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(06/02/94 9:00am)
Meeting and study spaces added The Penn Women's Center will share space in the former Theta Xi fraternity house with a study lounge and student meeting room, Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said last week. The third floor of the Locust Walk building will be developed into an area for "small meetings," and the remaining space will be used for the study lounge, she said. The Women's Center will occupy the rooms on the first floor, according to plans for the Center's relocation which were announced by McCoullum in March. Interim President Claire Fagin said she is "quite disappointed" that an academic program such as the Benjamin Franklin Scholars and University Scholars program will not be housed in Theta Xi. McCoullum said she originally tried to fit an "academic program" into the house, but the rooms were too small for such a program. She said the University decided to convert the remaining space into study and meeting rooms because "what the students needed was additional student meeting space and also opportunities for extended study hours in community meeting rooms." McCoullum added that a number of students have approached her this semester with requests that the amount of study space available to students be increased. "I think it is fabulous that we are able to welcome [study space] to the heart of the campus," she said. "[We wanted to] make sure Theta Xi is highly valued as a community resource for all Penn people." Fagin echoed McCoullum, saying that it is important that "something which brings students in from a variety of sectors" fill the space in the Theta Xi house. She added that she hopes the "building is seen as open and accessible to all community members." Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi said she thinks sharing the Theta Xi house with a community meeting area and studying space is "a fine idea." Students have reacted favorably to the University's plan to put study and meeting rooms in the former fraternity house. Engineering junior Noah Sferra said he believes students will benefit from the study space more than they will from the Women's Center. He said he thinks the Center's relocation to Theta Xi is a "symbolic...neo-feminist victory over fraternities" which is destroying "an incredible social organization at the University of Pennsylvania."
(06/02/94 9:00am)
It might not have been the fastest car under the sun, but the solar-powered Liberty Belle constructed by a team of University students came in a close third place at the annual American Tour De Sol race last weekend. Tour De Sol, a nationwide contest for electric and solar-powered cars made by college and high school students and private corporations, raced from New York City to Philadelphia between May 22 and May 28. The race was organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. Contestants were judged on efficient use of energy rather than speed, Tour de Sol spokesperson Jack Groh said. But the sleek, bullet-shaped Liberty Belle impressed many passersby as it shot past the finish line at the Franklin Institute. "It looks like a jet," said eight year-old Kevin Cox, who said the Liberty Belle was his "favorite" of the more more than sixty cars at the event. "I wish I could go somewhere in it." Landing the "Most Efficient Vehicle" award, the Liberty Belle was defeated by only Salisbury High School's Photon and Dartmouth College's Sunvox IV -- called "the cream of the crop and the best in the world" by Groh -- for the highest cumulative score. Sitting in the cramped, one-person battery- and sun-charged vehicle and resting his hands on a miniscule dashboard in which "Penn Rules, Baby" appears under the speedometer, Engineering senior Tony Estrella said he was "really happy" to have driven the car to the finish. He added that although Dartmouth received a higher cumulative score, the Liberty Belle swept past the Sunvox IV within 100 yards of the finish line. Scott Smith, a 1994 Engineering graduate who raced in the opening stretch of the Tour De Sol, said he enjoyed racing through the Holland Tunnel in New York City, which was shut down especially for the race. Engineering senior Candace Smugeresky said she wished she had been behind the wheel during the race. "Everyone who worked on it wished [to drive it]," she said. Electrical Engineering emeritus professor Martin Wolf said electric rather than solar-powered cars will be the wave of the future, because the "energy flowing from the sun is limited." But Patricia Stewart, a Philadelphian who watched the race, said she can not wait to buy a solar car of her own. "They're enormously practical," she said. But Stewart wondered where she would fit her grocery bags in a super-compact car like the Liberty Belle, or how she would fit the vehicle into a parking place "with those big [solar] panels."
(05/26/94 9:00am)
As members of the Class of 1994 tossed rain-drenched graduation caps into the gray sky at Franklin Field last Thursday, their faces took on expressions of both excitement and fear about the quickly approaching future. "I'm scared...about leaving the security of college," said Engineering senior Samori Augusto. "It's real life [now]." "I think everyone's a little scared," said College senior Sameer Mathun, who will continue his education at medical school. "But Penn's prepared me, hopefully." A job in New York City as an investment banker will be a change of pace for College senior Vince Salvato, who hails from the small Missouri metropolis of Kansas City. He said he is "anxious" about his new job and new big-city residence -- although he feels four years in Philadelphia have prepared him for the "big adjustment." Salvato added, though, that despite his anxieties, the moment he threw his graduation cap into the air he only felt "indifferent." "I'm ready to move on," he said. Monica Holtzmuller, an Engineering senior, said that although she landed a "great job" as an engineer for ICI films in Virginia, she is anxious about living so far from her family, based in Ohio. Engineering senior Duke Schnolis said he too is having separation anxiety about leaving what Interim President Claire Fagin called in her commencement speech, "the Penn family." He said he would rather remain at the University than begin his job as a high school teacher. Wharton senior Alaa Elhabashi echoed Schnolis' statements, saying he is "nervous, more than excited" about starting his job in his home country of Egypt. But not all members of the Class of 1994 even have a job to be nervous about. "I just want to find out where I can get my unemployment checks," said Engineering senior Mark Simon. "They don't tell you about that at the [Career Planning and Placement Service.]" Derron Simon, a College senior, said he had not given employment much thought. "I figure I could always work at the shore," he said. College senior Willis Gay also expressed nonchalance about his future. "I've got the rest of my life to figure out the rest of my life," he said. Tanya Weingerg, a College senior, said she is going to "do all the things I couldn't do as a student," now that she has completed her studies at the University. "I want to go to the beach, I want to go around the world, I want to climb the tallest tree," she said. Weinberg said she is not worried about finding a job, though. "I'm relieved [to graduate]," she said. Peter Chung, a Wharton senior, said he felt "unsettled" rather than relieved about facing the job market. "I'd feel a lot better if I knew what I was doing after graduation," he said.
