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(05/01/96 9:00am)
Yale University service and maintenance employees returned to work last week, ending a four-week strike protesting Yale's efforts to cut budget costs. The strike was part of a strategy to renew a contract for members of locals 34 and 35 of the Federation of University Employees. The contract expired February 7. The members of Local 34, which represents Yale's clerical workers, began their strike in February. Local 35 followed soon after that. Despite the end of the strikes, negotiations between the union and the university have not produced a contract settlement, according to Local 35 spokesperson Deborah Chernoff. "This is part of a long-term strategy," Chernoff said. "In the long run we're going to have to wait until we get a contract to see if the strikes were effective." Chernoff added that the strikes succeeded in demonstrating that Yale workers will not accept the university's budget cuts. The Local 35 strike had a 97 percent turnout from the union's workers. As a result of their strike, some classes were forced to move off-campus and trash pick-up and intramural mail delivery were suspended, Chernoff said. Shortly after the strike ended, 117 Yale employees, classified as "casual" workers, voted overwhelmingly to join Local 35. "This is an extraordinary thing -- workers voting to join a union two days after the end of a strike," Local 35 President Bob Proto said. "But casual workers have been getting a raw deal from Yale for a long time. "They've been strung along with the promise of a real job but remained 'permanent temps' with no way to move into the regular work force," Proto added. Yale officials have announced that they will seek to block the employees who voted to join Local 35 from becoming union members. Chernoff noted that the casual workers' vote shows the effectiveness of the union's protest against Yale. "People are normally discouraged from joining a union that strikes -- not encouraged," she said. With no settlement reached, Local 34 and Local 35 will continue their protests, according to Chernoff. The unions are planning a "massive" demonstration during Yale's commencement ceremony.
(04/24/96 9:00am)
While the Ivy League is known more for its prowess in academics than in athletics, many current students, graduates and coaches from the Ancient Eight have their eyes set on amateur athletics' most prestigious competition -- the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. Some of the athletes -- such as those competing in rowing and judo -- already know that they are headed to the Olympics, while others, including fencers, wrestlers and track stars, still have to qualify. Crew: Ivy League Dominance Of the 44 men and women that make up the United States Olympic rowing team, almost half come from Ivy League schools. And all eight universities have at least one representative on the team. Two Penn graduates qualified for the Olympics in rowing -- 1989 graduate Mike Peterson and 1990 graduate Jeff Pfaendtner. Peterson qualified in the pair without coxswain race, finishing first in a field of six. His partner for the event is Adam Holland, a 1994 Harvard University graduate. Pfaendtner, whose boat also took top honors in a six-boat race, qualified for the lightweight four without coxswain. Dartmouth College also has two representatives on the Olympic rowing team -- 1992 graduate Anne Kakela and 1994 graduate Ted Murphy. Murphy began rowing his freshman year at Dartmouth -- at the urging of Big Green crew coach Scott Armstrong. "I can remember picking him out of the lunch line during freshmen orientation week," Armstrong said. Murphy said he had hoped to play basketball for Dartmouth. When that did not work out, and the opportunity to row came up, he took advantage of it. "I started that fall and never looked back," Murphy said. He has been on the national team since the summer after his junior year in college. He therefore had to train for both the Dartmouth and U.S. teams. But he said that while at Dartmouth, he focused on his collegiate rowing. And he began preparation for the national team after the school year ended. "But, of course, being on the national team was always in the back of my mind," Murphy added. Murphy will be racing in the Summer Games in the men's eight-man boat, where he will be joined by several other Ivy League athletes. Jamie Colvin, a 1995 Brown University graduate, and Porter Collins, a junior at Brown who has taken the year off to train, will be rowing in the same boat as Murphy, along with 1988 Princeton University graduate Doug Burden. Burden competed on both the 1988 and 1992 U.S. teams. In the 1988 Games, his men's eight boat won a bronze medal in Seoul, South Korea. And in the 1992 Games, his straight four-man boat captured second in Barcelona, Spain. "If his boat wins a medal this time, he'll tie a record for most consecutive Olympic victories," Princeton men's crew coach Curtis Jordan said. Rounding out the Ivy League contingent on the men's eight is coxswain Steve Segaloff, a 1992 Cornell University graduate. Also on the rowing team from Cornell are Tom Murray, a 1991 graduate rowing in the men's four without coxswain -- and 1989 graduate Andrea Thies, who will compete in the women's quad. Harvard has several representatives in the women's competitions, including the McCagg twins -- Betsy and Mary, who both graduated in 1989. The McCaggs rowed on the national team's women's eight that captured the gold in last summer's World Championships. The McCaggs will be rowing in the women's eight this summer along with Kakela of Dartmouth. Lindsay Burns, a 1987 Harvard graduate, and 1991 Harvard graduate Cecile Tucker qualified for the women's lightweight double and women's quad, respectively. Brian Jamieson, a 1991 Yale University graduate, will compete in the men's quad and 1990 Columbia University graduate Tom Auth will represent the U.S. in the lightweight double.
(04/22/96 9:00am)
Gender Equity Advisory Group prevents 'slippage' inGender Equity Advisory Group prevents 'slippage' inequality between men's and women's athletic programs Title IX regulations have affected universities across the nation since the law's inception in 1972 -- and Penn has not been an exception. The Athletic Department formed the Gender Equity Advisory Group in November to ensure that the University complies with the terms of its Title IX settlement. The Athletic Department and Penn women athletes and coaches reached the settlement last September. Since its creation, the Equity Group has served as a watchdog to the University's efforts to make the women's athletic program equal with the men's program. "We're there to make sure there's no slippage," said Nursing Professor Ruth McCorkle, an intramural softball coach and chair of the committee. "If students have a problem, they should contact me." The Equity Group has been working to ensure that women's facilities are up to par with those the men's teams use. The women's locker rooms in Weightman Hall and Hollenback Center have been targeted as areas that need improvement. The group meets twice a year to discuss the University's progress, and at its most recent meeting it toured the University's athletic facilities. According to McCorkle, the group has had a great deal of success. And others on the task force voiced similar sentiments. "I wouldn't be serving if I didn't think we'd be effective," Assistant Vice Provost for University Life Barbara Cassel said. "We'll be successful." Matt Schroeder, the men's track and field captain and one of two student-athletes serving on the committee, said the University has followed through on the terms of the settlement. "Penn has made some definite moves in the right direction and I think in the future it will get better and better," said Schroeder, a College senior. "Just about everything the University set [out] to do they have already done or are in the process of doing." The group members agreed that while the University has made improvements in gender equity, the process is not easy. McCorkle said the main difficulty is financial. "The question is whether it can be done in a timely manner," she said. "And that always comes down to the budget." Cassell added that gender equity in athletics cannot happen immediately. "We're working towards equity in Penn athletics," she said. "This is a process -- it's not going to happen overnight." McCorkle noted that the University's ongoing recertification effort with the National Collegiate Athletic Association affects the gender equity issue. "With the NCAA recertification going on, I think it's even more important to show that women's sports are an important part of Penn," McCorkle said. In implementing the terms of the equity lawsuit, the group has communicated regularly with women athletes and coaches at the University. And Athletic Director Steve Bilsky regularly puts out memoranda to the women's teams explaining the progress that has been made, McCorkle added. But she said more attention must be paid to women's athletics to ensure that gender equity occurs. And Schroeder said to accomplish that goal, the media must give women's athletics more coverage. "A lot of the responsibility falls on other organizations," Schroeder said. "The media in particular should be more attune to women's athletics. I don't think television or newspapers give women's athletics enough coverage -- and women's athletics is just as exciting." In addition to following up on the renovation of athletic facilities, the group has begun studying safety issues. Alarm systems are scheduled to be installed in and around the athletic facilities for both men and women, McCorkle said. "But it's particularly important for women who may be there late at night," she added.
