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(10/24/96 9:00am)
Basic academic research in the United States is in danger. Or so warned five of this year's Nobel laureates during a press conference last Thursday. According to National Science Foundation spokesperson Mary Hanson, the professors' fears focus on cuts to "research into why things work the way they do when you don't know what the outcome will be." Cornell University professors David Lee and Robert Richardson, and Stanford University Professor Douglas Osheroff -- who shared this year's Nobel Prize in physics -- aired their concerns about predicted federal cuts in research during the conference. Rice University professors Robert Curl and Richard Smalley, recipients of this year's Nobel Prize in chemistry, echoed those fears. Basic research projects do not look for specific developments, but rather seek to expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge. The NSF -- which provided funding for the five Nobel laureates' research -- sponsored the conference in order to call attention to the potential federal cuts in scientific research. According to Hanson, the NSF gives out more than 20,000 financial awards to over 2,000 American institutions, including Penn. "If the cuts that are currently being forecast take place, then the impact on the country is likely to bad," Hanson said in an interview. "The long-term funding outlook for research looks gloomy at best." The American Association for the Advancement of Science predicts that federal support for non-defense development and research will be cut by more than 20 percent by 2002. Hanson said science funding has been caught in the middle of the federal balanced budget debate in Washington. At Thursday's press conference, Curl discussed the values of basic research -- most of which, he said, would be destroyed if the Congress and president implement the proposed cuts. "Science is all about learning more about the world," he said. "And the more we know about the world, the more potential things that we can do -- both for good and for evil." Curl added that scientists still have much to accomplish. "The most disturbing thing that I've heard recently is the notion that it's all done, it's all discovered, there's not going to be any more new breakthroughs, brilliant things, or just a few cleaning up the details," he said. "That [attitude] was true in the 1890s as well." According to Smalley, the importance of basic research has never been greater. He said with the world's population predicted to double to 12 billion by the middle of the next century, new technologies must be discovered to ensure a "sustainable life" for everyone. Hanson added that basic research is at the very core of knowledge and has led to the development of magnetic resonance imaging, the Internet and Doppler radar. "They all came from basic research -- when the researcher didn't know what the outcome or benefit would be," Hanson said. Lee compared basic research to the highway system in highlighting its importance. "The government has a very large program to fund interstate highway systems and this is a facility used by everyone," Lee said. "Now, the basic research enterprise can be thought of in the same way. It provides a facility -- a facility of new discoveries -- and those discoveries are accessible to all industry." Richardson said in an interview that the ramifications of science funding cuts go beyond a fewer number of discoveries, adding that all of science would suffer. "It would demoralize people," Richardson said. "Young people would choose different careers other than science. Careers in science don't usually pay a lot -- people do it for the intrinsic reward they receive." However, according to Osheroff, the general public and Congress alike do not seem to appreciate or know much about basic research, which he said is why the government feels so free to cut research spending. To prevent the proposed cuts from becoming law, Hanson said, researchers must become more vocal. "The science community can help to affect this outcome by articulating? the value of their research -- which is something that scientists aren't used to doing," said Hanson, adding that researchers must convince the general public their tax dollars are being well-spent.
(10/22/96 9:00am)
Regnets consider tying salary to peer review ratings, ending guaranteed employment Proposed revisions to the University of Minnesota's tenure system have sparked harsh criticism from faculty at universities nationwide -- including Penn. Although Minnesota officials have backed off on some of the most extreme proposals, they are still considering several drastic measures. The proposed changes include the ability for administrators to lay off professors whose departments have been eliminated -- and provisions for disciplinary action, such as pay reductions for grave misconduct. One of the proposals that has garnered the harshest words from professors nationwide is a post-tenure review process. Minnesota officials are considering two recommendations. One would permit the school's administration to guide the review process, while the other would be faculty-driven and would allow faculty members to improve their performance before pay is reduced. Faculty members and the Board of Regents at Minnesota have struggled with tenure reform for more than a year. But the changes they are considering have drawn severe objections from many university professors who fear academic freedom could be constrained. In a letter to the chairperson of the Minnesota's Board of Regents, Penn Faculty Senate chairperson Peter Kuriloff, expressed the unanimous "profound opposition" of Penn's Faculty Senate Executive Committee to Minnesota's proposed tenure revisions. Calling the proposals an "assault on the basic elements of the traditional tenure system," the education professor encouraged the Regents to reconsider their actions. "The tenure system maintains the secure conditions for freedom of scholarly, scientific inquiry that are the very foundation of American universities' long-standing success," Kuriloff said in the letter. "Without such unfettered freedom, it is impossible to imagine many people taking the kinds of intellectual risks that are required to maintain our competitive advantage in research and scholarship." Kuriloff added that the Faculty Senate views American higher education as the best in the world and that the tenure system contributes to its strength. "Yet the Regents' proposals would effectively destroy tenure -- and the benefits it confers to our society -- by diluting the conditions of tenure through salary reductions, suspensions and performance reviews," he said. While tenure reform is necessary, Kuriloff told The Daily Pennsylvanian, Minnesota administrators have gone too far. Kuriloff said he supports a post-tenure peer review system to ensure that professors stay "active and alert" in terms of their teaching and research. Officials from several other institutions -- including the University of California at Berkeley and Florida State University -- and educational organizations like the American Association of University Professors have also spurned Minnesota's proposed tenure revisions. At Berkeley, officials passed "The Motion on Minnesota's Threat to Tenure" in April, condemning the university's actions. And the American Association of University Professors has taken an active role in keeping the tenure revisions to a minimum. AAUP staffer Jack Nightingale, who is currently in Minnesota for the third time to assist the faculty during the reform process, said many of the proposed revisions run contrary to the notions of academic freedom. "There have been a number of proposals that have been floated at the university," he said. "Many of those are in violation of AAUP policy." According to Nightingale, the faculty senates of Indiana University and the University of Michigan have also sent letters of opposition to Minnesota officials. And he said the reforms have even received international attention -- the Canadian Association of University Teachers has expressed concern about the proposals. "There are attacks being made to tenure and we need to be responsive to those attacks," said Nightingale, adding that professors must have the freedom to teach and do research without worrying about the consequences of their actions. Despite these criticisms, Minnesota's top administrators, including President Nils Hasselmo, have continued to advocate some sort of tenure reform -- partially for financial reasons. Supporters of reforming the university's tenure system cite the closing of the school's Waseca, Minn., campus in 1991 as a reason for the changes. While 13 tenured professors who taught at that campus took advantage of a retirement package offered by the university, 20 others had to be reassigned to positions at other university campuses -- some of which were created solely for the sake of reassignment. Under one of the proposed revisions, administrators would not be required to relocate professors in similar situations, but rather could fire them and provide them with one year's pay and health benefits. Kuriloff said in an interview that if Minnesota's tenure reform becomes a precedent, it could diminish higher education in the United States. He added, however, that the reforms would probably have few effects on private schools. "The risks to great private research universities are slim because they're very insulated," Kuriloff said. "They tend to understand the values of tenure better and don't have legislatures to influence them. "The loss of the University of Minnesota would be a tragedy to higher education," Kuriloff added. "Penn and all these other places would swoop in and raid the university of all its top people." Like the critics from across the nation, the majority of students at Minnesota have expressed support for more limited tenure revisions -- and are hopeful that the dispute will be resolved quickly. "The university's had a long history of academic freedom," Minnesota sophomore Christopher Johnson said. "The reforms are going to make it really hard for the school to recruit and keep professors -- and it could diminish the university."
