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(08/03/95 9:00am)
and Betty Yuan Due to low student occupancy on campus and the surrounding vicinity, the University has taken action to strengthen their security initiatives during the summer months. According to Victim Support Director Maureen Rush, several safety measures were implemented last week. "What we have done to insure safety for August is work with the city of Philadelphia in conjunction with the Penn Police department to put together a strike force," she said. The "strike force" consists of plain clothes and uniformed police officers from both the University Police and Philadelphia Police departments, Rush said. "We are saturating areas of campus that we feel are more on the outskirts such as the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue -- areas where there have been previous reports of crime and/or areas which are off the beaten path," she added. Security is now more visible in these areas, in an effort to deter crime and make students feel more comfortable about the safety of the area. "The best you can expect is no crime being reported, and secondly, people have a greater perception of security for their well-being," Rush said. Rush added that in addition to providing security and comfort, a goal of the program is to encourage students to utilize such services as the Community Walks program, walking escort and mobile escort vans. There are nine transit stops available, which provide students with a safe place to wait for the escort van to pick them up. They include the stop in front of High Rise South, which has been moved over slightly as a result of construction. "People believed that the transit stop at High Rise South was not open and we want to correct that," she said. "In fact, the High Rise South transit stop is open and is being staffed by public safety representatives." Rush added that, as a result, Escort vans cannot drive up to the front of the high rise as they have in the past. Instead, drivers are being instructed to pull up to the intersection of 39th and Irving streets, and beep their horns as a signal to students waiting either inside the lobby of High Rise South. "All people need to do is keep an eye out but stay in the building," Rush said. "We have a security monitor inside the building with them." These transit stop monitors are stationed at each of the transit stop locations in order to insure students a safe waiting environment.
(08/03/95 9:00am)
A Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science student was a victim of attempted rape Thursday on the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue at about 10 a.m., according to Victim Support and Special Services Director Maureen Rush. The 23 year-old student was accosted by a man with a knife, who attempted to abduct her into an alley way. But by continuously screaming, she was able to get the attention of six carpet layers, who came to her assistance, Rush said. The carpet layers became involved in an altercation with the 22 year-old assailant, during which one of the "good samaritans" was stabbed in the armpit. Then the suspect attempted to flee the scene, but the carpet layers chased after him and Philadelphia police arrested the suspect. The Pharmacy student received minor injuries and is recovering "okay," said Tim Michener, director of public safety at the College of Pharmacy and Science. But the carpet layer who was stabbed sustained more serious injuries," Rush said. The assailant was charged with multiple counts, including robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault and criminal attempt to rape, Rush added. He remains in custody at the Philadelphia Detention Center with bail set at $50,000, according to University Police Detective Gary Heller. Heller added that the suspect has other previous arrests. Michener said he was surprised by the time of the attempted rape. But Rush said the attitude that crime only happens at night is wrong. "People assume things like rape only happen in the middle of the night," she said. "That's a misconception." Rush added that students must be aware of their surroundings at all times, whether it is day or night. Michener said he was very pleased with the community participation in the incident. "It's really nice to see the community get involved and apprehend the criminal," he added. "We're happy to see that this one had a happy ending." Rush had several recommendations for how to deal with a rape situation. She said individuals should follow the example of the victim in this attempted rape and make as much noise as possible. If the victim is able to break free from the assailant, they should find the nearest blue phone and dial 511, she added. And the University has several resources for these individuals who are victims, or even near-victims, of sexual assault. Victim Support, Penn Women's Center, University Counseling and Phycological Services and the Philadelphia Sex Crimes Unit are all helpful sources of support for victims of sexual assault, Rush said. She added that programs like Rape Aggression Defense and safety seminars given by the University enable people to have a better chance at fending off potential assailants.