(04/09/96 9:00am)
Attorneys representing Brown University asked a federal appeals court last week to overturn a ruling that the university discriminated against its female athletes and violated Title IX. The ruling, by U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Pettine, stated that Brown's athletic program is not in compliance with Title IX, the 1972 law that prohibits sexual discrimination at schools that receive funds from the federal government. Title IX states that "no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." In his ruling, Pettine said that Brown violated Title IX because its male-to-female ratio of varsity athletes -- roughly a 60-40 ratio in 1992, but currently a 52-48 proportion-- did not "mirror" the 48-52 ratio of all undergraduates. Brown officials said that Pettine's reasoning does not show that the university's female athletes are the subject of discrimination. "Brown's athletic program is non-discriminatory," said Mark Nickel, Brown's director of public relations. "We give equal opportunity to everyone. Students are free to choose as they want. Brown offers 18 teams on which women may participate and 18 for men, so the opportunity is there." Nickel added that up to 100 spaces remain open on the university's women's varsity teams. He also said that Brown is not legally required to match the ratio of its female athletes with that of all students if the female students have other interests. Beverly Ledbetter, Brown's vice president and general counsel, said she agrees. "The university's position is that you cannot require an institution to match the ratio of its athletes to all students," Ledbetter said. "We are only cautiously optimistic, but we are confident about our opinion." Brown officials cited several objections with the court's ruling, including that the court used inaccurate figures and an inappropriate compliance test -- and also used it wrongly. "The test doesn't measure equality of opportunity," Nickel said. "It's applied against the wrong population of students." In the appeal, officials said that the court erred by equating "participation opportunity" with "participation rate." Nickel also said that previous Title IX rulings allowed for a seven-percent difference between the male-female ratio of a school's varsity athletes and that of all undergraduates. Brown currently has a four-percent difference, with females comprising 52 percent of undergraduates and 48 percent of varsity athletes. "Even if we use the court's ruling, we still seem to be in compliance," Nickel said. The lawsuit against Brown began in spring 1992 when members of the women's gymnastics and volleyball teams alleged sexual discrimination after funding for their teams had been cut. One year earlier, Brown's athletic department withdrew funds from women's gymnastics and volleyball and men's water polo and golf as a part of university-wide budget cuts. The cuts affected approximately 60 athletes in about the same male-female ratio for all Brown athletes at that time -- 60-40. Pettine found for the plaintiffs on March 29, 1995 and ordered Brown to submit a compliance plan. Brown officials immediately announced their intention to appeal. Brown's first attempt at appeal in July 1995 was thrown out on a legal technicality. The appeals court said it did not consider Pettine's decision final because it did not outline a remedy. Two months later, Brown submitted a compliance plan, which Pettine rejected. He ordered Brown instead to provide full funding for three donor-funded women's varsity teams and to advance one intercollegiate club team to fully-funded varsity status, sparking outrage from Brown President Vartan Gregorian. "Even though women at Brown participate in intercollegiate sports at three times the national average, every one of our women's teams has room for additional players," he said in a statement following Pettine's order. "The desire to compete cannot be manufactured or dictated." The rejected plan Brown offered would have reduced participation opportunities for men, created new junior varsity women's teams to increase participation and required existing women's teams to meet minimum squad sizes. The court has not made an indication of when its decision on the appeal will be made. "I'd be surprised if it came earlier than a couple months from now," said Nickel, who added that the court took a similar amount of time to reach its earlier decision. Organizations representing over 2,000 colleges and universities have filed friend-of-the-court briefs on Brown's behalf. Among those supporting Brown's position are the Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, the Independent Women's Forum and universities, including New York University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Notre Dame.
(04/02/96 10:00am)
Quaker Boxing celebrated itsQuaker Boxing celebrated its20th anniversary with new-foundQuaker Boxing celebrated its20th anniversary with new-foundclass status and an exhibition Not many people associate boxing with the Ivy League. But in fact boxers have been on the Penn campus since 1976. Quaker Boxing celebrated its 20th anniversary Saturday with exhibition matches and a banquet. The matches were held at Jack Costello's Boxing Club in North Philadelphia, which opened Friday. They were followed by a dinner at the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, where Quaker Boxing was founded 20 years ago. The 20 years of Quaker Boxing has not been without its problems. In its two decades of existence, it has fluctuated between intercollegiate and class status, and at times it has been purely an underground organization, according to Quaker Boxing President Matt Robinson. The group is now recognized as a class -- similar to a dance or tae kwan do class -- largely due to the efforts of Bob Glascott, Director of Intramural Athletics. Robinson said that the group meets twice a week in the basement of Hutchinson Gymnasium and has some new equipment which the Athletic Department purchased. But since Quaker Boxing is not a club, it does not receive funding from the Student Activities Council. Robinson said he is thrilled with the progress Quaker Boxing has made to get recognized. "I had to go all the way to the president to get it done," Robinson said, adding that he also dealt with Provost Stanley Chodorow, Athletic Director Steve Bilsky and several other University officials. With Quaker Boxing's new recognition, its 20th anniversary was especially momentous. At Jack Costello's Boxing Club, the group was part of 10 staged bouts that raised money for the Boxing Scholarship Foundation. The foundation was started by Quaker Boxing coach Ron "The Yid Kid" Aurit, who also helped finance the building of the new boxing club. Aurit's Scholarship Foundation donated $6,000 to the gym. "We give the local kids money to go to college," Aurit said, adding that Penn students also help the local kids with tutoring. Aurit has had a long history in boxing. In 1973, he was a collegiate champion, and, in 1974, he won a Golden Gloves championship. He also served as Temple University's boxing coach from 1972 to 1976 and wrote a manual entitled, "A Safe Way to Teach Boxing." Many spectators packed the new gym, which is decked in red, white and blue colors and displays posters of boxing matches from times gone by. As the spectators filled the seats, the boxers were busy wrapping their hands and getting warmed up for their bouts, each of them showing the "eye of the tiger." With their trainers yelling such commands as "jab," "step out" and "move in," the boxers displayed their best. But Aurit is quick to say that his first priority is safety. "My program is the safest in the world," Aurit said. "If the boxers go to a real gym, they'll be used as dog meat. What I teach them is that they can go anywhere in the world with their heads held high." In the 20-year history of Quaker Boxing, there have been only seven bloody noses, said both Aurit and Robinson. No one has ever broken any bone or had an internal injury. "We're very proud of that," Robinson said. "We're not what people think of when you think of boxing -- but we're still very legitimate." Robinson added that there's more to Quaker Boxing than just throwing jabs. He said he thinks of Aurit as a father-figure and that Aurit is always there for the group. "He's generous to a fault," Robinson said, adding that Aurit takes him to appointments downtown and has him over for holiday dinners. "There's more to it than just the sport itself. It's the discipline -- it's the camaraderie. I can't say enough good stuff about it." Quaker Boxing Vice President Stephen Tieri, an Engineering sophomore, said he shared similar sentiments. Not only does the group instill physical strength, but it also instills self-confidence, he said. Tieri said that he is going to continue Robinson's efforts when he takes over as president next year. He said he wants to continue raising money for the Boxing Scholarship Foundation and look for a bigger space to meet. Quaker Boxing is indeed going to need a bigger space if its membership continues to grow. About 40 students are currently involved with the group, Robinson said. Although Quaker Boxing currently practices in Hutchinson Gymnasium, in the past it has practiced in the rooftop lounges and lobbies of the high rises. Robinson said the hard work he put in to getting Quaker Boxing recognized by the University was worth it. "I wanted to make sure we'd be here after I graduated," he said.
