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(02/02/95 10:00am)
Graduate students at the University's School of Dental Medicine had an unexpected visit yesterday when about 25 children of migrant workers arrived for the first dental screening of their lives. Although the free visit was scheduled as part of the Dental School's ongoing community service program, the students were kept in the dark so that the children's arrival would be a pleasant surprise. Once in the building, the children squirmed playfully in the big blue dental chairs as dental students examined their small teeth. The real problem the students dealt with was not the children's teeth, according to Associate Dean of the Dental School Herman Segal, but the language barrier they faced. The parents of the children spoke only Spanish. There was an interpreter from Headstart Rural Opportunities Inc., however, to bridge the communication gap. After examining the children, the students realized that many needed dental work. Segal said some of the children were suffering from baby bottle syndrome, a condition which is caused by babies going to bed with bottles and which causes decay. "It's marvelous, it's incredible," Segal said. "Many of them are in dire need of care. We'll do anything within our power to help. "Kids are a lot of fun to work with and it's so much fun to see the children," he added. "The reaction from the parents is great, too." But Segal stressed that the free dental care was just one of many community service programs the Dental School sponsors. Clinical Director of Pediatric Dentistry Howard Rosenberg said some of the children will need special care after their first visit. He added that the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia could be a possible sight for further care. And Rosenberg said the free dental care was great not only for the children and their parents, but for the University as well. "It's a win-win situation," Rosenberg said. "Our students win through exposure, through experience in the dental realm and it's a win situation for the children and their families and the University." Clinical Associate of Pediatric Dentistry Stan Brown -- called an "unheralded" champion of community service by Segal -- said it is a travesty that government does not provide dental care to migrant workers. "This is ridiculous that we have to do this," Brown said. "These poor kids have to fight to get dentistry." Andrew Rudnicki, a dental student, said that free screening was a good idea. "I guess this will continue and it should," Rudnicki said. "They [the children] need the work." But after three hours, the migrant workers and their children were brought back by the University to Coatesville, Pa. The workers make their living picking mushrooms.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
University President Judith Rodin will share her ideas and concerns about higher education with elected officials in both Harrisburg and Washington over the next two days. According to Vice President for Government and Community Relations Carol Scheman, Rodin's trip is an effort to ensure continued cooperation between the University and the organs of government on which it depends for its general welfare. "We are obviously in Pennsylvania and the fate of where the state goes, how well the state is able to operate and the success of the governor is going to affect us in many different ways," Scheman said, citing the importance of universities as repositories of knowledge. Rodin agreed, adding that she met with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and his opponent, former Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel, before November's general election to talk about "higher education in general and Penn's interests in particular." Specifically, Rodin said she wants to find ways that the University "can be more rather than less creative" in financing students' educational costs, with the support of the Commonwealth. Funding for basic research is also on Rodin's agenda, in light of the ongoing debate over the federal government's policy of reimbursing public and private universities for the indirect costs of such research -- the building of necessary facilities and the provision of administrative support services, for example. In December, Ridge asked Rodin to serve on his Keystone Committee, an advisory body of business leaders, policy experts and academics from across the state that will offer policy reform ideas for education, health care, transportation and economic development initiatives. The Committee will undertake study missions in five states around the country, aiming to learn from policies other states have implemented to solve similar day-to-day problems. But Rodin has said she will likely attend only a portion of those, due to her responsibilities here on campus. Rodin characterized today's meeting with Ridge and the other Committee members as a "follow-up" to her November conversation with the governor. Scheman said in preparation for the meeting, she contacted "colleague institutions" in other states who have worked closely with their respective state governments. "[Rodin] is going into this meeting armed with contacts and progressive initiatives [from] other states," she said. "State governments have had differing relationships with independent universities all over this country, but it's clear that the financial stability of state?affects universities in many different ways."
(02/02/95 10:00am)
Dept. target upperclassmen Many students choosing to live on campus next year will not have to endure higher room rates. According to Director of Residential Living Gigi Simeone, the average undergraduate rent will not increase this year. Simeone added that "in the past [the rate increase] has been generally in the neighborhood of five to six percent." Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta, this is all "directly tied to a long and consistent and concerted effort to make the residence halls more marketable." "We are making a more aggressive push to make the residence halls the place to be," he said. Moneta explained that while the average room rent will not increase, some room prices will change. "Anytime we raised a rate, we lowered another to counter balance it," he said. However, neither Moneta nor Simeone would comment as to which of the residences would have an increased rate next year. But they did say that with this plan, all rates for rooms in the High Rises will either remain the same or decrease. Moneta said the only net increase will be a small upward cost adjustment for the installation of ResNet. He said this is because it is built into the budget that the price has to go up when they install the system into more rooms. This plan was the initiative of the provost's office, the budget office, the VPUL office and the residence staff, he added. "It was a giant effort of the four offices," Moneta said. The offices are undertaking an extensive marketing campaign -- which includes filming television commercials for on-campus living to air on the ResNet channel, he said. VPUL administrators are also putting up balloons in the residence halls and all over campus to remind students of target days in the application process, he added. Moneta said this does not mean they are masking the problems that exist in the residences. "There is certainly a lot more work that has to be done," he said. "My goal is to address all of the serious issues like mice and insects and quality of our repair services." He added that his office wants to change the current trend by attracting more students to stay on campus. "Right now we seem to be in a pattern of losing students to the off-campus market, and I would like to turn that around," Moneta said. He said his office plans to aggressively address service delivery in residences -- from repairs to furnishings -- to make on-campus living a more attractive option. "We are going to keep offering more services, better services and more aggressive service," he said. Moneta said this is a prelude to a long-range plan on undergraduate education. "I really want the residence halls in a position to support the institutional initiatives of undergraduate education," he said. Moneta said the proposal is subject to approval by higher authorities. "We proposed rates, but all rates are ultimately related to president, provost and trustee approval," he said. Simeone said the full rent schedule will be available in the assignments office in High Rise North starting February 8, when the retention process begins.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