(08/03/95 9:00am)
This Monday in federal court, Wharton graduate student John Knight will be making legal history. Knight is suing his ex-wife Mary Rourke and her parents for fraud and conspiracy because he said Rourke deliberately misinformed him that she was pregnant with a child that was not his. Knight, who is asking for more than $100,000, said her parents as well knew all along that he was not the father of the girl, who is now five years old. When Knight's attorney Norman Perlberger argues the case before U.S. District Judge Ronald Buckwalter, it will be the first time in history that such a lawsuit will be heard. It is not the first time a man has filed fraud charges over misrepresented paternity. But in similar cases, the lawsuit was supposed to relieve the man of making child-support payments. Knight abandoned his ex-wife's child when he found out that she was not really his. He is seeking to recover money he spent on the marriage and lost income from a career change he made so he could care for his wife because of her mental illness. And if Knight wins, his ex-wife, the five-year-old girl and her grandparents stand to lose the family house from the damages Knight would recover from his suit. Knight was unavailable for comment. Perlberger did not return calls placed to his office. Rosalie Davies, an attorney for the grandparents, told the Philadelphia Daily News that the family's homeowner insurance policy "will not cover an intentional wrong, and fraud requires intent. "Norman [Perlberger] has said to me at they could lose their home," she said. DNA tests determined that Knight was not the father. And when Knight was in a custody battle with Rourke in 1992 after the marriage broke up, he dropped the custody case and all contact with the child after finding that the girl was not his. "I just don't feel like it's right to be a false father figure to her for the rest of her life," Knight said in a deposition. "If I'm not her father, I think the father needs to be a part of her life and to raise her." Knight alleges that Rourke's parents are responsible for the damages because he claims that Rourke told her parents about everything. The Philadelphia Daily News contributed to this article.
(08/03/95 9:00am)
John Gould to remain until Sept. 30 Clint Davidson has been named to the position of vice president for Human Resources, Executive Vice President John Fry announced earlier this week. The University's Board of Trustees will vote on Davidson's nomination on September 22. If confirmed, Davidson -- who is currently the associate vice chancellor for Human Resources at Vanderbilt University -- will take over the post October 1. But he will not be on campus full-time until November 1. He will spend the month making his transition from Vanderbilt to the University, Fry said. In his new position, Davidson will be responsible for "the development, implementation and coordination of policies and programs encompassing all aspects of human resource management," according to a University statement. He will essentially be responsible for overseeing the University's employees, which is no small task considering that the University is the largest private employer in Philadelphia, and the fourth-largest in the state. Davidson said he intends to focus his initial attention "on listening and seeing what the primary needs are." John Gould will remain acting vice president for Human Resources until September 30. The post had been vacated last summer when William Holland left the University after two years in the office. Gould has been holding the interim position since October. Gould was unavailable for comment. Davidson comes to the University with more than 25 years of experience in the field. "He really is very deeply experienced in human resources and higher education," Fry said. "He is one of the leading thinkers and practitioners in the field." Fry said he has been involved in the search for a vice president for human resources since his arrival at the University in April. At that time he was presented with the names of four candidates for the position. He said Davidson did not initially apply for the position until the University pursued him as a candidate. Fry added that Davidson made a really positive impression during his interview. "I decided based on meeting with all four candidates that Clint was the one I wanted to bring on," he said. "He really seemed to be a person who really could be very fair relative to employee concerns. "He seemed to have a real heart," Fry added. Davidson said while both Vanderbilt and the University have their own personalities, there are a lot of similarities. "Our universities are only as good as the people a part of the University," he said. He said his goal is to insure that the work environment at the University is conducive to productivity. And Davidson said he is convinced that the University has the kind of leadership to "really make things happen." Davidson has also served as the director of personnel services at the University of Oklahoma, the assistant senior vice president for Administrative Services at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and the director of the University of Rochester's Personnel and Affirmative Action department.