(03/28/96 10:00am)
Renovations on the stadium to be complete by the fall After more than 16 years of construction on Franklin Field, renovations to the historic stadium are near an end. The projected completion date is September 1, according to Physical Plant project manager Bob McKain. He added that the renovations are on schedule and on budget. The rehabilitation of Franklin Field began in 1980 with the addition of several expansion joints to the structure. As originally built, the stadium had only two expansion joints, which could not support the shifting of the building, McKain said. "The stadium was tearing itself apart," he added. Following the addition of the expansion joints, repairs were made to the structure's steelwork, and the upper grandstand walkway was replaced. Workers then renovated the grandstands, replacing the wooden benches with new aluminum seating. Physical Plant is currently finishing the renovation of the lower north grandstands. "That will complete the structural rehabilitation of Franklin Field," McKain said. The plumbing work will be finished once workers can turn off the water flow to the stadium when it is not in use, he added. Other improvements to the stadium include the creation of a handicapped platform with specially designed seating, a new roof for the press box, a fresh coat of paint on the stadium's outside walls and new entrance gates. "I think it looks great," Athletic Director Steve Bilsky said. "I think they've done a super job on the facility and people who have walked in there really are impressed by how good it looks." But there was one major problem during the construction. While renovating the lower east grandstands, workers found the concrete in such poor shape that it blew out when they sprayed it with high-pressure water, causing gaping holes to appear. "That's the only major glitch we've had," McKain said. Despite having to work around athletic events and football seasons for over a decade, renovations to Franklin Field -- the nation's oldest college football stadium still standing -- are about to come to fruition. "We have to stop every three months or so because of needing the facility," Bilsky said. "We had to stop for the football season, and then we got back to working on it again. "We'll have to stop it for the Penn Relays, and then we'll stop for football in the fall," he added. "But we'll finish it up right after that."
(03/08/96 10:00am)
For only the third time in Ivy League history, Penn will battle for the Ancient Eight's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in a playoff game to break a regular-season conference tie. And keeping with the tradition of the epic Penn-Princeton rivalry, the two previous Quakers playoff games -- held in the 1980 and 1981 seasons -- were also against the arch-rival Tigers. The Quakers pulled off a last-minute victory in the 1980 playoff game when senior captain James "Booney" Salters swished a jump shot with 11 seconds left in the game -- giving the Quakers the 50-49 victory. "I'll remember that 10-12 seconds for the rest of my life," Salters said. "Still today I get excited talking about this stuff." The entire 1979-80 season was as intense as the single playoff game was for Penn. The previous season found the Quakers advancing all the way to the Final Four before falling to Magic Johnson's Michigan State team. But at the end of that magical season, the Quakers lost almost every key player. "We were basically a new team from the Final Four team," said Bob Weinhauer, coach of the Quakers from 1977 to 1982 and the current general manager of the Houston Rockets. After starting the 1979-80 season 0-4, Penn rebounded and held onto first place in the league for all of January and February -- until its second encounter with the Tigers. Princeton prevailed in overtime, 78-69, and a few days later defeated Columbia to create a tie atop the Ivy standings with the Quakers and force an one-game playoff game at Lehigh. "Since we were a Final Four team, there was a tremendous amount of interest in Penn basketball at that time," Weinhauer said. "I felt like we took the whole Palestra with us to Lehigh." The Quakers and Tigers traded baskets down to the last minute in the playoff game. With 31 seconds left, Princeton freshman guard Gary Knapp put the Tigers up, 49-48. But the Tigers lead did not last long as Salters threw up the game-winning shot 20 seconds later. "Everyone was celebrating," said Salters, who currently has his own real estate and consulting practices on Long Island. "But Princeton still got a shot off." It was Knapp who tried again to put up Princeton's game-winning shot. But his foul-line jumper rolled off the rim as time expired, sending the Quakers back to the tournament. The 1979-80 Quakers advanced to the second round of the NCAAs before falling to Duke. Despite the excitement of the 1979-80 team's playoff game and tournament march, the 1980-81 playoff game was not so successful for the Quakers. The Tigers exacted revenge with a 54-40 win, ending Penn's streak of three-straight NCAA appearances. "They just got away from us in that game," said Weinhauer, adding that there was no real explanation for the 54-40 defeat. Ten minutes into the game, the Quakers were already down 18-4, and Princeton never looked back. While the Tigers advanced to the NCAAs, the Quakers earned an invitation to the NIT Tournament, where they lost to West Virginia in the first round. "When Princeton gets a 10-12 point lead, it feels like a 15-20 point lead," Weinhauer said. "I never felt like we were in that game." So the next episode of the Penn-Princeton rivalry will be played out tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at Lehigh's Stabler Arena -- again with a trip to the Big Dance at stake. "When you talk about Penn and Princeton, it's do or die," Salters said. "You don't want to lose to those guys."
(02/27/96 10:00am)
For decades, members of the University community have been clamoring for an indoor recreation facility. And there is a some good news to report on that front. According to Athletic Director Steve Bilsky, University officials will begin surveying various users of a potential facility as early as next fall to determine which features they would like to see in a recreation building. One component that would almost certainly be included in the building would be an indoor track, which every other Ivy League university currently has. And not only does the University not have an indoor track, but the entire city of Philadelphia lacks one. Members from all parts of the University -- undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni -- will be questioned. "We're actually going to begin the process of a needs analysis," Bilsky said. "We'll talk to all the various users and get their input so that if we get fortunate enough to be moving, we'll already have all the research done then." However, two significant obstacles may block the development of a recreation facility, according to Bilsky. Because the University is a land-locked institution, space is sorely lacking, said Bilsky, who added that once that obstacle is overcome, money must be raised to pay for the construction of a facility. "The issue is, 'Where do you do it?'," Bilsky said. "And then of course once you've found where you're going to do it, where are you going to get the money from? You're not talking about a small amount of money -- you're talking about tens of millions of dollars." In addition to an indoor track, the facility would most likely also include weight rooms, gymnasiums and aerobics studios. "There's a lot of things that people on campus want to do for fitness purposes that we can't address adequately with our existing facilities," Bilsky said. Assistant women's track coach Tony Tenisci backs up Bilsky's claims, stating that such a facility would not only benefit the track and field teams, but also would be a great asset to the entire University community. "I look at it as a community thing, not just as a track coach," Tenisci said. "It would enhance the University so much." The track teams currently practice year round, according to Tenisci. But because the University lacks an indoor facility, winter practices have to be held outdoors. Even in freezing temperatures, the track athletes must run outside. "Who wouldn't come to Penn if we had an indoor facility?" Tenisci said. "We would probably be the hottest school in the country athletically." Although the possibility of a recreation facility being created on campus sometime in the future seems to be increasing, Bilsky warns that such a project takes a great deal of time. "There's no way to make this a short-term project because it by nature just won't turn," Bilsky said. "But we're thinking about it all the time."
