Search Results
Below are your search results. You can also try a Basic Search.
(04/15/91 9:00am)
A decades-old tradition may end next week if the annual Hey Day march to College Hall starts at Superblock instead of the Quadrangle's Junior Balcony. Newly elected senior class board president Brandt McKee said yesterday "it is my understanding" that the "official congregation" for Hey Day will assemble next Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Superblock, where juniors will follow the band down Locust Walk to College Hall. McKee said the proposed change came out of a meeting the new board had Friday with Assistant Director of Student Life Activities Albert Moore. Moore could not be reached for comment last night. McKee said he could not remember who proposed the site change or what was said during the rest of the meeting, but he stressed he is unsure whether the move to Superblock has been definitely decided. McKee said he and the other members of the board plan to speak with various University officials in the next two days "to find out what the University wants to happen inside or outside of the Quad." Both Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson and Director of Student Life Activities Fran Walker said last night they had not heard about the proposed change. But Walker said she knew Moore planned to talk to the board about some possible changes for the event because of problems last year. Juniors last year picked up and then dropped President Sheldon Hackney and poured beer on him during the event. Walker, who said she had not heard specifically that this year's Hey Day procession would begin at Superblock, suggested student safety might be a factor if such a decision is made. Walker said many juniors at past Hey Day celebrations have drunk excessively in the Quad and then crossed busy Spruce Street. She said Locust Walk would provide a much safer route since juniors would not have to stop traffic or cross any streets. "That would be a better way of managing those people who have come with too much to drink," she said. "It would just be a more controllable event, allowing people to have their tradition at the same time." College representative Joy Richter, who attended the meeting with Moore, called the possibility of a site change "debatable." "At this point, we are not sure of the events for Hey Day," she said. "We would like to see the Quad remain the starting point." Vice President Valerie Thompson agreed with Richter that some uncertainty remains, but she said the move to Superblock could happen.
(04/12/91 9:00am)
WXPN's Kid's Corner may be for kids, but the results of this year's Peabody Awards offer proof that the live daily call-in show is more than just child's play. The program last month received one of 26 prestigious Peabody Awards, given annually to shows across the country for excellence in radio and television programming. Kathy O'Connell, the show's host, said it was "really great" to win the award, which she said many consider "the Pulitzer Prize of broadcasting." ABC newsmen Peter Jennings and Ted Koppel, and the critically-acclaimed documentary Civil War also won Peabody Awards this year. WXPN Assistant Station Manager Vinnie Curran echoed O'Connell's enthusiasm. "We're all really thrilled about [the award], and Kathy is obviously thrilled," he said. "For us it is the most prestigious award WXPN has ever won." The three-year-old Kid's Corner was awarded the prize, according to O'Connell, because of its unique blend of entertainment and educational content. "We try really hard not to hit kids over the head with information, but we try to make them laugh and smile while they are getting information," she said. "It's a place just for kids." She praised program coordinator Robert Blake for helping to discover the right mix. O'Connell said Kid's Corner won the prize in part for its December 7 show, "A Line in the Sand," which let children discuss their fears and apprehensions about war in the Persian Gulf and also gain a more realistic understanding of what a war would be like. "Science Stump-o-Rama," a monthly feature in which listeners call in and attempt to "stump" a panel of science experts, also contributed to the award, O'Connell said. Curran, who said the show gets about 500 calls a night, emphasized that Kid's Corner is important to all of Philadelphia's children, but especially the underpriviliged because the Philadelphia school system does not have "the best reputation." Despite O'Connell's excitement, winning the award has not been a new experience for her. O'Connell also won the award in 1985 for the children's program, Small Things Considered -- a program similiar to the popular National Public Radio news show. She said the show, which aired on WNYC in New York, began airing nationally as Kids America but lost its funding late in 1987. Less than a week later, Kid's Corner premiered on WXPN, in a format similar to that of the other shows. O'Connell said she plans to remain on the show well into the future, but she added "a serious funding crisis" for the show will likely result when funding runs out at the end of the summer. Now that Kid's Corner has won a Peabody Award, both O'Connell and Curran said they hope the show's chances have been "enhanced." Curran said he feels "pretty confident" the show will get the necessary funding. The show's popularity may also be be due to the boost in the signal of WXPN last fall. That increase nearly tripled the possible listenership of the station.
(04/11/91 9:00am)
Monk offered no explanation last night for the missed appointment, saying only, "It just didn't happen." Monk, who insisted he is "honestly trying to get the financing" to refund students who paid in advance for newspapers but did not receive every issue, said he plans to submit a letter to The Daily Pennsylvanian Monday to detail a refund plan. Friday's missed appointment marked the fourth time Monk has forced the postponement of such meetings since the attorney general's office launched an investigation of the news delivery service in February. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by Wharton senior Alyssa Rokito on behalf of about 120 other students seeking refunds because of poor newspaper delivery service. Rokito said the claims vary from about $50 to $150 each. Galloway, who is investigating the Penn News case for the office's Board of Consumer Protection, said "nothing is happening" with the investigation because Deputy Attorney General John Kelly will be out of the country until the end of the month. Galloway refused to speculate where the investigation might lead, but he did say his office could sue Monk unless a settlement is reached. But Rokito said yesterday that while Galloway has told her the attorney general's office will "definitely stay on the case," he has encouraged her and the others listed in the complaint to ask the University's Judicial Inquiry Officer Constance Goodman to help them resolve the dispute. Goodman could not be reached for comment last night. Rokito added that Galloway told her the decision on whether to sue Monk has developed into a political dispute between Kelly and Attorney General Ernie Preate. While Kelly may push for a lawsuit because Monk is not fully cooperating in the probe, Rokito said Preate has cautioned that suing a student may be politically damaging. But Galloway said even if the state takes Monk to court and a judge orders him to refund the students, there is no guarantee the refunds will ever be paid. The investigator explained that a judge could order Monk to repay students only if the Penn News owner has enough money to do so. Monk said last week he plans to borrow money from friends and maybe take legal action to repay students. He said any legal action would be against "other parties involved," including the University. Galloway said the judge could also prohibit Monk from ever operating a newspaper delivery company in Pennsylvania again, or possibly any company at all. Several students listed in the complaint said they intend to continue pursuing their refunds, regardless of the outcome of the attorney general's investigation. "He's still acting as if ignoring the problem will make it pass and it won't," said Wharton graduate Jonathan Eilian, who helped Rokito file the complaint. "We'll just keep pounding and pounding and pounding." Eilian said "there are many other options open to us," including filing a class-action suit and going to small claims court. Penn Student Agencies operated the campus newspaper delivery service until last summer, when University officials agreed to allow students the chance to run Penn News and earn extra money at the same time. Monk assumed control of the company in November, but by the end of the semester, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer and USA Today had stopped providing Penn News with its newspapers. Monk currently owes the three newspaper companies over $24,000. According to Monk, the problem began when the University ruled Penn News could not bill students through the Bursar's Office. He claimed the University did not inform him of the change until just before Thanksgiving, but Deputy Vice Provost George Koval said last year that former Penn News owner Mark Stanley knew of the University's decision as early as September. Last week, Monk said he would still seek payment from those students who agreed to pay through their bursar bills for issues they had received, and then use that money to help refund disgruntled subscribers who paid in advance and are now demanding partial or total refunds.