(08/03/95 9:00am)
University President Judith Rodin is one in a million. Or at least one in a hundred, according to Newsweek. Along with Vice President Al Gore, Detroit Piston Grant Hill and fashion designer Donna Karan, Rodin is listed as one of the nation's "Overclass 100." The Overclass 100 is "an unscientific list of 100 members of the new overclass," according to the article in the July 31 issue. "They are among the country's comers, the newest wave of important and compelling people," it says. But this is just the most recent example of Rodin national recognition. Since her inauguration she has been sought after by many organizations and companies. Earlier this summer, she was elected to the Board of Directors of Aetna Life & Casualty insurance company. Aetna Chairperson Ronald Compton said the corporation selected Rodin because of her "distinguished academic career, expertise in health care delivery and broad understanding of the issues facing society." Rodin is also currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Philadelphia First Corporation, which is comprised of 32 leaders of the largest corporations in the region. The committee's purpose is to work with other organizations in the region to improve the educational opportunities available to the next generation of scholars. And she is one of only two university presidents named to the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology. Rodin said she always has the University in mind when she is serving in her other capacities. "I see the opportunity to turn whatever interests people have in me as a way of getting Penn's message out," she said. "So I am always in committees and in any national exposure trying to talk about what we are doing here and why what we are doing is groundbreaking." She added that she only chooses to serve on committees that will enable her to make a difference on issues that are important to the University community. Rodin said she limits the number of offers she accepts, because they are time-consuming. She accepted a position on Aetna's board because its issues directly relate to the University Medical Center's own health care system. "I chose that one and turned down several others that I felt were not as relevant to issues that I was confronting at Penn," Rodin said. Rodin's dedication to the Philadelphia community motivated her to join the board of the Greater Philadelphia First. "I certainly think that she has taken on an active role in terms of seeing the University as very much a part of this community," said Mary Gregg, deputy director of the organization. "And in that sense she is very reflective of the type of member we like to have as a member of Philadelphia First." And Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said Rodin's service on the President's Committee is "enormously important to the University because we are a research University and so much of our future is tied to research." Scheman added that since the federal government is now rethinking the funding it will allocate for research, Rodin's presence on the committee will insure that the University's direct needs are represented. And University spokesperson Barbara Beck said Rodin's leadership skills make her a successful president. "She has vision, confidence, optimism and the ability to get things done fast," she said. "Those are the qualities needed to command a world class institution like the University of Pennsylvania."
(08/03/95 9:00am)
and Amy Lipman The University is bringing its classrooms into the 21st century. Headed by English Undergraduate Chair Al Filreis, the Provost's Classroom Facilities Review Committee has been working for the past four years to upgrade classrooms so they are more accommodating to a learning environment. With a $1 million-per-year budget, members of the Committee have met each week with a common goal in mind -- to transform classrooms into "the kind of spaces in which the best possible teaching and learning can occur," Provost Stanley Chodorow said. Filreis said this sort of transformation requires the renovation of everything from the classroom walls and ceilings to the actual tools of teaching. "One of our main efforts is to integrate physical renovation with the installation of state-of-the-art projecting and computing technology -- the sort of technology that is rapidly changing the way we teach," Filreis said. He added that through this project, may courses have begun to meet on-line. English Professor Craig Saper said he has found the updated technology in the renovated classrooms in Williams Hall to be very helpful for his film studies courses. "When I helped design the classroom I use for film studies courses, we wanted to allow students to take notes during the screening of video clips," he said. "So, we designed a rear-projection system. The lights can remain on in the classroom without interfering with the image quality at all. "It is crucial to prepare classrooms at Penn for the video and electronic opportunities now available," Saper added. While improving undergraduate education has been the Committee's primary goal, the project has also served to accomplish something rather rare at the University -- the unification of all four undergraduate schools. Filreis explained that the Committee is a "central-administration project." It has not aimed at improving the classrooms utilized by one particular school, but by those in which the Registrar's Office schedules "central" courses. Committee member Ira Winston, who is also the director of computing for the Engineering School, agreed that the project has created more cohesion between the schools and the administration. "The communication between the schools and the central administration group responsible for central pool classrooms has improved dramatically." So far, classrooms in Williams Hall, the David Rittenhouse Laboratory, Bennett Hall, Meyerson B-1 and the Leidy Laboratory lecture hall have been renovated. Plans are underway to refurbish the Moore, Tender and Towne buildings. Wilson projected that the project will be completed at the beginning of the next century.