(02/27/96 10:00am)
TV deal results from new marketing plan University officials have signed a three-year agreement with CBS-TV to televise the Penn Relays, according to Athletic Director Steve Bilsky. The agreement is part of a deal with the International Management Group which the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics has appointed to serve as its marketing, sales and television representative for the Relays. University officials and IMG began negotiations in December. "I'm pleased that IMG will be assisting us with the Relays," Bilsky said. "They are regarded as the world's most successful and respected sports marketing firm, and they truly understand the essence of the Penn Relays and its impact on track and field, as well as its significance to the University and the Philadelphia Community." Dave Johnson, named Interim Director of the Penn Relays in January after Tim Baker resigned as Director, said he looks forward to the Relays' television exposure. "I'm thrilled that the Relays will be seen on CBS," Johnson said. "It does an excellent job of covering track and field. And with this being an Olympic year, we expect to have one of the most competitive and exciting Relays ever." It will be the second time in the Relays' history that it will be carried by a broadcast network. The first time was in 1966 when ABC aired a short segment of the Relays during its first telecast of "Wide World of Sports." The Relays will be held April 25-27 at Franklin Field, and CBS will televise a two-hour tape-delayed program on April 28.
(02/20/96 10:00am)
The 1995-96 Penn and Temple basketball teams will not be the only ones taking the court at the Palestra tonight. The celebrated 1970-71 Penn basketball team will reunite to be honored at halftime in commemoration of its 25th anniversary. Many of the team's players have returned to Penn for the celebration, including Dave Wohl, the general manager of the NBA's Miami Heat, Craig Littlepage, the assistant athletic director at the University of Virginia, and Bob Morse, who has traveled from Italy for the reunion. In addition, several coaches and the athletic director during the 1970-71 basketball season, Fred Schabel, will be honored. One alum who will not have to travel far for the celebration is Steve Bilsky, a starting guard for the team, who is now Penn's athletic director. According to Bilsky, the 1970-71 team was one of the best in school history. "I think it was one of the greatest Penn teams ever -- if not the greatest," Bilsky said. "But of course I'm biased." Ray Edelman, an assistant coach for the 1970-71 team, agrees that the team stands out among many great Quakers squads. "They rank with the top Pennsylvania teams," Edelman said. "They were pretty special. Most of them had played in the previous year, and I think they lost maybe three games total." The 1970-71 team finished the regular season with a perfect 26-0 record. Only eight college teams have gone undefeated in the regular season since. After beating Duquesne and South Carolina in the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament, the Quakers' run was finally stopped by Villanova, 90-47, in the NCAA Eastern Regional Final. The Wildcats later had to forfeit the game for using an ineligible player. The team won both the Ivy League and Big 5 championships and finished first in the ECAC Quaker City Tournament at the Palestra. The team was ranked third in the nation by both the AP and the UPI college basketball polls. "We accomplished some outstanding things as a team," Littlepage said. "It was a fun group of guys that were very competitive, but were very different in their personalities and likes and dislikes. It was an unusually unselfish group. I had a great experience." Littlepage added that he misses his Penn basketball days, especially the competition and the interaction with his teammates "to distract us from the pressure." However, he said he is glad to return to Penn knowing that the strong basketball foundations developed in the '60s and '70s have been built upon by present coach Fran Dunphy. According to Edelman, one of the 1970-71 team's major strengths was the unselfish nature of the players. "They played together," he said. "I don't think anyone averaged more than 15 or 16 points per game. It was spread out, and we had depth." In fact, Morse, then a senior, led the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game. Then-junior Wohl finished a close second, averaging 15.3 points. Corky Calhoun, another stand-out on the team, who went on to play eight seasons in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers, recalls the mechanics of the team, which won the most wins ever -- 28 -- by a Penn team. "All the guys got along together," said Calhoun, adding that the momentum of each win carried the team into each subsequent game. "We pulled off some games that maybe we shouldn't have won." During the halftime ceremony, members of the 1970-71 team, as well as coaches and the former athletic director will be introduced on the Palestra floor, where Penn Basketball Club President Tony Tanetta will present them with commemorative gifts. "It's a great university, and it's great to go back," Edelman said.
(02/19/96 10:00am)
After 40 years of friendlyAfter 40 years of friendlycompetition, what will be theAfter 40 years of friendlycompetition, what will be thefate of a Philadelphia collegeAfter 40 years of friendlycompetition, what will be thefate of a Philadelphia collegebasketball tradition? The Big 5. The words themselves conjure up thoughts of intense rivalries and magical atmospheres unmatched in any other city. However, although alumni and Philadelphia sports fans may share that vision, changes in the Big 5 over the years may be responsible for a decrease in the conference's prestige. And through all the conference's ups and downs, the Big 5 will be a part of college basketball at least through the end of the century, according to Big 5 Executive Secretary Dan Baker. "It was loud -- it was aggressive," Penn basketball coach and former La Salle basketball player Fran Dunphy said. "It still has its place in college basketball and certainly still has its place in the city." The Big 5, now in its 41st year, began taking shape in the 1930s, according to Big 5 historian Bob Vetrone. La Salle, St. Joe's and Temple began playing doubleheaders at Convention Hall -- now the Civic Center -- while Penn and Villanova each competed at their campuses. When the Navy occupied the Palestra during World War II, however, Penn began participating in the doubleheaders at Convention Hall. Following the war, the Quakers returned to the Palestra, where they began squaring off against Villanova. While Penn and Villanova competed at the Palestra, La Salle, St. Joe's and Temple continued their doubleheaders only a block away at Convention Hall. The schools' administrators began looking into competing against each other in a doubleheader format at the Palestra instead of playing games often on the same nights a block away from each other. The schools' presidents accepted the proposal and on Nov. 23, 1954 Penn President Gaylord Harnwell announced the formation of the Big 5. Originally, doubleheaders included teams from outside the Big 5. Muhlenberg defeated La Salle 69-58 at the first Big 5 doubleheader at the Palestra on Dec. 3, 1955. In the second game that night, St. Joe's beat Rhode Island 84-72. The first exclusively Big 5 game was on December 14, with St. Joe's downing Villanova 83-70. With those games, the Big 5 was on its way to a magical future. "All the teams were of national scope, and all our games were played in the Palestra, and many of the games were played as part of doubleheaders," Penn Athletic Director and former Penn basketball player Steve Bilsky said. "I've played in a lot of big arenas and I've visited a lot of big arenas, but I've never been in an atmosphere that's just quite like the Palestra in terms of noise and intensity." The Palestra indeed has been the exclusive home of Big 5 competition from 1955 to 1986. It has hosted more games, visiting teams and NCAA tournaments than any other arena. "All the seats are on the floor so you're really sitting right next to the players, as compared to more modern arenas, where they're further back on the floor," Bilsky said. "College basketball has always been big in Philadelphia, and the fact that all the games