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(02/02/99 10:00am)
Penn announced that the school and the Parent-Infant Center will stay put while a new public school is built. Reversing an earlier decision, the University announced yesterday that two institutions located on the property where Penn plans to build a new public school will remain there during the two-year construction process. But while the University City New School and the Parent-Infant Center are to stay, the Penn-owned Penn Children's Center, located at the same spot, will still have to move, according to Steve Schutt, the University's pointman on the school project. "We reached a conclusion that the costs of relocating the two entities over the transition years would be too large," Schutt said. After the new school opens in September 2001, both institutions will likely need to find a new home. Schutt said the PIC will probably remain on or near the current site, but plans for the 110-student UCNS are still unclear. Penn officials hope that the not-for-profit school will eventually merge into the new public school. Many parents, though, have expressed concerns about closing the UCNS down. The University announced last summer that they were entering a partnership with the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers to fund a new public school serving the University City area. While the city is paying for its construction, Penn has promised to pay $1,000 a year for each student -- expected to total $700,000 annually. Officials have contemplated several different ways to design the site to allow construction around the existing buildings, but no definite plans have been made. Although the University City New School and PIC are to remain at the site, they may move between existing buildings during construction. The University is committed to designing the construction "in such a way that UCNS and PIC will be able to operate with as few problems of any kind over the next couple of years," Schutt said. The PIC will be relocated this summer, but its new location has not been announced. Schutt said that could come as early as tomorrow. UCNS and PIC officials were quick to commend the University. "Being able to stay on the property is a very positive thing," said UCNS head Betty Ratay. "It will provide stability in a relatively unstable time." The decision also means that the University --Ewhich had promised to pay for any relocations -- will continue to offer a tuition assistance program for children of Penn faculty and staff enrolled at the UCNS. The school will continue to bus about 30 middle school students one block south to another facility, as there isn't enough room in the current building. Marni Sweet, director of the PIC, expressed confidence that the decision will work out for the best. "We have been assured that they will do everything they need to do so the children will be safe, and that there will be as little impact as possible on the programs of the PIC and the UCNS," Sweet said. "And I trust that they will." One of the upcoming challenges, Sweet said, was finding a way to provide outdoor space for the institutions while construction is taking place.
(02/01/99 10:00am)
The Schuylkill River doesn't exactly have a reputation for beauty and cleanliness. But several different Philadelphia organizations want to change that by building a series of landscaped walking and biking trails alongside it. Officials said they hope this project will revitalize the underdeveloped area surrounding the 125-mile-long river which bounds the eastern side of the Penn campus. The four trails -- which will eventually interconnect -- will run on both sides of the river and create a system of recreational tracks serving many different Philadelphia destinations, organizers said. "These greenways will become significant components of Philadelphia's evolving post-industrial landscape," said Steve Hammell, who is in charge of building one of the four planned paths. "They will attract large numbers of pedestrians and cyclists to the Schuylkill River corridor." Along the west bank of the Schuylkill, the three-mile Botanic Trail will connect 30th Street Station with Bartram's Garden, a 44-acre historic botanical garden in West Philadelphia. Hammell, the environmental developer for Campbell-Thomas and Co., the architecture and planning firm creating the path, said he hopes to have the trail cross Penn near Franklin Field, between the South Street Bridge and University Avenue. He said this trail will wind along the river, crossing public streets, railroad lines and industrial areas to reach its destination at Bartram's Garden. The project is currently waiting for a federal grant of $1.3 million to cover financing costs. If the project receives funding as expected, Hammell said, construction of the greenway will begin this summer and end in the summer of 2000. Another trail, the Schuylkill River Park, will extend from the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Locust Street along the east bank of the river. This project, coordinated by the Schuylkill River Development Council, will "enhance the quality of life for Philadelphia by introducing recreational opportunities in Center City both on land and water," SRDC head John Randolph said. The trail will be composed of an upper level continuous pathway for biking and pedestrian travel and a lower promenade containing seating areas. Officials said the first phase of construction -- the bulkheading, or walls separating the river from land -- has been completed. The construction of the pathway itself and a park located on the trail between Chestnut Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard is set to begin this summer and end sometime in the summer of 2000. The final phase of the project, in which the landscaping and greenery will be added to the trail, should be completed in mid-2001. The project will cost about $14 million dollars, which will come from corporate sponsorships and government grants. Officials have raised about $10 million thus far. The two other trails are further behind in the development process. One will likely encircle the Philadelphia International Airport, while the other will start at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and cross the Schuylkill on its way to 30th Street Station.
