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(04/22/92 9:00am)
The UA is ready to play ball. The Undergraduate Assembly has begun a drive to lobby the University to build outdoor recreation facilities on University-leased land adjacent to DuPont laboratories. In a meeting with Bob Glascott, the University's director of intramural recreation sports, 16 UA representatives and five students involved in the intramural program heard a 1988 proposal to put seven turf practice fields and tennis courts, two softball fields and a park area with a fitness course on land at 34th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue. These fields will be used exclusively for the University's intramural program, Glascott said. Glascott and UA representative Sarah Doty, who heads the UA's Recreation and Facilities Committee, decided to hold yesterday's meeting to find out from students their recreation needs. The DuPont fields -- which are 1.2 miles from the High Rises -- also require increases in security and transportation and possible changes in traffic since access to the facility includes crossing the entrance to the Schuylkill Expressway. Glascott said the University has brought in a traffic expert to assess the situation and said the results will be in next week. But Glascott said the DuPont plans are still in their infancy as far as a budget and a timetable. "We don't know at this time how it's going to be funded," he said. But he did say these new developments are "the closest we've been to anything new in recreation in 25 years." Glascott added that he does not know why discussions about the DuPont facility have been re-started, but speculated that it may be due to the publicity around plans to astroturf Hill Field. But UA members said they will push to make this plan -- as well as other recreation improvements -- a priority. UA Chairperson Jeffrey Lichtman said after the meeting that he supports the DuPont plan and wants the UA to get involved to provide student input on its planning and eventual implementation. "[Recreation] needs to be pushed to the forefront of development at Penn," the College junior said. He added that the UA plans to assist the effort "through our channels [in the University]." College junior Chris Arndt, who is active in the intramural program, said he likes the idea of a field on the DuPont land, despite its distance from campus, because the current "field back-ups are incredible." Lichtman said that in addition to a push for these planned outdoor facilites, the UA will begin a drive to get a new indoor recreation facility on campus. College freshman Doty said that the implementation of such a plan will not be feasible for at least four years.
(04/21/92 9:00am)
The UA is ready to play ball. The Undergraduate Assembly has begun a drive to lobby the University to build outdoor recreation facilities on University-leased land adjacent to DuPont laboratories. In a meeting with Bob Glascott, the University's director of intramural recreation sports, 16 UA representatives and five students involved in the intramural program heard a 1988 proposal to put seven turf practice fields and tennis courts, two softball fields and a park area with a fitness course on land at 34th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue. These fields will be used exclusively for the University's intramural program, Glascott said. Glascott and UA representative Sarah Doty, who heads the UA's Recreation and Facilities Committee, decided to hold yesterday's meeting to find out from students their recreation needs. The DuPont fields -- which are 1.2 miles from the High Rises -- also require increases in security and transportation and possible changes in traffic since access to the facility includes crossing the entrance to the Schuylkill Expressway. Glascott said the University has brought in a traffic expert to assess the situation and said the results will be in next week. But Glascott said the DuPont plans are still in their infancy as far as a budget and a timetable. "We don't know at this time how it's going to be funded," he said. But he did say these new developments are "the closest we've been to anything new in recreation in 25 years." Glascott added that he does not know why discussions about the DuPont facility have been re-started, but speculated that it may be due to the publicity around plans to astroturf Hill Field. But UA members said they will push to make this plan -- as well as other recreation improvements -- a priority. UA Chairperson Jeffrey Lichtman said after the meeting that he supports the DuPont plan and wants the UA to get involved to provide student input on its planning and eventual implementation. "[Recreation] needs to be pushed to the forefront of development at Penn," the College junior said. He added that the UA plans to assist the effort "through our channels [in the University]." College junior Chris Arndt, who is active in the intramural program, said he likes the idea of a field on the DuPont land, despite its distance from campus, because the current "field back-ups are incredible." Lichtman said that in addition to a push for these planned outdoor facilites, the UA will begin a drive to get a new indoor recreation facility on campus. College freshman Doty said that the implementation of such a plan will not be feasible for at least four years.
(04/21/92 9:00am)
New Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Jeffrey Lichtman's start in student government was a fluke. In the spring of 1990, he placed 17th out of 15 College representative spots, but was appointed during the summer to fill a position vacated by a member who resigned after the person who placed ahead of him transferred. Lichtman's quirky rise to the top continued when the College junior was elected to fill the vacant Nursing University Council seat this past year, Lichtman said in a statement. Although his rise to the UA chairmanship resembles Gerald Ford's rise to the presidency, Lichtman has paid his dues in student government. In his first year, Lichtman points out that he led the UA's PennCard Committee, helping to improve the card's use, and was instrumental in collecting signatures for a petition to keep tuition down. This past year, Lichtman served as treasurer of the UA and chairperson of the UA's Budget Committee. He was also an ex-officio officer of the Student Activities Council Finance Committee, which oversees the allocation of funds to over 100 student groups. Lichtman also points to his facilitating of a Joint Co-Sponsorship Board for activities betweemn SAC and the Social Planning and Events Committee. Some of Lichtman's present and past co-workers said this month they are optimistic about the future of Lichtman's leadership. Former UA steering board member and current UA-SAC liason You-Lee Kim described Lichtman as "someone willing to listen to all sides of the story." College junior Kim also praised Lichtman for his outreach plan to foster better communication between the UA and students. "It's about time someone did it," she said. "But I think it will take more than the effort of one leader." Lichtman's vice-chairperson, College sophomore Kirsten Bartok, also said she thinks highly of Lichtman. "[He has] always impressed me with his competence and dedication in dealing with student issues," she said. This year's UA Chairperson Mitchell Winston said, "Jeff is an extremly competent leader. He is knowledgeable and willing to work hard to get the job done." Student Committee on Undergraduate Education Chairperson Hallie Levin noted immediately after Lichtman's election earlier this month that he has a "new sense of realistic, achievable, valid goals" for the future. High expectations are set for Lichtman, and UA members and students are now waiting to judge if Lichtman's rise to the UA helm was also a fluke.