(07/27/95 9:00am)
University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich praises the Community Walks program, reporting that there has been a marked decrease in the number of on-campus incidents reported since its implementation in May. "What we are finding right now is that we are showing a better than 30 percent reduction in the number of incidents during the time period that we have the Community Walks staff, compared to the same time period last year," Kuprevich said. And Maureen Rush, director of victim support and special services, said the new kiosk system and the improved walking escort program have increased the visible signs of security on the walks. But there are some members of the University community who are apprehensive about the new safety initiatives. The Community Walks program is part of the University's new master security plan, which was unveiled by University President Judith Rodin in February. According to this plan, Community Walks will run through the center of campus and along other heavily travelled off-campus routes. Five kiosks and 15 new blue-light phones are placed at strategic points along these walks. The kiosks will serve as the primary base of operation for security officers patrolling along the walks. In addition, the Allied Security guards will be responsible for walking around their designated areas. Emergency telephones are installed outside the kiosks to ensure safety at times when the officers are not stationed inside them. Since May, three of the five kiosks have been staffed between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- the ones at 40th and Locust, 37th and Locust and 33rd and Smith streets. And all five kiosks are staffed from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. And Kuprevich said the Allied guards have been "very good in providing information to the police department in terms of reporting suspicious activity." "So we think that that piece of it is a very good indication of the success of the program so far," he said. Kuprevich said his department, along with the Department of Facilities Planning, have identified the designated locations of the new blue-light phones. "The phones are here, but we just want to make sure that we put them up in the most cost-effective, but effective, way," he added. He said the goal is to increase the level of evening and nighttime visibility, adding that some of the fixtures currently being used may be changed in order to increase visibility on the walkways. While officials maintain that these walks are for everyone in the surrounding community -- not just University students -- College junior Sylvie Volel feels that the program is actually isolating the campus from the community, instead of enhancing the relationship. "They are making the campus into a fortress," she said. Rush said the advantage of the Community Walks program is that "we are going to have an optimal number of people congregating on Locust Walk." "The key concept is to get as many people walking on campus as possible," she said. "And that is why we beefed up the Walking Escort program." She added that Walking Escort runs from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. seven days a week. The increased visibility is an advantage because "people feel safer when they see an officer walking by them," Rush said. Kuprevich said he "absolutely expects" the Community Walks program to be running smoothly by the fall.
(07/27/95 9:00am)
Students tucked away in their carrels diligently studying for their summer midterms might not notice, but Van Pelt-Dietrich Library is undergoing some major renovations. In the next three years, the library, at least the first two floors, will be literally transformed. Director of Library Development Adam Corson-Finnerty estimates the the project will cost about $7.2 million, with over $5 million already contributed toward renovation efforts. The library will become much more user friendly and a student will no longer have to trek two blocks to get from reference to periodicals, according to David Mowl, library facilities planner. Reference, circulation, current periodicals and microforms, services that are currently scattered through out the library, will be centralized at one location, Mowl said. In addition a number of computer search areas will be added along with new reading rooms and upgraded study lounges. The first phase of the renovation began with Lippincott library earlier this summer. Corson-Finnerty described the construction of a "public service area" which will consolidate most of the Lippincott services on the second floor. Also planned for the Lippincott library are five brand new group study rooms. Corson-Finnerty said these rooms would be where Wharton students and others could meet to study as teams. This is something that students had been requesting, he said. Corson-Finnerty hopes the Wharton library will be completed by next spring. Another part of the renovation plan calls for carpeting for the first and second floors and eventually the entire building. Lighting will also be dramatically changed . In order to add more natural light, the staff offices along the Walnut Street side on the first floor will be converted to bright study lounges and the entrance to the library will be completely redesigned. This will allow a view from the front door straight through to the Walnut Street windows, Corson-Finnerty said. "This will open up the library to probably what the original vision of the architects was," he said. "You'll be able to see out from almost any angle. One of the few beauties of the library is the glass windows." And directly to the right of entrance, a new staircase will be built that connects to the second floor. The staircase that currently stands near the reference desk will be demolished, Mowl said. Smaller projects will be taking place on the third and fifth floors, he added. Several of the carrels on those floors will be replaced and carpeting will also be one. Although the work will take about two years, Mowl hopes to minimize the noise from the construction. The contractors have agreed to work from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. with most of the noisy stuff being done between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.