were at the Palestra created something that's never been duplicated ever by any other city at this point." Aside from the simple magic of the Palestra and the Philadelphia rivalries, the crowd participated in rituals that became part of every Big 5 game. Before each team's first basket, the fans would throw large amounts of school-colored streamers onto the court. Play would stop while cheerleaders would clean up the mess. "It was electric," said Andrew Geiger, Penn's athletic director from 1975 to 1979. "I mean it was a very exciting time. The Palestra was always sold out." Between 1955 and 1986, the five schools played four games each year, -- many of which were doubleheaders -- to determine the Big 5 champion, a position that carried much honor. "The predominance of the other rivalries -- the Big East and the Atlantic Ten -- didn't really exist, so the Big 5 was the focus," said Bilsky, who graduated from Penn in 1971. "Even though we were in the Ivy League, and that was still our ticket to the NCAA tournament, the Big 5 was probably of equal importance -- certainly from a pride standpoint -- and maybe even more important." As schools have focused their attention on their individual conferences and on reaching the NCAA tournament, however, the Big 5 has undergone some changes and in the process has lost some of its luster. In the early 1980s, fans stopped throwing streamers during Big 5 games because of an NCAA rule that forbade it. In 1986, the presidents of the Big 5 schools signed a 10-year contract which continued the four-game round-robin tournament but allowed the schools to play their home games at their respective gymnasiums. "Ninety-nine percent of the Big 5 games were in the Palestra through the 85-86 season," Baker said. "But then Temple and Villanova decided to play at their home sites." And starting in the 1989-90 season, St. Joe's moved to its campus site, while La Salle chose the Civic Center as its Big 5 home. The only games remaining at the Palestra were those in which Penn was the home team. But that too did not last long. Beginning in the 1991-92 season, all official Big 5 games have been played at the Spectrum, except for the 1994-95 season when games were played at home sites. "It was the beginning of the end," Geiger said. But the Big 5 was still faced with more challenges. The structure of the round-robin tournament changed in 1991. At Villanova's request, the full round-robin tournament was reduced to a half round-robin with each team playing two Big 5 games a year. With each team playing only two games, determining a champion has become difficult. Ties have frequently occurred and in the 1991-92 season, every team finished with a 1-1 record. "I would wish that Villanova would play everybody in a round-robin setting like we did for over 30 years," Dunphy said. "And I don't agree with it, but it's understandable. They have to do what's best for Villanova, and that's what they're doing." "We would all prefer a round-robin," La Salle Athletic Director Bob Mullen said. "But in the modern athletic world, that's going to be a problem." Commitments to conference schedules and the desire to get into the NCAA tournament are two causes of that problem. Although winning the Big 5 is an honor, it has no bearing on getting into the tournament. "All the schools have the same goal, which is to get into the NCAA tournament," Bilsky said. "So the Big 5 in that regards obviously becomes secondary because you can win the Big 5 and all it get you is bragging rights in the city -- but you shouldn't underestimate how important that is." Conference schedules also factored into reducing the Big 5's format to a half round-robin. According to Bilsky, Big East teams like Villanova currently play 18 conference games each season, compared to Penn's 14. If Villanova also played four Big 5 games and participated in a conference tournament, the team would easily be playing up to 24 games, which leaves little flexibility. "I would like to see Villanova commit to a full round-robin," Bilsky said. "But from the standpoint of being an athletic administrator, I do understand and appreciate the constraints they're under." Baker said that despite the limitations, schools should "rejoice" in the Big 5 tradition. "We're probably fortunate to exist in any form at all given the different scheduling philosophies of the schools and each school's conference commitments," Baker said. Thanks to a recent agreement, the Big 5 has started to move again along a smoother track. In January, the presidents of each school signed a new four-year contract to continue the half round-robin tournament, while also allowing the schools to play their home game at their on-campus site instead of at the Spectrum. "I think that the agreement that the presidents reached back in January was very good for all parties involved," Villanova Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo said. "We have a very bright future. Everybody's very, very excited about it." Other possibilities also exist for strengthening the conference. According to Bilsky, the Big East could reduce the number of games each team is required to play, allowing Villanova to consider a full round-robin again. The Big East, with 13 schools, could also eventually split into two separate conferences, Bilsky added. But even that would be difficult, he said. "If you had one conference with six teams, and you played everybody in your conference twice, that's 12 games, and you played everybody in the other side once, that's still 17 games," Bilsky said. "So it's going to have to take something that's a little bit more radical and creative than just splitting the conference." Another way to return to a full round-robin would be to include Drexel in the conference, according to Baker. "I think some day some consideration might be give to Drexel as a sixth Big 5 team," Baker said. "But the name wouldn't change." The possibility of including Drexel brings mixed reactions from the coaches and athletic directors of the Big 5 schools. "I would be very much in favor of exploring the Drexel situation," DeFilippo said. "Bill Herrion has done a terrific job there, and I think some consideration should be given to Drexel." Others are a little more hesitant. "I would be willing to listen to any modification that could strengthen the Big 5," Mullen said. "And if that would beA one, I'd be willing to listen to it." St. Joe's basketball coach Phil Martelli expressed concern about damaging the tradition of the Big 5, but said he would be open to the possibility. "I think it's a tradition that goes way beyond me," Martelli said. "We're really just the care-takers of a tradition." Bilsky said he does not see any reason for currently including Drexel. "I don't think that's a reality and that's not in any way disrespectful to Drexel," Bilsky said. "But I'm pretty traditional about the Big 5. I played in it, and I guess that's why I'm traditional about it. "It's been those five schools, and there would have to be an overwhelming reason to add Drexel," Bilsky added. "Right now they're a fine program, but there's no overwhelming reason to add them to the Big 5." Whether or not the Big 5 changes in any way, officials of the schools do not see the Big 5 disappearing any time soon. "I don't think it will completely end," Dunphy said. "I hope not because I think we've got something very special in college basketball and in the city of Philadelphia." While the Big 5 may not have the glamour that it had in the '50s, '60s and '70s, no one seems willing to give up on it. "It's a great tradition," Mullen said. "And we will do everything in our power to maintain it." "If we hold on to the Big 5, I think we have a chance for recapturing our earlier glory," Baker said. The immediate future of the Big 5 was established with the January contract. What the future holds for the Big 5 beyond the year 2000, however, remains to be seen. All agree that too much tradition is behind the Big 5 to allow it to end. St. Joe's former basketball coach Jack McKinney recalled his 1966 to 1974 reign during his acceptance speech in 1992 when he was inaugurated into the Big 5 Hall of Fame. "It was Penn, Temple, La Salle, St. Joe's, Villanova," McKinney said. "It was college basketball at its best. It was Philadelphia. It was the Palestra. It was the Big 5. It was beautiful. And it's worth saving. Don't let it get away."