(04/16/92 9:00am)
They came. They flung. They made some money. Spring Fling organizers said this week that the three-day fete last weekend was an overwhelming success, both socially and financially. Fling co-director Erik Sulman, a College junior, said Tuesday that the event at least broke even and probably made money. And College junior Joshua Perelman, also a co-director, said that Fling most likely made money because organizers sold 1850 more tickets than the 4100 needed for the Saturday concert to break even. He added that final figures for the event are still being tabulated. Money was made through the sale of advertisements, vendor spots, guest passes, T-shirts and concert tickets. In addition to the money, Sulman, Perelman and co-director Stacey Kossow all agreed that the event was extremely successful. "[We] exceeded all expectations," Sulman said. The three cited improved programming in Upper Quad and strong attendance by varied groups of students for the concert and Sunday Fling as accomplished goals. Sulman said the rides at Sunday's Superblock portion of the weekend were "filled most of the day" and that the "location allowed enjoyment for everyone." Black Student League president Martin Dias said the event was more diverse than "if they had made no effort." "A lot of first-year students had a good time, since no historical baggage came along with the name 'Spring Fling,' " Wharton junior Dias said. Social Planning and Events Committee chairperson Anne Todd said that although she "hopes we had something for everyone to meet everyone's tastes," totally diversifying Fling will take more efforts. Perelman said Fling will have to pay University Physical Plant for any damages done to the Quad, although Wharton senior Kossow said she "doesn't foresee any charges for damages." But Perelman said, "[I] know of one toilet missing from the Quad." Perelman, who said he worked closely with security on the event, said there were no major security problems related to alcohol at Fling. But he added that he does know of at least five parties in the Quad, and one which was busted because someone threw a can of beer at a University Police officer.
(04/03/92 10:00am)
In one of their first steps to seniordom, the Class of 1993 elected Wharton junior Michael Rosenband as Senior Class Board president in yesterday's run-off election. The other officers are as follows: College junior Chrissy Bass, vice-president; College junior Julie Berliner, secretary; Wharton junior Brooke Hayes, treasurer; College junior Jennifer Spandano, historian; College juniors Laurie Bieber and Ed Miller, College representatives; Wharton junior Douglas Rosenberg, Wharton representative; Engineering junior Elissa Laitin, Engineering representative; and Nursing junior Lisa Luther, Nursing representative. According to Nursing senior Christi Smith, Nursing representative to the Class of 1992 Senior Class Board and co-chairperson of the election, the new Board will take office today at 3 p.m. Smith added that she is pleased with how the elections went, saying that the candidates were "all in all very fair to each other." "[The candidates] looked after each other and kept tabs on each other so [this year's Senior Class Board] weren't policemen," she said. The new officers were generally thrilled about their new jobs and the senior class activites they will plan. Rosenband said he is "extremely excited" to work with his new board, and added that he wants to plan events that "involve everyone." Wharton Representative Rosenberg said he wants to "make the senior class tight for next year." Rosenberg also said he is excited to work with his freshman roomate Rosenband in the upcoming year. "He knows a lot of people on campus and is able to encompass and involve more people than might have been involved," he said. Newly elected College representative Bieber said she is "ecstatic" to have been elected. But Bieber said she would have "loved" to work with her twin sister Allison who withdrew from the vice-president's race. Most of the new officers are looking forward to planning the traditional senior class events such as Hey Day, Senior Week and Senior Screamers. "[I hope] to plan Screamers where they will be easy about carding for kids not 21," said Bieber.
(04/03/92 10:00am)
Jeff Lichtman has been involved in the Undergraduate Assembly, the Social Planning and Events Committee, and the Student Activities Council. Now he wants to bring his self-described experience to the chairperson seat of the UA. College junior and past UA Treasurer Lichtman said yesterday he wants to restore the respect of the UA by making the body more "accountable" to students. "Everyone believes the UA does not represent constituents," he said. "As a result, when we talk until we're blue in the face about issues, a lot goes on deaf ears." To solve this problem, Lichtman said he will form an Outreach Committee so "UA members can re-immerse themselves in student government and student organizations" and make themselves accessible to undergraduates and their views. Specifically, Lichtman said UA members would attend the meetings of various student groups. Lichtman said his experience as a leader in SAC, SPEC, and the UA puts him in the "best position" to mend bridges between the various student government organizations. For example, he cited his mediating of the negotiations between SAC and SPEC on their new Joint Co-sponsorship Board agreement to fund campus-wide cultural and social events. Lichtman also said he will stress renovation of the University's recreation facilities if elected chairperson next year. Lichtman said that he also will find a "happy medium" in balancing attention between broad policy issues and specific student needs. He wants to "personalize" broad issues for students. On the tuition issue, for example, he said he plans to lobby hard to keep need blind admissions to the University, an issue he feels all undergradutes can relate to.