(05/26/94 9:00am)
The age-old University tradition of the Baccalaureate -- a non-secular spiritual ceremony held before Commencement -- was continued last Wednesday when hundreds of graduating seniors and their families congregated in Irvine Auditorium to contemplate the newest milestone in their lives. Committee on Strengthening the Community Chairperson Gloria Twine Chisum delivered the keynote address at the event, which, according to Chisum, was originally a "religious" ceremony. Although, for many, the importance of religion in society has eroded over the years, the Baccalaureate remains a "reflective" part of the graduation process which "address[es] the quality of life," Chisum said. Introduced by Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson as a "wonderful human being" who is "deeply committed to the University and the city," Chisum told graduates that they were "members of the elite of the world" because of their education. "You are the product of the best society and education has to offer," she said. Chisum reflected on her experiences as the Commission's chairperson. She said that she, along with the rest of the University community this year, learned that "freedom carries with it responsibility." The racially tense atmosphere at the University taught community members the importance of "being sensitive to another person's wishes," Chisum said. Interim President Claire Fagin also stressed the importance of self-knowledge in her Baccalaureate speech. "You honor yourself best when you cherish who you are," she said. Like Chisum, Fagin urged graduates to make "other people's dignity as precious to you as your own." Christian Association Executive Director Beverly Dale and Hillel Director Jeremy Brochin gave readings at the ceremony, and University Chaplain Stanley Johnson led non-secular prayers. Johnson said the Baccalaureate is not necessarily a religious affair, but "an opportunity to quietly contemplate the values of educations and what you just spent four years doing." Many students were impressed and moved by the ceremony. Wharton senior Joe Quesada said that Chisum gave "a good synopsis of the whole year" when she spoke of her experiences with the Commission. Brochin said Monday that the Baccalaureate was "lovely." "It's nice that people can gather in a spiritual context," he said.
(05/13/94 9:00am)
President Clinton appointed United Negro College Fund President and former Congressman William Gray as special advisor on Haiti last week. Gray, whose son, Bill, attends the University, was a member of the Commission on Strengthening the Community, which released its report in March on ways to improve campus relations. Commission Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the University Board of Trustees Gloria Chisum called Gray "an elegant choice." Clinton said in a press conference in the Rose Garden on May 8 that he appointed Gray, the former House Majority Whip and Chair of the House Budget Committee, to the post because he wants to bring "new vigor" to the U.S. response to the crisis in Haiti. "He is a man of vision and determination, of real strength and real creativity," Clinton said. "And I appreciate his willingness to accept this difficult and challenging assignment." Gray stated at the press conference that he shares the president's determination to "help end the suffering of the Haitian people?" He also said he will not accept pay for his new position, a decision lauded by many University officials. Chisum, who worked with Gray in developing the Commission's report, said Tuesday she expects Gray to excel in his new position as well. "He possesses the rare combination of practicality and tremendous empathy with people," Chisum added. Interim President Claire Fagin said she thinks Gray will make a "vital contribution, if anyone will." Gray is one of the "greatest people there is," she added. Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, who said she has been a fan of Gray's for years, called Clinton's appointment "terrific and absolutely stunning." Gray, who attended Nelson Mandela's inauguration this week, was unavailable for comment.
(05/13/94 9:00am)
Wharton alumnus Ernesto Perez Balladares was elected president of Panama last Sunday, defeating six other candidates in the first Panama presidential election since the 1989 U.S. invasion. "We're excited," Interim President Claire Fagin said this week. "But not surprised." Balladares won the election by capturing one-third of the popular vote. Wharton Dean Thomas Gerrity said he is very excited that a Wharton alum was selected to lead the small, Spanish-speaking country. "It's terrific," he said. "Our objective always has been to educate future leaders in every realm." He added that Wharton's "track record confirms this." Wharton Associate Dean of International Relations Jeffrey Sheehan said Balladares, a graduate of the class of 1970, was elected president during the same week that a 1958 Wharton M.B.A. recipient, Yoshio Terasawa, was elected cabinet minister in the Economic Planning Agency of Japan. Pridyathorn Devakula, a classmate of Balladares, was also recently appointed import/export president of the Bank of Thailand, Sheehan said. But, he added that it is a particularly "momentous occasion when the first Wharton graduate is elected chief of a country." He said the "international perspectives and good language skills" of the three Wharton alumni also paved the road to their accomplishments. Emeritus Finance Professor Morris Mendelson was teaching at Wharton while Balladares was a student. Although Mendelson does not remember Balladares personally, he said it is "always nice to hear when your students succeed -- and I would imagine being elected president of a country, even if it's a small country, is success." Before being elected president, Balladares served in the ministries of treasury and economic policies under the populist dictator, General Omar Torrijos. Balladares directed the 1989 presidential campaign of Carlos Duque, the candidate for General Manuel Antonio Noriega, who is serving a 40-year prison sentence in Florida for drug trafficking. Earlier this year, Luis Donaldo Colosio, who received a master's degree in regional development from the University, was selected by Mexico's ruling party as its presidential candidate for the 1994 election. Colosio was assassinated in March.