(07/27/95 9:00am)
Since the search for a new police commissioner is taking longer than expected, Kuprevich is going to remain at the University for another six weeks, until the replacement is selected, according to Executive Vice President John Fry. "I made the decision because we are getting close to selecting our next commissioner, and John has graciously agreed to extend his stay for a little while longer," Fry said. He added that he is still on track to his original commitment of replacing Kuprevich by the end of the summer. He added that he hopes to narrow down the search to one or two candidates to present to University President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow as soon as possible. "I am hoping to make a final announcement August 15," he said. "Maybe even a week sooner." And since Kuprevich is involved in several important long-term projects -- such as the Community Walks program -- the University could benefit from him finishing them up before he leaves, Fry added. The comprehensive national search for Kuprevich's replacement began promptly after he announced his resignation. Since then, Fry has narrowed the field of candidates from more than 70 applicants to a small group of final candidates. Last week, Fry reported that he had brought the search down to two to four candidates. Yesterday, Fry said he has recently been receiving phone calls bringing more people into the search. "This thing is more fluid than I would have expected," he said. Fry said he has appointed a consultative group to involve faculty, students and administrative staff in the candidate review process. "I am trying to reach out and now get the opinions of very important constituencies," he said. He added that it is very important to him that the final candidates have a good relationship with the Philadelphia Police and community. "One of the things that is extremely important to me is an understanding and an appreciation for Philadelphia, and particularly the West Philadelphia area," he said. Fry added that he has spent a lot of time consulting with former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Tucker for the search. Fry said he is on "a very very fast track" in terms of presenting a finalist to Rodin and Chodorow.
(07/27/95 9:00am)
Anxiously awaiting the appearance of Candace Gingrich, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's half sister, more than 150 people chatted in the steamy upstairs room of the Christian Association Tuesday night. Gingrich, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign Fund, is in the middle of a six month, 51 city tour promoting the group's National Coming Out Project. Petite, feminine and smartly dressed, the 29-year-old Gingrich warmed up the audience with her articulate and friendly delivery. She spoke mainly about her own experience of coming out with her sexuality -- first in college, then to her family and then to the public. "I have not once regretted coming out," she said. She said she first came to terms with her sexuality while playing on the women's rugby team at the Illinois University of Pennsylvania. When Gingrich's mother found a lesbian newsletter in Candace's room a few months later, she asked her daughter, "Are you trying to tell me something?" That led Gingrich to inform her family, which has continued to treat her with "love and respect," but they haven't discussed it further. Before her brother became Speaker of the House, Gingrich did not belong to gay rights groups, and did not reveal her sexuality. "I made a conscious effort not to tell -- my own self-imposed 'don't ask, don't tell' policy," she said. Gingrich said she sees the tour as an "opportunity and obligation" to make a difference. But she feels that for herself and others, coming out is worth the risk. "Look at the civil rights movement, the suffragists," she said. "There was no gain without risk. Until we come out, until we put a face to this population of people, there will be no progress." She has recently signed a book deal with Scribner's, which will cover her life as well as that of her family. "It's about me, and [Newt] is a part of my life," she said. "I feel it has a good message to get across." Gingrich's message includes an appeal to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals to join the HRCF's efforts to secure equal rights for and end discrimination against them. One of the organization's recent efforts has been to pressure Congress to pass the Employment NonDiscrimination Act, which would make it illegal to fire an employee solely on the basis of their sexual orientation. At times this has forced her to fight her brother's political party and the religious right. "We can't let our administration do our work for us," she said. But Gingrich maintains that her brother supports legislation that she disagrees with to appease the voters who support him, and that "he is probably at heart a Goldwater Republican." "A lot of religious groups actually support gay and lesbian rights," she said. "It's unfortunate that some radical groups hide behind Christianity to attack us," she said. And when asked about her own religious association, the agnostic Gingrich admitted that religious beliefs are a source of difference in her family. "My parents are Lutheran, my brother and his wife are Baptist, my two sisters are Presbyterian, and I'm a vegetarian," she quipped.
(07/27/95 9:00am)
After over a year's worth of serious debate and discussion, the University and the city have recently come to an agreement on the Payment In Lieu of Taxes issue. As the city's largest employer, the University has agreed to pay the city a $1.93 million "voluntary contribution" for this year and the duration of the five year agreement, according to Vice President for Finance Stephen Golding. "The University believes this is a good deal not only for the University but for the city," he said. "And it reflects that we are an integral part of the community and we must pay our fair share of the responsibility for maintaining city services." Carol Scheman, vice president for government and community affairs, stressed that the payment was a voluntary contribution and not a tax. And Golding held a similar view. "We believe that the University has always acted as a charitable institution," Golding said. Golding said several issues the University and city had been wrangling over were hammered out before the agreement came to fruition. Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning Greg Rost said he was enthuisiastic about the agreement. "The city is extremely pleased that we were able to enter into an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania," Rost said. Recent legislation passed by the Pennsylvania Senate, Senate Bill 355, the Purely Public Charities Act, included an amendment that charities in Philadelphia that pay their chief executives more than $100,000 would lose their tax-exempt status. But, according to Golding, the amendment had no effect on the tax exempt status of the University. The issue centers around the city's asking the University to pay about 30 percent of the real estate taxes it would owe if it were a for profit institution, as part of the PILOT program. Last summer Mayor Ed Rendell began asking non-profits to pay a portion of the taxes due to the city if the organization were for profit. The city's move follows a national trend of financially strapped cities across the country that have asked universities and other non-profit organizations such as hospitals and churches to make payments in lieu of taxes. The city feels non-profits should pay for such municipal services as fire, police and street cleaning. And the city estimates that the new revenue could raise as much as $8.4 million, with $3.78 going to the city and $4.62 million allocated for the School District of Philadelphia. In addition the city has threatened to take the University and other non-profits to court if they refuse to comply with the city's wishes. Rendell is planning to announce in the next few days how effective he has been in getting large non profit organizations to pay a voluntary contribution to the city.