(04/03/92 10:00am)
Ethan Youderian wants to give the Undergraduate Assembly back to the students. The Wharton sophomore and former UA vice-chairperson wants the UA to follow up its voice with action. Yesterday, Youderian summed up the role he wants to play if he is elected UA chairperson on Sunday by his fellow UA members. "[I plan] to know everything, to know everyone and to work with everyone about everything," he said. In a written resume, Youderian -- who was recently elected to his third term on the UA and second term on University Council -- states that he wants to continue many UA initiatives this year, such as lobbying the State legislature for funding, pressuring the University's Trustees for long-term tuition decrease and following through on the UA's white paper on the environment. He also said that safety and security, particularly the concerns of undergradutes who live off-campus, will be a central issue in a Youderian Administration. Youderian also said that he wants major facility concerns addressed, citing specifically the renovation of Butcher/Speakman/Class of 1928 in the Quadrangle, and the improvement of the high rises which Youderian called "ridiculously expensive." But Youderian said he wants to use his previous experience to counter a problem which has plagued student government all year: a lack of respect. Youderian said the UA must show administrators and students that "we know what we are talking about" and are "discussing issues that students say are important to them." "The way to gain respect is not through talk, but through action," Youderian said. Youderian also said he wants to improve the communication within the UA by having informal meetings and training sessions to "get rid of ignorance in members" and to make the body run more smoothly. To remedy the squabbling that often occurs among the various branches of student government, Youderian said he wants to encourage UA members to visit other groups -- such as the Student Activites Council -- to hear their concerns and learn about what they do.
(04/03/92 10:00am)
David Rose wants to be a "leader among leaders, not a politician among politicians." The College junior and Undergraduate Assembly chairperson candidate said yesterday he is ready to ensure that the UA is "a thorn in the administration's side" for student needs. Rose, recently re-elected to his second term on the UA, served as chairperson of the Student Services Task Force this past year and is a member of the Houston Hall Board. He is also involved in community service organizations such as the Penn Volunteer Network. Rose said he wants to change the way the UA is run and perceived on campus by undergraduates. He said the body's past meetings have "not been run professionally, productively, or efficiently." Rose explained that he wants to make sure UA members come to meetings informed about the issues and about student views. He said he wants to "take it to the street" to discover students' views and concerns on large issues, such as the diversification of Locust Walk, and smaller ones, such as installing soda machines in University residences. Rose added that he also wants to recruit students to serve on UA committees in order to increase participation. Rose said the negative student image of the UA comes from "years of ineffective government, where [the UA] claimed victories when we knew we didn't have victories." He pointed out that the oft-cited UA "victory" of petitioning the University Trustees for a low tuition increase is not a real triumph since the petition was too vague, allowing tuition to increase above the inflation rate. Rose said he wants tuition increases to stay on par with inflation. To strengthen relations between the UA and other student government organizations, Rose said the "UA has to do its own job and let everyone else do their own job." He believes he is the best candidate to do the UA's job because he "will actually tell you how to get from A to B." UA members will elect the UA Steering Board on Sunday.
(04/02/92 10:00am)
The Student Activites Council's present leadership left office Tuesday, forming a new joint organization with the Social Planning and Events Committee to fund campus-wide social and cultural events. SAC members also elected their new steering board, which yesterday morning made College junior Brandon Fitzgerald SAC's new chairperson. The other SAC Steering board members are: Wharton junior Eric Swanson, vice-chair; College junior You-Lee Kim, Undergraduate Assembly liason; Wharton junior Lincoln Singleton, Houston Hall Board liason; and College junior Shailesh Rao, SAC finance committee liason. At Tuesday's meeting, the SAC body voted to form a Joint Co-Sponsorship Board with SPEC to fund campus-wide events -- such as the Latino Festival -- that "fall between the cracks" of the two organizations' funding powers, said outgoing SAC Steering Chairperson David Wessels last night. According to Engineering senior Wessels, SAC and SPEC will equally fund the JCB, with each organization contributing $4000t for its first year. He said that SAC's portion of the money will come out of SAC's last year's contingency fund. Two leaders of SAC and SPEC, along with a UA representative who has not served in the two organizations, will compose the JCB. Wessels added that SPEC still has to approve the JCB agreement, but he said he is confident it will pass. SPEC Chairperson Anne Todd could not be reached for comment. Most of the new SAC officers welcome the formation of the JCB. New SAC Chairperson Fitzgerald said the JCB agreement is "something concrete to serve students of the University," whose events would not be able to receive funding. However, SAC's new UA liason Kim said, "I think [the JCB] is a good idea, but I see a lot of problems with it." Kim said that with SPEC's guaranteed funding expiring in 1993, SAC can not be certain that its partner will exist next year. In addition, Kim says the new organization adds to the "proliferation of bureaucracy." The new SAC officers said they are optimistic for the new year because each officer has a lot of experience in student government. "The new board is great," Singleton said. "It represents diversity present at Penn and also represents a wealth of experience in a number of different activities across the University." Fitzgerald served as SAC's UA liason last year, Singleton was a vice-president of SPEC and Kim served on UA's Steering Board last year as well as in many other University organizations. Fitgerald said that as SAC chairperson, he will support the renewal of SPEC's funding and will try to mend the rocky relations SAC has had with the UA, which flirted with cutting SAC's funding in half last month. Fitzgerald said he has spoken with the possible candidates for UA chairperson about holding an information session with UA members to explain what SAC does. "It is obvious with some decisions the UA is making that they are not aware of what other undergraduate branches of student government do," he said.