(04/09/91 9:00am)
As yesterday's high temperature approached 86 degrees, Registrar's Office employee Donna Oberthaler learned what blowing hot air really means. With most University administra - tive and residential buildings not due to receive air conditioning until at least April 15, Oberthaler and thousands of others on campus & have been forced to cope with the heat. Some have sought relief by open - ing windows, turning on fans or tak - ing cold showers. And many have simply headed outside. But for Oberthaler, who said the windows in her Franklin Building office do not open, a breeze of hot air pumped from outside and then circulated throughout the building has been the extent of her heat relief. "There's some hot air blowing ar - ound, but there certainly isn't any air conditioning," she said. "I can vouch for that." College sophomore David Hur - tado, who lives in High Rise North, said he is "burning up" in the heat, despite using a fan and taking a shower several times a day. But not everyone is struggling to endure the discomfort. Physical Plant official Lou Visco said yesterday that several Univer - sity buildings, including those used for medical research and veterinary studies, are equipped throughout & the year with both heating and cool - ing systems. He added that the Uni - versity is currently in the process of resuming air conditioning to other buildings, including the high rises. Visco explained the University & traditionally waits until April 15 to begin providing most of its build - ings with air conditioning because of unpredictable spring weather. He said in order to supply the air conditioning, the University's five chiller plants must first send the cold water through underground & pipes. For buildings which do not use the chiller plants, the first step is to fill their individual cooling un - its with cold water. Either situation is dangerous, ac - cording to Visco, because if freezing weather suddenly replaces the war - mer weather, pipes could burst and significantly delay air conditioning service. Visco also said many buildings use the same pipes for both hot and cold water. If temperatures were to fall, the University could not easily drain the pipes and resume heat - ing, he said. Visco, who said he has a copy of the weather forecast for the next five days sitting on his desk, empha - sized that he would prefer that the University community not have to endure the heat. "We're stuck between a rock and a hard place," he said.
(04/05/91 10:00am)
College freshman Cindy Harvey says she never considered herself unlucky, despite having to live in the unrenovated part of the Quadrangle this year. But now, in the wake of last week's Grand Arena housing lottery in which she drew number 701 out of 716, her misfortune seems to have become a trend. Harvey and the 1500 other students who entered the lottery will find out at tomorrow's day-long room selection in English House, which -- if any -- of the 588 available University dormitory rooms will be theirs next semester. Students who signed up for doubles face the least competition because only 217 groups signed up for the 306 available singles, according to Donna Boyko, the manager of Residential Living's assignments and billing office. But Boyko said requests for all other room types exceed the number available, especially for doubles , for which requests outnumber available rooms 269 to 112. For Harvey and her future roommates, the odds are not good that they will wind up with the room they want, a quad. If students find that no more rooms of a particular type are available when officials get to their numbers, the students can ask to be put on the waiting list or claim another type of room. Groups of four, therefore, can split into two groups of two if no more quads are left. According to Boyko, over 200 fewer students signed up for the lottery this year than last, when 1749 students tried their luck. But she said the lower number is due to an increase in the number of students who opted for the Community Living program. Deputy Vice Provost George Koval said earlier this week he hopes more students decide to live in the dorms next year to help end an unusually high dorm vacancy rate. He said in February that a vacancy rate this year that is twice as high as normal created a $700,000 revenue shortfall for Residential Living. Koval added he will not know whether the vacancies will continue until students sign their leases. Harvey, who hopes to be among those penning their signatures tomorrow, said she will be glad when the room selection process ends and life returns to normal. The victim of ridiculing friends chanting "701, 701, 701," Harvey said people she does not even know very well have been expressing their sympathy about the high number. Still, Harvey, who said she may have to look off campus for housing, expressed cautious optimism. "I think things will work out even though they seem pretty bad," she said.