(01/29/99 10:00am)
Contrary to popular belief, there is life outside of the Penn campus. West Philadelphia is not only a growing source of student off-campus living, but is also a vibrant community within itself -- and the University is working hard to repair the rocky relationship between it and the area that surrounds it. In fact, officials maintain that forging cooperative relations between Penn and the surrounding West Philadelphia community is an important part of the University's agenda. The University's West Philadelphia Initiative, a five-part plan helping to revitalize the neighborhood, seeks not only to strengthen University-community ties but also to help make the community a better place in which to live. The plan includes measures to make the area cleaner and safer, attract retail amenities, support local businesses, improve area education and encourage home ownership. Some of the projects set into motion by the plan include the beautifying and "greening" strategies of UC Brite and UC Green, the revitalization of the 40th Street corridor through the development of Hamilton Village and the Sundance Cinema complex and the home loan and mortgage incentive programs aimed at encouraging University staff to invest in the neighborhood. "I'm encouraged and pleased that our relationship with the city seems to be improving all the time," said Carol Scheman, Penn's vice president for government, community and public affairs. "I think we're really moving in the right direction." The University's most recent addition to the West Philadelphia Initiative is the development and support of a new public elementary school on University-owned property at 42nd and Spruce streets. An integral part of implementing all of these measures in the surrounding neighborhood is working with the various community organizations that call West Philadelphia home. The University City District, one such organization, aims to "improve the public environment by helping to make it cleaner and safer and to upgrade the public image of University City as an interesting, vibrant and attractive community," said UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke. With these goals in mind, the UCD -- whose creation was spearheaded by the University and brings together many of University City's institutions -- provides safety ambassadors to help patrol the area and a maintenance staff which cleans area sidewalks six days per week. The UCD's 3rd Thursday campaign, which debuted this September, is a special series of events and attractions prepared by over 40 arts organizations and restaurants in order to promote University City as a fun and interesting place. "We'd really like the students to explore this neighborhood, take advantage of all there is to offer and enrich their experience while they're at Penn," Steinke said. Another organization, the Spruce Hill Community Association, aims to "maintain order and a quality of lifestyle in the neighborhood," said Joe Ruane, the organization's president since June 1997. Members of the SPCA meet monthly with Penn officials to promote cooperation and keep informed about what Penn is doing in the neighborhood. "The housing program and development of 40th Street should only be a plus for the neighborhood and University City in general," Ruane noted. Glenn Bryan, the University's director of community relations, said his office meets routinely with area community organizations to discuss a variety of matters, including education, retail and economic development issues and student-community relations. "We work a lot together with the Penn Police and the UCD to have a really coordinated response to safety in the area -- it's vastly improved," Bryan said. Bryan also credits the work of local town watch organizations in maintaining a safe environment. The presidents of all six area community organizations -- Spruce Hill, Walnut Hill , Garden Court and Squirrel Hill community associations, Cedar Park Neighbors and Powelton Village Civic Associations -- are represented on the University City Community Council. The UCCC, which also includes members of various special interest organizations, meets every two months to devote time and energy to "those issues one local community association cannot deal with alone," said UCCC Secretary Mike Hardy. One such issue is the University's new public elementary school. According to Hardy, the UCCC sent representatives to the committees planning the school. Although the council expressed concerns on issues regarding the size and impact of the school and preservation of open space, Hardy said that, "As a council we've gone on record in support of the new school."