(10/17/96 9:00am)
The salaries of Penn's five highest-paid employees -- all Medical School faculty -- are among the leading totals in the Ivy League, according to a survey published in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education. Professor Alan Wein, who chairs the Medical School's Urology Department, received $979,000 plus $20,500 in benefits for the 1994-95 school year. And School of Medicine Dean William Kelley received Penn's second highest salary -- $844,670 plus $26,550 in benefits. Kelley is also chief executive officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. These figures place Penn third among Ivy League schools. The five highest-paid employees at both Cornell and Columbia universities receive more than those at any other Ivy League school, according to the Chronicle. The highest paid employee in the Ivy League is Cornell's Wayne Isom, chairperson of the school's Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Wayne received nearly $1.8 million in the 1994-95 school year. All five of Cornell's highest-paid employees, who are all faculty members of the university's Medical School, earned more than $1 million. The second highest-paid employee in the Ivy League works at Columbia. Surgery Professor Eric Rose earned almost $1.5 million two years ago. Penn Medical Center spokesperson Lori Doyle pointed out that at both Penn and other Ivy League institutions, the high medical faculty salaries are largely made up of patient fees -- and are not paid entirely by the universities themselves. "Although they get an income for teaching, the majority of their income comes from their clinical revenues," Doyle said. Tax documents obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian reveal that Wein received $949,000 from his practice and only $30,000 from the University for teaching. Medical School professors Eugene Flamm, William Potsic and Thomas Spray round out the five highest paid employees at Penn, each taking home approximately $700,000 for the 1994-95 school year. Their salaries also come largely from their practices, according to the Internal Revenue Service's Form 990, a tax document listing universities' expenses. Of Spray's $675,000 salary, $652,500 came from his practice at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. And over $600,000 of both Flamm's and Potsic's salaries come from their patients as well. "The more patients they see, the more their clinical income will be," noted Doyle, who added that the salaries also depend on the field in which the doctor practices. Doyle cited the example of a neurosurgeon like Flamm, who makes more than a neurologist since the latter does not perform surgery. She pointed out that Wein in particular is world-renowned in his field. "He has people come in from all over the world," she said. "If you asked any of his patients, they'd say his salary is worth it."
(10/17/96 9:00am)
Defending salareis, U. admin.Defending salareis, U. admin.says most school presidentsDefending salareis, U. admin.says most school presidentsdeserve more pay for work University President Judith Rodin earned $375,980 during her first year in office, making her the second highest-paid Ivy League president for the 1994-95 school year. According to a survey published this week by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Yale President Richard Levin jumped from eighth place in the Ivy League for the 1993-94 school year to first place in 1994-95. With salary and benefits, Levin brought in $387,138 -- more than double the $169,615 salary he received the previous year. Rodin's salary included $350,000 in base pay and a benefits package totalling $25,980. Her salary was slightly higher than former Interim President Claire Fagin's $346,919 total in 1993-94. But former President Sheldon Hackney pulled down $676,574 for his last year in office in the 1992-93 school year. Hackney's high salary included a bonus compensating him for his 12-year career as chief administrator at Penn. The standard benefits package that every University employee receives includes health care, life insurance and a dental plan -- totalling about $20,000, according to University spokesperson Ken Wildes. Wildes added that Rodin's benefits are no different -- with the exception of her residence, Eisenlohr Hall. Wildes said Rodin's salary, which is set by the Board of Trustees, is in line with the salaries of other university presidents. "It needs to be a competitive salary in the marketplace," he said. "Judith Rodin is asked to be the CEO of a $2.2 billion-a-year corporation." Wildes added that presidents of many non-Ivy schools make significantly more each year than Ivy League presidents, including Rodin. "Penn is a large corporation and one would arguably say that the president's salary is quite reasonable," Wildes said. He also noted that university presidents must try to meet the demands of many different constituents. Wildes noted that according to an informal survey he conducted, more than 20 constituent groups -- ranging from students and faculty to alumni and area businesses -- need Rodin's attention on a regular basis. "In my view, none of these presidents make what I think is a fair salary. [The salaries] are considerably less than what they would be in the business world," Wildes said. "They are pushed and pulled in a lot of different directions." The Chronicle surveyed 1994-95 tax documents from 479 private universities and colleges to obtain its results. The highest-paid university president in the nation was Howard University's Franklyn Jenifer. Jenifer, who resigned amidst faculty criticism in June 1994 to become the president of the University of Texas at Dallas, received $800,318 in salary and benefits for the 1994 calendar year. William Richardson, the president of Johns Hopkins University, received a $250,000 bonus on top of his regular salary for the 1994-95 school year, making him the nation's second highest-paid president. Richardson received the bonus when he left the university in August 1995 to head the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. His total salary amounted to $631,063. Dartmouth President James Freedman received the third highest salary in the Ivy League, earning $300,000 in pay and $56,588 in benefits for the 1994-95 school year. His salary was the fourth highest among presidents of "doctoral" universities, which the Chronicle designated as smaller than "research" institutions. The newspaper classified Penn as a research university. Wildes emphasized that presidents' salaries are usually in line with the demands carried by the position. "Those salaries don't even come close to the responsibilities these people have," Wildes said. "The trustees of the universities ask their presidents to do an awful lot. They have a huge responsibility."