(04/04/91 10:00am)
In a scathing attack on the American legal system, Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz told a crowd of about 1000 last night that corruption in the system extends from local police all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Dershowitz, whose 45-minute speech at the University Museum was co-sponsored by Connaissance and the John Marshall Pre-Law Society, said judges indirectly endorse police perjury by allowing illegal evidence such as forced confessions to be admitted in trials. According to Dershowitz, who is famous for his knowledge of technical aspects of the law, the corruption occurs when a judge claims to believe the police officer's story that evidence was obtained legally, but is actually fully aware of the illegal means which the officer used. Dershowitz said the officers' knowledge that they can lie in court without penalty leads directly to police brutality, since officers know they can simply change their story at the trial. And while the police officers are directly responsible for any brutality they commit, much of the blame rests with judges. "Sure you can blame the cops, but cops overall do not produce that kind of police brutality," he said. "The fault lies squarely with judges, from [Supreme Court Chief Justice] William Rehnquist on down and with prosecutors in this country who have been encouraging police perjury." The renowned 35-year-old attorney(NOT REALLY), who interspersed many of his comments with black humor, said a recent Supreme Court case, in which the court ruled that a coerced confession constituted only a "harmless error" and therefore would have no effect on the jury's verdict, will only worsen this problem. "What message does this send to the police?" he said. "It says, 'Hey, when you're in doubt, get the confession. Beat it out of them.' " Dershowitz also accused the courts of sentencing a disproportionate number of blacks to death and nurturing "a system of apartheid that runs right through death row." He cited the case of two young black men who were sentenced to die for committing a murder whose sentences were later overturned. "If these executions had been done at the pace that [Supreme Court Justices Antonin] Scalia and Rehnquist would like to have seen, these kids would have been killed a long time ago." Dershowitz, whose clients have included Penthouse magazine, televangelist Jim Bakker and millionaire Claus von Bulow, said he has taken controversial cases in the past to prove the innocence of his clients despite the public's presumption that they are guilty. "It is such an important thing to shake the public's faith in justice so that we take greater concern with justice," he said. "Without skepticism, we tend to believe that justice is always done and that you can trust the legal system." Dershowitz gained national attention when he represented von Bulow in an appeal after von Bulow was found guilty of attempting to kill his wife, Sonny, by an insulin overdose. He told his story in the 1986 book, Reversal of Fortune, which has since been made into an Academy Award-winning film. Dershowitz said the role of the defense attorney is often misunderstood, particularly when an attorney is defending a client who has admitted his own guilt. He explained that since most people tried in the American criminal justice system are guilty, "it is crucially important that everybody be defended vigorously to keep the government honest, to keep the government in check." Dershowitz, who has been interviewed on many television and radio news programs and talkshows, defended his extensive media exposure. "I will never turn down an opportunity to speak to as many people as will listen in defense of civil liberties," he said. Audience members praised Dershowitz for defending civil liberties, but some found contradictions in his arguments. Law student Oded Salomy said he sees "a little inconsistency" in the law professor's opinions, which express his faith in the legal system to prove innocence while at the same time complaining that the system is corrupt and needs to be revamped. But Salomy added he now considers Dershowitz's media exposure, which he used to believe made Dershowitz look like a "self-promoter," to be "meritous."
(04/03/91 10:00am)
Monk, a Wharton junior, said he will probably meet the timetable and announce plans next week on how he will reimburse pre-paying customers for newspapers they did not receive. But he also stressed that in order to help pay for the refunds, he will continue to seek payment from students who never paid for subscriptions but received at least some of their newspapers. "I want to be fair with students, but the students have to be fair with me," he said. Monk, who is personally liable for all of Penn News' debts since the company is not incorporated, said he does not have enough money to make the payments and therefore needs those subscribers to pay. Monk added that in addition to borrowing money from friends, he may take legal action against "other parties involved," including the University, to help recoup his personal losses. The attorney general's office subpoenaed Monk earlier this year to appear at its Philadelphia office with Penn News records after a group of University students filed a complaint with the office's Board of Consumer Protection. At the time, Wharton graduate student Jonathan Eilian, who helped file the complaint on behalf of over 120 other students, said he only wanted his money back. Leonard Galloway, the state's agent investigating Penn News, said yesterday that Monk has not cooperated fully with the investigation, which his office launched shortly after the complaint was filed. After forcing the postponement of the first meeting by asking for a continuance and then failing to bring the documents to the second meeting, Monk did not show up for his latest appointment Monday, Galloway said. Galloway refused to speculate what action his office might now take, but he did say Deputy Attorney General John Kelly is "not too happy" with Monk. Monk defended his absence, insisting he thought the meeting had been scheduled for Friday. Although Monk is the primary subject of the investigation, Galloway said his office is also examining the involvement of others, including former Penn News owner Mark Stanley. "There are other people involved," he said. "We're looking into the aspects of the previous owner." "We're not sure who the real culprit is, if there is more than one culprit, or how involved the culprit or culprits may be," Galloway said. According to Galloway, the confusion over exactly who is responsible has complicated the probe. "This is not Bloomingdales where we know everybody involved," he said. "It's just not your everyday consumer complaint." While the attorney general's office continues its investigation, the University taken its own action. Student Life administrator Thomas Hauber said the University has informed Monk the agreement giving Penn News exclusive delivery rights on campus has been terminated because of the company's bad service. "We're considering the contract null and void," he said. "[Penn News was not] complying with the terms of that contract." The contract was set to expire June 30. Hauber also said Penn News currently owes the University an undisclosed amount of money for services which Penn Student Agencies provided to the newspaper delivery service. PSA, which had operated the delivery service until Stanley took over last year, will resume control of the operation this summer, Hauber said. Hauber added he will probably not know for a month or two whether PSA will deliver to students' doors or use the drop-box system.
(04/02/91 10:00am)
Black and Latino student leaders voiced angry opposition yesterday to the possibility that the University may have to drop or change its need-blind admissions policy, saying that future minority enrollment would definitely decrease. Director of Minority Recruiting Pippa Porter-Rex, who said she hopes a policy change does not become necessary, agreed with the student leaders that such a change "would definitely affect our minority applicants and admitted numbers." "It's a scary thought because we would lose some really great kids," she said. "But I hope we are going to hold out." The University currently admits applicants regardless of their ability to pay and then gives financial aid to cover those costs it determines students cannot afford. But Provost Michael Aiken said last week that the University's financial problems have forced administrators to re-evaluate that policy. Aiken said the administration will probably decide by January or February whether to continue need-blind admissions for the class of 1996. But many minority student leaders are not waiting to express their anger and frustration. "A lot of [minority students] here are really successful and wouldn't have had that opportunity if it weren't for financial aid," she said. "Of course the minority applicant pool would drop drastically." Samuel said the UMC plans to send both Aiken and President Sheldon Hackney a letter within the week, urging the administration not to change the need-blind admissions policy. Ileana Garcia, the president of the Latino Students Association ACELA, lashed out at University administrators for considering the change, saying "they preach diversity and they're not following through or supporting it." Garcia predicted fewer minority students -- particularly Latinos -- would be able to afford the University's rising costs, especially given current difficulties in recruiting Latino students. Black Inter-Greek Council President Kathryn Williams said the growing financial burden of a University education, which has led to above-average attrition rates among blacks and Latinos, would prevent students from even attending the University if the need-blind admissions policy were changed. The possibility that the University's Reserve Officer Training Corps program may be kicked off campus in 1993 unless it stops barring gays and lesbians would be a further blow to minorities, according to Williams, because ROTC scholarships provide many minority students with needed financial aid. "We have social barriers to deal with, we have cultural barriers to deal with, we feel like we're under siege from the administration," she said. "And we're supposed to deal with all the regular traumas of being students." Williams said even if the University leaves the need-blind admissions policy intact and instead cuts costs by providing smaller grants, minorities would still be hurt. "It would still cause problems if [the University says] 'We'll give you some financial aid, but not enough,' " she said. "What difference does it make? You still can't go to school." Delaware Valley Regional Admissions Director Eric Furda said he is not sure what the effects of changing the need-blind admissions policy would be because there are many ways it could be changed. According to Furda, the University could adopt a policy similar to the one used by Brown University, where the vast majority of applicants are admitted need-blind, but a small portion is accepted based on various considerations, including ability to pay. Another possibility would be to take the best students of both the financial aid pool and the non-financial aid pool, Furda said.