A taxi driver saved a graduate student from being abducted by three men early yesterday morning in front of the Mellon Bank Building at 36th and Walnut streets, according to Southwest Detective Lois Jones. Jones said that the student was attempting to hail an Olde City Taxi -- that already had a passenger in it -- at about 3:45 a.m. She said the taxi driver first pulled over to the side of the street to drop off his passenger, and then went to pick up the student. By this time, however, two males were attacking the student. Jones said that the taxi driver then began to honk his horn and yell at the males to stop hitting the student. The two males apparently stopped the assault and fled in a gold Subaru, containing an additional man, after the taxi driver threatened to radio the police, Jones added. University Police Sergeant Keith Christian said the taxi driver then followed the suspects' vehicle. While in pursuit, the taxi driver radioed the Olde City dispatcher who called Philadelphia Police, he said. Jones added that officers from Philadelphia Police's 19th District joined the high-speed car chase that eventually ended near 55th and Hunter streets. Christian said the three suspects then "bailed" out of the Subaru and are still at large. But multiple forms of identification that are believed to have been stolen from victims in previous robberies were found inside the vehicle, Jones said. This is not the first abduction on or near campus, however. About one year ago, a woman was almost kidnapped by a carjacker in an incident in front of King's Court/English House. A woman was sitting in the passenger side of a black Acura Legend, when a man jumped inside the car and began to drive away. The woman struggled to leave the car, but the man fought to keep her in the vehicle. Two second-year law students, Dave Shields and Dan Cohen, rescued the woman from the car. Also, a College of General Studies student was sexually assaulted, robbed, and shot in the face after being abducted by a man in a parking lot across the street from the Law School in October of 1993. And that same week, a 55-year-old former University instructor was abducted and forced by her assailant to drive to North Philadelphia, where he attempted to use her MAC card.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
After 14 years of directing the U.S. General Accounting Office, Comptroller Charles Bowser is looking for a change. And yesterday he revealed his agenda to more than 50 students and faculty in his speech entitled "Reinventing Government: Do It Now, Do It Right!" Bowser painted an essentially optimistic picture of the opportunities for governmental re-organization. "It's beginning to dawn on the people in government what a crisis we're in," he said. "People really realize it's a new ball game." While noting that there were a number of agencies that needed immediate attention, he warned that re-organization had to be approached cautiously. "One of the dangers if you get to slashing and burning agencies is that it will cause a lot of resistance," he said. After praising prior efforts to streamline government, Bowser said he thinks there may be real change with the new Republican majority in Congress. "We have a new Congress," he said. "Fifty-four percent of the House of Representatives was elected either this year or last year." Bowser said he also sees the transfer of power from the World War II generation to the Vietnam generation as conducive to governmental change. "It's a real generation change," he said, citing President Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich as representative of the new generation of leaders. When asked about the prospects for the privatization of government agencies, Bowser was again cautiously optimistic. "I think you're going to see a lot more privatization," he said. "But I don't think you can just privatize [a] big department and it will automatically work better." Bowser discussed a number of successful reorganizations that had already taken place, and seemed excited that new governmental policy was going to make the federal government more accountable. "Starting next year, 24 federal agencies will have an annual audit just as if they were private," he said. Bowser will be forced to retire next year, as his 15-year term will expire. He would not comment on his plans for the future.
(02/02/95 10:00am)
AIDS is a modern-day plague which does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or creed. February, which has been named HIV-AIDS Awareness Month, will be dedicated to helping University students cope with the effects of this epidemic. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Alliance, in cooperation with Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health, has planned a variety of events throughout the month -- dubbed "Life, Liberty and Latex." The activities are intended to promote awareness among students about AIDS and what can be done to prevent its spread, according to Kurt Conklin, a health educator at Student Health Service. The ResNet Movie Channel will be showing films about AIDS and its effects, including Philadelphia, and the HBO drama And The Band Played On. Conklin said Philadelphia is the film which people most readily associate with the AIDS epidemic. "Part of the purpose of Awareness Month is to let people know there are other films beside Philadelphia," he said. The LGBA will also be showing several less well-known films in Houston Hall such as the German A Virus Knows No Morals and the American Longtime Companion. College of General Studies junior Anthony Putz, chairperson of the LGBA, said the films were selected in order to educate people about the nature of the virus and its consequences. "It's not the best way[to educate], but it's one way," he said. In addition to the movies, a panel of speakers with HIV will be talking about their experiences living with the virus. This event will take place on Monday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ben Franklin Room in Houston Hall. On Feb. 13, FLASH members and others in the University community will participate in an open reading of works by or about people with HIV/AIDS. This event will be held in Houston Hall in the Hall of Flags at 11:30 p.m. For students interested in learning about safe-sex techniques, the LGBA and FLASH will sponsor a workshop entitled "Safer Sex Practices and Dating Skills" at the end of February. LGBA members will also be distributing condoms at various points on the University campus on Valentine's Day. Conklin said one reason for these events is that AIDS is spreading most rapidly among heterosexual students. "On campuses, I believe the risk of infection is rising for straight people," he said. "As long as people believe it's a problem solely in the gay/bisexual community?most heterosexual students won't get counseled or tested." He added that students do not make regular use of safe-sex practices. "They make use of safe-sex techniques, but not consistently," he said. "That's one of the reasons we put a lot of effort into peer education. In our experience, peer educators are most effective at hammering home the message that safer sex works."