(02/09/96 10:00am)
The murder of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz -- allegedly by millionaire John du Pont -- has struck the heart strings of the world. In Philadelphia, a memorial service to honor Schultz will be held at the Palestra on Sunday at 3 p.m. Penn wrestling coach Roger Reina, a long-time friend of Schultz's, was instrumental in setting up the service. "His friendly demeanor and good-hearted nature that most of you have heard others talk about is what I will remember most about him," Reina said in a prepared statement. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, where he was an NCAA champion in 1982, Schultz competed in many international wrestling events. Among his accomplishments are the 1984 Olympic gold medal, 1983 world championship, three world silver medals and two world bronze medals. "What Dave Schultz represented was the essence of a great wrestler," Reina said. "His life was about desire, concentration and intensity. He gave all that he had at all times, in all things." Schultz was ranked number one in the United States in his weight class at the time of his death, and was a top prospect for the 1996 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team. "I can say that Dave's influence on the sport and those who love wrestling should never fade," Reina said. "We all benefitted from knowing Dave and from our experiences with him. He was one in a trillion." Schultz was found dead in his house on du Pont's sprawling estate in Newtown Square two weeks ago. He had been a coach for the wrestling program du Pont sponsors. He was 36 years old. Du Pont, heir to a chemical industry fortune, was charged with and arraigned for murder and illegal possession of weapons last week after hiding from police in his home for 48 hours. He underwent testing at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday. A memorial fund has been set up for the welfare of Schultz's family. Donations may be sent to: David Schultz Family Endowment, c/o USA Wrestling, 6155 Lehman Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918. The family has requested contributions to the fund in lieu of flowers.
(02/07/96 10:00am)
Until recently, the sudden death of athletes had puzzled scientists. While they knew that the deaths could be linked to a mutation of the protein myosin -- a molecular motor that produces much of the body's muscle action -- they did not know about how the protein functioned. But in a study directed by H. Lee Sweeney, a physiology professor in the School of Medicine, scientists discovered a way to observe the movement of the protein, giving them a sense of how the death occurs. The study showed a rotating area within the myosin molecule, which is responsible for actions such as heartbeat and eye motion, according to Sweeney. "It's a protein that produces movement in the cell, and most importantly, it's the motor that runs the heart and skeletal system," Sweeney said. Sweeney will continue studying the protein and its mutations, which result in the disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This disease is the greatest single cause of sudden death among young people and has been linked to the deaths of several prominent athletes. The on-court collapse and death of Loyola Marymount University basketball player Hank Gathers in 1990 was attributed to the disease, and the November death of Olympic gold medal ice skater Sergei Grinkov has been speculatively linked to mutant myosin. And Boston Celtics basketball star Reggie Lewis's death was officially attributed to the disease, despite rumors that it was brought on by drug abuse. Lewis collapsed on-court during a game two years ago and later died while preparing to return to the team. Sweeney said the mutant myosin reduces the heart's pumping ability. In order to counteract the slower rate, the heart enlarges, ultimately blocking blood flow to the heart and causing death. "These mutations compromise the power output of this motion," he said. "Now you have a heart that essentially is underpowered for what it has to do. The heart just keeps getting bigger and bigger." Athletes are especially at risk of dying from the disease because of the excessive physical strain they exert. "Physical exertion will make it worse because during physical exertion, the heart is called upon to work harder," Sweeney said. "So anyone who has this disease is at risk of dying during exercise." And the situation is further exacerbated because the condition is so difficult to detect. "The average physical would never pick up this disease," Sweeney said. He explained that even if a physician noticed that an athlete had a large heart, it could very possibly be ignored because it is common for physical exertion to cause the heart to grow. Sweeney conducted the study with Ronald Milligan, an associate member of the Scripps Research Institute. And the findings were reported in the December 14 issue of the journal Nature. "Now we're going to focus in more detail on what these mutations do to the protein and how to counterattack these mutations," Sweeney said.
(01/31/96 10:00am)
Penn student-athletes have to live up to strict academic guidelines -- some of the most stringent in the Ivy League. But if they don't meet those requirements, a strong but regimented advising system is in place for their assistance. The Ivy League requires athletes simply to demonstrate "satisfactory progress" in order to participate in athletic activities, according to Associate Vice Provost for University Life and Athletic Eligibility Officer Larry Moneta. But Penn's requirements go far beyond those minimum standards. Student-athletes must maintain a cumulative 2.0 grade point average while completing at least eight courses in the previous two semesters. If an athlete falls below these standards, he or she can seek academic assistance before being suspended indefinitely from athletics, Moneta said. "You basically get one chance when you've fallen below par to recover," Moneta said, adding that the athletes can devise an academic plan in conjunction with an advisor. "They're individualized by the student and the advisor." The plan requires the athlete either to take tutoring sessions or additional courses, depending on the individual circumstances, according to Moneta. If a student fails to meet the plan's requirements, he or she would be suspended from further athletic participation. Unlike the processes at other Ivy League schools, Penn's eligibility process is largely based on empirical data. Currently, Penn has 27 student-athletes on academic performance plans, which Moneta calls "not an astronomical number" in light of the 1,300 athletes on Penn sports teams. While Penn has high academic requirements and a comprehensive advising system for its athletes, other Ivy League schools have less defined policies, Moneta said. Yale University, for example, has no established guidelines or advising system for its athletes. Instead, it groups its athletes with all other students at the university, according to Yale's Associate Athletic Director Colleen Lim. As with all students at Yale, if an athlete does not fulfill each year's course requirements, he or she will have to make up the courses outside of Yale, according to Lim. Cornell University's policy for determining academic eligibility is more defined than Yale's, but is still not as comprehensive as Penn's system, according to Cornell Assistant Director of Athletics Virginia Augusta. Like Yale, Cornell makes no distinction between its athletes and non-athletes. Augusta said the minimum GPA required for a student to continue studying at Cornell ranges between 1.8 and 2.0, depending on the individual college within the university. And if an athlete falls below this cutoff, no advising system is established for assistance. Columbia University's academic eligibility policies for its athletes are similar to Penn's, but still are largely subjective, said Columbia Associate Athletic Director Jacqueline Blackett. If an athlete does not meet the school's course requirements, a committee of deans allows him or her to take the classes necessary to get back on track, Blackett said. The student's progress is evaluated the following semester, she added. But Columbia does not require its athletes to maintain a minimum GPA.