(04/01/91 10:00am)
Alan Rachins was not a model Wharton student. Rachins, better known as Douglas Brackman, the uptight and insecure attorney on the hit TV series L.A. Law, did not go into finance or management. In fact, he did not even graduate. But nearly three decades after leaving the University, Rachins will return to campus May 18 to deliver the keynote address at the Ivy Day ceremony to be held at Irvine Auditorium. Every year on Ivy Day, which is traditionally held the Saturday before commencement, four male and four female members of the senior class are recognized for outstanding accomplishments during their undergraduate careers. It is also the day each year's Ivy Stone is unveiled. Rachins left the University after two and a half years in 1963 to pursue an acting career. Despite landing only relatively minor Broadway stage roles for 10 years and then taking a six-year break from acting to pursue a screenwriting career, Rachins eventually landed a leading role in the film Always. And four years ago, he got the part on L.A. Law. Rachins, who also attended Ivy Day two years ago, said he is interested in speaking because of the good memories of the event he has from his time as a student at the University. "I had just a great time at Ivy Day 25 years ago," he said. "There were a lot of memories for the potential of what those four years could have been, had I not been so conflictive about my own direction." Rachins' conflict centered on differences he had with his father. While he dreamed of becoming an actor, his father planned for him to take over the family business and pushed him into going to Wharton. So when the younger Rachins made the decision to withdraw from school, his father was not pleased. "He said, 'You're nuts'," Rachins recalled Friday. "There was a whole life that was very safe and secure. We had a food manufacturing company in Salem, Mass., making ice cream toppings and cake decorations." Rachins said he enjoyed his time at the University, but decided to leave because he felt the school was propelling him towards his father's business and because he had set his sights on becoming a professional actor. But, unlike many actors who get their starts during college, Rachins said he did not act while at the University because he feared that if he did not "do great on the college scene," he would have no chance at making acting his career. Instead, he said, he "just wanted to sustain his dream." With the success of L.A. Law and the end of a long and winding road to stardom, Rachins has finally realized that dream. "I like my character a lot because he has a very interesting life," Rachins said. "He has a lot of different sides to him and they've let him be a lot of things: wrong, right, sometimes the fool, sometimes the one who comes out on top." "And he has an interesting social life," he added. "A little desperate, but with some bizarre and interesting relationships with lovely and interesting and strange women." The fictional Brackman's most recent female interest was Vanna White, whom he met while "competing" on the game show Wheel of Fortune. Rachins, who said the on-screen relationship has since come to an end, described White as "very sweet and really nice." "I felt like I was with the head cheerleader from high school," he said. But Rachins quickly added that he and his character share almost no similarities. "Nobody who knows me thinks I'm like this person," he said. "But if I get pushed into a corner . . . " Rachins, who plans to return next year for his fifth season on L.A. Law, praised the show's scriptwriters for their ability to entertain viewers while incorporating timely social issues into the plots. "We deal with stuff from both the imagination and issues right out of the headlines," he said. "I think it's terrific to have these things explored in the way that we do." He said plans are already in the works for an episode dealing with police brutality, an issue recently brought to the nation's attention when several Los Angeles police officers were filmed beating an unarmed man they had arrested for speeding. Rachins would not divulge any other secrets about upcoming story lines except to say that the conflict over who ultimately assumes the senior partnership of the law firm will be a "continuing theme." He did say, however, that his character will finally leave the confines of McKenzie-Brackman and try a case himself. Despite the expected departures next year of stars Susan Dey, Harry Hamlin and Jimmy Smits, Rachins said he is not concerned about the future of L.A. Law. While not downplaying their significance to the show, he said the addition of three new castmembers will help to offset the loss. Rachins added that he considers the quality of the writing to be one of the real strengths of the show. "I think the writing has a greater impact than the individual performers," he said. "If the writing were to go down, I think that would be missed."
(03/21/91 10:00am)
Faced with the possibility of massive cuts in state aid to the University, President Sheldon Hackney has ordered a moratorium on all new capital projects, including the construction of the new Law School Library and the continued renovation of College Hall. If the University's financial problems continue, the moratorium will also delay the start of construction of both the campus center and a new University Police headquarters, Vice President for Facilities Arthur Gravina said yesterday. But three projects already planned or underway will not be affected by the moratorium. Ongoing renovations of Logan and Evans halls, as well as the planned construction of the Institute of Advanced Science and Technology on the site of Smith Hall, will continue as scheduled. Additionally, plans to build a cogeneration power plant may go unaffected if the firm selected to build the plant agrees to finance its construction and then sell the energy to the University. Gravina said that the delay in projects may not be as traumatic as it appears, since the University may have a greater cash flow in several years with the expiration of some bond payments. He added that the University has examined several areas to minimize losses. "When you're in a financial crunch you rethink everything you had thought to be a constant," he said. "You look at alternatives that may not be so attractive but which are more financially do-able." The demolition of the Law School dormitory and the adjacent Stern's Dining Hall, which must be torn down to make room for the library, was scheduled for this summer as the initial phase of the library's construction. But Gravina said that project is currently "on hold" because, although the Law School has most of the $28 million needed to pay for the library, the University cannot pay for two related projects which must accompany the demolition. He said those projects include a new dining facility for English House, which currently uses the Stern's kitchen, and a $5 million chillwater piping system between 37th and Sansom streets that would provide the Law School library with airconditioning. Law School Dean Colin Diver said he is optimistic that the construction will begin as planned, but added he could not guarantee that will happen. "If the moratorium is anything more than a short delay, I will be very unhappy, and so will a lot of people at the Law School," he said. "But I'm hoping it will only be a short delay." Diver added that despite Hackney's order, the Law School still plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony May 18. The renovation of College Hall, which began in May, will also be put on indefinite hold next month once workers complete the current phase, Gravina said. The repairs scheduled for the front of the building, which would have forced the president's office to relocate, have been delayed due to a $6 million pricetag, he said. But he insisted that although College Hall is in dire need of repairs, it is structurally sound and poses no danger for its occupants. "College Hall is safe," he said. "It is nowhere as bad as Logan Hall." He said Logan Hall, which workers have been renovating for several years, will be vacated by Christmas for repairs which will last three years and cost the University $16 million. The Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, which the University plans to build for about $75 million, is not included in the moratorium because nearly half of the project's costs will be federally funded, Gravina said. He said delaying construction might jeopardize the project because that could lead to a withdrawal of the federal money, forcing the University to find an additional $35 million. "That could really kill the project," he said.