(01/22/99 10:00am)
Vendors are trying to adjust to a 1998 law that removed many of them from Penn's main streets. Ralph DiLuzio remembers the good old days of campus vending. The owner of the Ralph & Son's Lunch truck had a prime spot outside of Van Pelt Library until last summer, when a Penn-backed City Council ordinance relocated most of the 90 or so vendors that lined major campus streets. Penn pushed for the bill to try to make the area cleaner, safer and more attractive for potential retail establishments. "We all had certain customers," he said. "They used to hand me notes on the way to class. They'd tell me what time they were getting out of class and what kind of food they wanted and I'd make it for them. All the guys I'm telling you about, I haven't seen them down here yet," said DiLuzio, who is now located at the plaza near Franklin Field at 33rd and South streets. Many vendors say they've suffered a decrease in business -- ranging from 10 to 50 percent -- since the ordinance went into effect in August. But with vending now concentrated in five University-built fresh air plazas, opinions on the new face of University City vending among the vendors themselves seemed to differ, based mainly on vendors' locations. Forty-five vendors were moved off the streets and into one of the five food plazas scattered across campus. Of the five --Elocated in spots near Franklin Field, Meyerson Hall at 34th and Walnut streets, Gimbel Gymnasium at 37th and Walnut streets, 40th and Walnut streets and across from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- Gimbel, the only one in the center of campus, seemed to be the most successful. And some vendors said they find themselves in out-of-the-way locations making it more difficult for customers to reach, thereby significantly affecting their businesses. According to DiLuzio, business has dropped considerably since he moved. Of the five food plazas, vendors indicated that the vendors in the 33rd and South streets plaza are suffering the most in terms of business. One vendor has already left the plaza because of the lack of customers, and those left are doing about 50 percent less business than they were a year ago. "There's no people down at this end, it's like a dead end," DiLuzio said. "It's a good spot, you have the benches and chairs, but the people aren't here. You need the people to make the money." Making the best of it For most vendors, the new situation has its ups and downs. Vendors cite many different problems with their current locations, ranging from slower business to a lack of parking for supply vans and too little seating in several areas. Ahmad Swidn, owner of the Aladdin Middle East Food truck located in the plaza across from HUP, said the trucks have to drive up over the curb every day to get into the plaza because there is no kind of ramp at the plaza entrance. This inconvenience, he said, leads to oil stains on the concrete and damage to the vehicles. Swidn said his sales have dropped off about 25 percent. But despite these concerns, Swidn said he appreciated that the University guaranteed vendors the chance to stay in the plazas for five years while paying just $1 per month in rent. "We appreciate the administration for this movement and giving us five years," he said. "It's better than staying on the street and not knowing where we're going." But vendor Bill Zac, an employee of John's food truck, called the HUP plaza "too crowded." "In this spot eight carts is a little too much," he said. Zac also expressed a concern about the lack of supply van parking around the plaza at HUP, saying that he sometimes has to park them more than a block away. Some of the relocated vendors share a more optimistic view of the current arrangement. "I like the fact that we have electricity and the idea of a designated spot," said Mike Lynch, owner of the Quaker Shaker truck next to Gimbel Gym. Still, he said that seating continues to be a problem. According to Lynch, business is about the same as when his truck was located on Walnut Street in front of Gimbel. He added that the five-year lease guarantee was a good compromise. "I'd like to see vending stand the test of time.? It should remain as a viable alternative for students, faculty, staff, etc., who don't want to spend a lot on lunch," Lynch noted. Other vendors at the Gimbel food plaza agreed that the arrangements are working out as well as can be expected. One said the plazas encourage a sense of fellowship. "On the streets you're on your own, [but] here everyone's together, we can talk to each other," Bento Box operator Timmy Tien said. Some vendors who were not secured a spot in one of the five food plazas have also seen a decrease in business but seem to be satisfied with the new situation. Kostas Omiridis, owner of Pizzeria Express at 38th and Spruce streets, said when he moved from his old location two blocks east, he lost some customers because of the added distance, causing a small decrease in business. "But we've been lucky, we have loyal customers," Omiridis said. Continued Conflict The two-year fight between Penn and the vendors was anything but civil, with both sides accusing each other of lying, misrepresenting each other's positions and of negotiating in bad faith. Scott Goldstein, the former head of one of the ad-hoc vendors groups formed to oppose the ordinance and owner of the Scott's Vegetarian Cuisine food truck, said he has been angry with the University's treatment of the vendors since the ordinance went into effect. Goldstein blasted the University for, in his mind, failing to properly promote the food plazas. "I'm furious," he said. "The University promised? us that they would advertise those plazas. They've done just about nothing." But according to Jack Shannon, the University's top economic development official, the University took several measures this fall to publicize the plazas, including purchasing advertising in The Daily Pennsylvanian, maintaining a searchable World Wide Web site and hanging banners up at the plazas. Goldstein said much more should have been done. "The University took it in their hands to dictate through the political process where vendors would be located," he said. "They, therefore, should reprogram the community to know where to look for the food." Shannon agreed that the plaza at 33rd Street -- where Goldstein's truck is located -- may not be in great shape now, but he said he's confident that it will improve over time. Still, he said that overall he's happy with how things have turned out. "I think overall it's fair to say that the fresh air plazas have worked out for the vendors at that location and most importantly for the consumers," Shannon said. Some vendors fear that if business continues to be slow, they may have to pull out of University City or find another job. "If business doesn't pick up we're going to have to look into something else," said DiLuzio's son, also named Ralph. "There's only so long you can deal with losing money or breaking even." Goldstein said that because his business has plunged -- he estimates that he's making well less than half of what he was last year -- he is already looking for another occupation. But Swisdn, among several other vendors, said that while his revenue is down, he's still making enough money to justify staying on Penn's campus.