(10/10/96 9:00am)
Awards in economics andAwards in economics andphysics are latest in longAwards in economics andphysics are latest in longstring of Ivy Nobel Prizes Nobel laureates have historically been well-represented on the faculties of the eight Ivy League universities -- and three more professors can now be added to that list. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced Tuesday that Columbia University Professor William Vickrey has received the 1996 Nobel Prize in Economics. Two Cornell University professors -- David Lee and Robert Richardson -- are sharing the Nobel Prize in Physics with one other researcher, the Academy announced Tuesday. Professor Emeritus William Vickrey, who has studied and taught economics at Columbia for more than 60 years, shares this year's Nobel Prize in Economics with British professor James Mirrlees. The Academy said the $1.2 million prize was awarded to the two economists for "their fundamental contributions to the economic theory of incentives under asymmetric information." Vickrey's research, much of which was considered radical when he first began, focuses on the economic theory of public policy and the economics of uncertainty. Some of his proposals include a method to tax income evenly no matter when it was earned, and a system of billing motorists during peak hours of road congestion. Vickrey, who is known among economists as "the father of congestion pricing," said such pricing is a classic example of supply and demand. In a congestion pricing system, those who shift their driving schedules to non-peak hours reduce congestion, air pollution and energy use, according to Vickrey. "You're not reducing traffic flow, you're increasing it, because traffic is spread more evenly over time," Vickrey said in a statement. "Even some proponents of congestion pricing don't understand that." Under Vickrey's proposed system -- a modified version of which is used in Singapore -- electronic units installed in vehicles would activate recording devices embedded in the road to bill motorists during rush hours. Vickrey, who teaches political economy at Columbia, said he admits those who set public policy have not always accepted his ideas. "People see it as a tax increase, which I think is a gut reaction," he said. "When motorists' time is considered, it's really a savings." At Columbia, students and faculty alike were thrilled Vickrey received the Nobel Prize, which they said was much deserved. "We are exuberant," Columbia spokesperson Fred Knubel said. "The president of Columbia, George Rupp, introduced him at our news conference and said that the award was an honor to Dr. Vickrey and Columbia University as well. That shows how proud Columbia is." Mirrlees, professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge, received the award for relating Vickrey's research to taxation. Lee and Richardson, both of whom teach physics at Cornell, share this year's Nobel Prize with Stanford University Physics Professor Douglas Osheroff. Osheroff worked on the Prize-winning research with the two professors in 1971, while he was a Cornell graduate student. The physicists received the award for their discovery of the superfluid helium-3, a breakthrough in low-temperature physics, Cornell spokesperson Larry Bernard said. "There was no way to know in 1971 how important this research would become 25 years later," Bernard said. "It's a testament to the value of funding research without knowing what the ultimate result might be," Bernard added. Bernard noted that Lee still taught his 8 a.m. undergraduate course yesterday, despite finding out about his Nobel award earlier that morning. "That beautifully illustrates the role of teaching at a research university," Bernard said. "Of course, instead of giving his scheduled lecture, he talked about his research." The research that Lee and his partners performed revealed that the helium isotope helium-3 can be made a superfluid, a compound that can flow without resistance at about two-thousandths of a degree above absolute zero, or negative 273.15 degrees Centigrade. Lee said he has always felt his research made a significant contribution to the field of physics, but he did not expect it to bring him a Nobel Prize. "I couldn't believe it," Lee said in a statement, describing the 5:30 a.m. phone call he received from Sweden to announce his win. "I always felt that this was an important discovery but this was a surprise. I thought, I guess I'm dreaming."
(10/04/96 9:00am)
America's leading academics and intellectuals have joined with top union officials for a "teach-in" at Columbia University scheduled to conclude today. The event, entitled "The Fight for America's Future: A Teach-In with the Labor Movement," will feature more than 50 writers, professors and unionists in support of America's labor movement. Regional teach-ins will occur simultaneously in nine cities throughout the nation. At Columbia, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney opened the teach-in last night, along with several authors and professors. "We welcome the support of these distinguished teachers and writers who we think are the natural allies of working Americans in the many battles that lie ahead," Sweeney said. Organizers of the teach-in said they hope to strengthen the nation's unions, which they say are "numerically weak and politically embattled." In the first half of the 20th century, there was a strong alliance -- which has since weakened -- between the intellectual and labor communities, the activists said. Roger Wilkins, a History professor at George Mason University, said he hopes the teach-in will encourage a renewed alliance. He added that stronger ties between unions and academia are especially crucial now because of today's economic uncertainty. Penn History Professor Thomas Sugrue, an organizer of the event, noted that such an alliance is imperative to improve America's current economic conditions. "A revitalized labor movement, reaching from the academy to the shop floor, is essential to stem the forces of economic decline, family insecurity and poverty," said Sugrue, who specializes in the subject and authored The Origins of the Urban Crisis. Today's events will include a morning conference called "The Incorporation of America," and a concluding plenary session in the evening entitled "Organizing the Unorganized." Organizers are also holding several workshops on issues such as immigration, the globalized economy and organization within the African American community. Other topics of discussion include welfare and work, families and feminism and labor political action. Columbia History Professor Eric Foner, who chaired last night's event, stressed the importance of the teach-in. "A vigorous and powerful labor movement is indispensable if America is to ever live up to its own ideals of democracy and social justice," he said. "Today, more than ever, those of us in the academic world need to lend our support to labor's revival." Steven Fraser, executive editor at Houghton Mifflin publishing company and an organizer of the event, said he is optimistic about the future of the labor movement. "Two generations have passed since American intellectuals could hold a fruitful dialogue with the leadership of the trade union movement in the United States," he said.
(10/02/96 9:00am)
The number of undergraduate students pursuing advanced degrees -- both at Penn and colleges nationwide -- has increased overwhelmingly in the last two decades. According to a study conducted by the American Council on Education, two-thirds of undergraduate freshmen surveyed in 1995 plan to apply for a degree beyond their bachelor's. By 2000, the ACE projects, 15.5 million students will be studying in graduate and professional schools in the United States -- almost 30 percent more than in 1980. Linda Knopp, a research analyst for ACE's Division of Policy Analysis and Research, attributes the increase to growing competition in the workforce. "Much of it has to do with [the fact that] a lot of people in the population already having bachelor's degrees," Knopp said. "So students think pursuing an advanced degree will distinguish themselves from the rest of the field." Knopp added, however, that some students do not find it necessary to continue studying after they receive a bachelor's degree. "A lot of it depends on the field in which the student is studying," she said. "In some fields, a bachelor's degree is sufficient to get a job." An overwhelming percentage of College of Arts and Sciences graduates at Penn try to make themselves stand out through further study. According to Peggy Curchack, assistant director for Career Planning and Placement for the College, 35 percent of 1995 College graduates immediately began pursuing advanced studies. In the past, that figure has jumped to nearly 100 percent within a few years after graduation, Curchack added. "Within five years of graduation, about 90 percent of College graduates are entering or have entered graduate or professional schools," she said. "What happens for many is that they work for a year or two first." Curchack noted that pursuing a degree beyond the bachelor's is "a matter of continuing to be positioned competitively." Students at Penn and throughout the country have found that an advanced degree has become more valuable in areas such as engineering, medicine, law and business -- all fields in which students receive a professional degree. At Penn, 45 percent of all graduate and professional students who graduated from the College between 1984 and 1987 were studying either law or medicine, according to Curchack. And approximately 80 percent of all College graduates who pursue an advanced degree do so at a professional school as opposed to a graduate school. "For the most part, Penn grads go more often to professional schools -- such as law, business, journalism, medical -- rather than pursuing Ph.D.'s," Curchack said. And pursuing an advanced degree can be well worth it, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Studies show the average annual income in 1992 was $74,500 for those who hold professional degrees, $41,000 for an individual with a master's degree and $32,000 for those with bachelor's degrees. "The higher the degree you have, the more amount of money you earn over a lifetime," Knopp said. She added that the desire to pursue an advanced degree will likely continue -- but possibly not at such a rapid rate. "It's hard to say for sure if the trend will continue, but it very well could," she said. Curchack noted that the percentage of College graduates pursuing advanced degrees has been relatively constant. "They're incredibly well-qualified and competitive -- in the best sense of the word," she said.