(03/20/91 10:00am)
Three castmembers of the television show Saturday Night Live and Colin Quinn of MTV's Remote Control will take turns delivering the laughs April 4 at a benefit comedy show at Irvine Auditorium, event organizers said yesterday. The event, sponsored by Comic Relief and organized by brothers of the Tau Epsilon Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities, will feature Quinn, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade, according to event coordinator and TEP brother David Rubin. The Comic Relief event is entitled Stand-Up Against Homelessness. The four comedians may lack name recognition, but event coordinator and TEP brother Neil Schur said that should not discourage students from attending. "These are the up-and-coming comedians of America," the college senior said. "It's a great show." Some may remember Quinn and Sandler for their roles as "Studboy" and "Stickpin Quinn" on Remote Control, as well as for their skits on SNL. Schneider, who has gained a reputation for his Elvis Presley impersonation, recently starred with Spade and Dennis Miller in HBO's Young Comedian Special. Spade portrayed actor Michael J. Fox in a skit on last week's episode of SNL. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at the Annenberg Center and all Ticket Master outlets in the Philadelphia area. While the cost is $15 per ticket, Schur said several "VIP seats" are available for $100. He said they guarantee the owner a seat in the first five rows and a backstage pass to meet the performers. Comic Relief, a national charity organization which works to raise funds for homelessness, helped book the comedians and has remained involved in the planning process, College junior Rubin said. He said the organization has planned "a huge press conference" for the day of the event, which may include the presentation of a check from Comic Relief president Bob Zmuda to homeless relief groups. After the press conference, Mayor Wilson Goode and the comedians may tour various homeless shelters in the area, Rubin said. While one aim of Stand-Up Against Homelessness will be to entertain and inform students, organizers said the principal aim will be to raise money to help the homeless of West Philadelphia. Rubin said all proceeds from the show will benefit Philadelphia's Healthcare for the Homeless project and will be used to provide health care and social services for West Philadelphia's homeless population. He said last month that Stand-Up Against Homelessness hopes to earn $40,000 through ticket and T-shirt sales, corporate donations and advertising revenue from its event program. Schur said although Healthcare for the Homeless has not decided exactly how it will spend the money generated by the show, the money will definitely stay in West Philadelphia. Schur said Mayor Goode will proclaim the week of the show "Stand-Up Against Homelessness Week" in Philadelphia. Goode's office could not be reached for comment since the fraternities' announcement came after office hours.
(03/20/91 10:00am)
Small amounts of asbestos found in pipe coverings during a "routine maintenance project" in a Quadrangle bathroom were removed during spring break, Residential Maintenance Director Lynn Horner said yesterday. Horner said the University ordered the asbestos removal after workers repairing a leaking water line in Butcher basement discovered the potentially hazardous material in pipe coverings located behind the wall. Laura Peller, the assistant director of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, said the asbestos posed no health risks since students did not come into contact with the material prior to its removal. Over the break, "certified asbestos contractors" performed the removal, and "certified asbestos project inspectors" then insured that the bathroom had been thoroughly cleaned, Peller said. "The bottom line is the air quality was tested and determined to be safe," she said. She said it was necessary to remove the asbestos because of the possibility it might be dislodged during the repair work and inhaled by students. Past studies suggest breathing asbestos particles may lead to cancer. According to Peller, asbestos is safe as long as it is kept away from people and left undisturbed. It is therefore often used as an insulator in places which are "hidden from people." In 1986, the University completed a three-year, $3.9 million project in eight residence halls, including the high rises, to replace ceiling panels containing asbestos. Since then, Residential Living has operated "an ongoing management project for handling any areas that would have asbestos," Horner said. She said the University removes asbestos from residences five or six times a year, mainly during repair work in mechanical spaces around storage tanks and generators.
(03/08/91 10:00am)
Fine Arts graduate student Bob Kim has never slept in a barn, but during Spring Break he will have that chance for five nights. But don't expect Kim to be frolicking in the hay. And while only the three male students will be banished to the barn, program organizer Bob Cardie of the Newman Center said Tuesday that everyone participating will come together during the day to work with the impoverished communities to alleviate the despair which pervades the region. Cardie said participants will travel to various sites in the area, including a shelter for homeless women and children and the homes of "shut-ins" whose poor health keeps them inside. Students will also assist a local Meals on Wheels program and help with home repairs, he added. The purpose of leaving Philadelphia -- a city with its share of problems -- for a remote town tucked away deep in the Appalachian Mountains is to show students that social problems are not confined to cities, Cardie said. "It's a good experience for students to see what poverty is like outside of the city," he said. "It is a completely different thing." Students participating in the program said they do not mind sacrificing the creature comforts of home for the chance to help others and broaden their own experiences. "I've always wanted to do something like this," College freshman Beth Penders said. "I just think it will be a really rewarding experience to get in touch with a different world." "I really want to be able to help people," agreed Kim. "I'm looking forward to the experience." Cardie said although the program is being organized by the Newman Center, students are paying the $85 cost with their own money. He added that several students from Fordham University, in New York City, will accompany the group to Frenchville.