(01/19/99 10:00am)
With a huge new convenience "superstore" set to open in West Philadelphia this spring, residents are hopeful -- but still a little pessimistic -- that the new Rite Aid will help to revitalize a troubled area. The store, to be built on the 5700 block of Chestnut Street, will have many features beyond a standard Rite Aid outlet, including a drive-through window, a business center with fax, copy and shipping services, one-hour photo processing and convenience foods. The store will also have a large pharmacy waiting area with a private window for pharmacist consultation. "Every neighborhood, including West Philadelphia, deserves a state-of-the-art drug store," said Rite Aid spokesperson Allison Costello. The new store and adjacent 70-space parking lot, which is currently under construction, are an expansion and relocation of the 5600 Chestnut Street store. All of the former Rite Aid's employees have been transferred to the new location, which will staff 30 to 40 employees, Costello said. Despite the benefits the company says it will bestow on the area, many community residents expressed concern about the large chain moving into the neighborhood. "Rite Aid has purchased every small drug store in the community," said Julia Chinn, president of the Cobbs Creek Town Watch Community Organization. Chinn added that the service provided by Rite Aid is not as good as that of the former small pharmacies. People sometimes have to "wait two, three, four hours for prescriptions." But Grace Lindsay, a member of the Cobbs Creek Neighborhood Advisory Committee, had a more optimistic view, saying the new Rite Aid will "change the whole face of West Philadelphia." Lindsay said the convenience store would help fix Chestnut Street and noted that the high traffic and nearby public transportation connections should help make the store successful while bringing more people to the area. Lindsay did say that service could be a problem at the superstore, especially in regard to the area's many senior citizens, who will have a hard time waiting for long periods of time to get medication. While the addition of Rite Aid may be one step toward revitalizing the greater West Philadelphia area, residents stressed that several more additions are still necessary. According to Joseph Jenkins, president of the Haddington/Cobbs Creek Community Development Corporation, the neighborhood needs many other businesses including "a good family restaurant," a bank and utility companies. "We're trying to get things organized, get more businesses up here," Jenkins said.
(01/18/99 10:00am)
The local philanthrophy's $325,000 grant will fund planning the for the school. The University got some financial help last week in its quest to build a new public school in University City, in the form of a $325,000 Pew Charitable Trust grant. The money will be used to help plan for the opening of the pre-K-8 school, to which Penn will contribute about $700,000 a year while the School District of Philadelphia pays for its construction. "We are in support of what Penn has decided to do in terms of their commitment to the school," said Barbara Beck, a Pew spokesperson. Steve Schutt, the University's pointman for the school project, called the grant "generous" and said that he is "very grateful" for the support. Penn announced its intention to build the school last June, as a joint effort with the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. It will enroll about 700 students when it opens in September 2001. Beck said that this grant is one of many ways that Pew, a Philadelphia-based philanthropic organization, hopes to strengthen the city. "The trusts have long supported community revitalization and school reform in Philadelphia," Beck said. Pew Charitable Trusts, consisting of seven individual charitable funds established by heirs of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph Pew, gave out 359 grants last year totalling more than $213 million. In a press release, Pew President and Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Rimel said she thinks this grant will help improve public education. "Our investment in West Philadelphia is one way to get citizens mobilized and engaged in creating solutions to community problems, and to improve the quality of public education," Rimel said. The money will go directly to the school's three planning committees, which are planning various aspects of the school's creation including building plans and curriculums. The committees are composed of over 70 people including community residents, teachers and Penn representatives. Community members have previously raised several concerns regarding the new public school, including the fate of the three institutions currently residing at the proposed site. Penn has agreed to help relocate the three institutions --the University City New School, Parent Infant Center and Penn Children's Center -- currently residing on the Penn-owned land at 42nd Street in between Spruce and Locust streets, where the school will be built. Although the new locations of these institutions have yet to be announced, Penn officials expect to resolve the issue this week. Another important issue has been the catchment area from which students will be allowed to attend the school. Philadelphia Superintendent David Hornbeck has not yet announced what parts of West Philadelphia will be served by the school.