(01/30/96 10:00am)
The Collegiate Academic Achievement program offers athletes personalized attention Many Penn athletes replace their helmets with thinking caps three nights a week, taking advantage of tutoring services offered through the Collegiate Academic Achievement Program. The program, which is directed by Academic Coordinator for Athletics Robert Koonce, was created in the 1990-91 school year and models the tutoring assistance offered in residential buildings, according to Koonce. "It was established to meet the needs of the student-athlete because some of the other programs' times are not conducive to student-athletes' needs," Koonce said. "For those that come and partake and prepare for the session, it is a very effective system." Koonce added that he also encourages the athletes to take advantage of the various other tutoring programs offered by the University. The program provides tutors for athletes studying subjects ranging from finance to foreign languages. It is held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the Towne Building. Because most of the participants are freshmen and sophomores, Koonce gears the program toward underclassmen. All the tutors are Penn students, and some of them are fellow athletes, Koonce said. Koonce said the turnout for the Collegiate Academic Achievement Program has rapidly increased since its inception five years ago. "We usually see anywhere from 65 to 90 athletes," said Koonce, adding that the economics review session alone draws 35 to 40 attendees. "Our Spanish tutor stays busy, our writing tutor stays busy, our math tutors stay busy." Wharton senior Chris Brauser, tutor-coordinator of the program, instructs participating athletes in Wharton School of Business subjects. "I treat it as a classroom atmosphere," he said, adding that he goes over the class syllabus and "takes it down to basics." Brauser added that this year's attendance has been "three to four times greater" than in the past. "We've seen a larger turnout than ever this year," he said. The program has been well-received by its participants. "I go there either for tutoring or for quiet time as a study hall," said men's lacrosse player Rixson Hacking, a College freshman. "I think it's helped me, in that the tutoring is readily available. The quiet time helps me get my work done earlier." Hacking added that the tutoring is consistently helpful and was especially beneficial last semester, when he was still adjusting to the demands of college. Hacking added that the program improves other aspects of his life. "It helps me get more sleep," he said. While no official records have been kept to monitor the success of the program's participants, Koonce said he has noticed an increase in the athletes' academic achievement. "Based on some of the grades of freshmen I've seen, I'm pretty pleased at this point," he added. The program extends tutoring services for economics, finance, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, writing, Spanish and French.
(01/25/96 10:00am)
Perhaps as early as next season, the Penn football team will be playing under the lights of Franklin Field. According to Associate Athletic Director Fran Connors, the Quakers football schedule could include a night game, although Connors cautions that the discussion is still in the preliminary stages. "We're just looking into it," Connors said. "It's just an idea we're exploring. It's in a discussion stage." If the athletic department was to make use of Franklin Field's lights next year, it would likely be for only one game. Connors added that the athletic department tries to appeal even more to the fans, and that a night game is one possibility of increasing fan interest. "We're always looking for ways to increase attendance, appeal to fans, to improve our product," Connors said. If the Quakers were to play a game at night in the upcoming season, it would not be the first time. "There is a precedent for this because Penn has played night games in the past," Connors said, adding that the team played occasional night games between the years 1979 and 1985. Connors also noted that fireworks and even a concert followed some of the games in the past. While plans for a night football game have not been solidified, the idea seems to have fan support. "Playing at night would certainly add a new excitement level to the game, and students who don't want to wake up on the weekends would go," College freshman and Penn football fan Brian Goldberg said. "I think it would be a popular nighttime activity like the basketball games are. "Sports under the lights while the sky is dark -- it creates a different excitement factor. And Franklin Field has lights, right? So why not use them?"
(01/17/96 10:00am)
When Timothy Baker resigned as director of the Penn Relays earlier this month, he expressed much concern for the future of the prestigious event. While other University officials do not necessarily share his pessimism, all agree that the Relays are facing an era of transition and turbulence. In 1987, Baker took over the helm of the Relays, the largest non-Olympic track and field event in the world. During his tenure he turned the event into both a social and financial success. In his letter of resignation, Baker cited several accomplishments that may be in jeopardy if the Athletic Department continues on the same path it followed during the final months of Baker's tenure. For instance, Baker noted that between the years 1987 and 1995, "the number of people competing in the Relays rose from about 8,000 to in excess of 15,000." This included a remarkable increase in the number of participants from distant countries, which Baker felt adds to the spirit of the Relays. "I am particularly proud of the fact that we now have an average of 17 schools each year from Jamaica in the West Indies, and feel that we played some part in the fact that this small country had 12 medalists at the most recent World Championships, 11 of whom had competed in the Relays," Baker stated in his letter. The tremendous leap in participation in the Relays was also due to the increase in high school competitors, Special Olympians, blind athletes, masters (over 40) athletes, pre-high school children and non-elite adult athletes. The Penn Relays also became a strong moneymaker under Baker. "Between 1987 and 1993, income from the event rose from $231,966 to $656,291, an increase of 183 percent," Baker said. "Expenses during that period went from $231,511 to $498,487, an increase of 115 percent. "While my attention has been exclusively on increasing the quality of the meet and not on profit, simple mathematics tells us that the profit of the meet rose from $445 to $96,982, an increase of 21,682 percent," he added. Despite these successes, Baker views the future more ominously, noting that the Athletic Department has frequently acted unfavorably towards the Relays. Baker's greatest complaint was that the Athletic Department is cutting the money given to visiting teams by $91,100, in an attempt to increase its expected profits to over $130,000. "You are dealing with an event that is national in scope and not only makes money, but has the chance to make even more money," Baker said. "To keep itself above water, [the Athletic Department] looks at the Penn Relays basically as a cash cow that they can use." Baker said he believes this philosophy could be devastating to the Relays, and undercuts the meet's stature as a community institution. He said the department needs to be doubling or tripling the amount of money given to visiting teams. Baker outlined other decisions the Athletic Department made which he said have been detrimental to the Relays, and will continue to have negative effects in the future. In his letter of resignation, Baker warned that the major donors were all concerned about the future of the Relays. Furthermore, Baker noted that control over sponsorship was taken away from him in 1993 and given to Assistant Athletic Director for Public Relations and Marketing Fran Connors. Baker said this change has resulted in the cancellation of several races due to lack of sponsorship. Baker was especially concerned for the future of the Relays because of its importance as a social institution with a national scope. Almost 50,000 people filled Franklin Field on the final day of last year's Relays, but three times as many people came to Philadelphia simply "for the party -- to feel good," Baker said. Dave Johnson, the newly-named interim director of the Penn Relays, said he has no doubt that this year's party will be as "tremendous" as ever, despite his predecessor's concerns. "It would take an enormous amount of people to say, 'We don't want it,' for the Relays to implode," said Johnson. "It won't happen -- it can't happen." Johnson served as assistant director of the Relays under Baker. The short term future for the Relays looks positive, according to Johnson, who said he has "been given every assurance that I have the authority and the money to go ahead and make the Relays work at the level they've worked in the past years." Johnson said he believes that his relations with the Athletic Department, which were consistently better than those between Baker and the department, will help in pulling off another successful year. "I don't think I've ever had problems in relation to the department," he said. "In fact, because there were strained relations, I became the go-between." Johnson said he did not share Baker's concerns for the future. He added that while the meet has had some problems each year, the Relays staff has always handled them. Johnson added that the relocation of the Relays office from Weightman Hall to Hutchinson Gymnasium could present some problems. "But if there's a difficulty, we'll overcome it," he said. "Exactly how, I don't know yet. But I have no doubt that we'll get what we need done." Despite warnings from Baker to avoid the position because it lacks adequate support and stability, Johnson felt confident that he would receive the support he needs. "To me, sufficient support meant a proper budget, which we have, and a proper staff, which we are putting together," Johnson said, adding that he considered a position on anything other than an interim basis unreasonable. Johnson also said that the Relays' office is, "operating from budgetary assistance that is on a par with last year." And while Baker fears that the office will not be able to issue as many airline tickets to visiting participants, Johnson said that his office is busy writing out tickets right now. While Johnson said he sees no clouds on the Relays' immediate horizon, he added that he cannot guarantee as successful a future in the long run. "I'm not averse to looking at every major aspect of the Relays," said Johnson. "Over a period of time, everything should be examined to make sure we're on the right track." University President Judith Rodin had no comment on the future of the Penn Relays, except that she trusted Athletic Director Steve Bilsky and the rest of the Athletic Department staff to do their job. In a prepared statement following Baker's resignation, Bilsky said the Relays will "continue to be one of the premier sporting events in the world. "I remain tremendously excited about the future of the Penn Relays," he added. "We expect to increase participation and exposure for the event, and to allow the Relays to play an even more prominent role in the Philadelphia community."