(10/01/96 9:00am)
Despite a new round of discussions between Yale University officials and negotiators from two of its labor unions, the university's labor problems seem far from being resolved. Both sides began discussing the labor situation again September 10 -- after a three-month hiatus -- but major differences still stand in the way of a new contract. The contracts for Locals 34 and 35 of the Federation of the University Employees, which represent Yale's clerical and technical workers and service and maintenance workers, respectively, expired in February. After initial negotiations failed, both unions went on four-week strikes. Following the strikes, negotiations continued but then ended without an agreement June 14. The current round of discussions has not brought the two sides any closer together, according to Yale spokesperson Gary Fryer. "It's clearly not gotten any better," said Fryer, who added that he is less optimistic about reaching an agreement than he was earlier this month. "We had been negotiating with them successfully and we thought an agreement was close at hand," he said. Fryer added that recent meetings with the union negotiators "have not been productive." Two major issues now stand in the way of a contract being signed -- subcontracting and minimum wage. The university is looking to subcontract its dining services to provide students with fast food services. According to Local 34 spokesperson Gordon Lafer, the unions are willing to allow subcontracting, but not at the level the university is demanding. The two sides have also not been able to agree on a fair minimum wage that the subcontractors would have to pay their workers. The unions have said they would like the minimum wage to be set at $8 per hour, but Yale officials have not accepted the proposal. Lafer said the desired minimum wage is at the poverty line for a worker supporting a family of four. "We're talking about the difference between a $16,000 and a $12,000 job," added Lafer, who noted that he believes Yale can easily afford to pay the wage. Yale students continue to take an active part in the labor dispute. Yale junior Noel Poyo, a member of the school's Student Labor Action Coalition, said students on campus are split in their stance on the dispute, but added that he believes the unions have been more flexible than the Yale administration. "Negotiations are about give and take," Poyo said. "The unions have compromised. They've conceded a great deal, and I think they've been very reasonable." Poyo added that discourse between the two sides has been publicly quiet recently -- a good sign that an agreement might be reached, he said. Last year, according to Poyo, the two sides were exchanging pejorative comments. "Both sides are very suspicious of each other -- and with good reason," he said. "They've run into major differences." While there are no plans for another strike anytime soon, union officials have said that it has always been a last-resort option. Poyo -- who like other SLAC members has threatened to withhold his tuition if the unions strike again -- is hoping that the two sides will come to an agreement soon.
(09/30/96 9:00am)
A series of violent shootings has shaken campuses nationwide, resulting in heightened campus awareness and security measures across the country. Since the semester began, there have been four shootings at colleges and universities -- three of which resulted in deaths. One student was killed and another injured on Pennsylvania State University's main campus September 17 when 19-year-old Jillian Robbins opened fire in the middle of campus. Robbins -- who allegedly killed 21-year-old Melanie Spalla and injured 22-year-old Nicholas Mensah -- has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail until her trial begins December 9. The shooting shook Penn State students, who had always considered their campus very safe. As a result, university administrators have increased security, according to Penn State spokesperson Christy Rambeau. "We're looking at what happened and if there was anyway to prevent it," Rambeau said. "We have made more visible the bike and foot patrols and that's been in order to make people feel more secure." Current security measures at Penn State include an emergency phone system, a "buddies" escort service, a crimewatch program and alcohol- and drug-related seminars. In addition, the Penn State Police are working closely with police in the city of State College, Pa., according to Rambeau. She also noted that the shooting was an isolated incident and that most crimes on campus are alcohol-related. She said thefts and vandalism are the most frequent acts of crime, whereas armed robberies and muggings rarely occur at Penn State. Thomas Harmon, Penn State's director of Police Services, said security has been increased since the shooting, but will soon probably return to normal. "For a few nights, we did add some additional patrols in the residence halls to make people feel more comfortable," Harmon said. "There was a heightened anxiety following the incident." Because the shooting was isolated, Penn State officials did not increase security measures indefinitely. But Harmon said he would have evaluated the situation differently if crime was more common on the campus. "The incident that transpired here was certainly an anomaly at this campus as opposed to a school in a city environment like Penn," he said. "If this incident were of that nature, we would have been much more concerned -- increased patrols and more security." · A shooting at the University of Northern Colorado last Tuesday also led campus officials to increase security. Northern Colorado police shot and killed a gunman Tuesday afternoon after the man shot his ex-girlfriend -- a student at the school -- and held her and three other female students captive in their dorm for more than four hours. Because the man was able to walk into the residence hall without obstruction, university officials have re-evaluated their residential security, according to Police Chief Terry Urista. Prior to the incident, the university's residence halls stayed open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. After those hours, the buildings went into a lockdown, during which students must use their keys to get into the main door and must sign in any guests. "We have gone to a 24-hour lockdown," Urista said. Officials are going to meet again to decide what further steps must be taken. Urista also said that three weeks ago, the university made a bid to a security company to increase safety in the residence halls and campus buildings. Northern Colorado students currently do not have to swipe their identification cards to enter residence halls. Under the university's new security measures, technology will be installed to provide for this. The security project is scheduled to begin within two weeks and be completed in January. The university, with an enrollment of 10,500 students, is located in Greeley, Colo., an agricultural community of 60,000 people. Urista said crime in the area and on campus is rare. "It's kind of stolen our innocence," Urista said. The university has 12 officers on its police force, most of whom are on duty at night. In addition, the school also has student security officers who carry phones and provide escort services. Urista said while the shooting caught the university community off guard, students do not seem very receptive to more security. "We're used to having freedom and being able to come and go," he said. "But the students are being somewhat resistant to more restrictions." · The shock of a campus shooting has also struck the students and officials of Contra Costa College, a junior college in San Pablo, Calif. One student was killed last Wednesday when two armed men approached a group of students on the school's quad and opened fire before running to a getaway car. Chris Robinson, a 19-year-old student, died at the scene. The three men implicated in the crime have been arrested and are being held without bail. According to Officer Allen White of the Contra Costa Police Department, the school of 7,000 students is wedged between the cities of San Pablo and Richmond, both of which "are high crime areas." While serious crimes are rare at the school, other incidents like property thefts and vandalism are more typical, White said. Following the shooting, the school's police department has significantly stepped up its security measures. "Now we have four to six police officers patrolling instead of one," White said. "And that's going to stay that way through next week." In addition, the department has requested assistance from the San Pablo and Richmond police departments and the county sheriff's office. Prior to the shooting, one police officer patrolled campus on each of three daily shifts and was assisted by anywhere from one to eight security officers, White said, adding that the department has requested that two police officers be on duty during the day and swing shifts.