(01/15/99 10:00am)
A new transportation system that will run from 30th Street Station to several locations in University City -- including spots on the Penn campus -- will start service in late spring. The system will be free for University students, staff and faculty, as well as employees of several other area institutions. Officials have not yet decided where on campus the buses will pick up and drop off passengers. Besides giving students an easy way to get to and from the only train station in Philadelphia, organizers said it will also make commuting easier for employees. The system -- which has been in the planning stages for almost a year -- is being operated by SEPTA under a contract from the University City District, according to UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke. Citing the limited parking on Penn's campus, University officials said the new buses will be beneficial for workers commuting via SEPTA's regional rail lines -- transit lines which run from the city to surrounding suburbs -- and will encourage more people to take public transportation to work. "If we can provide, through the [service], a really good employee link to the regional rail system, it will reduce the amount of people driving to campus in personal vehicles," said Penn Director of Transportation and Mail Services Bob Furniss. According to SEPTA officials, the buses will run in two directions along the same route through University City, beginning and ending at 30th Street Station. The approximate wait time for a bus will be five minutes during rush hour and seven to eight minutes during off-peak hours. These institutions helping to pay for the system include Penn, Drexel University, the University City Science Center and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. People affiliated with the organizations will not have to pay to ride. The general public will pay a fare tentatively set at 50 cents, Steinke said. The buses will run 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except during major holidays. It will not run on weekends. The six buses in the system will each seat about 20 people. Steinke stressed that the main mission of the program is to provide area employees with a better way to commute to work, especially since parking is so scarce. Besides the convenience factor, Furniss said the mass transit system will help bring Penn in line with federal guidelines that require major employers to reduce the number of its employees who are driving to work every day. SEPTA officials said the "Circulator," as the bus project is currently being called, said the system and those like it are helping to encourage drivers to use mass transit instead. "We're trying to move as many people onto transit as possible," said SEPTA spokesperson Kimscott Heinle, who added that SEPTA has already implemented similar measures in suburban areas. Various institutional and public subsidies will help to fund the system, which will have an operating budget of about $500,000 a year plus marketing expenses. A federal grant will pay for most of the first year's operating expenses.
(01/11/99 10:00am)
Since releasing with much fanfare plans to revitalize the 40th Street corridor by improving the western side of campus' retail outlets, University officials have been mostly tight-lipped about the project's specific construction plans. But last week's Spruce Hill Zoning Committee meeting served as a venue for Penn officials to more thoroughly explain the preliminary plans for the movie theater, specialty foods market and parking garage to West Philadelphia residents. At the meeting, officials released preliminary plans to gauge community reaction before moving forward with the construction, which has already been delayed by four months. The architects for the three new locations talked about several general aspects of the construction at the meeting. Construction is now set to begin in April, with the goal of finishing in the spring of 2000. Previously, officials had said construction would start this month and end in early 2000. Officials also said they anticipate city approval of the plan in four to six weeks, at which point more detailed plans should become available, according to Tom Lussenhop, Penn's top real estate official. Architects Carlos Zapata and Richard Gelber said the movie theater --Eco-owned by noted film mogul Robert Redford and the General Cinemas theater chain -- will be two stories high and contain eight screens, which will likely show primarily independent films. The entire complex will stretch from Walnut to Locust streets along 40th Street and will encompass about 50,000 square feet. Zapata said the movie house will include several extra features "essential to the experience," including a town hall-like component for community use, cafZs, gardens and an independently operated restaurant where customers can enjoy the theater's atmosphere. Across the street from the cinema, on the northwest corner of 40th and Walnut streets, will be a one-story grocery store with an 800-spot parking garage above it. The garage, Zapata said, will be constructed of glass windows overlaid with a stainless steel mesh that will make the garage "reflective but transparent," allowing people inside the garage to observe the community below. "Most parking garages are for cars," Gelber said. "We tried very hard to make this a garage for people." The combined market and garage will stand approximately 98 feet high, slightly below the neighboring 4015 Walnut Street building, which houses offices for The Daily Pennsylvanian and storage for University Archives.