(05/13/94 9:00am)
A raging party that spread over Superblock late last month was not a welcome distraction to many students living in the high rises, busily hitting the books for what is commonly known as "Exam Weekend." At least 100 students called University Police Saturday, April 30 to complain about the noise level of the party, according to a University Police employee who requested anonymity. Physical Plant Facility Coordinator Flo Freeman issued the permit for the block party -- an annual festivity held in celebration of the Penn Relays -- to the Bi-Cultural Inter-Greek Council. She said she did not consider that students would be inconvenienced by the noise of the party. "I don't keep track of when Exam Weekend is," Freeman said. But College sophomore David Lazarus said he could not "believe the University gave a permit on the weekend of finals -- they basically fucked the 3,000 students who live in the high rises." College senior Rebecca Perlin said the music was turned up so high, "they might as well be playing in my room." Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta said the Penn Relays block party is an important event because "Penn Relays is a big weekend for black collegiate gatherings." The unusually large size of the crowd was unexpected, though, he added. Moneta said the block party coincided with Exam Weekend because "that's the way the calender worked out." Because of the number of complaints the University Life Office received concerning the loud music, Moneta said more "pre-planning" will go into next year's event. Engineering sophomore Meng Weng Wong was so irked by the noise level of the Penn Relays block party that he started a petition on an e-mail newsgroup which he plans to give to the Office of University Life. In the petition, to which more than 30 students replied by e-mail, Wong calls the party "an event of particular inconsiderateness." Not all the replies were in accord with the petition. College junior Angela Nissel responded to the petition posted on the newsgroup by pointing out that she was "bothered by the heavy metal music that was played recently to celebrate Spring Fling, but nothing was done about that." "If you're going to complain about one event, complain about them all," she wrote. Nursing sophomore Mia Tepper, who signed Wong's petition, said she did not appreciate the noise level during Spring Fling either, or the other concerts that have been staged on Superblock this semester. "The past four Saturdays have been like hell," she said.
(04/27/94 9:00am)
It looks like Mickey Mouse and friends have returned to Disney Land. The Quadrangle Commissary, once the home of ravenous rodents, is now mouse-free, thanks to the efforts of Physical Plant workers. Director of Residential Maintenance Lynn Horner said Physical Plant workers have been working for the past week to prevent the mice from coming into the mini-grocery store in the Quad. A new locking device was put on the front door to the Commissary "so it wasn't open all the time," she said. Residential Maintenance Assistant Director Philip Genther said earlier this month that mice were able to enter the Commissary because the front door was often left ajar. Horner added that "a lot of old supplies from the Commissary were removed." "Holes [in the walls] that were seen as potential action points [for mice] were filled up," Horner said. Wharton senior James Padilla, Quad Commissary manager, said an "old conveyor belt" which attracted mice was also removed. College freshman Ali Parnian, a Commissary employee, said, "the measures [Physical Plant] has taken have been effective." He said he has not seen any mice in the past week and a half, since the workers began blocking up the mouse hot-spots in the Commissary. Parnian did say he saw mice over the past month, though, along with nibble-marks on merchandise. But Padilla said he has not seen mice in the past four to six weeks. Although mouse-occupancy in the Quadrangle dormitory and Commissary reached its peak at the beginning of the semester -- with one student, College freshman Kelley Parker, finding more than 10 in her room at one time-- no complaints were filed with the Philadelphia Public Health Department this year, Health Department spokesperson Randy Clever said yesterday. Still, though, according to a press release made by Philadelphia Acting Health Commissioner Estelle Richman, mice, particularly in food establishments, pose a major health threat. "Rats and mice are responsible for the spread of a large number of diseases," she states. "Transmission occurs by contamination of food or food contact surfaces from saliva, their urine, and feces. "It is clear that insects and rodents in food establishments are not just an aesthetic concern," Richman added.
