University's celebration. According to Wofford, warm food and drinks, such as roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate and apple cider, will be abundant for students to sample. The festival will also include performances by a number of the University's performing arts groups, including Counterparts, Pennsylvania 6-5000 and the Penn Band. And in the the spirit of the holiday season, festival organizers are giving students a chance to help Philadelphia families. Participants in the festival are encouraged to bring a small gift, which will be placed on a large sleigh and donated to an area family. The 250th anniversary celebration, which began last January, has featured lectures by distinguished scholars, student parties, and a host of other entertaining and educational events. And while there have been problems along the way, the committee is thrilled with the success of the year's celebration. "We've had a year which was beyond our expectations," said Wofford. "Even the weather cooperated. Basically, there aren't many universities in the world which can put on a show like Penn."