(01/11/99 10:00am)
Community members expressed concerns and hopes for development of Penn's west boundary. West Philadelphia community members got a preview of the proposed redevelopment of the area around 40th and Walnut streets last week, and the reaction was mostly positive. At last Thursday's open zoning meeting of the Spruce Hill Community Association, University and community officials talked about both their specific plans for the area and why improving the area is such a high priority. While some residents of the Spruce Hill neighborhood -- which extends from 40th to 46th streets and from Woodland Avenue to Market Street -- said they worry that the construction and commercialization will be intrusive, most indicated that they are hopeful that the revitalization of the area will be a boon. "I think that the general consensus is that the project is a very definite plus for the community aspects of 40th Street, the life of the business community and overall life of the residents," said Barry Grossbach, who ran the meeting and chairs the zoning committee of the Spruce Hill Community Association. Residents said they are excited about both the direct benefits of having a grocery store and movie theater as well as the effects the redevelopment will have on encouraging further investment in the area. School of Social Work Professor Dennis Culhane, a University City resident, said he and his family are very excited about the project. "This area has so little retail, we have to travel to the suburbs for what we need," he noted. University Managing Director of Real Estate Tom Lussenhop echoed that sentiment, saying that the part of 40th Street near Penn's campus is a "vital commercial corridor" whose renovation "sets the stage for a subsequent set of investments made up and down 40th Street." At the meeting, the project's architects, equipped with color drawings, models and samples of materials, presented a detailed but still preliminary set of plans. Those plans, highly touted by the University, include building an eight-screen movie theater co-owned by independent film guru Robert Redford in the Hamilton Village shopping center, a specialty food market across the street at the northwest corner of 40th and Walnut streets and an 800-car parking garage located directly above the market. Though community reaction to the proposal was mostly positive, residents raised many different concerns regarding certain aspects of the project. One such issue is the potential for damage to property by delivery trucks. Residents fear that large trucks bringing supplies to the food market will not be able to make the tight turn from 40th Street onto Sansom Street without damaging the curb and adjacent residential property. The architects assured them that all trucks will be able to make the turn. Other concerns included questions about how the area would be lit. Several people at the meeting said they wanted a balance between having enough light to ensure the area's safety without disturbing people living nearby. The project presenters stressed that all concerns will be taken into account, and revisions to the project -- construction for which is now slated to begin in April -- are inevitable. After the presentation of the project to the community, the zoning committee met privately to discuss the project with Penn officials and discuss possible changes. Community officials will meet later with the city zoning board to talk about the plan before the agency officially approves it. Lindsay Johnston, president of the 40th Street Area Business Association, also commended the project. "The status of 40th Street in its present condition is not acceptable," she said. "This is the chance to really pull this area together."
(12/11/98 10:00am)
Rally organizers presented a list of five demands to U. officials at the College Green event. Four campus women's rights and activist groups staged a rally yesterday demanding that the University pay more attention to women's safety. About 40 people attended the rally, during which the organizers -- the Penn Women's Alliance, the Penn chapter of the National Organization of Women, the Penn Women's Center and the Progressive Activist Network -- presented a list of five demands to the University. "We don't feel that the existing policies are sensitive enough to victim survivors who have had to deal with these types of sexual assault issues," said College junior and NOW co-chairperson Erin Healy. The demands included installing emergency alarms in every public bathroom; a "victim advocacy system" that stays in contact with the Women's Center; a statement of the University's crime-reporting procedures; a workshop to be held during New Student Orientation about victim resources; and a public response from Penn officials regarding the list of demands. While acknowledging that several of those demands are already somewhat in place, College junior and PWA co-chairperson Hema Sarangapani said that "a lot of them are inadequate right now." For instance, while the University does have a Special Services division to help crime victims, she argued that they are only meant to help "at the moment of crisis," rather than providing the "much longer-period counseling that needs to happen." Many at the rally said they were disappointed by what they perceived as Penn's failure to address women's safety issues. "The truth is the University has not paid enough attention to women's safety and safety in general," said college sophomore Angie Liou. The rally's speakers stressed that requiring students to wear ID badges at night -- which is one of seven recent recommendations by Division of Public Safety -- would not by itself resolve existing safety issues. Participants also urged students to concentrate on improving Penn security without blaming the surrounding community for aberrant incidents like last month's early-morning attack of a Penn sophomore in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall, allegedly by a 16-year-old boy armed with a knife. "When an assault such as the recent incident at Steinberg-Dietrich occurred, it is very easy to turn that incident into a Penn versus community issue, a battle of us versus them, wealthy versus poor, white versus black," College senior Melissa Holsinger said. "The administration, local media, police and student body have all been guilty of this." The rally's speakers also focused on the issue of student awareness. In addition to demands made regarding more comprehensive publication of crime statistics and resources, the speakers stressed the need for students to know about safety measures, such as emergency "rape cords," being taken by the University. "It is not enough to say we know there is a system in place, people need to know about these measures and where they are located," said College freshman Lauren Bialystok. "We're all entitled to safety and that's why we have to make sure the University will continue to provide us with it." The speakers also focused on the importance of the Women's Center as a valuable resource for victims. "The Penn Women's Center needs to regain its role as the integral component of the victim advocacy system," Healy said. College junior Liz Caffrey applauded the efforts of the ralliers, saying that the Steinberg-Dietrich incident "provided fodder for a larger discussion that needed to take place for a long time and finally has." Daily Pennsylvanian staff writer Ben Geldon contributed to this article.