(04/01/92 10:00am)
The first round of Senior Class Board elections ended yesterday, amidst charges by one presidential candidate that she was unfairly disqualified in a misguided process. Presidential candidate Kerry Kennedy said last night that the present Senior Class Board was "inconsistent" and "unfair" in disqualifying her for placing campaign posters in places that violate the election codes. Senior Class Board Nursing Representative and co-chairperson of the election Christi Smith said that Wharton junior Ed Matz and College junior Michael "Scoops" Rosenband are in a run-off election for president. Wharton juniors Brooke Hayes and Aron Schwartz are running off for treasurer and Cindy Dauber and Douglas Rosenband are in a run-off for Wharton representative. Smith would not give the winners for the other races, saying that Senior Class Board members decided to release all the winners at one time. College junior Kennedy said last night that members of the current board knew her signs were in violation of the rules when she put them up, but did not remove them as the rules stated, instead waiting until grievances were filed. She said she was told that four people filed grievances with the board. But at her hearing before the board late Monday night, board members would not tell her who her accusers were. Kennedy said that Senior Class Board President Brandt McKee told her at the meeting that he saw a questionable poster on a table within the 75 foot diameter zone around the polling place, but did not take it down. Wharton senior McKee said last night that he did not say this to Kennedy, nor did he see the sign. According to Kennedy, the other violations consisted of two signs placed in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall without an Office of Student Life stamp and placing two posters within five feet of each other in a tree on Locust Walk. Kennedy vehemently denied that she put the signs up in the Wharton School, saying that they were not mounted or covered like her other signs. But McKee said that "candidates are responsible for their campaign. [They are] responsible for the actions of selves, friends, and any materials used in their campaign." Kennedy said that other candidates saw the final sign violation "all day long" and did not say anything about it. "If [other candidates] really thought it was an unfair advantage, they would have had me move it," she said. Kennedy also said that since she was notified at 10 p.m. on Monday of her immediate hearing, she did not have enough time to prepare her defense for her actions. She also said the whole process is unfair because there is no appeals procedure. "[You] have a group of kids sitting around late at night who all have things to do. I don't think they gave my case the attention it deserved," Kennedy said. Kennedy's supporters also were disappointed with her disqualification because her name was left on the ballot for Tuesday's election, thereby effectively voiding their votes. College junior Lisa Greenberg, who voted for Kennedy on Monday, said she approached the polling booth yesterday to vote again for president for another candidate, but was denied. "It is like a Third World country not a liberal arts university," Greenberg said. "The whole thing is disgusting." College junior and candidate for treasurer Allison Bieber took herself out of the race before elections began, and said Senior Class Board members said they would notify voters of the ballot change. Members also placed a sign made by Bieber on the polling place announcing her withdrawal. McKee said Kennedy was not taken off the ballot because it is a "potentially embarassing and emotional situation" for the candidate. McKee said he made the final decision and he felt "justified" in making it.
(03/06/92 10:00am)
The SEPTA subway-surface line and four blocks of Spruce Street were closed yesterday morning because of a gas leak investigators think began at the Getty gas station on 39th and Baltimore streets. Lieutenant Richard Brooks of the Philadelphia Fire Department said SEPTA called the department at approximately 4 a.m. After the on-site fire commander determined that the gasoline was not at an explosive level, he decided that evacuating the University buildings surrounding the area was not necessary, Brooks said. However, officials did decide to halt traffic on Spruce Street between 34th and 38th streets and to close the subway-surface line for the second straight day. Maser added yesterday that the gas leak was unrelated to Wednesday's SEPTA accident, in which 23 people were injured when two trolleys collided underneath Market Street. Jim Miller, University director of fire and occupational safety, who was called to the site early yesterday morning, said investigators knew the source of the leak came from "west of 38th Street." Therefore, he said, the "most likely cause was the Getty station." Miller added that he has been at the University for 11 years and that, to his knowledge, this is the "first time [a gas leak] happened." When notified of the gas leak, the Getty station immediately began pumping the gas out of its underground tanks, Getty Petroleum Engineer Alan Mack said yesterday at the station. After the tanks were emptied, the fire department flushed water through the tanks and the lines that run from the tanks to the pumps. The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections took over the fire department's investigation late this morning, overseeing a private contractors' testing of the station. John Millard, Getty territory sales manager, said that by 5 p.m., investigators determined that the lines were not leaking, but had not yet ruled out the underground tanks. Tests to determine if the tanks were indeed the cause of the leak were still continuing last night. Miller said that if the Getty station was not the source of the fumes then it will be a "long hard process to try to determine where the leak happened from." Millard said last night that the Getty station's tanks were inspected last summer, and that the station hopes to be open today. While the experts were trying to determine the source of the leak, trolley cars ran above ground on the outskirts of campus, bikes whizzed down barren Spruce Street, and students heading home for Spring Break were inconvenienced. "It pretty much destructs my whole schedule," said Wharton freshman Doug Lipton. "I can't even get a taxi close to where I am now. I have to walk close to four blocks." Staff writers Melissa Fragnito and Gayle Meyers contributed to this story.