(04/27/94 9:00am)
Former President Richard Nixon will be buried today in his hometown of Yorba Linda, Calif. He died last Friday at age 81 after suffering a stroke which sent him into a coma from which he never awoke. President Clinton signed an executive order last week, declaring a national day of mourning today. Federal offices will be closed and mail will not be delivered as a tribute to Nixon. To many, both around the country and at the University, Nixon was a symbol of political courage and accomplishment. College senior Dana Lynch, former two-term chairperson of College Republicans, said Nixon was "the best foreign policy president we had." "He was very resilient as a politician -- he always bounced back from adversity," Lynch said. He added that Nixon's resignation saved the American presidency. "If we would have stayed, he would have been impeached, and the respect and power placed on the American presidency would have dissolved," he said. Engineering sophomore James Ingraham disagreed, saying that Nixon's death is "no great loss." Reacting to President Clinton's executive order, which essentially shuts down the federal government today, College freshman Andy McBrien asked the question, "Why are we celebrating his death [when] we almost impeached [him]?" College sophomore Eric Tienou, the Undergraduate Assembly's communications director, disagreed. While praising Clinton's Executive Order, Tienou said he is upset that Nixon's body will not lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C. Although many students and History professors said Nixon will be remembered most for the Watergate scandal, many agreed that his importance in the modern political era is much more far-reaching. History Professor Thomas Sugrue said Nixon was "a man who has lived through and influenced everything in American politics, good and bad." Along with having been a major spokesperson for McCarthyism, Nixon also served as a bridge between the old Republicans and the new right wing of the party, Sugrue said. He added that Nixon was a fascinating president because he "combines in one political career so many of the competing currents of American politics." While Sugrue said Nixon was a critic of civil rights, he added that the president was a primary architect of Affirmative Action. Students viewed Nixon in the context of recent U.S. presidents. "The most recent Republican presidents we have had are so awful that Nixon appears quite favorable in comparison," said History graduate student Sebastian Frede. Compared to the "criminally unintelligent" former President Ronald Reagan and the "blue-stocking aristocrat" former President George Bush, Nixon appeared to be much more competent, Frede said. He added that Nixon was "an intelligent man, just not a very honest man." College freshman Olexa Horbashevki said Nixon's claim to fame is that he is the first and only president to resign. He said Nixon's foreign policy accomplishments with China and the former Soviet Union are only a "footnote." Lynch said Nixon's death will bring about a rethinking of his achievements in the Oval Office. "Now that President Nixon is dead, historians will look at him in a different fashion," he said. "I think historians will go against the trend to just put a label of Watergate on his head."
(04/22/94 9:00am)
Negotiations between the University and the city over the acquisition of the Philadelphia Civic Center have been at a dead halt for the past month, Executive Vice President Janet Hale said Wednesday night. Although the University still plans to purchase the Civic Center site, University officials have not communicated with city officials "since the past month or so," Hale said. The University officially announced its intentions to purchase the Civic Center and turn the site into an ambulatory care unit for the Medical Center at a community meeting on October 14 of last year. Medical Center Senior Vice President Gordon Williams said in January that he predicted the deal would be finalized this spring. But he said yesterday, "we're not even trying to predict [when negotiations will be finalized] anymore." He added that negotiations may run into the fall. Williams blamed the arrested progress of the Civic Center deal on the city. He explained that the city "put its full energy into getting the [Philadelphia] budget passed" during the past few months. Aside from the budgetary delays in negotiations, Williams said the complexity of the deal has slowed the negotiation process as well. "There are at least 150 variables involved in this deal," he explained. "This is a big piece of land." Craig Schelter, executive vice president of the Philadelphia Industrial Corporation, which handles the city's negotiations with the University, refused to comment on the status of the Civic Center deal. Interim President Claire Fagin said last night that she had planned to report on the deal at today's University Board of Trustees meeting, but "things were pretty quiet." At the October community meeting, Williams said the costs of developing the site are estimated at $900 million to $1 billion. The development of the site into an ambulatory care unit would create approximately 4,500 jobs per year over the 20-year life of the project, he added at the meeting. Hale said she is "continuing to be ever hopeful" that the deal will be finalized soon.
(04/19/94 9:00am)
The flood of publicity about the proposed relocation of the Penn's Women's Center to the Theta Xi fraternity house on Locust Walk has aroused an array of feelings from student leaders and staff members affiliated with the Center. Some voiced concern over a phone survey conducted earlier this month by four student groups which questioned 380 students about their feelings concerning the Women's Center's proposed move, and called the poll "biased." Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi said she thinks Red and Blue Editor-in-Chief Christopher Robbins, a College sophomore, has "some real anti-woman concerns," adding that the poll -- which was co-sponsored by the Red and Blue -- "promoted his bias." Penn Women's Alliance Leadership Team Member Debra Pickett agreed, saying one of the poll's questions -- "Would you prefer having the Theta Xi fraternity become a coffee house or cafe or a Women's Center?" -- contained "glaring factual errors." Not all of the space in the fraternity house has been designated for the sole use of the Center, Pickett said. This has been confirmed by plans for the Theta Xi house which were made public last month by acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum. "Anyone who takes the time to read the poll will see it's not exactly [as if] Time Magazine or The New York Times or CNN [conducted] the poll," Pickett said. College junior Peter Spiers, president of the Penn Political Union -- another group which co-sponsored the poll -- said he too did not like the fact that the poll made students choose between the Women's Center and a cafe. He said his organization originally decided to sponsor the poll because "it's always a beneficial thing to allow students to voice their opinions on issues." Spiers said he was not aware about the allocation of space to the Women's Center in the Theta Xi house because The Daily Pennsylvanian did not make it "obvious." Pickett disagreed. "I read the DP. It was clear to me," she said. Spiers said, however, that he sometimes does not read the article, "just the headline." Also responding to the recent publicity about the Women's Center's move, some students and faculty reacted strongly to statements made by Robbins, who voiced his opposition to the move at the Spruce Street House-sponsored debate about the relocation last week. College sophomore Mary-Jane Lee, president of the University's NOW chapter, said she does not think Robbins has "a lot of well-founded knowledge" about the Center. She said Pickett, who spoke on behalf of the Center at the debate, was "coming from the standpoint where [she knows] something about the Women's Center." Robbins, however, "based his speech on his personal opinions," Lee added. "I thought it was great that so many audience members [at the debate] stood up against [Robbins]," she said. DiLapi said she disagrees with a statement made by Robbins at the debate that the Center "only represents a few radical women on campus." "I know of no one who has ever been turned away from the Women's Center," she said. People from different racial and religious groups visit the Center for a variety of reasons everyday, DiLapi added. "We are always booked to capacity," she said. DiLapi also questioned the objectivity of the DP in its coverage of Center issues in general. She said reporters have "focused on the negative response to the proposed move," even though most responses to the Women's Center have been positive. The DP "created the controversy" about the Women's Center's move, DiLapi said. She added that because of "biased coverage by The Daily Pennsylvanian," many people do not know about the variety of educational programs sponsored by the Center. "A lot of work we do doesn't get printed," DiLapi said.