(11/17/98 10:00am)
The November 8 attack on a female sophomore in Wharton's Steinberg-Dietrich Hall raised security issues which are on the minds of many throughout campus, but that doesn't mean it is the only topic of concern to Wharton students. In a cozy dinner with Wharton Undergraduate Dean Richard Herring last night, a small gathering of 17 Wharton undergraduates discussed a variety of topics, ranging from the recent assault to the advising system and concentrations. The event -- sponsored by the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and held in the Faculty Club -- was the second in a series of "Dinner with the Deans" which attempt to "increase communication between undergraduates and the dean responsible for each student's education," according to College junior and SCUE member Jason Schaechter. Of course, Wharton security was top on the list of issues to be addressed in the forum. After a brief review of the events of the early Sunday morning attack, Herring presented several possible solutions being considered by Wharton to prevent future security breaches. One possibility, he said, is the installation of video cameras in three different locations in the Wharton building to monitor hallway activity. Herring also suggested the idea of instituting a system whereby all students would wear badges identifying themselves to security during after-hours. Although these measures may prove valuable, Herring conceded that "there are problems with all technology so far? unfortunately in today's society there is no way to guarantee [that] any place is completely safe all the time." Other issues discussed at the dinner dealt with Wharton curriculum and advising. According to Herring, 50 percent of Wharton undergraduates decide to concentrate -- Wharton's equivalent of a major -- in finance, neglecting many other valuable Wharton programs, as well as College classes that could broaden their educations. Furthermore, as Wharton freshman Joshua Luks said, "There are so many different advisors, it's very confusing as an incoming freshman and then Wharton student." In particular, several students with dual-degree majors focused on their problems reconciling Wharton requirements with those from other University schools, which tend to vary in many areas. According to Herring, Wharton is attempting to improve communication between faculty and undergraduates by developing "E-talk," a programs whereby incoming Wharton freshmen can talk to professors and other students via e-mail after their acceptance. He also said that Wharton is in the process of reworking several areas of its curriculum, including the Statistics Department. Parts of the new curriculum should appear next year. Other topics addressed included better teacher-student relations and introducing a broader international perspective to Wharton education. Wharton sophomore Melissa Kaufman praised the dinner forum, explaining that "the intimate group setting is comfortable, more conducive to voicing your opinions." Wharton and College junior Aryeh Aslan added, "It's a great opportunity to interact with people who make the curriculum and decisions that affect my education." Participants agreed that the dinner was very effective in addressing their questions and concerns. Wharton sophomore Michael Schostak said, "I wasn't sure what I wanted to address would be well-represented, but all of my concerns were shared by my fellow students."
(11/05/98 10:00am)
"Too often we're told that we don't have an impact, our efforts don't count," Paul Loeb, author of Generations at the Crossroads: Apathy and Action on the American Campus, said during a speech and book signing Tuesday evening. Sponsored by the Office of Health Education, the Greenfield Intercultural Center, Civic House and the Women's Center, Loeb's speech addressed both the barriers that hinder student political and social activism and the historic importance of such student-led reform efforts. Three panelists from various socially active student groups introduced Loeb, speaking about why they joined their respective organizations and what impact they thought the groups had had on campus. "If you are able to change that one person, if you're able to prevent that one rape, if you're able to get someone to get up and do something, it's worth all the time, all the effort, all the energy in the world," said Engineering senior Mauricio Zuniga, an executive member of Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape, just before introducing Loeb. After lecturing at various colleges since 1982, Loeb said he became increasingly "upset at how this generation was getting characterized." In particular, he said, parents, professors and the media inaccurately describe students as "apathetic." Loeb's book summarizes research conducted during visits to more than 100 college campuses in 30 states over the past seven years, dealing with not only how many students become involved in activism, but also with what prevents other students from getting involved. According to Loeb, barriers to student activism today include economic difficulties, a lack of connection to activist history and the pervasiveness of the "not that kind of person" label that excludes many students from participation in a cause. In particular, Loeb said it was unfair to compare today's students with the students of the 1960s, who did not have to deal with pressures currently facing people today. "Part of the struggle is trying to hold on to dreams we can believe in and not getting dragged down by this pseudo-realism that says, 'Act against your values; throw away what you believe in the most because that's the only practical path'," he said. Many who attended the event said they were inspired by Loeb's speech. College senior Snigdha Bollampally said the speech "gives us inspiration to know we're part of something more." "It's nice to hear somebody saying this generation isn't apathetic,"said first-year Nursing graduate student Ani Maitin.