(07/27/95 9:00am)
In an extremely controversial decision, the University of California Board of Regents voted last week to end racial preference and gender in hiring and admission. The decision has sparked an intense dialogue across the country and is considered by opponents of affirmative action to be a major victory. But for those in favor of affirmative action, the vote represents a leap backwards to the 1970's when affirmative action was still in its infantile stages. "I think its going to make people more cognizant of the fact that there are contingencies who would really like to see an end to equal opportunity for all persons," said Anita Jenious, the University's Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action.. "We have to be concerned and ready to combat it if it comes to that," she added. Yet the affirmative action battle in California has just begun. Several government officials, including White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta have pointed out that California universities must keep affirmative action alive in order to keep research grants and federal contract dollars. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday that the change in policy at the California university puts billions of federal research dollars at risk. Panetta said that federal contracts with University of California will be reviewed and the Justice Department will be looking into the matter. Reaction to the vote among University officials was tempered. Some felt it was premature to determine its impact and others were just not sure. Provost Stanley Chodorow, who served as an associate vice chancellor for academic planning and dean of arts and humanities at University of California at San Diego, said affirmative action was an effective policy in California. "In my experience in UC, the affirmative action policies worked well," he said. "They were not quota systems, but genuine affirmative action programs that sought to increase the diversity of the student body and faculty and worked well." Sociology professor Ivar Berg, who has worked extensively with affirmative action, said the results of the California vote will not be discernable until November. Berg added that he is concerned with the decision, but it still unsure what it might mean for higher education. "We're nervous about it," he said. "Right now we are sculpting fog. We don't know what we are doing. I don't know where we are heading." He said the main problem with the cutbacks in affirmative action is whether the federal government will insist that universities follow the government's rules. And quotas are another issue according to Berg. "I don't think the courts will tolerate quotas," he said. "And our president [University] and provost will not tolerate quotas." Berg said that the potential loss of federal funding for universities which do not comply with affirmative action policies could become an extremely divisive issue among faculty, specifically between the sciences and the humanities. "We have a real conundrum," Berg said. Berg is fairly confident that as a private institution, the University will not be affected by cuts to affirmative action. "Penn is spending more and more on diversity," he said.
(07/20/95 9:00am)
A 1985 graduate of the University was charged Tuesday with murdering a man at a gas station in Providence, Rhode Island. David Barrett, 32, a psychiatrist-in-training in Brown University's residency program was charged with killing Joseph Sylvia, 33, of East Providence. According to police, Barrett had an ongoing dispute with a store clerk at McCane's Mobil, an East Providence gas station and convenience store. A little after 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Barrett drove to the station with two others and had words with the clerk, Michael Glynn, police said. "The dispute was not a serious one," Captain Joseph Broadmeadow said. "The clerk did not take it seriously and really didn't understand Mr. Barrett's problem." Sylvia, a friend of Glynn's, intervened in the dispute. Sylvia backed his van into Barrett's car. Then Barrett walked over to Sylvia's open driver's side window, pointed a gun at her and fired three shots, witnesses told police. Police arrived quickly after the shots were fired. Barrett did not try to flee and was arrested at the scene. Both the suspected murder weapon and a handgun were found in Barrett's car, police said. The two individuals with Barrett were question by police, but not charged. Barrett is a 1992 graduate of the University of Vermont Medical College. He entered Brown's residency program in 1992, spending one year at Miriam Hospital in Providence and the past two years at Butler Hospital, a state psychiatric facility. He took a one month leave of absence on June 12, and went on an indefinite medical leave on July 12. According to police, Barrett had no criminal record. But Sylvia served six months in jail for illegal possession of a firearm. She was released in May 1994. Barrett was engaged to be married in his final year of residency at Butler.