(03/07/91 10:00am)
Like many students, College freshman Anne Hyson plans to spend her Spring Break in Mexico. But instead of relaxing on the beach in Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, she and eight other students will be busy building houses for impoverished residents of Matamoros -- a town near Tijuana -- as part of the "Alternate Spring Break" program. And 11 other University students expect to take part in the program without even leaving town, program coordinator and Nursing freshman Andrea Gregor said. Those students will work in North Philadelphia, lending their time and energy at a construction site at 19th and Montgomery streets. The Alternate Spring Break program, which three University students organized for students interested in "giving something back to the community," is designed to give students the chance to volunteer several days next week at the construction sites, Gregor said this week. Gregor said the houses at both locations are being built by Habitat For Humanity, a national grass-roots community organization whose projects include building and renovating homes, as well as developing community centers and playgrounds. Since the organization is "volunteer-dependent," Gregor said student involvement is vital to the project. "The whole idea is that this is a constructive way to spend a spring break," she said. "It's not attempting to be a solution or the volunteer activity for people to swear themselves to. It's the alternative to going to Florida." Several participants agreed with Gregor in "application/interest surveys" which program organizers asked them to fill out. "The idea of an alternate spring break is so attractive because it has elements of a vacation from school without the apathy of a vacation from life -- the real world and its problems that continue when one is not studying or learning about them," Hynson wrote. "For quite some time, I have been disturbed by the real sense of need evident in this city," wrote College sophomore Carl Bergamini. "Philadelphia is afflicted by poverty, decay and hunger. I feel a sense of duty to bring change, to use what I have been given -- my education for instance -- and to help others." Gregor said specific tasks for students "could be anything from hauling dirt to using tools on the houses." "We'll be nailing, roofing, laying foundation," said College sophomore and program organizer Pam Urueta. "We won't just be standing there. Whatever it is we do, we can honestly say we played a very important role in building the houses." Once the sun sets and the building stops, the student volunteers will stay "on site" and live among community residents. At the Philadelphia site, program participants will make a presentation at a local elementary school aimed at teaching the young students about college life and goal setting, Gregor said. Urueta said students' experience in Matamoros will be a "rough life" because they will be staying in a "dorm-like building," -- but without the conveniences of running water or electricity. She added, however, the benefit of experiencing a different lifestyle will outweigh those inconveniences. The purpose of having two sites was to attract a greater number of participants, according to Urueta. "We wanted to give something back or be able to contribute here," she said. "But we also wanted to give people interested in Alternate Spring Break the chance to go away." Gregor said students participating at the Philadelphia site will have to pay only $50 plus spending money for the entire week. But the students going to Mexico must pay for their plane tickets to San Diego, one night in a San Diego hotel and a bus ride to Matamoros, she said. For both sites, Gregor said Alternate Spring Break will cover the cost of room and board, food and a contribution. The group also plans to subsidize the trip to Mexico for two students who could not afford all the costs, she said. College sophomore Kathleen Sullivan, who is handling most of the program's financial arrangements, said Alternate Spring Break's costs will exceed $3000. She said the majority of the costs involve accomodations, but she added that $700 will be spent on contributions to the two sites. To make up the costs, Sullivan said Alternate Spring Break applied for and received part of the money made during last fall's Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness conference, which was held in Philadelphia. Several faculty donations, flower and bake sales, as well as an expected contribution from Hillel have helped the group meet expenses, she said. If organizers of this year's Alternate Spring Break have their way, the program will become an annual event at the University.
(03/06/91 10:00am)
And while Operation Homefront members plan on remaining active until American troops return from the Gulf, members of Penn for Peace say they intend to widen their group's focus to include social issues as well. College sophomore Chris Travis, a member of Penn for Peace, said the group is "trying to stay fairly active," adding that several objectives remain. He stressed that although a key part of the Penn for Peace agenda was "to stop the war," the group ultimately wants to see complete withdrawal of American forces from the Persian Gulf region. Once that happens, he said, Penn for Peace will push the U.S. government to redirect funds currently spent on defense to social problems like education, healthcare and homelessness. "We will be working to bring the troops home and to reallocate money for domestic issues, which we feel still needs to be done," he said. Meanwhile, Penn for Peace organizers plan to hold a teach-in March 22 in Bodek Lounge to discuss the consequences of war, according to group member and College sophomore Desha Bell. Wharton junior David Gross, an organizer of Operation Homefront, said that since the end of the war, his group has decreased its activity. But, like Penn for Peace members, he stressed his group's work is not finished. "We've pretty much discontinued selling flags and buttons," he said. "But we're still involved in support for the troops and their families. And we're still doing a letter-writing campaign, because the majority of the troops are still there." Gross said Operation Homefront will sponsor a blood drive March 28 to help replenish the local blood supply which is very low due to the large amounts of blood which the Red Cross sent to the Persian Gulf. "It's great that [the war is] over," Gross said. "It ended so quickly that we didn't have time to think about what we would do [after the war]." But, although the groups will continue to function, both Operation Homefront and Penn for Peace organizers said fewer students are lending their time and energy. Gross said Operation Homefront had received over 350 student signatures on sign-up sheets, but the core of the group consists of about 50 students. Penn for Peace, which began when a group of students opposed to the war organized themselves last semester, included nearly 200 members at the height of the war, Travis said. Now Penn for Peace consists of "30 very committed individuals," he said. "Our group is smaller, but I think that's good because right now we represent students who are very determined and very committed," Travis said. "We have a really supportive group of people who are really concerned about change." Travis said the downscaled Penn for Peace will "demonstrate a lot less" and will sponsor "lower-key events" such as teach-ins and discussion groups. "We won't feature so much emotion in the future," he said. Just last month, Penn for Peace members conducted a "die-in" in Rosengarten Reserve Room the night the ground war started. According to Travis, Penn for Peace will also work with other campus groups, including the Black Student League and Penn Students For Choice, to increase student awareness of important community issues.