(02/02/95 10:00am)
The Lippincott Library will undergo major renovations beginning this summer, thanks in large part to a $750,000 donation from the Safra family's Republic National Bank of New York. The gift will provide funding for the Safra Business Research Center, which will comprise the majority of the library's renovation efforts. According to a statement released today by the Wharton School, the Safra family "has a long history of involvement with the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School, including sending many of its family members and employees to Penn and Wharton." The family and the Republic National Bank of New York have supported a variety of projects at Wharton. The research center will encompass all activities of the west wing of the second floor of the Van Pelt Library, according to Director of Library Development Adam Corson-Finnerty. Lippincott Library Director Michael Halperin said all public service functions will be moved to the second floor. "In doing this, we're going to triple the number of remote-access work stations and CD-Rom stations," Halperin said. In addition, Halperin said Lippincott will be contained in the west wing of the second and third floors of Van Pelt once the renovations are completed. The library is currently spread out over three floors of the northwest wing of the library. According to Corson-Finnerty, the renovations will be extensive. "It's consolidation and redesign, and complete upgrading," Corson-Finnerty said. He added that the renovations will take into account the important role of computers for today's business students. To that end, the research center will contain "wet" stations, where students can use laptop computers. Wharton Dean Thomas Gerrity said in the statement that these renovations will expand students' opportunities to tap into the information superhighway. "Access to information, particularly through rapidly expanding electronic resources, plays a vital role in educating our students and enhancing the academic leadership of our faculty," Gerrity said. The renovations also include plans to create five group study rooms, where students can study together, Corson-Finnerty said. Each of these rooms will have glass walls, a chalk board and computer links. The technological improvements will be combined with aesthetic ones as well. Halperin said Lippincott will be "much more inviting" with the addition of new carpeting and new furniture. "It would be a modern corporate appearance to go with the other Wharton buildings," Halperin said, adding that he is enthusiastic about the renovations. "The library will function better because the services will be coordinated in a way that they can't be now," he said. Halperin also said functions currently located on the second floor will be moved to the first floor for approximately six months, beginning in the summer.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Teachers learning from students Teachers learning from studentsFunding from Merck and the National Science Foundation is taking University Engineering students to West Philadelphia schools to work with teachers to make science more accessible to inner-city students Imagine this. University students teaching Philadelphia Public school teachers how best to stimulate interest in science for young, inner-city children. Sound like a pipe dream project of an Urban Studies major? But this vision has become a reality thanks to Merck & Co., Inc. and the National Science Foundation. Starting last summer, Merck, along with the NSF, founded a five-year partnership called the Penn-Merck Collaborative for Science Education. The goal of the Penn-Merck project is to instruct inner-city school teachers in methods to make science accessible to students who attend South and Southwest Philadelphia schools. And who is teaching the teachers? Students at the University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. NSF has already pledged $1.8 million towards the project, and Merck $360,000. In addition, the University's Graduate School of Education will contribute funds to the program while administering it. And the Engineering School will provide the laboratory space for the training sessions. Currently the program has 48 teachers, but officials plan to involve 64 more by this summer. The teacher training sessions --in which the Philadelphia school teachers learn from University students -- consist of a three-week seminar this summer, and another one next summer. Following this training, teachers are monitored for about 12 months by the administrators of the program. Carlo Parravano, director of the Merck Institute for Scientific Education, said he chose the University to implement the project because of its solid record of community involvement. "I think that a technologically based company needs to have a pipeline that is rich in talent and diversity," Parravano said. "We can continue to discover new medicines well into the next century." University Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos, the former chief executive officer of Merck, said he believes science education at the elementary level is very important. Vagelos said Merck realized over six years ago that young people are inadequately prepared in science and math education. Like Parravano, Vagelos stressed the need for a "pipeline" of future scientists. He also stressed that there is a specific need for more black scientists. "We are committed to doing this because it will upgrade the children so they will have a basic fundamental understanding of science," Vagelos said. "We think we can have some impact, but we can't change the United States." Merck's initiative in West Philadelphia with University students follows programs that have sent volunteer scientists to the city's schools. Penn-Merck Project Coordinator Jane Horwitz said the scientists play the part of major role models for the children. · In last summer's session, six Engineering students designed and presented "discovery" labs to the elementary school teachers under the guidance of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Professor Jacob Abel. The "hands-on" projects tried to demonstrate scientific and engineering principles in everyday objects, such as studying the strength of materials by using spaghetti models to exploring electricity by wiring a doorbell or taking apart a hair dryer. The purpose behind the lab is to give teachers models that they can replicate in their classrooms. And Merck, along with other sponsors, are providing the materials and resources to supply the schools. Abel stressed that "hands-on" activities, in contrast to dull lectures tend to spark more of an interest in students. "We want them exploring and investigating," Abel said. "Hands-on is the way to do science. That is the way to get children interested and excited about science." Horwitz said that many of the Engineering students were wary about teaching teachers, but by the end of the three weeks' training, they said they had realized their fears were unwarranted. "The teachers were just so impressed with what the Engineering students had done," Horwitz said. "And the fact that the Engineering students were willing and able to get up in front of these teachers was pretty awesome as well." At the end of the three weeks, the teachers presented