(10/26/98 10:00am)
In an attempt to foster community spirit and inform students about the potential dangers of dating, Harnwell College House sponsored a seminar on the link between rape and drugs last week. Jonathan Gilbride, a first-year Nursing graduate student and a graduate associate on the dormitory's eighth floor, addressed more than 20 Harnwell residents on the hazards of date rape and the use of rohypnol, commonly known as "roofies," in date-rape scenarios. The event took place Thursday evening in the eighth-floor lounge. "One out of three women will be raped or sexually assaulted at least once in their lifetime," Gilbride said. "And on college campuses, 50 percent of rapes are estimated to be date rapes." Many factors, according to Gilbride, make rohypnol dangerous. Particularly harmful is its strength, measured at 10 times the potency of Valium, and its effects, which include sedation, amnesia and a "drunk-like state." In addition, the drug's inexpensive price and physical resemblance to aspirin make it easily obtainable. The talk specifically warned students about the use of rohypnol at parties, where it can easily be slipped into a drink. Gilbride researched and presented information on acquaintance rape and rohypnol not only as an assignment for a course he's currently enrolled in called "Victimology," but also as an opportunity to build a community-like atmosphere in the college house. He concluded by emphasizing the need for people to be aware of the fact that drugs and alcohol are often related to date rape. Gilbride also listed numerous resources available to the victims of rape and other sexual assaults, including the Penn Women's Center and the Counseling and Psychological Services. Reaction to the event among several students was mixed. College freshman Karly Grossman supported the aim of the seminar. "It's mainly an issue of knowing your surroundings," she said. "It's really important that people who are going to parties watch out for each other," she said. But College sophomore William Snyder said that events such as this one which try, in part, to build community, are not totally effective. "We go there; we get the information, and we go home," Snyder said. "It's not really that much of a college house thing -- it's more of a personal benefit."
(10/07/98 9:00am)
The Department of Folklore and Folklife traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to find its first speaker for a series of talks this fall. Visiting faculty member Kwesi Yankah, the linguistics department chairperson at the University of Ghana, examined the intricacies of communication within the royal courts of certain African tribes in a Monday speech entitled "Listening so the Chief May Hear: The Politics of Language in Power Space." Yankah studied at Indiana University, where he earned his master's degree in linguistics, as well as an award for the best doctoral dissertation. After publishing countless journal articles and books -- one of which won the 1991 Ghana Book Development Award -- he recently won an award for his journalism. In the Bennett Hall seminar, Yankah focused on the politics of communication between the chief and his audience in the royal courts of the Asante region in Ghana. The talk was based on research Yankah conducted while spending eight months in the area in 1988. Yankah explained the function of the okyeame, an important court official whose job is to relay all words from the chief to his subjects. "In several parts of Ghana, and indeed in Africa in general, direct communication between the chief and his audience in formal encounters is forbidden," he said. Although all okyeame must swear an oath never to alter the chief's words, such action is actually one of the official's major jobs, Yankah said. In all formal court engagements, the chief speaks in a low voice only detectable by his okyeame, Yankah explained. The okyeame then relays the message to the people, but not before embellishing it with proverbial phrases or more poetic discourse, because, according to Yankah, "the chief must not be seen to be rhetorically incompetent." If the okyeame's alteration produces positive effects, Yankah explained, the chief receives full credit for his elegant speech. However, if the changes to the chief's words do not satisfy the people, the okyeame takes the blame. His other responsibilities, Yankah added, include tasting the chief's food to ensure it is poison-free and receiving punishment if his chief violates certain laws. The verbal customs of the court work both ways, so that no subject may speak directly to the chief, but rather must address the okyeame in all matters. Through this system, many different titles for the okyeame developed, including "Owner of the Chief's Mouth," and "The One Who Listens so the Chief May Hear." The okyeame develop with the chief what Yankah referred to as, "an emotional, physical and rhetorical correlation" that illustrates his importance in the court. "I found his talk riveting," said Folklore graduate student Jonathan Lohman. "Dr. Yankah eloquently demonstrated how the various stylistic methods used in speech? often transcends the message's literal content."