(03/04/92 10:00am)
On a nice clear day in 1990, Phil Eidelson stepped onto Smith Walk for his first day of class and had a weird sense of deja vu. Eidelson, a 1950 Wharton graduate, returned to his college days at the University as part of the Senior Associates program. Eidelson said last week after his History 361 class that after retiring, he decided to resume learning. "For 40 years, I did nothing like this. I find this stimulating and different from my business career," he said. Eidelson and a couple hundred senior citizens each semester participate in the College of General Studies Senior Associates program which enables people 65 years old and older to audit University classes. According to Karen Weidel, assistant dean of CGS, the program began in the late 1970s and was open only to retired Philadelphia schoolteachers. After a few years, it expanded to include anyone over 65. Weidel said there is no charge for auditing the classes, but the University does ask that the Senior Associates contribute $50 for auditing one class and $75 for two classes. Senior Associates are limited to two classes each semester. Weidel added that the money collected from the senior students is then used to provide scholarships for needy undergraduates in CGS. The associates are able to sit in any University class that a professor allows them to, said Weidel, but usually they audit classes in the College, particularly those in history, political science, and English. Ed Berkowitz, a 1949 College graduate, said he has audited classes in history, architecture, and archaelogy over the past several years because he has "enjoyed learning all my life." Another senior associate, Rena Benjamin, a Temple University graduate, said she has taken approximately 13 courses over the last two years because, "I'm retired. [Class] structures my life." Eidelson said his perspective on learning has changed over the years and is different from his younger classmates. He explained that if a professor does not show up to class, undergraduates are happy for the free time, but he is "disappointed." Another difference between the seniors and undergraduates is the price they paid for their degrees. Benjamin pointed out that when she went to Temple in the 1930s, she paid $250 a year -- a far cry from the University's 1992 tuition. Many senior associates said they are reluctant to speak out in class and most do not attend recitations. But the ones who do offer unique perspectives to their classes. "They have, if you will, wisdom that a lot of 20-year-old undergraduates haven't had yet," Associate History Professor Robert Engs said Monday. He added that in some modern history classes he has taught, these "living sources of history" have added to the discussion. While discussing the Depression in one class, Eidelson said, "my being there made that period of time more than just history." Berkowitz added that in a class on ancient buildings he was able to add insight on the windows they studied from his experience in the window manufacturing business. Senior associates seem to make the most out of their new academic careers. As Eidelson summed up, "it's the best kept secret in Philadelphia."
(03/04/92 10:00am)
Residential Living will centralize its services to one office in order to make the department more efficient and serviceable for students, a department official said Tuesday. Jim Newswanger, assistant to the director of residential living, said that over the next two years, Residential Living plans to put the main functions of its branch offices into one central office, tentatively to be located in High Rise East. Currently North, South, and West campuses each have their own offices that contain all the services that Residential Living provides. Under the new plan, all the services will be located in one office. The move, which will begin this fall, is part of a strategy to provide "better service to students" in a way that is "more cost effective," said Newswanger. He said the first area to be consolidated will be student services such as security and maintenance. Deputy Vice Provost George Koval said yesterday that this initial phase of the plan, which was approved two months ago, is the only one finalized so far. He said this organizational change is the only way to "maximize efficiency and better services" in on-campus residences without spending more money. "[We are] not going to save anything, just maximize funding," he said. Koval added that the proposed state budget cuts to the University would not affect Residential Living's funding since its money comes from collected rent. However, he added that two of the factors contributing to the belt-tightening include the low occupancy rate in the dormitories and the fact that no jobs will be lost in the reorganization. With the main organs of the area offices going to a central location, Koval said there will be only "skeleton representation" left to act as a liason to the other areas of Residential Living. Koval said that while Residential Living plans to open the office in High Rise East, it may be located in High Rise North where the present Residential Living office is located.
(02/28/92 10:00am)
In a fifth-floor office on Walnut Street, nine University employees hunt for the world's riches. According to Robert Millar, director of development, research, and analysis for the campaign, they try to find and target individuals and groups that can donate at least $25,000 over five years. But these wealthy donors do not just appear. Millar and his staff are charged with the job of trying to hunt down and find these riches. The five-year campaign -- which aims to raise funds for the endowment, renovation of old buildings, and ongoing support for the University -- will end in October of 1994. Millar said Wednesday that the campaign initially set a goal of 14,000 donors in this $25,000 price range to meet the $1 billion goal. At the beginning of the campaign in October 1989, they started with a base of 3,000 donors, said Millar, a 1987 College graduate. They met the 14,000 person goal two years later. Yet to reach this level, the research staff does daily searches of national newspapers and magazines, such as The Wall Street Journal, Business Week and Forbes, to find the "movers and shakers of the world," said Millar. While combing these sources, the researchers look for many things. Rick Nahm, who as senior vice president for development is in charge of the campaign, said last month that they search for people who have "VIP titles" such as CEO, managing partner, and president. Then, Millar said, "if the person is really successful, we just hope [they will donate]." He added they look for people who have a connection with the University or have an interest in an area the University covers. For example, he said if a person has an interest in modern art, then they would inform him of the Institute of Contemporary Art. Other ways to spot these generous individuals include consulting large source books and public stock records. Millar said two possible places to look are Who's Wealthy in America and Wealth Holders of America, but he added they are "not very good books" just "a place to look." A more credible way to search for donors is by looking at Security and Exchange Commission records, which disclose the companies' top officers and stock owners who hold more than five percent of the company's stock, said Millar. On top of poring over records and newspaper clippings, the research department uses some more unorthodox methods. Millar said when he goes to an event that lists donors such as the opera or visits a place with a donation plaque, he takes note of the big givers. Nahm also said half-jokingly that when he visits a museum he "sees if a Renoir is donated by [someone who] went to Penn." One of the most recent strikes of the campaign's research staff, said Millar, was discovering that a wife of one man listed on the Forbes 400 richest Americans is an University alumna. Millar would not give the person's ranking in the list, but did say the minimum requirement for the Forbes 400 is a net worth of $275 million. Another way to find potential donors is by evaluating past givers to Penn to see if they could increase their donation, said Millar. However, he added they carefully rate all donors' potential because the campaign "does not want to waste a person's time or offend him." In addition to individual donors, Millar said the campaign targets foundations and corporate gifts, but the group gifts only comprise approximately 15 percent of all contributions. Another "burgeoning area" which the office researches is donations from international sources, he said.