the University students with a handmade card, signed by all, thanking them for their time and effort. Able said he keeps the card in the top drawer of his desk amidst the remnants of last summer's experiments. Engineering junior Jennifer Cheng said she enjoyed the program because the students "clicked" with the teachers. Engineering senior Alaina Cerini agreed. "It was a really good experience," Cerini said. "We could use the stuff we learned at Penn and put it on an easier level and make it fun." And because of the overwhelming success of the summer program, Horwitz said there are plans for University students to actually go into classrooms and assist teachers during this semester. "I think to have students talking to students provides this continuum that says to a young child, 'Hey, I can do this, you know this is something I'd like to aspire to,' " Horwitz said. · University and city officials alike stressed the importance of the Penn-Merck project for strengthening their own relationships. "I think it is a very important partnership for Penn and West Philadelphia, and is a good model for universities around the country," University Director of Community Partnerships Ira Harkavy said. Superintendent of Philadelphia Schools David Hornbeck said the Penn-Merck program is consistent with the goals of his program for city schools, called Children Achieving. "They identify the high standards that they want to achieve and then they provide the kind of time and professional development that equips teachers to help achieve more," Hornbeck said. The first session, which met last summer, concentrated on chemistry and physics, while the session next summer will focus on biology and earth science. Horwitz said he has lofty expectations for the joint effort. "It would be really nice if we had some impact in all of the schools," Horwitz said. "I'd like to touch every teacher in the program." Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Education Nancy Streim said the magnitude and impact of the project could potentially be enormous. In five years, about 250 teachers will have been taught science by the University students. In addition, these "master" teachers are encouraged to teach their co-workers at the schools. Streim emphasized the importance of this endeavor because of the lack of science education in elementary schools across the country -- and in Philadelphia. Horwitz agreed, and said that Merck is setting a precedent by supporting science education from kindergarten through the fifth grade. She said that although a lot of companies finance science education, it is usually only at advanced levels. "They [at Merck] decided this is where there is a gap and where they wanted to focus their attention," Horwitz said. Horwitz added that the initial reaction to the program has been extremely positive from both teachers and the University. "It's those human moments, watching people connect with what you love," she said. According to Horwitz there is also a lot of interaction between University officials and the elementary school teachers. She said she plans to observe all 48 teachers for at least one hour. · According to recent statistics, the schools involved with the Penn-Merck program face some of the largest challenges in the city. Being in constant contact will local schools, Horwitz says she gets a first-hand view of the problems affecting Philadelphia's public education system. Horwitz said she has mixed feelings on the city's public schools, but does not see as many systemic problems as some officials report. She said it is very difficult to assess science education within the schools because there is no standardized test that serves as a barometer. She said that while the main problem in the schools is large class size, the schools are rich in their greatest assets -- their teachers. "I have all together wonderful teachers in my program," she said. "They are motivated and they are interested in what they are doing." Carol Young, a teacher in the program at the Leidy School in Southwest Philadelphia, characterized the experience as "fantastic." She said she has seen a dramatic change in her students' awareness and interest in science. And she added that her students are particularly excited when the Merck scientists visit. The scientists, some of whom are black and female, have changed the children's perception of scientists, Young said. "I think we will definitely have some scientists in later years," Young said. "The summer component was very rewarding for me and I'm looking forward to coming back this summer."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
To some people, a gym is just a place to work out. To Irving Silverman, the gym was a necessity. Silverman, who died of AIDS last December, relied on the 12th Street Gym for both his mental and physical well-being, his sister, Kim Silverman said. But in March 1994, Silverman was barred from his gym when the owner discovered that he was infected with the AIDS virus, Pennsylvania AIDS Law Project attorney Ronda Goldfein has alleged. Yesterday, Goldfein announced that a lawsuit filed by Silverman last August against the gym had been settled. She said the gym will pay $35,000 to Silverman's estate and adopt a non-discrimination policy and workplace training program -- which both sides say could become a model for gyms and health clubs across the country. "Our happiness in announcing this settlement is tainted with sadness," Goldfein said. "While today's settlement is a victory for people with HIV and AIDS, we are saddened by the fact that Irv is not here to announce the settlement himself." Rick Piper, a managing partner of the 12th Street Gym, agreed. "We're delighted by the settlement," he said. "We've learned a lot from the case." Piper added that defending against the suit would have cost more than $100,000 and that the new 14-page non-discrimination policy will best benefit the community served by the gym. But Bob Schoenberg, director of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community at Penn, was skeptical. "While the settlement is an indication of acknowledgement of wrongdoing, they are not adding anything that isn't already in the City of Philadelphia's Fair Practices Ordinance," he said. The suit alleged that Silverman was thrown out of the gym by its owner Robert Gazardi, after Silverman cut his hand and requested a bandage. Gazardi, who knew Silverman had AIDS, allegedly instructed Silverman to leave and told him not to return. Gazardi was unavailable for comment. Goldfein said Silverman's rights had been violated under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits public accommodations from discriminating on the basis of disability, including AIDS. "The intention of the act was to get disabled people back into the workplace," Goldfein said. The suit also alleged that Silverman lost the will to fight the disease as a result of Gazardi's actions. "When you deal with someone who is HIV-positive, you encounter several incidents, but the pain of discrimination was something we weren't prepared for," Kim Silverman said. "When this man treated him this way, it just blew his whole world apart." Deb Dunbar, the study coordinator of the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said the risk posed by someone with AIDS in a gym environment is minimal. "I would say that a person with AIDS who is working out at a gym does not pose a risk to other gym members," she said. "If the person is responsible, there is virtually no chance of contaminating others." Art Gravina, the vice president of facilities management, said that although such a case has not occurred at the University, Hutchinson and Gimbel gyms do have a firm policy of non-discrimination. "It's my understanding that that person would not be thrown out of the gym," he said.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