(02/26/91 10:00am)
A "series of robberies" and a "rash of malicious fires" have plagued the Community House section of the Quadrangle this semester, according to Community House officials. The small fires have occurred only in Community House hallways, but thefts have also been reported by students in various houses of the Quad. According to the University Police Records Department, four of the nine theft reports filed this semester by Quad residents occurred in Community House. The others reportedly happened in the Butcher, Speakman and Morgan houses of the Quad. Community House officials said they do not know who is committing the thefts, but in a letter sent to all House residents last Thursday, Assistant Dean for Residence Cheryl Groce and Faculty Resident Peter Conn said the person may be a Community House resident. "It is possible that this perpetrator is a House resident, therefore it's important that residents take all precautions necessary," the letter said. Although the perpetrator's identity is unknown, the method of operation seems to follow a pattern: the thief finds an unlocked door, enters the room and quickly steals small items such as wallets or jewelry. In addition to the thefts, dozens of small fires have been set in Community House hallways, Groce said. As with the thefts, she said the perpetrator's identity is not known. There has been "a rash of malicious fires being set to burn posters, fliers, other paper materials posted on walls and on residents' doors," the Community House letter said. "This type of irresponsible behavior is dangerous and will eventually lead to the tragic loss of life." Groce said the fires have been occurring for three weeks, adding they initially appeared to be directed at one RA whose door and posters were burned. "But it has become more generalized now and it's no longer just directed at one person," Groce said. She refused to identify the RA. Groce said officials "really have no idea at this point" who may be lighting the fires, but she added there have been "a couple of sightings of possible suspects." The letter said anyone suspected of these fires will be arrested and "taken through the criminal justice system at the municipal level" as well as through the University's Judicial Inquiry Office. Although officials do not know who is lighting the fires, they say they are set at definite pattern. "During the week [the fires] die down," Groce said. "But there may be half a dozen on a Friday or Saturday evening." Fu said the most recent fires occurred last Wednesday night, bringing the total number of fires to five for his floor alone. One victim of the thefts, College freshman Sonita Midha, said someone entered her room between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. February 10 while she was sleeping. The door was unlocked since her roommate had gone to do laundry, she said. Midha said her wallet, a ring and a watch were stolen from her room. The wallet, which contained no cash, was found the next morning with all its contents except a MAC card and a credit card. College freshman Michael Winkelman, who lives in Speakman, said his wallet was taken from his room the same night that Midha's wallet was stolen. He said he left his door unlocked at 3 a.m. while he visited a friend for about five minutes. When he came back, the wallet was gone, he said. Winkelman said someone slipped his MAC card and driver's license, as well as the MAC card and credit card belonging to Midha, under his door later the next day.
(02/26/91 10:00am)
Students looking to ease the tensions of academic life will have a chance to laugh a little on April 4 when the Comic Relief organization stages a benefit comedy show at Irvine Auditorium. The event, organized by students at the Tau Epsilon Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities and entitled Stand-Up Against Homelessness, will likely feature five professional comedians, including four castmembers of the television show Saturday Night Live, according to event coordinator David Rubin, who is a TEP brother. Comic Relief, a national charity organization which works to raise funds for homelessness, is helping to book talent for the show, according to Comic Relief's local supervisor Judd Apatow. Apatow said comedians Rob Schneider and Adam Sandler -- both newcomers to Saturday Night Live -- have been booked for the event. He added that Comic Relief is still negotiating with three other professional comedians. Between acts, brief film clips will be shown to inform students about homelessness, Rubin added. But, while one aim of Comic Relief Night will be to entertain and inform students, organizers said the principal aim will be to raise money to help the homeless of West Philadelphia. Rubin said all proceeds from the show will benefit Philadelphia's Health Care for the Homeless project and will be used to provide health care and social services for West Philadelphia's homeless population. He said Stand-Up For Homelessness hopes to earn $40,000 through ticket and t-shirt sales, corporate donations and advertising revenue from its event program. "Hopefully we can open a couple of people's eyes to problems which they may otherwise be oblivious to," said Thomas Reynolds, a Kappa Alpha Psi brother and event organizer. According to Elaine Fox, an official with Healthcare for the Homeless, the group has not decided exactly how it will spend the money. However, event coordinator and TEP brother Neil Schur said the funds may be used to help the University City Hospitality Coalition build a "Survival Center" in several trailers. The center, proposed for a tract of University-donated land in the 4100 block of Chestnut St., would provide homeless persons with drug and alcohol counseling, legal services and health care, UCHC official Marissa Boyers said yesterday. The money raised on Comic Relief Night would be used specifically to fund the medical trailer, Schur said. "We feel this can push them over the top," organizer Robert Inerfeld, a TEP brother, said. UCHC had hoped to receive funding for the comedy show from the Student Activities Council, but the SAC Finance Committee refused even to put the issue on the agenda at last night's SAC meeting. Finance Committee chairperson Howard Radzely said although UCHC is on SAC, any funding for the event itself should come from the Social Planning and Events Council. Organizers emphasized Comic Relief Night will be different from other charity events because the program gives students the chance to be involved in a serious problem. Besides giving their money to the homeless in the form of ticket purchases, students will be asked to volunteer their time to help the homeless, Schur said.
(02/25/91 10:00am)
and STEPHEN GLASS As news of a ground assault by allied troops in the Persian Gulf spread this weekend, students around campus could only agree on one thing -- they had an opinion. And in the first hours after the American-led U.N. coalition began its latest escalation of the Gulf war, some students protested, some supported, some prayed and some said they weren't sure where they stood in the war. "I've switched from being 100 percent behind the war to being confused," College freshman Adam Rosenbluth said. "I think we had a real chance at peace through the peace proposal. And I think we should've given it a few more days to work." Many agreed that the Soviet-engineered plan -- which the U.S. rejected on Friday -- deserved more consideration. The Soviet plan contained eight points including a complete withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait and a bilateral ceasefire. Notably, the plan did not mention any linkage to an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank. "I think [the ground war] was a mistake," said College sophomore Mike Smolarski. "The Russian plan could have saved a lot of lives." College freshman Cliff Schecter said while he initially felt the coalition should have waited longer before an all-out attack, a ground war was inevitable. Schecter said that since the ground phase has begun, the U.S. should pursue it with all available forces. "If Saddam Hussein isn't stopped now, we'll have to deal with him later," Schecter said. Others agreed with Schecter on the need for an allied ground attack. "I felt it was the necessary step in our efforts to free Kuwait," College freshman Dave Peikin said. President Bush asked the country to pray for the U.S. soldiers in the Gulf in a speech Saturday night, and dozens of University students flocked to campus places of worship. Over 100 people, including dozens of students, listened to a somber and solemn sermon given by Father James McGuire at the Newman Center. McGuire devoted much of his sermon at yesterday's mass to the start of the ground war. He emphasized the theological problem posed by the fact that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has called on the Iraqi people to fight for God at the same time that President Bush has asked Americans to pray for allied troops. "Who's the right God here?" he said. "We have to find a way to live our faith distinct from our national policies."