(09/25/96 9:00am)
As the ticket price for a college education continues to soar, parents are advised to begin saving early for their children's days on campus. But many parents have not heeded this warning, according to a recent study commissioned by Neuberger & Berman, a New York-based investment firm that has launched a sweepstakes in conjunction with the release of the study's results. According to the study, which surveyed 1,000 parents with children under age 13, 31.2 percent have not begun to save for their children's education. The study also discussed methods of saving, reporting that simply starting a savings account will probably not pay for a college education. "Many of those who have begun savings/investment programs are neither putting enough aside nor using the most effective long-term investment strategies," reads the report of the study's results. To encourage parents to save wisely for their children's education, Neuberger & Berman has launched a sweepstakes on the World Wide Web in which parents can win a no-load mutual fund account to help fund their children's education costs. To enter the contest -- which runs through November 30 -- the parent must fill out a college planning worksheet and entry form at the firm's site at "http://www.nbfunds.com". The firm will draw three winners in mid-December, depositing $100 per month for 12 months into an account of each winner's choice. "We have a commitment to helping parent's with their children's education," said Andrea Trachtenberg, marketing director for Neuberger & Berman. Trachtenberg added that the winners will probably receive more than $1,200 if the funds perform well. "Past performance is no guarantee of future results, but we hope that will happen," she said. "Over the long run that has usually been the case." With a college degree increasingly becoming necessary to compete in the workforce, parents are taking it for granted that their children will go to college. According to the study, about 95 percent of the parents surveyed expect their child to attend college, even though 35 percent of those parents did not attend college themselves. Despite these goals, the study revealed that many parents will not be in a position to fund their children's higher education. "College is no longer a hope, but an expectation for our nation's parents," the study reads. "Matching those high hopes to the cold realities of college costs is a problem most people have barely confronted and some continue to ignore." Of those parents who have begun to set aside money, most rely on savings accounts and bonds -- the two least profitable investment options. Only one third have invested in mutual funds, while less than a fifth hold stocks, the study showed. As a result, the amount of money parents are saving is going to fall far short of the cost of their children's education. According to the study, those parents who are setting aside money are saving an average of $76.28 per month per child. Based on the Neuberger & Berman study and figures from the College Board, parents of the class of 2010 should be saving $360 per month per child for public colleges and $767 per month per child for private colleges. Penn Student Financial Aid Director William Schilling noted that saving early will alleviate some of the future economic burden of a college education. "While we don't really deal with parents with young children, our advice would be to start saving as early as possible because it will make things easier when it comes time for college," Schilling said. "The more they save, the less they'll need to consider loans -- either parent or student loans." But the study indicates that parents who are saving do not even know how much they should be putting away. Nearly 40 percent of parents could not guess how much their children's education would cost. Of those who did venture an estimate, most fell far short of predicted costs. The study revealed that 56 percent of those who are saving now said they expected that an education for the Class of 2010 would cost between $40,000 and $60,000 -- about the current cost of a college education. "By the time the Class of 2010 is ready to enroll, the cost of four years at a public college will be about $87,000 and private college will cost about $185,000," the study reported. Schilling said that while the University will continue to "maintain a robust program of financial aid," parents should not expect an increase in aid from the federal government. "There's going to be continuing pressure in Washington to keep the budget down," Schilling said. "That's going to make things more difficult for colleges and students. I don't think we can expect a significant increase in federal support." Trachtenberg also said the higher education economic situation probably will not improve anytime soon, adding that if parents do not save early for their children's education, a college degree may be economically out of reach.
(09/23/96 9:00am)
After months of negotiations, Princeton University and The College of New Jersey have reached an out-of-court settlement that will allow The College of New Jersey to keep its name. Princeton filed suit against the Trenton, NJ college in June after officials voted to change its name from Trenton State College to The College of New Jersey. Princeton was founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey and became Princeton University in 1896. The agreement reached by the two schools allows them both to use the name "College of New Jersey" so long as they both "strive to make clear the entirely separate histories of the two institutions, notwithstanding that at different times in their two histories they have had the same name," according to the settlement. Under the terms of the agreement, The College of New Jersey cannot suggest that prior to 1896 it was an institution of higher education under that name. And Princeton may only use the name "College of New Jersey" in historical references. After reaching the agreement, officials from the two schools released a joint statement expressing their satisfaction with the outcome. "We are pleased that this dispute has been resolved in a way that minimizes the likelihood of confusion and fully protects each other's right to the use of the name '(The) College of New Jersey,'" unnamed officials from both schools said in the statement. According to the joint remarks released Thursday, the settlement will eliminate any confusion between the two universities regarding the name. "The terms of the agreement should help to assure that the public will not believe that there is any connection or association between our two institutions, even though at different times in our histories we have had the same name," officials said in the statement. Students from both schools said that the settlement was beneficial for all parties. Princeton sophomore Sulene Chi said Princeton officials acted properly by allowing The College of New Jersey to keep its name. "I'm happy that the university settled the suit because I don't think it's important for them to be quibbling over such a small issue," Chi said. "I think Princeton should be able to hold onto its reputation by current progress instead of past glories." Cheryl Greenberg, a freshman at The College of New Jersey, said that while the name change caught a lot of people affiliated with the college off-guard, she thought it would benefit the school in the long-term. "The change would have been better accepted if people had been notified about it sooner," Greenberg said. "I think that the name 'The College of New Jersey' will bring in more out-of-state residents and that is what the Board of Trustees had wanted when they decided on the name change." And officials said the agreement will allow both schools to hold onto their "respective histories and accomplishments."
(09/19/96 9:00am)
Jillian Robbins, 19, charged with 1st-degree murder of Penn State student Melanie Spalla The woman who allegedly shot two Pennsylvania State University students Tuesday, killing one and wounding the other, was charged yesterday with first-degree murder. The suspect, 19-year-old Jillian Robbins of Troftrees, Pa., also faces several additional murder and assault charges related to the incident. Robbins is not a Penn State student. Robbins went on a shooting spree early Tuesday morning at Penn State's University Park campus, killing 21-year-old Melanie Spalla of Altoona, Pa., and wounding 22-year-old Nicholas Mensah, a Philadelphia native. At a press conference announcing the charges yesterday afternoon, Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar said he is considering this a capital case -- meaning he believes Robbins "knowingly created grave risk of death to others in addition to the victim of the murder." He added that he is requesting Robbins be ineligible for bail. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for September 26 at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa. Penn State President Graham Spanier emphasized yesterday that despite Tuesday's shooting, Penn State's main campus remains safe. "We have a long history of safety and we intend to do everything we can to continue in this mode," he said. "Parents can be confident that this is still a safe environment." As news of the shooting spread to parents, Penn State officials encouraged students to call home and reassure their parents. Some parents of University of Pennsylvania students called Penn offices, apparently believing the shootings had occurred here. Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said yesterday that she received 11 phone calls "from parents who got the names of the universities reversed." Penn students reacted to news of the shooting with shock. College junior Meredith Hertz, whose sister attends Penn State, said she was particularly surprised because the environment surrounding Penn State's campus is rural and appears safe. "Where Penn State's located is called Happy Valley and it's very much a college town," she said. "The shooting was so out of the ordinary. They don't have an urban campus and the same problems that we do living in the city of Philadelphia." Hertz added that Penn State's campus does not appear to be prone or vulnerable to crimes like Tuesday's incident. "It's just acres and acres of land," she said. "It's such a total college experience -- it's football games and parties. It's like Spring Fling every weekend. The campus is very sheltered." Robbins, who was allegedly hiding in shrubbery near the Hetzel Union Building before she began her shooting spree, fired five shots with a high-powered 7-mm Mauser hunting rifle, striking the two victims and lodging a third bullet in the backpack of another witness. Spalla, who was walking from class, was shot from approximately 46 yards away and died at the scene. Mensah was shot from approximately 100 yards away. He is listed in guarded condition, remaining in the intensive care unit at Centre Community Hospital. Penn State student Brendon Malovrh, an aerospace engineering major from Downington, Pa., wrestled Robbins to the ground and managed to take her gun away. During the struggle, Robbins drew a knife and attempted to strike Malovrh, but instead stabbed herself in the leg. Malovrh subdued Robbins and applied a tourniquet to her leg while they waited for Penn State police. Robbins, who is recovering from surgery at Centre Community Hospital, is listed in fair condition and is under police guard. She has reportedly suffered from depression in the past. Penn State and State College Borough police officials said she told them she decided to "do it" at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. According to police investigators, Robbins left her apartment near the Penn State campus at around 7:45 a.m., with the rifle concealed under her raincoat. Before going onto the campus, Robbins stopped at a convenience store, where she bought a newspaper and juice. Robbins allegedly walked onto campus and took up her position on the HUB lawn at about 8 a.m., where she read the paper before assuming what police termed "a prone position" to begin the shooting spree. Dave Stormer, Penn State's assistant vice president for university safety, said Robbins did not know anyone at the scene. He added that police will execute a grid search on the nearly 18 acres of lawn that surround the scene. They will look for additional clues and spent cartridges. Spanier praised Penn State and State College Borough police for their handling of the situation, adding that such tragedies cannot always be foreseen. "We have a highly professional force on campus -- one that rivals that of any community of this size," Spanier said. "But no university, no community, is immune from a random act of violence. If someone is intent on bringing a rifle into a community and using it, it's hard to stop that."