For most students, eating, drinking and having sex are routine elements of life. But more than 300 University students celebrating the Muslim holy fast month of Ramadan are willing to forgo these activities in order to demonstrate their faith. From dawn to dusk, all able-bodied faithful adults not only deny themselves these basic needs, but act with particular goodness to their fellow man, according to Wharton junior and member of the Muslim Student Association Usman Malik. The Muslim Prophet Mohammed stressed the importance of goodness by saying that "he who does not leave evil only gets thirst and hunger from his fasting." Malik said the purpose of the fast is to show belief in Allah, to prepare for future hardships, and learn to suppress unruly urges -- keeping one from becoming greedy, cruel and oppressive. Fasting also serves as a social equalizer. All Muslims -- whether rich or poor -- must fast during this month. As a result of the fast, many rich Muslims realize how it feels to be hungry for lack of money, and are more willing to give to charity. Muslims believe that it was during the month of Ramadan that Allah began to give the revelation of the Koran to the Prophet Mohammed. This book serves as a moral guide for observant Muslims, and they fast to praise Allah for giving it to them. Because regular activities are allowed before sunrise each morning, observant Muslims wake up early to offer prayers and have a pre-fast meal, called "Suhur," to help ease the physical burden of the fast. During this month, special prayers are offered at night called "Tarawih." Muslims regard fasting during this holiday as a divine task and no person may try to compel another to observe the fast, Malik said. Despite the apparent difficulty associated with strict observance of the holiday, Muslims at the University are prepared to show their faith, Malik said. "You get used to it after a couple of days," he said. "All Muslims look forward to this month of great blessings." Communications graduate student Sarah Sayeed agreed. "Ramadan is a really important and special time of the year for me because it allows me the opportunity to strengthen myself spiritually and help me to appreciate all that I have," she said. "And it makes me more sympathetic to people who don't have what I have." The month of Ramadan -- and the fasting -- ends when the new moon is sighted. The fast is broken with the Iftar dinner. The festival of Eid, which is a celebration of thanksgiving, begins the following day and may last for another two days.
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Victor Mair has always had a passion for the past. But his discovery in 1987 that Caucasian bodies had been dug up in China added new vigor to that passion and led him to reconsider the nature of ancient civilizations. Mair, a professor of Chinese Languages and Literature, came to the University in 1979 -- the same time that the Chinese government began to unearth the mummies. He said when he first came across the well-preserved corpses in a museum in the region of Xinjiang in China, he almost could not believe that they were real. "I thought that it was some kind of ploy to get tourists, because they were saying [the bodies] dated to 1000 B.C.E, and they looked like they had been buried a couple weeks ago," Mair said. He attributed the "freeze-dried" condition of the bodies to the hot, dry climate of the desert region in which the Caucasians lived. When they died, the moisture in their bodies would evaporate very quickly, preventing most bacterial decay. Even more remarkable than the condition of the corpses, according to Mair, was the fact that the unearthed bodies showed that Caucasians had inhabited China from 2000 B.C. until the ninth century. The majority of the people who live in Xinjiang today exhibit Mongoloid rather than Caucasoid features, Mair said. "The mystery is how did [the Caucasians] get there and where did they come from," he added. Mair said he suspects that they were Iranian-speaking Indo-Europeans who had migrated from the West. However, he said that since no written records exist for that period, he cannot be certain. Mair said many aspects of the mummified corpses and their graves have provided useful information about the type of lives these people led. "Many people were buried with a little basket next to their left ear, and in the basket were grains of wheat," he explained. "So this means that they had a sense of agriculture." No weapons were found in the graves-- indicating that they were a peaceful people, Mair added. The finely-woven woolen clothing found on the bodies led Mair to believe that the Caucasians herded sheep and goats. Mair said he also believes that the Caucasians did not simply die out, but rather were "absorbed" by the Uyghurs, a Turkish-speaking people who constitute the major ethnic group in Central Asia today. "Just looking at the Uyghur population, you see a lot of resemblances to the Europeans and Mediterranean peoples," Mair said. According to Mair, this archeological find could change how people think about ancient civilizations. The discovery of the mummies has provided evidence that supports the idea that civilizations in countries such as India, Greece, Rome and China were not as isolated as many scholars had originally believed. "Long-distance migrations, long-distance trade, and even just simple wanderlust have been going on for thousands of years," Mair said. "This project is showing that the ancient peoples as much as moderns liked to move around on the face of the earth." Mair added that the aspect of his findings that he enjoys the most is the fact that it provides a bridge between the East and the West. "Here you have people who are filling up what used to be thought of as a vacuum in terms of East-West communication," he said. Mair's fascination with the mummies themselves though stems from his attraction to the past -- which he said he has had since his college days. "I feel like I'm reaching back in the past and recreating their life," Mair said. "When I look at [the mummies] or look at their clothing, I don't just imagine what life was like for them -- I feel like I'm actually almost merging with them somehow."