(04/15/94 9:00am)
The importance of quality teaching in the College of Arts and Sciences was the topic of the annual Committee on Undergraduate Education's colloquy held Wednesday afternoon in Bennett Hall. An even mix of students and faculty crowded Penniman Library to hear 10 professors and one student give brief commentaries on the state of teaching in the College and propose means of improving undergraduate education at the University. Following the presentations, students and faculty voiced their opinions about the commentaries. College Dean Matthew Santirocco, who is leaving the University to become a dean at New York University next semester, said CUE's colloquy focused on teaching because "a lot of conversations about teaching [with students and faculty] suggest that there's a lot to be done -- we need to find a consensus with students and faculty about where we might go next year." Sociology Professor Philip Morgan disagrees with the notion that there are problems with the state of teaching in the College. He said the University is a "research university," which by nature prioritizes teaching less than smaller institutions do. "If you want to go to Swarthmore, you should transfer," Morgan said. He added that although students may complain about professors' teaching abilities, "I think people often vote with their feet, and they're staying on their ass." "I say Penn's doing a good job," Morgan said. Mathematics Department Chairperson Dennis DeTurck took a different approach, saying that "teaching is far from the most important" part of education. "A university is about learning and teaching is only one aspect of this process," he said. College senior Michael Treisman -- who gave a presentation of his viewpoint at the colloquy -- disagreed. He said that asking the question of how important is teaching in the College is like asking, "how important is food to the body, how important is tuition to the University, how important is tenure to the faculty." Treisman said he is concerned "teaching no longer entails the imparting of knowledge." But School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said, "most great teachers are great because they love to teach...and you can not get tenure at Penn unless you are a great teacher." Daffodil Tyminski said that as a College senior who could have graduated in three years, she is concerned that the coursework is not "rigorous" enough. She said students should be forced to "work as hard as they can in classes." Classical Studies Undergraduate Chairperson Jeremy McInerney was surprised by this. "The constant criticism I've gotten every semester is 'too much reading'," he said. "Now I give less reading than a very good prep school and I still get complaints that it's 'too much.'"
(04/14/94 9:00am)
Ten students were selected to fill positions on the United Minorities Council Executive Board, standing committees and liaisons at the group's elections last night in the Greenfield Intercultural Center. Wharton sophomore Adriana Lopez, who ran unopposed, was selected as treasurer-elect. She will replace College junior Karen Velazquez next semester. In her election speech, Lopez said she believes her work as a restaurant assistant manager in her home state of Texas and as a customer service representative for the AMTEC Corporation has equipped her with the experience to handle the position of treasurer of the UMC. She said she hopes to engage the UMC in more activities with other student groups next semester. "I want to become active in raising more money for the UMC," Lopez said. Wharton freshman Fred Yee defeated College sophomore Jamila Northington to become corresponding secretary. Northington was elected, though, to the position of recording secretary, defeating College freshman Alexia Rodriguez. Yee said he will "foster group interaction, keep the UMC and its constituent groups up-to-date, and keep with a good talking basis with the administration" as corresponding secretary. Northington's past leadership experience includes serving on the Committee for Celebration of Culture. College sophomore Claudine Chen-Young was elected chairperson of Celebration of Culture. She ran uncontested. The position of Celebration of Culture co-chairperson of Celebration will remain vacant until next semester, current UMC Chairperson Jun Bang said last night. Chen-Young said she intends to bring arts and crafts to next year's Celebration of Culture. Promoting the Celebration of Culture to the "greater Philadelphia area" is also one of her priorities, she added. College sophomore Marcy Bruce and College freshman Steve Kwon defeated Wharton sophomore Raul Quiroga in the race for co-chairpersons of Admissions. Quiroga was elected Connaissance Liaison, however, defeating Rodriguez. Bruce said in her election speech that she hopes to induce "more interaction between Penn and Philadelphia high schools" as co-chairperson-elect of admissions. Kwon said in his election speech that one of his goals as co-chairperson of admissions that he will encourage the Admissions Office to "fund students who can't afford to fly in for the Minority Scholars Invitational Weekend." Although Quiroga had hoped to be elected co-chairperson of admissions, he said he is happy that he won Connaissance liaison." "My initial reaction was that I still feel I can give a lot to the UMC by being the Connaissance liaison," he said. Quiroga said he intends next semester to "get more diverse minority speakers" to visit the campus through Connaissance. College sophomore Diana Flores was selected to serve as Social Planning and Events Committee liaison. She ran unopposed. In her election speech, she said she was running for the position because "it is important for minority groups to be involved with non-minority groups." "SPEC is a campus-wide group," Flores added. Also running unopposed, College sophomore Angela Toledo was elected as Houston Hall Liaison. She said next year she hopes to "see the UMC become more united, and to have it become more known on campus." At the UMC President's Meeting on March 16, College junior Liz Melendez was elected chairperson, defeating College junior and current UMC Corresponding Secretary Shreya Patel. Wharton junior Jenny Ho was elected vice chairperson at the March 16 meeting as well. Yesterday's elections were postponed a week because of poor candidate turnout at last week's scheduled meeting.