(02/25/91 10:00am)
For many, Christmas is a time for good tidings and cheer. But, for 1989 University graduate Christopher Oh, this past Christmas was a time to prepare for war. On December 25, Oh left his military base in Frankfurt, Germany for Saudi Arabia. Now, he is leading an armored platoon as part of the allied ground attack to force Iraqi troops out of Kuwait. At Oh's family home in Atlanta, Jung Oh worries about his son's safety, especially now that the ground phase of the war has begun and troop movements have become hard to track. "I don't know at this moment where he might be," he said. "We can just pray for his good speed and good health. That's the best way to do it." But, despite the personal danger Oh and his platoon might face if they engage Iraqi forces in battle, his father said the former University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet has expressed readiness both in phone conversations and in letters. "They knew they were going," he said. "The last day on the phone he sounded calm, but we were very sad." "His letter said he is going to fight very hard, but he also promised me he will be OK," he added. "That gives us some encouragement." Those who knew Oh during his days at the University remember him as both an excellent cadet and a good person. "He is a really friendly guy, always willing to help out," said Wharton senior Steve Braun, who became friends with Oh through ROTC. "He was outstanding, a really good leader," he said. "He was someone you wanted to do well for, as opposed to someone who you had to take orders from because it was part of the job." College junior Russ Blumer, one of Oh's brothers at the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, said his association with Oh dates back to their high school years in Montreal. Blumer said Oh, a Canadian citizen from birth, became an American citizen while at the University just so he could serve in the U.S. Army. "The biggest thing is he was always very driven and didn't go half-hearted into anything," Blumer said. "He obviously has a strong character and moral obligation." Lieutenant Colonel Clinton Miner, Oh's ROTC instructor, echoed the praise for his former student. "He was energetic, outgoing, really interested in doing good work and taking care of people," Miner said. Although Oh graduated almost two years ago, Miner said he kept in touch with the former cadet up until his deployment to the Gulf, when he said Oh was as selfless and dedicated as ever. "His concern was not about himself," Miner said. "What he was always concerned about was had he prepared his platoon well enough and was he up for the job to keep the folks in his platoon alive?" "The biggest thing he faces is to get them molded together as a team that can trust each other, rely on each other, and hopefully accomplish whatever mission they have -- and keep them alive," he said. But Miner stressed he has no doubts that Oh will lead his platoon with effectiveness and dedication. "I know Chris well enough to know that they are really in good hands, because he puts their welfare above his own," Miner said. Oh's father has tried remaining optimistic in the face of his growing helplessness, but in the end, he said, he can only pray. "I keep telling him to stay alert and be professional," his father said. "We all pray for him."
(02/21/91 10:00am)
John Kelly, the head of the attorney general's Philadelphia office, refused to discuss the subpoena, saying only that "a formal investigation is pending." Three weeks ago, Wharton senior Alyssa Rokito filed a complaint with the attorney general on behalf of over 120 Penn News customers seeking refunds for newspaper subscriptions. Wharton junior Monk, who took over the financially-troubled delivery service last fall, downplayed the significance of the subpoena. "I'm not worried about [the subpoena]," Monk said. "I don't think anything's going to come of it." But Monk said he hopes his company's problems can be resolved. "I want to see everyone get their money," he said. "I don't want to see people think, 'Hey, I got ripped off.' " Monk said he was aware that Penn News had some debts when he bought the delivery service. But Monk said he thought subscription money would eliminate the debts. "I knew that there were outstanding bills," he said. "But we had enough accounts in accounts receivable." According to Monk, the blame for Penn News' problems rests with the University. He said University officials reneged on their promise to allow Penn News to bill subscribers on student bursar bills. "Financially, we would have been fine had the University billed the bursar bill in the first place," he said. "If they had done that, we'd be fine and the students would be happy." In September, Penn News offered students the option of paying for subscriptions on their bursar bills. But over winter break, Penn News sent a letter to subscribers asking them to pay directly for their subscriptions. The letter explained the University would not allow the delivery service to use bursar bills. Monk said he cannot prove the University broke its promise because the agreement to use the bursar bills was never put in writing and consisted only of a verbal commitment that University officials made to the previous owner. The old owner "hasn't gotten involved in the situation so far," Monk said. Despite the current investigation by the attorney general's office, Monk said he feels "pretty good" about his chances for paying off his company's outstanding debts. Last month, officials at The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer and USA Today said Penn News owed the three companies a total of at least $24,000 in overdue bills. "That's something I'm working on and I do have a couple of plans on the backburner," he said. He would not discuss the details of his plans or suggest when he may implement them. However, Monk did say that Penn News currently does not have enough money to pay either the newspaper companies or subscribers seeking refunds. "How could I be sitting on the money if the newspaper companies are going to come after me and students are too?" Monk said. "The money we did collect at the beginning of the year we spent on [delivery costs]," he said. "That's why we came up short at the end of the year." Monk also disputed an assertion made by Deputy Vice Provost George Koval that when the University decided last summer to give campus delivery service to Penn News, it only intended the change to last one year. "That's not true," Monk said. "I will take issue with that anytime he wants." Koval said last month that Penn Student Agencies will take over the newspaper delivery service next year. But Monk said the contract signed by the University, which established Penn News' independence from PSA, included no stipulation that the agreement would last only one year. Koval said yesterday he has "not seen or talked to Monk" since early January. Wharton graduate student Jonathan Eilian, who filed the complaint at the attorney general's office with Rokito, said he and Rokito were glad the subpoena had been issued. "We're very pleased with the rapid response," Eilian said. "It's nice to know that someone still cares about the little guys." Monk said he would "very much like to talk" with Eilian to explain his position. Please see PENN NEWS, page 7 PENN NEWS, from page 1