(02/19/92 10:00am)
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- It was a small nuclear war at the Democratic presidential debate Sunday night as the five candidates had a small clash on nuclear energy, in an otherwise lackluster debate. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown began the fight, which ended as a gang-up against current front-runner, former Massachussetts Sen. Paul Tsongas, when he questioned Tsongas' call for more nuclear energy. Earlier in the debate, Tsongas said that to protect the environment, he would base his policy on conservation, recyclables and natural gas, and for the rest he would turn to nuclear energy. After Brown alleged that Tsongas had not helped a whistle-blower at a nuclear power plant, Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey jumped in. "We're not saying you were wrong all the time, but on this issue, we think you are," Kerrey said. The conciliatory tone towards Tsongas was apparent throughout the debate, which was sponsored by Cable News Network and the League of Women Voters and moderated by CNN anchor Bernard Shaw. In response to a question by CNN's Ken Bode, Kerrey used a campaign line from Tsongas's policy manual. "I'm afraid it was actually Paul Tsongas who said that 'the Cold War is over and Japan and Germany won,' " he said. "I wish I had thought of that before. It's a great line." Then Brown endorsed Tsongas as the conservative alternative to himself. "Mr. Tsongas, I believe, represents a more conservative, alternative, business-oriented view of the future," he said. Looking past the "nuclear skirmish," the debate focused on the economic future of the country. Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin was one of the candidates who stressed the need to take money from the military and use it to build the economy. "Let's start converting our military-industrial complex to meet the needy of the future," he said. Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton defended a middle-class tax cut, charging that this point is crucial to his economic policy. "I want to make a down-payment on fairness and also to preserve the capacity of middle-class people to consume," he said. After the debate, Tsongas and Brown faced the press, while Kerrey attempted to make his way to the set-up podium, becoming entrenched at the door by pushy photographers and reporters. Standing at the side of the crowd was Democratic National Committee Chairperson Ron Brown, who said he was pleased with the debate. "If George Bush was in the debate, he would have finished sixth," he said. Brown also repeatedly stressed that the "next presidential candidate is going to be from this field," shrugging off rumors that other Democrats may throw their hats in the ring. The debate may have been great from the Democrats' point of view, but many in the media, who saw the debate from a media center, were not particularly excited. Saturday Night Live contributor and writer Al Franken summed up the feelings when he said it was "really boring." The Democratic debate may have been unexciting and generated little controversy, but on the Republican side, the situation is different as challenger Pat Buchanan has had to face protests on his campaign stops. Rabbi Avi Weiss, a noted Jewish activist, and several others have dressed themselves in concentration camp uniforms and put on signs such as "Buchanan is Duke without the sheet" to protest what they feel is Buchanan's evident anti-semitism. "Buchanan is not a great civil libertarian, but somehow he has great sympathy for Nazis," Weiss said yesterday as he protested at a Buchanan rally in Londonderry. The protesters said they have been openly harassed by Buchanan supporters, who have chased them around, covering the inflammatory signs with "Buchanan for President."