(04/13/94 9:00am)
The University's expansion into West Philadelphia was one of the main topics of discussion during a West Philadelphia Town Meeting at the Woodland Presbyterian Church at 42nd and Pine streets last night. Philadelphia Office of Housing and Community Development Director John Kromer and several community leaders brought up ways the University has been responsible for the gradual decay of the surrounding West Philadelphia community. According to Kromer, "Escort Services has a real negative impact" on West Philadelphians. Linda Blythe, who moderated the discussion, agreed. She explained that Escort Services takes students "off the streets." Explaining that there are people who threaten the safety of pedestrians, Blythe said the more "normal people there are walking around," the safer the streets of West Philadelphia will be. She went on to say that she personally has felt safe walking through treacherous areas "as long as I saw someone who looked normal that would be able to help me if I cried out for help." Kromer, following up Blythe's remarks, asked audience members if "there isn't another way to insure the safety of the students without having such a detrimental impact on West Philadelphia." Several speakers at the Town Meeting also complained that students living off-campus made life in West Philadelphia unpleasant. Spruce Hill Community Association Vice President David Hockman said West Philadelphians are often "assaulted by anti-social behavior of students who still think they're on campus," referring to the loud parties often hosted by students at off-campus residences. He also said students living off-campus attract criminals to the neighborhood by failing to take adequate safety precautions. Hockman said he feels it would be beneficial to the West Philadelphia community if the University would shift students to dormitory living. While he admits that the cost of Residential Living is "exorbitant," he said, "there is a better way to fit their needs than single property homes." Kromer said the University needs to display "more academic committment" to West Philadelphia as well. The projects about West Philadelphia conducted by undergraduates in the Wharton School and the Urban Studies Department have "no value for the neighborhood." "They are one-shot projects," he said. Kromer said he plans to suggest to University administrators that "at least one credit course involving semester-long, interdisciplinary focus on West Philadelphia community issues" be added to the curriculum. History Professor Lynn Lees, a member of the Penn Faculty and Staff Concerned About Neighborhood Issues, also spoke at the Town Meeting. "The fates of the area and the University are intertwined," she said.
(04/12/94 9:00am)
While radio stations nationwide pumped out non-stop Nirvana music this weekend as a tribute to Nirvana rock band member Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide last Friday, student and Philadelphia rock musicians shook their heads over the "stupidity" of his suicide. "He was in a bad mood," said Kurt Heasly, a member of the Lilies, a Philadelphia rock band. "There's a really nasty side effect to sticking a shot gun in your mouth." Heasly added that before Cobain "pulled the trigger," he had the choice of "should I die or go for a sandwich?" "Personally, I would go for the sandwich," he said. College senior Aron Katz, a member of the campus band The Lidds, said he "didn't buy" the explanation offered in Cobain's suicide note that Cobain killed himself because he "couldn't handle commercial success." "Oh, I pity the poor guy," Katz said sarcastically. Joey Sweeney, a singer for the Barnabys, a rock band whose first album, "Augustus Loop" recently went on sale, did not share Katz's cynicism. "[Cobain] seemed like he possessed a lot of humility -- he wasn't into the rock star trip to begin with," he said. Sweeney said Cobain committed suicide because he "couldn't deal with the gift he was dealt." "There's a hazard that comes with putting art out because it's part of you," he said. Sweeney added that he thought disc jockeys at WDRE and other local radio stations "cheapened" Cobain's death by commenting on his motive for suicide. "They said it was a 'selfish thing to do,' " he said. "Well, yeah, suicide's like that -- they should just shut their fucking mouth and play the music. "[The disc jockey] was trying to make sense of it -- you can't make sense of death or suicide," Sweeney said. Engineering sophomore and Daily Pennsylvanian artist Adam Matta, who plays for Thumper, a student band, said Cobain's suicide is "the kind of thing the media blows out of proportion." Because Nirvana was one of the groups to initiate the "grunge movement" in Seattle, Wash., many media commentators have now declared that "grunge is dead" as a result of Cobain's suicide, Matta said. According to Sweeney, Cobain will be "a lot more respected" by Americans than if he had lived to be 50, because his suicide "freezes time --it makes Kurt Cobain this static thing that existed."