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Is Philadelphia up to the $50 million challenge? That was the question on everyone's mind as Wallis Annenberg, daughter of millionaire University alumnus Walter Annenberg, presented the Philadelphia public schools with a $50-million pledge at the Stoddart-Fleisher Middle School in North Philadelphia yesterday. The money is actually a challenge grant, however. The city will only receive the money if it can raise another $100 million over the next five years, with $50 million coming from the private sector and $50 million from the public sector. While Mayor Ed Rendell said he feels the city will be able to secure the private sector money, he said the real challenge will be public sector funding. Rendell said he expected non-profit organizations, such as universities, to foot some of this bill through his Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which he announced last year. This week, Rendell's chief of staff, David Cohen, said the city is still in negotiations with the University to determine what the University's tax burden will be. [See story, page 2.] Philadelphia School District Superintendent David Hornbeck, however, said he already has about half of the $100 million secured. While there is a large task ahead for the city, the atmosphere was very upbeat. Wallis Annenberg, vice president of the Annenberg Foundation, made the presentation as part of the Annenberg Foundation's $500 million gift to reform public education across the nation. "Welcome home Ms. Annenberg," Philadelphia Public School/Business Partnership for Reform Chairperson Terrence Larsen said. "You could not have arrived at a more auspicious time for the future of our children." Students representing a variety of city neighborhoods sat quietly in the audience as the symbolic check was passed from Annenberg's hand to the nervously shaking hands of five children. The $50 million allocated from the Annenberg grant will not buy books or repair schools, however. It is slated for administrative and teaching reform. Hornbeck, who formulated a plan called "Children Achieving," said this is consistent with his goal of citywide and "systemic" reform of public schools. He also said he is grateful for the pledge because it gives Philadelphia a "challenge" to meet on the path to improved education. "It gives us a huge shot in the arm," Hornbeck said. "It tells us that we are on our way. It tells us this is a can-do moment and that in fact, we are going to create teaching and learning conditions in which children do achieve." Hornbeck added the city must not take small steps to meet the challenge. He said, rather, the system needs "bold" and "radical" leaps for fundamental change. Rendell, who also attended the announcement, said the challenge of improving education is one of the most important issues facing the city. And he promised to do whatever he could do to help meet that challenge. "I pledge?and we pledge unequivocally, that we will meet our share of the this grant," Rendell said. "The education of our children is so important that we will find this money, somewhere, somehow, someplace."
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About 10 students attended Penn Watch's first recruitment meeting last night in the Quadrangle. Penn Watch -- the new student-run town watch and peer education organization -- has launched a campaign to attract members for security patrols on and around campus. The program, which received formal recognition from the Student Activities Council last week, was formed after several students decided to take an active role campus safety. "I understand a lot of students don't get involved with issues of crime," Penn Watch President and Wharton sophomore Jon Brightbill said last night. "But we spend more and more on police and the problems don't go away, here at the University or in the nation. "If students want to feel safer," he added, "they have to get involved." The group's primary goal is to implement student-run patrols of the University's neighborhoods. The people on patrol will wear identifying clothing, and will be in direct radio contact with University Police. The patrol members will also have scanners monitoring police frequencies to be aware of police actions around campus. After patrols are established, Brightbill said the group plans to offer peer education on safety issues, and represent student views on security. "If someone wants to take their personal time and do this, we're thrilled to have you," University Police Officer Ann Haines told the people in attendance at the meeting. "This is a basic tenet of community involvement," she said. Haines and Brightbill both expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of student involvement. And Haines assured the group that the police will respond to student calls of assistance with urgency. In addition, officials from Victim Support and Special Services will train the Penn Watch members starting in February. Organizers stressed that the meeting was only the first step of recruitment, and that they will approach other student groups, such as Greek organizations, to supply members. Brightbill, who said the group began organizing last November, plans to begin patrols sometime shortly after spring break. "This won't make crime go away," Brightbill said. "But it will help people feel safer."
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After a semester of working on Project 2000 -- a long-term plan for the University's future -- the Undergraduate Assembly decided on a number of more immediate projects at its meeting Monday night. The UA approved a letter written by several student leaders calling for Provost Stanley Chodorow to involve as much student input as possible in the recently proposed Perelman Quadrangle plan. The body also passed a resolution suggesting a re-examination of the smoking policy in University dining halls, and endorsed a plan to lobby the administration to allow alcohol on Locust Walk. The United Minorities Council also made a presentation to the UA at the meeting. Part of the presentation addressed the UMC's concerns about the Perelman Quad. According to Wharton and Engineering senior Patrick Ede, the chairperson of Penn Players, several members of the Performing Arts Council wrote a letter to the provost stating that while the UA and PAC were "excited" about the Perelman Quad plan, the groups felt that student input was essential. The letter also suggested a framework for Chodorow to follow that would ensure maximum student participation in every stage of building the new student center. In addition to student members on a University committee to oversee the Perelman Quad, the letter calls for a second advisory committee, composed entirely of students. This committee would inform the University's undergraduate population of progress in planning and construction of the new campus center. The letter also requested that open forums be held regularly to allow for an exchange of ideas between planners and students. Ede said PAC would respond very unfavorably to any plan that denies students a say in decisions on the Perelman Quad. "We think the Perelman Quad is a good idea, but it's not good as is," he said. "Some of the changes that we are going to suggest need to be taken seriously." The UA also passed a resolution calling for a ban on smoking in University dining halls. UA representative and College junior Lance Rogers said the ban would improve student health, citing asthma, bronchitis, and heart disease as health problems resulting from smoking. "Basically, I don't understand why people need to smoke during a meal," he said. But UA Vice-Chairperson and College junior Tamara Dubowitz said the resolution did not truly represent student opinion on campus. "Just because smoking might be a minority on this campus doesn't mean that it's not a right," she said.