(01/15/96 10:00am)
Timothy Baker, director of the Penn Relays, angrily announced his resignation in a four-page letter to University of Pennsylvania President Judith Rodin on January 2. Baker has been the head of the Relays -- the world's largest non-Olympic track and field event -- since his appointment to the post in 1987. David Johnson, who has served as Associate Director of the Relays since 1989, was named Interim Director yesterday, according to Fran Connors, assistant director for Marketing and Public Relations. "Dave has played a major role in running the Penn Relays," Athletic Director Steve Bilsky said in a statement. "His experience and knowledge ensure an orderly transition and the smooth running of this April's Relays. The Penn Relays is one of the marquee track and field events in the world and an institution that is embraced by the entire Philadelphia community." In his acerbic letter to Rodin, Baker gave the following reason for his abrupt resignation: "I will not officiate over the diminution of the Penn Relays so that the bloated administration of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, who understand and care little about the importance of this dynamic community institution, can cover the massive amount of red ink which has been caused by their ineptitude." Additionally, Baker outlined 18 specific reasons for resigning and expressed his concern for the future of the Relays. Among Baker's 18 complaints are: · The lack of his involvement in establishing the 1996 budget for the Relays, which "cut down money given to visiting teams by $91,100, and increased the profit the meet was expected to bring into the Department to $132,738." · His lack of communication with Bilsky and, in particular, the Sept. 13 announcement that Baker was to report to the Director of Development -- who he says never spoke with him -- rather than Bilsky. · The relocation of the Penn Relays Office from Weightman Hall to the Hutchinson Gymnasium, "which is about as far as possible from the administration of the Department as you can get, and as inconvenient as possible for the Relays." · His $39,500 salary, which according to Baker, is three-fifths of what his predecessor received. Baker also claims the Department ignored a proposal from a Relays major donor that would have endowed the Directorship. The Penn Relays thrived during Baker's tenure, with the number of people competing in the event nearly doubling and profits from the event increasing dramatically. In a prepared statement from the Athletic Department in response to Baker's letter of resignation, Bilsky said, "The Penn Relays has existed for more than 100 years, and will continue to be one of the premier sporting events in the world. "I remain tremendously excited about the future of the Penn Relays," the letter continued. "We expect to increase participation and exposure for the event, and to allow the Relays to play an even more prominent role in the Philadelphia community." Although Baker warned Johnson to avoid a position on an interim basis, Johnson said he is excited to take over and would be interested in the permanent position. "I'm thrilled with this appointment and for the opportunity to manage another successful edition of the Relays," Johnson said. "I am looking forward to working with Steve Bilsky and the administration and staff of Penn's Athletic Department. We are fully committed to maintaining the Relays' status as the premier track meet of its kind." Although tomorrow will be the last day Baker will be working, the effective date of his resignation is April 16. He explained that his early departure is justified because he is owed three months vacation pay. The search for a permanent director will begin after the Relays in April.
(12/04/95 10:00am)
Melissa Commins has always tried to make helping others a part of her life, so it was only natural for the recent Wharton graduate to seek work with the American Red Cross. Passing up the lucrative business endeavors that so many Wharton graduates opt for, Commins has worked with the Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Red Cross since completing her undergraduate studies in health care management this past August. As a Red Cross disaster specialist, Commins is always on the scene of emergencies to coordinate relief efforts. "I go to all the very big disasters that happen in the Philadelphia area," said Commins, who has assisted in fires, floods, building collapses and power outages. Commins offers support to victims and helps in providing them with what they have lost -- which can range from food to clothing to shelter. "There aren't many organizations in the city that do that," Commins said. "We really help them out with their emergency needs." When not on the scene, Commins takes on a more administrative role. She is responsible for compiling reports of disaster activity and analyzing them for demographic, statistical and financial information. In addition, Commins is currently putting together a task force to rewrite the Red Cross Volunteer Disaster Plan, which delineates how the Red Cross responds to disasters. Although her work is often hectic, Commins said she finds it very rewarding. "The crux of what we do is helping people in a time of need," Commins said. "And there's a certain fulfillment from that." Commins said she is especially moved when she is able to help a family that had almost nothing to begin with and is left with absolutely nothing after a disaster. "It's surprisingly the really small incidents that tend to affect me," Commins said. Commins's experiences at the University were a strong influence in her decision to work with the Red Cross. While an undergraduate, Commins was an Emergency Medical Technician intern, a member of an ambulance team and a participant in Project Uplift -- a counseling program for pregnant teenage mothers. Commins's efforts have not gone unnoticed. "Melissa never knows what she's going to have to do, but she's up to any challenge and always has a smile," said Jennifer Rauch, a Red Cross spokesperson. Rauch recalled that at an event honoring outstanding women in the community recently, Frank Donaghu, president of the Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Red Cross, singled out Commins from hundreds of community leaders in the audience, praising her for her work. Despite such accolades, Commins simply considers her efforts part of her life. "I think that this is a stepping stone for me. It's an experience I really needed to have in life -- it's an experience I wanted to capture," said Commins. "I do foresee myself assisting people throughout my life, in some fashion or another."
(11/20/95 10:00am)
The scuba club is headed down under this spring. More precisely, the members of the two-year-old club will be exploring the life under the coastal waters of Cozumel and the Bahamas. In only its second year, the University's scuba club has grown from 15 thrill-seeking members to nearly 70. The club includes undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty members, with abilities ranging from novice to professional. Several members of the club received their certification cards for the completion of the first series of diving courses at the club's first meeting of the semester Thursday night. These students are now qualified to dive with the rest of the group. A slide show was also presented with pictures of the Bahamas and Cozumel, Mexico -- the two main trips the club will be taking in the spring. The divers will explore the waters of the Bahamas for four days in February and of Cozumel for eight days over spring break, according to Engineering sophomore Graham Dickson, founder and president of the scuba club. "In the Bahamas, we'll do a shark-dive," he said. "The advanced divers can do some deep dives. There'll be some coral reefs, of course." In Cozumel, divers can usually brave the waters in just their swimsuits, according to Dickson. "When we're in Cozumel, we're going to have the same guide that Jacques Cousteau uses," Dickson said. "There's a lot of swim-throughs and caves and fish." When not heading off to the warm waters of the Caribbean or the South Atlantic, the club does several local dives. While many of the divers like the warmer waters, others prefer exploring sights off the East Coast. "We've done a couple of New Jersey boat dives to [ship]wrecks -- some warships and schooners," Dickson said. "We always do different sites." Anyone may join the club, with or without experience, according to Dickson. The club offers courses from beginner to dive master, at the professional level.