(02/17/92 10:00am)
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Amidst the buzz of enthusiastic volunteers at Paul Tsongas' headquarters on Saturday, a small child cautiously made his way to the center of New Hampshire's political attention to get the autograph of the dour Paul Tsongas. Tsongas, like any politician, knelt down and gave an autograph to the boy. But unlike almost any candidate to come through this political testing ground, he was autographing an 80-page policy manual. Ten months ago, when Tsongas was the only Democrat brave enough to challenge then popular President Bush, pundits laughed at this Greek from Massachusetts who was not running on slick advertisements or good looks, but on 80 pages of economic policy. Yet as the New Hampshire primary approaches, neither his approach nor his policy has changed, but droves of people are asking him to sign his Call to Economic Arms policy manual. Tsongas, now the Democratic front-runner in Tuesday's primary, summed up his position in a speech to his volunteers in Manchester Friday. "Vision and economic truth are important," he said. "And TV, money, and endorsements are not." Peter Fidler, a sophomore from Cornell University who joined four of his classmates in driving to Manchester to support Tsongas, said he supports Tsongas because he is the only one with a real economic plan. "[I am] not supporting a movie star for president," he added on the way to a street corner to cheer for Tsongas for the national media. On the Democratic side of the political fence, many of the differences between the candidates were showcased at a fundraising dinner Friday night where all the candidates, except for Tsongas, addressed the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, a Vietnam War hero, was greeted by a huge standing ovation as he took the podium and proceeded to wow the crowd with some of the best one-liners of the campaign. On health care: "George Bush still believes that all you have to do to see a doctor in the country is to schedule a round of golf." On Vice President Dan Quayle: "Dan Quayle was born on third base and thought he kicked a field goal." Despite his jokes, the state of the Kerrey campaign is no laughing matter, for this expected contender has yet to catch fire and now is battling Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa for third place in the polls. NBC correspondent and University Trustee Andrea Mitchell said Saturday while editing her newscast that when she saw Kerrey Friday night, it was "the first time in quite a while he gave the type of speech he is capable of doing." She added that Kerrey's poor showing is due to his "inability to connect with the people" in the past weeks. Fighting Kerrey is Harkin, who has been scrambling to finish a respectable third in order to prove his ability to win was not limited to his home state of Iowa. Going on the offense, Harkin brought his wife and two kids onto the podium at the Democratic dinner Friday night, seemingly to affirm subtly his solid family footing in the face of the controversy surrounding Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton's reported infidelity. Harkin said he "felt at home" in New Hampshire because of the "people with strong values and strong families." Sounding a different message than Harkin's traditional Democratic line was former California Gov. Jerry Brown, who tried to rally support for his insurgent, anti-incumbent campaign by calling for voters to "wake up and take [America] back." But the most effective and intense insurgent campaign is on the Republican side with conservative challenger Pat Buchanan's "America First" campaign. Buchanan, who is rising steadily in the polls against President Bush, has hit a responsive chord with some New Hampshire voters, moving them to almost fanatical support. In a gym decorated with the required red, white, and blue, a crowd of over 1200 people at Daniel Webster College in Nashua erupted in near deafening, spontaneous cheers with every shot Buchanan fired at Bush. At one point, Buchanan's conservative devotees broke into a cheer of "Read my lips. No second term," sending a clear message to Bush, who, feeling the heat, came up to New Hampshire Saturday with his "Terminator," Arnold Schwarzenegger, to secure support. Buchanan may not win the Republican primary on Tuesday, but his race has mobilized a bloc of conservative voters serious about change in their party and unafraid to admit it. As Buchanan pollster and University professor Frank Luntz said, "People who are voting for Buchanan are glad to be doing it."
(01/23/92 10:00am)
Wilson Goode has escaped City Hall, but has found refuge in the ivory tower. Former Philadelphia Mayor Goode, speaking free from political considerations, said candidly the city needs to cut personnel expenses and get money from the state and federal government to an Urban Studies class yesterday afternoon in Houston Hall. Goode stressed the city has to make tough decisions to become financially sound and to be able to provide basic services -- police, fire, sanitation, public health and public education. He said that "we are living in a period of retrenchment" where the city government will have to roll back the costs of health benefits to city workers, freeze city wages across the board for two years and receive help from the state and federal government. Goode later said it is "hard to rollback pay when City Council gives itself a $25,000 pay increase and the mayor got a $40,000 increase." He added if the state does not give Philadelphia help in providing social services, Philadelphia would be left with a "defense budget" only able to provide police and fire protection. Since Philadelphia is both a city and a county, it must provide not only the basic services all other cities in Pennsylvania provide, but also social services traditionally provided by counties. "The state should assist the city in solving the overall problems [of the city]," Goode said to the over 60 people there yesterday. "Where's your [the state's] investment in people?" The former mayor and Wharton graduate also said Philadelphia now has an unprecedented "window of opportunity" that will end by this summer to make the rollbacks and wagecuts needed for the city's fiscal stability. This window is made possible by the City Council and mayor not facing an election, as they did last year. College senior Sarah Rose said she agrees with Goode that city government must make major decisions, but she doesn't "think they're going to be made." Another student in the class, College senior Greg Cohn, said Goode "was able to be much more candid now he is out of office." But he added some of what Goode said was a "revisionist" look at his eight-year tenure as mayor where "he took great pains to paint the obstacles he had as mayor." Goode has lectured to the the Urban Studies class "The City" -- taught by Graduate School of Fine Arts Lecturer Mark Thompson -- every year for nine years. Thompson said this year Goode's visit was different since "in prior years, he come as a point person at the end to bring things together. Mayor Rendell will come to fill those shoes." Goode did offer promising signs about the city's future. He pointed to the improvement of the Center City business district, with new buildings such as Commerce Square One and Two, and the special service district as "boding well for the future." "If the heart is healthy and the heart is ticking, then the whole body will be strong," Goode said. Goode said he plans in the futrue to, "write a book, lecture, and make some money -- lots of it."
(01/21/92 10:00am)
The political fray now centered on New Hampshire is heading to Market Street as Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Clinton comes to speak at the University Science Center today at 2 p.m. According to College senior Phil Crosby, the head of the University's Students for Clinton committee, the Arkansas governor will be delivering a speech on urban renewal. Crosby also said last night that Clinton chose to give the speech at the Science Center since it is a good example of a project which renovated an area and attracted people to it for productive research. "I think he is coming to Philadelphia since it is an urban center in crisis, a lot due to the economy, and a lot to do with the Republican administrations of the past years," Crosby added. Clinton, a five-term governor of Arkansas, has been considered by many as the Democratic front-runner in the race for his party's nomination. He was voted the most effective governor in a June 1991 Newsweek poll of his fellow governors. He also served as Chairman of the National Governors' Association. However, throughout his political career, there have been allegations of extra-marital affairs, which recently re-surfaced in a lawsuit by an employee who was fired by Clinton. College senior Martin Lind, a member of the Clinton committee, said he stands behind his candidate. "Bill Clinton is the most viable of the Democratic candidates, the most qualified, and most experienced, and he doesn't have any skeletons in his closet," Lind said. Crosby became involved in the Clinton campaign when he was contacted by the national campaign. Crosby believes the campaign got his name through his summer work on Capitol Hill. Crosby said he was pleased and couldn't "believe the response" to the formation of the committee. Approximately 45 people attended an introductory meeting yesterday, he said. Crosby attributed the success to the fact that "people realize changes have to be made."