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Seeking advice about opportunities in the field of bioengineering, approximately 30 Engineering students gathered in Bodek Lounge Monday for the second annual Industrial Day Conference. Ten representatives of companies from across the field came to share their stories and experiences in the industry with the University community. Industrial Day was organized by a committee of six Bioengineering students led by Engineering junior Kim Vesey. Their goal was to give interested students a first hand look at the industry, Vesey said. "Our basic object of the day is to get people to exchange information," she added. Representatives from companies ranging from AT&T; to DuPont showed students how their coursework can be applied in the industry. In return, students showed the company representatives what innovations and ideas have sprung from University students. Ronald Solar, a University alumnus, gave the keynote address. He told students they must be aggressive in looking for jobs, because opportunities for bioengineers are available. According to i-Stat representative John Lee, the address was an encouraging and realistic portrayal of what challenges bioengineers will face in the business world. Most of the Bioengineering majors attending the conference wanted to get a feel for what types of opportunities exist in the industry. "You don't really know everything out there," Engineering sophomore Jeremy Diringer said. Time was set aside at the end of the conference for students to ask questions and establish initial contact with company representatives in small group discussions. Industrial Day also gave non-bioengineering students more information about the field and its accomplishments. Primarily known for the development of prosthetics and other medical devices like pacemakers, bioengineers work on everything from micro-needles to the common hearing aide, Lee said. According to Kenneth Foster, associate professor of Bioengineering, the conference was well-organized and smoothly run. "The students did a wonderful job," he said.
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Residents of historic neighborhoods in Philadelphia are trying to gain the same status that their counterparts in other nearby cities enjoy. But unlike New York, Washington and Boston, Philadelphia does not currently protect its historic neighborhoods as collective units. Preservationists, however, are trying to create several protected city communities, including Spruce Hill, as historic districts. Spruce Hill borders the western edge of campus and is bounded roughly by 40th and 46th streets, extending from Market Street to Woodland Avenue. "From the neighborhoods' point of view, this is a positive thing," Spruce Hill Community Association treasurer David Hochman said. "We have been waiting a long time for this." If the districting is approved, the new designation will place restrictions on people who own property within the district. Property owners would have to seek additional approval to change the facades of buildings in the protected districts, including restrictions on cosmetic changes such as paint color. Any plans involving "alteration or demolition" to buildings in the protected areas would have to pass a review by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. According to University professor and Philadelphia historian George Thomas, much of the appeal of the neighborhood lies in its late 19th century architecture. In addition, some of the properties there are already listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While a total of six districts have been proposed, they must present their cases at a series of public hearings. The first district up for recognition is the Rittenhouse-Fitler District in Center City, which had its hearing in November. The next district in line for review is Society Hill, which will be followed by Spruce Hill. According to Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the Preservation Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Spruce Hill will probably not be considered until sometime in 1996.
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Philadelphia Police protect students off-campus, the Streets Department cleans the streets and, if there's a fire, the Fire Department responds. And now the city of Philadelphia and Mayor Ed Rendell want the University to pay for it. Traditionally, non-profit institutions located in the city have not paid taxes, even though they use city services. And although it has been just under a year since the city asked the University to pay about one-third the property tax it would owe if it did not enjoy tax-exempt status, the two organizations have not yet come to an agreement. The controversy started last year when the mayor devised the Payment in Lieu of Taxes/Services in Lieu of Taxes program to make non-profit entities like the University pay some of the tax burden in the form of some tax or payments or services. The goal of the program is to raise an additional $33 million a year in revenue and free services from normally tax-exempt agencies which are not "purely for charitable use." This includes about $8.5 million from area colleges. The University would also be able to deduct services that benefit the community, such as University Police, from their assessed tax burden. The money and services will then be used in the city's school districts. But if the University refuses to make such an agreement, the city could take action in court -- possibly causing the University to pay 100 percent of its would-be taxes, eliminating in all but name the University's tax-exempt status. Paul Cribbins, the University's director for city and commonwealth relations, said the city and University are currently deliberating over the PILOT/SILOT program. But even though the city has been slow to take action against non-profit organizations, it is clear that the mayor considers the program important, and plans to follow through with its implementation. Just last week, Rendell mentioned PILOT/SILOT during his re-election announcement. The mayor singled out and honored Fred Dibona Jr., an official of Independence Blue Cross/Blue Shield, for being the first non-profit company to pay its share through the PILOT/SILOT program. He added that Dibona stands as an example of big business reaching out to help the city. "That is an extraordinary step for a corporation to come up and say that they're willing to pay an addition tax load," Rendell said. "But they did it for the city."