(04/12/94 9:00am)
While radio stations nationwide pumped out non-stop Nirvana music this weekend as a tribute to Nirvana rock band member Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide last Friday, student and Philadelphia rock musicians shook their heads over the "stupidity" of his suicide. "He was in a bad mood," said Kurt Heasly, a member of the Lilies, a Philadelphia rock band. "There's a really nasty side effect to sticking a shot gun in your mouth." Heasly added that before Cobain "pulled the trigger," he had the choice of "should I die or go for a sandwich?" "Personally, I would go for the sandwich," he said. College senior Aron Katz, a member of the campus band The Lidds, said he "didn't buy" the explanation offered in Cobain's suicide note that Cobain killed himself because he "couldn't handle commercial success." "Oh, I pity the poor guy," Katz said sarcastically. Joey Sweeney, a singer for the Barnabys, a rock band whose first album, "Augustus Loop" recently went on sale, did not share Katz's cynicism. "[Cobain] seemed like he possessed a lot of humility -- he wasn't into the rock star trip to begin with," he said. Sweeney said Cobain committed suicide because he "couldn't deal with the gift he was dealt." "There's a hazard that comes with putting art out because it's part of you," he said. Sweeney added that he thought disc jockeys at WDRE and other local radio stations "cheapened" Cobain's death by commenting on his motive for suicide. "They said it was a 'selfish thing to do,' " he said. "Well, yeah, suicide's like that -- they should just shut their fucking mouth and play the music. "[The disc jockey] was trying to make sense of it -- you can't make sense of death or suicide," Sweeney said. Engineering sophomore and Daily Pennsylvanian artist Adam Matta, who plays for Thumper, a student band, said Cobain's suicide is "the kind of thing the media blows out of proportion." Because Nirvana was one of the groups to initiate the "grunge movement" in Seattle, Wash., many media commentators have now declared that "grunge is dead" as a result of Cobain's suicide, Matta said. According to Sweeney, Cobain will be "a lot more respected" by Americans than if he had lived to be 50, because his suicide "freezes time --it makes Kurt Cobain this static thing that existed."
(04/12/94 9:00am)
Heated exchanges abounded during a panel discussion about the proposed relocation of the Penn Women's Center to the Theta Xi fraternity house on Locust Walk last night in McClelland Hall. Four students, two pro and two con, led a debate about whether the Women's Center should relocate to Locust Walk -- or exist at all. Red and Blue Editor-in-Chief Christopher Robbins, a College sophomore, introduced his stance against the proposed move by suggesting that the Center compromise on the issue. For the benefit of "most students who do not want it in that location," Robbins said some space should be allocated in the house for either a cafe or coffee house, which "every student wants." He said that unlike the Women's Center -- which "only represents a few radical women on campus" -- a cafe would be a place where "all students could meet." But, panel member Debra Pickett, a College junior and member of the Penn Women's Alliance leadership team who spoke on behalf of the Center, said "not all of the space [in Theta Xi] has been assigned to the Women's Center." This has been confirmed by plans for the Theta Xi house which were made public last month by acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum. Responding directly to Robbins' call for compromise, Pickett said that there will be plenty of room "remaining for whatever panacea you think will cure our race/sex relations on campus." Pickett added that a cafe already exists on Locust Walk. "It's called the Palladium," she said. Robbins said he hopes for a more "low-cost cafe?maybe with a few waitresses, maybe not." "And maybe some waiters!" shot back several audience members in unison. Robbins then said that he disputes whether the Center should exist at all, because "it only represents a few radical women on campus." He said he thinks the Center is unnecessary because women have equal rights under the law. "We need agencies to enforce [the law], and that's disputed by almost no one else but you," Pickett said in response to Robbins. College sophomore Ann Tracey also spoke against the Center's move at the forum. She said that as a feminist, she believes the Center equates women with weakness. Robbins agreed. "Women should not need a women's center," Robbins said. Daily Pennsylvanian columnist and Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community Chairperson Stephen Houghton, a College junior, questioned Robbins about his beliefs. "Since you believe the Women's Center is an admission of weakness for women, do you believe having an African American Resource Center, the [Program for the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community at Penn] and the [Greenfield Intercultural Center] means that these groups are inferior?" "I am in favor of abolishing all of those programs," Robbins replied. "Excellent education is not a homogenous experience," said Social Work graduate student Robert Miller. Miller said Robbins is "obviously speaking for white males." "I'm not clear you have the information or education to talk about society," he said. Robbins said he might have been able to learn about other cultures if Miller "didn't spend most of [his] time in the African American Resource Center." Black Student League President Robyn Kent and several other BSL members said Robbins had misinformed a Daily Pennsylvanian reporter in an interview Sunday night about a phone survey conducted by the Red and Blue and several other student groups this weekend. The BSL did not co-sponsor the survey -- which polled 380 students about their opinions concerning the Women's Center's move to Theta Xi -- because "we had serious problems with the questions," said Kent, a College junior. She explained that the BSL was "committed to taking an impartial poll on the Women's Center." After seeing the questions, however, "we declined participation in the poll," Kent said. "We don't want our names associated with the poll." The poll was co-sponsored by the Penn Political Union, the Red and Blue, the Penn Consumers Board, Connaissance and the Newman Council.