(09/18/96 9:00am)
One student was killed and another injured yesterday morning in a shooting at the University Park campus of Pennsylvania State University, shocking students and administrators. Melanie Spalla of Altoona, Pa., died of gunshot wounds, and Philadelphia native Nicholas Mensah remained in stable condition following surgery to remove a bullet from his midsection. The suspect in the shooting, 19-year-old Jillian Robbins of Troftrees, Pa., fired five shots with a high-powered rifle, hitting the two victims. She was apprehended by a student passerby, who held her on the lawn in front of the Hetzel Union Building until police arrived. Robbins, who attempted to stab the student with a knife, injured herself in the struggle and was admitted to Centre Community Hospital last night with a knife wound to the leg. At a media briefing, Dave Stormer, Penn State's assistant vice president for university safety, said Robbins gave no reason for the shooting and did not know either of the victims. In a statement about the incident, Penn State President Graham Spanier expressed shock and sadness. "As a university with a long history of campus safety, this is a shock," Spanier said. "I pledge the full resources of the university to investigate and to supply necessary counseling and related services for faculty, staff and students and to keep the public informed. "I ask everyone in the University community and the community beyond to join with me in an expression of grief and prayers for the victims' families," he added. The shooting turned the cold and rainy Penn State campus upside down yesterday, as students huddled around televisions to hear the most recent information released. "Everything here has been crazy since it happened," Penn State freshman Katie Shortt said. "Nobody really knows what's going on. It's pretty scary to know that this happens right around the corner from you." Shortt added that officials have given little information to students. She also said many rumors about the shooting are circulating, including one identifying Mensah as the suspect's ex-boyfriend. The families of both victims have been notified and Penn State officials have urged students on campus to call their parents to reassure them of their safety. In addition, the university has set up counseling services to help students, faculty and staff deal with the tragedy. Spanier commended both Penn State police and the State College Borough police for their rapid response to and handling of the matter. "I am optimistic that with good will and cooperation we will be able to fully investigate this crime and to provide all the necessary services," Spanier added. As news of the incident spread to the University of Pennsylvania's campus, both students and administrators expressed disbelief. And Penn's Vice Provost for University Life office dealt with some confusion regarding the incident yesterday, receiving phone calls from some who thought the shooting occured at Penn, VPUL Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said. "I have already called the Penn State campus both to give my profound condolences and to offer any services which I, and other members of the Penn community, might offer to help the students and community members of our sister campus move through the despair and deep sense of loss in the aftermath of the tragic incident," McCoullum said.
(09/17/96 9:00am)
Columbia University has filed a lawsuit against Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation Friday, alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition. In a recent nationwide advertising campaign, Columbia/HCA, a for-profit hospital chain formed in 1988, has been aggressively marketing the Columbia name, said Elaine Metcalf, a spokesperson for Columbia University Health Sciences, in a statement announcing the lawsuit. The corporation, based in Nashville, Tenn., owns or operates more than 300 hospitals in 32 states, primarily in the southern and western parts of the country. The company's health care facilities have no connection to Columbia University or Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, the university's not-for-profit hospital complex. The lawsuit seeks to prevent the company from using the Columbia name to promote its medical services. "The Columbia name is one of the oldest and most venerable in American medicine. Just like the names of Harvard, Yale, Penn or Baylor mean something in medicine, so does Columbia," said William Polf, Columbia Health Science's deputy vice president for external relations. "We believe HCA has infringed on our rights." Polf added that the university has requested an injunction in Manhattan's U.S. District Court to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. Legal proceedings began yesterday. Columbia/HCA officials, who answer the phone by simply saying "Columbia," did not respond to several requests for comment. In addition to an end to Columbia/HCA's advertising campaign, the university is seeking unspecified damages and wants the company to run corrective advertising. "The suit against Columbia/HCA states that a short-hand reference to 'Columbia doctors' or 'Columbia medicine' has long been identified nationally, internationally and in the New York City area exclusively with Columbia University and the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center," Metcalf said. According to Metcalf, Columbia/HCA has used the Columbia name in many of its hospitals and facilities. The company renamed Oklahoma's Presbyterian Hospital as "The Columbia Presbyterian Hospital" and is calling its university hospital in Tamarac, Fla., "The Columbia-University Hospital." "In addition, Columbia/HCA introduced a nationwide medical information service using the telephone number '1-800-Columbia,' " Metcalf added. Columbia's medical school -- one of the oldest in the nation -- was the first American institution to grant the M.D. degree.