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Last night's free screening of the feature film "A Reason To Believe" offered big-name stars, name-brand bands and huge amounts of drugs, alcohol and sex. But you had to find the film first. Although over 250 people initially came to watch the independently-produced film, the numbers dwindled after the location was moved twice due to technical difficulties. Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape presented the film and Connaissance and the Social Planning and Events Committee Film Society co-sponsored the event. [See photo, page 8.] "There was an amazing turn-out and a million technical difficulties," said STARR representative Brigette Wolf, a Wharton senior. Although the film -- which has not yet been commercially released -- focused on acquaintance rape on college campuses, it also touched upon fraternity life, drugs and alcohol. A discussion session with the co-producer Ged Dickerson and the movie's writer, director and co-producer Douglas Tirola, followed the screening. Dickerson and Tirola answered questions about the film's presentation of acquaintance rape. They also advised aspiring filmmakers on how to break into the industry. College sophomore Nicole Weiner questioned the film's portrayal of the campus women's center as an aggressive organization. In the film, the leader of the women's center leaks a fully-detailed description of the victim's trauma to the school newspaper after a fraternity brother commits acquaintance rape against the student. Tirola said he included the feminist's breach of confidence to represent the significance of the group as compared to that of the individual. "She had missions and goals of her own," he said of the center's leader. "She was trying to do something for the group and was not as much working for the individual. I think the feminist character was freakin' great. She had a goal and she went right for it." Although STARR organized the event to reach groups that they normally could not reach, such as sororities and fraternities, Jody Gold a 1992 University graduate and STARR advisor, said the organization disagreed with the women's center's role in the film. "I disliked the portrayal of the woman's center in the movie," she said. "The Penn women's center is there to council men and women and they never would pressure anyone to come foreword. "It is very important that survivors make their own decisions and to give the power back to the survivor," Gold added. Tirola also spoke about the representation of "frat boys" in the film. He said the film does not stereotype or bash fraternities. The two scenes, besides the rape scene, that portrayed fraternities negatively were included to prove a point, he said. One of the scenes shows "frat boys" informally sharing their sexual exploits. In another scene, the president of the fraternity highlighted in the film reads off a tally of the fraternity brothers' sexual feats of the night. He said the purpose of the two scenes is to present informal sexual boasting as equally damaging as a formal competition. Although the three scenes did portray fraternities negatively, Tirola said the brothers' dialogue presented them in a positive light. "At the end they were articulate," he said. "The guy who was the biggest neanderthal had an articulate speech at the end. Even the rapist is articulate in where he is coming from." Tirola added that he does not view the fraternity's use of drugs and alcohol as negative stereotyping.
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The Republican National Committee has withdrawn funding from the College Republican National Committee, according to Penn College Republicans President Dan Debicella. But the University club does not depend on the CRNC for money, Penn College Republicans Treasurer Amon Seagull said. Debicella, a Wharton junior and the Undergraduate Assembly chairperson, said the RNC stopped funding the CRNC because the college group's newsletter, The Broadside, had gotten far out of line with the Republican party platform. "It had a lot of articles that were anti-Republican," Debicella said. "They called for a new third party of conservative youth [and] attacked the Reagan/Bush legacy as not being conservative enough." He added that he felt the loss of funding was appropriate. "To have Republicans attacking the Reagan/Bush legacy just shows that these people weren't deserving of funding," he said. Seagull, a College and Engineering senior, said the University's group was fiscally independent of the CRNC. "We have absolutely no financial ties to the CRNC," he said. "All of our funding is from alumni support and member dues." Debicella said the CRNC was further right ideologically than the Penn College Republicans. "A lot of the people who are in charge of the CRNC are from the way far religious right," he said. "We like to think of ourselves as far to the economic right rather than the social right." Leaders of Republican organizations at other Ivy League schools also said the CRNC had little impact on their clubs. "We don't receive money from the CRNC, so it doesn't affect our funds," said Harvard University senior Bradford Campbell, president of the Harvard Republicans Club. Brown College Republicans President Peter Bogdanow said his group was not affected either. "We don't get any money from [the CRNC]," the Brown University junior said. "We get a lot of mail from them, but [the mail is not] essential to the daily functioning of the program."
(02/01/95 10:00am)
Although graffiti is often considered an inescapable part of the urban landscape, the University and various city organizations have recently become increasingly more vigilant about decreasing its presence. "There has been some talk about it being an expression of art," Executive Director of the Center City District Paul Levy said this week. "To us, this is just vandalism." The quasi-governmental CCD has the authority to tax businesses within its boundaries, using the revenue to pay for extra services beyond those provided by the city, such as cleaning and security. Last September, the CCD launched a special project team to begin removing graffiti from downtown businesses and public property. And thus far, Levy said the program has been a success. He owes this to "a business community prepared to invest money in its maintenance." Officials at the University have also taken a strong stance against graffiti. Vice President for Facilities Management Art Gravina expressed concern about graffiti on University property. "Where we see it, we take immediate steps to remove it," he said. Gravina stressed that quick removal of graffiti is the key to its deterrence. By negating its ability create a statement, it removes the motivation to do it. "By and large, graffiti is not a welcome expression on campus," he added. Gravina added that a strong police presence is also helpful. Gravina said the amount of graffiti at the University has remained constant, and is a problem that mainly affects facilities further away from the center of campus. Tom Spencer, a member of the city's Anti-Graffiti Network, said his organization employs volunteers to help clear graffiti and educate communities about the problem. The AGN has become well known for its public art campaign, which seeks out former wall-writers to create large murals on empty walls throughout the city. Levy said that graffiti has a detrimental effect on neighborhoods, because people "get the message the area is out of control and unsafe."