(01/14/92 10:00am)
Last semester Frank Luntz taught over 70 University students about presidential campaigns. Now he's working on one. Luntz, a 1984 College graduate and a lecturer in American Civilization for the past three years, has been appointed as the pollster, which is one of the top campaign positions, for the Pat Buchanan presidential campaign. In this position, Luntz and his Washington polling firm will conduct the voter surveys and analysis crucial in formulating overall and media strategies. Luntz, a conservative Republican who is adamantly disenchanted with President Bush, is joining a campaign that recent polls say is gaining ground on Bush. According to an American Research Group poll, 30 percent of New Hampshire Republicans support Buchanan in that state's primary in six weeks. Luntz said he was "in ecstasy" when he received the job offer, and pointed to Buchanan's promise to not raise taxes and Bush's changed stand on raising them as one of the biggest factors in his joining the campaign. "I read [Bush's] lips, and I believed him and I was excited. 'This guy is going to be a great President' and then he let me down," said Luntz. But by joining a campaign that is challenging a seated incumbent from the same party, Luntz said he has been warned that he may be jeopardizing his current and future business. Acknowledging that challenging Bush is "an uphill battle," Luntz predicted that Buchanan will reach the numerous primaries held on March 10 -- "Super Tuesday." He also said the candidate will receive up to 40 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire primary -- more than most political pundits expect. Buchanan has held posts in both the Reagan and Nixon administrations. Most recently, he was a nationwide columnist and regularly appeared on the McLaughlin Group. Buchanan has been a controversial figure throughout his political career, but Luntz dismissed recent claims that he is an anti-immigrant and anti-Semitic fringe candidate. "He is not a racist. He is not bigoted. He is consistent. He doesn't play politics the way everyone else does. I respect that," Luntz said emphatically last night. "There is no candidate in the history of politics who has written more words on paper [than Buchanan] . . . it is so easy to take things out of context," he added. Luntz, who announced his appointment to his Monday "Current Controversies in American Society" class, said he will give his students "one and half hours to let them go at me." College sophomore Kirsten Bartok, one of his students, said many people in the class "were disturbed due to their own personal feelings about Pat Buchanan." And College junior Jefrey Pollock said last night he is proud of Luntz's accomplishment, but "cannot help than be a little disappointed because I am not sure Buchanan's stand [on Israel] is right for the United States." Luntz, who worked for Israel's Likud Party in 1988, justified his association with the anti-Israel Buchanan, by saying that "I never worked for a candidate that I agreed with 100 percent." "But I do agree with him enough," Luntz said. Luntz first met Buchanan as a graduate student at Oxford University when they teamed up for a debate in 1987. In 1992, a debate with George Bush is definitely in the Buchanan strategy, Luntz said. And if Bush refuses to debate his conservative challenger, Luntz hopes Saturday Night Live's Bush impersonator Dana Carvey will debate Buchanan. "If you can't get the real thing why not the next best thing," Luntz added. The Associated Press contributed to this story.
(01/14/92 10:00am)
President Bush named a former Wharton administrator and Wharton professor to two top government positions last month. Bush named Barbara Franklin, former head of Wharton's government and business program, as his new Secretary of Commerce, and Assistant Public Policy and Management Professor Dennis Yao as the sixty-eighth Federal Trade Commissioner. If Franklin's nomination is confirmed by the Senate, she will replace Robert Mosbacher, who resigned from the post last month to chair Bush's reelection campaign. Many business and political leaders praised Bush's choice of Franklin because of her extensive government and business experience. Most recently, she was president of her own management consulting firm and has served on the boards of directors of seven of America's largest companies, including Dow Chemical Company and American Express. In 1989 she served as an alternate delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. Currently, there are only two high-ranking women in the Bush Administration -- trade represenative Carla Hills and Labor Secretary Lynn Martin. Franklin's peers praised her qualifications for the post. "Barbara Franklin is not a trophy-seeking woman. She is a capable person, . . . I would never consider her as a token candidate," said John Marous, chief executive officer emeritus of Westinghouse Electric and U.S.-Japan Business Council chairperson. Paul Lagos, the current CEO of Westinghouse, where Franklin has served as a director since 1980, also praised Bush's choice, saying in a press statement that Frankiln will make "a substantial contribution as Secretary of Commerce." Deputy Wharton Dean Tony Santomero said he was not surprised by Franklin's appointment because of her involvement in the Republican party. Santomero also praised Yao's appointment to Federal Trade Commissioner, citing the professor's experience with government and business relations. In his new post, Yao will be involved in trade and exchange policy formulation. He will hold his new post until September of 1996. And Santomero recognized both appointments as a boost to the University. "We really have an impact on society," he said. "The government can come to the University of Pennsylvania to assist society."