(09/11/96 9:00am)
Harvard University received a $22 million gift from 52-year-old leveraged buyout specialist and Harvard alumnus Thomas Lee of Boston, officials announced Monday. The gift will be distributed to various university programs as Harvard President Neil Rudenstine and Dean of the Faculty Jeremy Knowles see fit. Of the $22 million Lee donated, only $3 million were earmarked for specific purposes. Lee, a graduate of the Harvard Class of 1965, said he decided to give Harvard such flexibility in using the funds due in large part to a suggestion from Penn President Judith Rodin. "Giving flexibility to an administration is very important, especially if you support that administration," Lee said. Lee -- citing Ronald Perelman's $22 million donation to Penn in 1995 -- added that the number of large gifts that Penn and other Ivy League universities have received are an " inspiration for other people to give donations." "I think it's tremendously critical to donate money to education if you have the money," he said. "I couldn't emphasize it enough." Of the $3 million Lee did allocate, $1 million will go to the Harvard Graduate School of Education; $500,000 each to the American Repertory Theatre and the Fogg Art Museum; and $500,000 each to two medical institutions affiliated with Harvard -- Beth Israel Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Knowles will allocate $4 million to a scholarship fund Lee had set up in 1984 and $5.5 million to programs in Harvard's life sciences, Lee said. Rudenstine has not specified how the university will use the remaining $9.5 million. Harvard spokesperson Alex Huppe -- noting that most donations are fairly restricted in purpose -- said Lee's contribution is exceptional in both monetary value and flexibility. "We're extremely and deeply grateful to Tom Lee for his generosity and creativity in meeting our educational needs," Huppe said. "He's understood what a relatively unrestricted gift means to meeting the needs of a modern university." Lee's gift is part of a five-year $2.1 billion capital campaign which began at Harvard in May 1994. The university surpassed the $1.1 billion mark this spring, Huppe said. While Lee's donation is not one of the largest in Harvard's history, it has broken several university records, according to Development Officer Laura Smith. In addition to being the largest gift from anyone in Lee's generation, it is also the largest gift from a Bostonian and the largest donation of non-discretionary funds. The largest donation in Harvard's history was from John and Frances Loeb in 1995 for $70.5 million. Penn Trustee Emeritus and philanthropist Walter Annenberg's twin $120 million donations in 1993 to Penn and the University of Southern California are the second largest donations in higher education -- behind a $125 million donation historian Sir Harold Acton gave to New York University in 1994.
(09/10/96 9:00am)
Both hope to avert repeat of last year's strike After a three-month stand-still, Yale University and two of its unions will meet today to discuss a potential contract agreement. Neither side expects to reach an agreement immediately, but both are hopeful that a new contract will be signed soon. The contracts for Locals 34 and 35 of the Federation of the University Employees, which represent Yale's clerical and technical workers and service and maintenance workers, respectively, expired in February. After initial negotiations failed, both locals went on four-week strikes. As a result of the Local 35 strike -- supported by 97 percent of its members -- the university's 12 residential dining halls closed. Students received food vouchers from the university. The university also re-opened a dining facility called Commons during the strike, in order to serve the students on campus. Following the strikes, negotiations continued, but talks ended June 14 without an agreement. Yale spokesperson Gary Fryer said today's meeting will be a stepping-stone to future discussions, but added that the unions must be more willing to compromise. "I expect that we'll talk about where we are, and we'll see where we stand after that," he said. "We've made it very plain to the unions that we are not prepared to give them such an arrangement unless the university gets certain things from the unions in return." The university is looking to subcontract its dining services so that it can provide students with fast food services such as Taco Bell. However, the unions have been wary of allowing Yale this option. "What we are looking for is more flexibility," Fryer said. "We were unable to use subcontractors under our labor agreements because we could not bring in outside vendors. We were basically stymied." Local 35 spokesperson Deborah Chernoff said the unions are willing to allow the university to bring in subcontractors, but not without making provisions for the union employees' well-being. Chernoff brought up three points that are the obstacles to reaching an agreement. While the unions understand that there will be some attrition during the subcontracting process, they do not want union employees simply laid off and replaced by subcontractors. Second, Chernoff said the subcontractors must pay workers an adequate wage. "We want the university to require the subcontractors to pay a fair minimum wage -- a fair rate of compensation," she said. "Right now they're not willing to consider the minimum wage we've proposed, which is in the neighborhood of $8 an hour." Third, the unions want Yale to guarantee that the number of union jobs will not fall below 80 percent of the current number, Chernoff said. While the university seems to have agreed to this, there is confusion over how many union jobs are currently on campus. Chernoff said the unions do not have immediate plans to go on strike again, but added that they are not ruling a strike out as a last resort. "Our current strategy is to negotiate if we can and to organize the community members who have an interest in the future of jobs in New Haven," Chernoff said. Fryer noted that Yale's school year -- which began last Wednesday -- has gone "very smoothly" so far. He said he has not seen any noticeable effects of the labor dispute on campus. "We're off to a great start," he said. "And that's even before U.S. News and World Report rated us as the No. 1 university."
(09/06/96 9:00am)
Harvard University police recently reported that about $600,000 worth of rare books, maps and drawings were stolen from the university's libraries. Cambridge, Mass. police arrested Jose Torres-Carbonnel in late August on charges of stealing 1,700 items -- including rare 18th and 19th century Spanish etchings. They charged him with two counts of "larceny over $250." The police cracked the case when Harvard librarians phoned Carbonnel about items he had advertised in a Spanish catalog. After confessing that some of the items bore Harvard stamps, Carbonnel admitted to the crime. Harvard spokesperson Alex Huppe said he is optimistic that the university will retrieve all the valuables, some of which reportedly sold for upwards of $5,000. This incident was the second major theft from Harvard's world-renowned libraries in the past 15 years. But Huppe said security at the libraries is tight. "Harvard gives a lot of thought to the security of its documents and its valuable collections," he said. "Harvard's library is the largest private library in the world, so there's a lot to look out for. I think it's safe to say that we've had relatively few thefts." In a system similar to Penn's, Harvard students and professors must show identification cards to check out books, which are also tagged to set off an alarm if the books are improperly removed. Library robberies are not unique to Harvard. Many universities have had documents stolen -- including Penn, said Van Pelt Library Operational Services Manager Charles Jenkins, who oversees the library's maintenance, security and safety. Jenkins said nothing of substantial value has been stolen from Penn's libraries in recent years, though there have been minor thefts. Some valuable items have been stolen in the past, Jenkins added. "Some were quite valuable," he said. "And some we got back, but some we didn't." Most recently, a then-Van Pelt employee stole $1.8 million of rare documents and books over a five-year period ending in 1990. At Van Pelt, each book is tagged like those at Harvard and individuals must show all books to the doorman as they leave the building. In Van Pelt's Special Collections department -- which houses the library's most valuable materials -- individuals must be buzzed in and out of the room. Despite security measures at both Penn and Harvard, along with other universities throughout the country, people have found ways to get coveted documents out of libraries. "No matter how good your security is, if they want a book, they can get it out of the building," Jenkins said. "There are some very inventive people." Huppe added that the documents' value is a strong incentive for potential thieves. "As these documents become more valuable and more valued and prized by collectors, there's clearly a need for increased security," Huppe said, noting that library security is an ongoing concern. Jenkins said he and his staff constantly study Van Pelt security to ensure maximum protection. "We try to revise our procedures accordingly if we find out about a theft -- not so much in increasing security but in the manner of which we protect the materials," Jenkins said.