(04/11/94 9:00am)
Approximately 380 University students were polled about their feelings concerning the proposed Penn Women's Center's move to the Theta Xi fraternity on Locust Walk in a phone survey conducted by five campus groups this weekend. Members of the Red and Blue, Penn Consumers Board, Connaissance, the Black Student League and the Penn Newman Center set out to "ascertain the will and view of the [University] community" about the Women's Center's relocation to Locust Walk, Red and Blue Editor-in-Chief Christopher Robbins said last night. The College sophomore said the poll was developed in part by Luntz Associates, a polling company headed by former Adjunct Assistant American Civilization Professor Frank Luntz. Although he would not state the Red and the Blue's or his personal stance about the Women's Center's move last night, Robbins said he will voice his opinions tonight in a panel discussion entitled "Where Do You Stand? The Women's Center Move to Locust Walk." According to organizers, Robbins is slated to speak against the proposed move during the forum which will take place in the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall. The responses to the poll had not been "fully tabulated" as of midnight today, Robbins said, adding that he did not know if he would use the results during the debate. Penn Political Union member and College junior Peter Spier said the 40 to 50 randomly selected students that he polled "almost unanimously" said they would prefer the Theta Xi house to be turned into a coffee house or cafe, instead of housing the Women's Center. The poll consisted of five questions which explored both the caller's personal contact with the Women's Center, and his or her attitude about its relocation to Locust Walk. The questions were: · Have you ever utilized the services of the Women's Center? · Do you personally know a member of the Women's Center? · Do you think the Women's Center represents all women on campus? · Are you familiar with any of the services which the Women's Center provides? Finally, before asking the last question, the student poll conductors stated, "The Commission on Strengthening the Community has proposed that a coffee house or cafe, serving all students, be established on Locust Walk. "[Interim President] Claire Fagin has proposed that the Theta Xi fraternity house become the Women's Center," it continued."Would you prefer having the Theta Xi fraternity become a coffee house or cafe or a Women's Center?" Newman Center member Clare McAnany, a Nursing senior who helped organize the poll, said the questions were "as unbiased as possible." But College junior Daren Lockwood, who was polled yesterday, said he thinks the questions were "loaded." "It was hard not to answer 'no' to a lot of them," he said. "There was definitely an agenda."
(04/07/94 9:00am)
Four fire engines responded to a call at Meyerson Hall at 8:39 a.m. yesterday to put out a fire in room G-18 of the building, the office of Regional and City Planning Professor Seymour Mandelbaum. The fire was caused by a "printer that was left running," Fire and Occupational Safety Director James Miller said yesterday. The printer burst into flames at approximately 8:30 yesterday morning. Mandelbaum said he "didn't remember leaving the printer on" when he was in his office last, on Tuesday afternoon, but admitted that it was possible that he forgot to turn it off. Although the computer, printer and typewriter in G-18 were destroyed by the flames, little damage was done to the rest of Meyerson Hall, according to Graduate School of Fine Arts Dean Patricia Conway, whose office is in the building. She added, though, that the lower gallery in Meyerson "smelled like kippered herring" for the rest of the day because of the fire. Firefighter Michael Leak said the printer explosion was only a "box," or a "one-alarm fire," because "the fire was confined to that particular room." He added that it was "under control" by 8:49 a.m. yesterday, just 10 minutes after the four fire engines and two ladder trucks pulled up on 34th Street. But Miller said the entire building could have exploded "had it not been for early discovery." He said Physical Plant worker Donald Cal Cagni and two housekeeping employees discovered the fire shortly after it began to rage. They attempted to put out the fire with a hose before calling the Fire Department, Miller said. One housekeeping employee became sick with smoke inhalation. University Police escorted the employee to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to be treated with oxygen. While Housekeeping Site Manager Bart McLaughin lauded the employees' efforts to extinguish the fire as "heroic," he said he was worried that they "could have been injured." "I don't like anybody put in harm's way," he said. Firefighter Bernard Booker, who helped put out the fire, agreed that the housekeeping employees had put themselves in danger. Because the door to the inflamed room was locked, Booker said the employee put her safety at risk by opening it when she saw the smoke, because "she didn't know what was behind that closed door."
(04/06/94 9:00am)
Mouse-chewed cookies and candies are becoming a regular item on the shelves of the Quadrangle Commissary, according to several Quad residents. College freshman Darren Chapman said he saw the telltale bite marks on a Kit Kat bar on the shelf of the Penn Student Agencies owned Commissary a few weeks ago. He added that he "often [sees] candy that was nibbled up by mice." Engineering freshman Fenwick Garvey also said he has "occasionally seen one or two mice" running across the floor of the Quad Commissary. Because of his encounters with the rodents, Garvey said he will not buy "anything if it was unwrapped or had a hole chewed through it." According to Quad Commissary manager Jim Padilla, a Wharton senior, admitted that the Commissary has a problem with mice, but added that the store is looking for solutions. But, in the meantime, he said items spoiled by mice are always disposed before they are sold. "We never sold any food that was tampered with," he said. College freshman Loryn Wilson -- who wrote a letter to the editor of the Daily Pennsylvanian complaining of the rodent infestation in the Commissary last week -- said she will "only buy drinks" from the Commissary because she does not want to share her snacks with the mice. "I find it really disturbing that nothing is being done [about the mouse problem,]" she added. But Padilla insists that "it's not a Commissary thing." "It's a Quad thing," he said. In fact, Padilla blames the "lack of help from Physical Plant" on the chronic mice infestation in the Commissary. Padilla said he even called "experts in terms of extermination" for advice on the problem because "Physical Plant always seems to be backed up." Residential Maintenance Assistant Director Philip Genther said he inspected the Quad Commissary just the other day. "The place was a mess," he said. "There was merchandise on the floor." Genther said he has been "talking with every [extermination] expert on the east coast" about the problem this week. The experts confirmed that "the food source" is what attracts the mice, he said. Traps and baits will not get rid of the mice when the food source remains, Genther added. "It is important that we eliminate the food sources," he said. Genther also said mice are able to freely enter the Commissary because "the Commissary door is always open." Although the door to the Quad Commissary was closed yesterday, and Padilla set "every single type of mouse trap, from pellets to glue traps" to combat the problem, sorting through mouse-chomped packages of cookies and chips everyday was too much for one former Commissary cashier, who quit as a result of the problem. "It's kind of disgusting," said the former employee, who asked that his name be withheld. "Would you like it if there were mouse traps below you at work?"