(09/04/96 9:00am)
Thomas Jefferson disciplined for same Medicare error as U. Thomas Jefferson University recently settled a $12 million lawsuit involving claims that its physicians overbilled patients -- less than a year after Penn faced a similar suit. Federal inquiries into many university hospitals' billing practices began last year after Penn agreed to pay $30 million to the federal government, settling claims that Medical School faculty members overbilled Medicare by $10 million for treating Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania patients over the last six years. Although Penn had to pay triple the amount of its original overbilling, the suit against Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson only cost the university double its overbilling fees. Auditors cited the fact that Thomas Jefferson had conducted its own audits in deciding to lower the settlement amount. The audit -- which the government is expanding to include more universities -- revealed similar violations at Penn and Thomas Jefferson. Investigators found that HUP doctors were billing patients for care provided by resident physicians. Under Medicare, residents are not allowed to charge for the care they give because the federal government already subsidizes their training and salaries. Likewise, most of the overcharges at Thomas Jefferson were for medical services provided by residents, though the patients' bills claimed faculty doctors performed the procedures. Officials at Thomas Jefferson -- like Penn administrators -- denied any wrongdoing, noting that "past Medicare guidelines were subject to interpretation." According to Robert Dickler, a senior vice president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Medicare regulations have been unclear for decades. Dickler said there is enough ambiguity in the rules as they are written that the physicians could have "thought the bills they rendered were in compliance with the regulations and documentation." Dickler added that new Medicare regulations implemented in July should help eliminate any confusion over billing practices. "They are significantly more explicit in both what requirements must be fulfilled and in what needs documentation," Dickler said. "I think they'll go along way in clearing up some ambiguity." Following Penn's settlement, the government announced it would study six more Pennsylvania hospitals -- Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Graduate Hospital, the Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann University Hospital, Temple University Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. But auditors eventually may examine all of the nation's 125 academic medical centers -- and possibly all 1,200 universities that receive Medicare money for graduate medical education. As part of Penn's settlement, the Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania agreed to implement a four-part plan to increase its compliance with Medicare regulations over the next five years. Part of the plan involves conducting internal and external audits, a practice the government has recommended all university hospitals establish. Thomas Jefferson officials have also agreed to develop a compliance plan, according to Thomas Jefferson spokesperson Carol Lynn Daly. "It is regrettable that these billing errors occurred," Daly said in a statement. "In order to correct these deficiencies, TJU's Office of Corporate Compliance is implementing a program to ensure future adherence with all billing regulations." Daly added that Thomas Jefferson chose to settle with the government to avoid "long and costly litigation." Penn Health System spokesperson Lori Doyle had no comment on Thomas Jefferson's specific case. However, Doyle did say that Penn Medical Center officials have "known all along" that Penn was not the only university with misunderstandings regarding Medicare billing.
(05/17/96 9:00am)
Athletic Director Steve Bilsky has overhauled much of the Athletic Department since taking the helm in July 1994 -- and development has been a large focus of that restructuring. The Athletic Department's development office oversees all the revenue-generating aspects of the University's athletic program, including annual funding, corporate sponsorship and capital projects. Due in large part to the reshaping of the development office, the Athletic Department has had great success in raising money. According to Director of Athletic Development and Public Affairs Decker Uhlhorn, the revenue from annual funding as of March 30 was $50,000 ahead of last year's total at the same time. The annual fund -- known as the Weightman Fund -- grossed $1,066,750 in the last fiscal year, from July 1 to June 30. "We're raising money every day and we're doing well," Bilsky said. "You hope everyday you open up a letter and in it there will be a check -- but that's not the way the business works. The way it really works is that you have to get out and meet people and sell them on what you're trying to do." As part of the restructuring, Bilsky has encouraged individual coaches to get involved with fund raising. The Weightman Fund is divided into 38 categories -- 25 for the athletic teams and 13 additional special funds. Each of the 25 teams has a fund raising goal based on the team's expenses and revenue. For example, the 1995-96 goal for football is $200,000, while the goal for men's and women's fencing is $7,000. "If you go beyond these goals, you get to keep that extra money for your program," Uhlhorn explained, adding that involving coaches more in fund raising gives them an incentive to encourage donations. "Every sport is now responsible for fund raising." Uhlhorn added that the Penn Athletic Department's fund raising "compares favorably" with that of other Ivy League schools. "I think this year will end very strong. The road ahead is very bright," Uhlhorn said. "It's definitely a team effort -- from the coaches to the president to the development office to admissions. You couldn't do it otherwise." Corporate sponsorship is another keystone of the Athletic Department's budget. Franklin Field, for instance, currently displays several advertisements. "We're one of the first Ivy League schools to get involved with sponsorship -- for example, having PNC Bank sponsor the Penn Relays," said Uhlhorn, who came to the Athletic Department in February 1995 as part of its reorganization. "We probably have almost doubled in a year the number of sponsorships -- and we're looking to do more." Capital projects are also an important part of the department's budget. Recent capital projects on campus include the renovation of the Palestra and the Ringe Courts. To ensure that the Ringe Courts met changing squash regulations, the courts' sizes needed to be modified, Uhlhorn said. Otherwise, many events could no longer be held there, resulting in a loss of money. While coaches and administrators in the Athletic Department are always looking for the numbers to stack up in the wins column, they are also seeking out large figures on the revenue side. "It's an unbelievable amount of work," Uhlhorn said. "But for us to strive for greatness, we have to have success in development."
(05/01/96 9:00am)
President Clinton will give three commencement addresses this year -- including one at Princeton University -- according to White House spokesperson Mike McCurry. Clinton will also address Pennsylvania State University graduates on May 10 and United States Coast Guard Academy graduates on May 22, before speaking at Princeton on the morning of June 4. Clinton accepted Princeton's invitation to speak as part of its 250th anniversary celebration. Princeton officials typically do not invite a speaker to address the university's graduates, but they have made an exception because of the university's anniversary, according to Princeton spokesperson Mary Caffrey. "It's been our tradition that on major anniversaries we've invited the sitting president to come and speak," Caffrey added. "For the 200th anniversary, we had Harry Truman and for the 150th we had Grover Cleveland. "It should be a pretty interesting and extraordinary event," Caffrey said. "We're still going to attempt to have it outside on the lawn in front of Nassau Hall and try to keep all the same graduation traditions." In a White House statement, McCurry said Clinton's commencement speeches will focus on some key issues as the nation prepares for the future. "The three [speeches] will sort of work together thematically to reinforce some ideas the president wants to present to the nation about his ideas for the future of this country as we look ahead to the 21st century," McCurry, a Princeton graduate, said. "I'd describe them all as dealing with economic issues." Clinton's speeches will address several major topics -- including "how we can ensure that the United States remains the moral force for leadership in this changing world and how here at home we can reflect the values that have long been important in the American tradition." Clinton will also focus on the future of the nation's economic policy and how the government can improve "the health retirement income and wage security of Americans," according to McCurry. While Clinton has never spoken at Penn's commencement, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was a guest speaker in 1993. Barbara Bush also spoke at Penn's commencement in 1990. Ten presidents have also visited campus. As part of Penn's 250th anniversary, President Reagan addressed students in 1990. And to commemorate Penn's 200th anniversary in 1940, both President Hoover and then-President Franklin Roosevelt spoke. The most recent visit by a sitting president occurred in 1975, when Gerald Ford gave the commencement address.