(07/20/95 9:00am)
It is time to make the doughnuts at The Shops at Penn at 34th and Walnut streets. Dunkin' Donuts moved into the shopping area on Monday, replacing Perfect Pretzel, which closed down last spring for economic reasons. And just down the block, the parking garage at 38th and Walnut streets is preparing to open in the fall, according to Associate Treasurer Chris Mason. He said the University is currently in the middle of negotiations to fill the last two vacancies in the garage by leasing it to Commerce Bank. Mason described the chain, which has several branches in the Philadelphia area, as being small and "not a mega bank." "It's a customer-oriented bank," he said. He added that while the University has not closed a deal with the bank yet, he is confident that it will work out. "We are working on the lease and we don't see much of a problem with it, so we are assuming that everything is going to happen," Mason said earlier this week. He added that he expects the bank to open up by September. The garage is also slated to house several stores, including Campus Copy Center, an extension of Joseph Anthony Hairstyling, Thrift Drug and Mail Boxes Etc. Mason said Thrift Drug has already started construction, and that if everything remains on schedule the stores should all be open by the end of next semester. "We don't see any problems or delays that we can't control," he said. "Sometime during the first semester everything should open up." And a little further down the block, at 39th and Walnut streets, Mega Video is scheduled to re-open in September, Mason said. The video store shut down in February after a fire tore through the Convenient Food Store next door, completely gutting the convenience store and causing smoke and water damage to Mega Video and some of its neighbors. Mason said the future of the convenience store is "up in the air at this point," adding that the space has been gutted and the roof has been replaced over it. "Right now we are just bringing it back to a shell," he said. And the University may be signing a tenant to fill the space a few stores down from Mega Video left vacant when Galaxy Entertainment closed down in April. Mason said it is unlikely that the location will be replaced by another arcade, adding that the University is currently negotiating with "an existing business in West Philadelphia that may relocate there." He said this business is one that does a lot of business with the University.
(07/20/95 9:00am)
The oppressive heat wave that has swept the country, killing at least 670 nationwide, left its mark on the University in recent days -- especially for students, faculty and administrators suffering without air conditioning. Thirty people have died in Philadelphia in heat related incidents, according to the latest estimates. But the Philadelphia number is no comparison to the shocking Chicago figures, where the death toll climbed to 376 and was expected to exceed 400. On Saturday the temperature peaked at 103 degrees Fahrenheit in Philadelphia, although weather officials said it felt as if it were 129 degrees Fahrenheit with the humidity. And the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's emergency room has had to deal firsthand with the victims of the first heat wave of the summer, one that is destined for the record books. HUP admitted four heat stroke patients since the beginning of the wave and one of the patients subsequently died, according to Susan Canning, administrator for emergency services at HUP. But Student Health did not see any heat related patients, Director of Student Health Services MarJeanne Collins said. She said that the heat primarily effects older people over the age of 60 and very young children, under the age of two. The primary symptoms of heat stroke are a body temperature of 106 degrees Fahrenheit, and "confused, lethargic" behavior caused by malfunctions of the greater central nervous system. Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine Suzanne Shepherd if an individual is excessively thirsty, irritable or has a headache he or she should visit Student Health or the emergency room of HUP if necessary. Shepherd attributed the high mortality rates to the high humidity and to the fact that the heat wave was the first to hit this summer. She said the first heat waves usually cause the most damage because people are not expecting them and are not prepared. "It is not surprising, that the first heat wave of the summer would be the one that did this," Shepherd said. She added that with high humidity the risk of significant heat illness is greater. Humidity blocks the normal mechanism the body uses to get rid of heat. Shepherd cautioned against heavy physical activity, stressing that students must still take certain precautions so they do not become victims of heat stroke. "If you exercise, do it early in the morning," Collins said. "Don't run without water." Most important in extreme heat, Collins said, was keeping the body hydrated. She added that and other juices were good sources of hydration. Caffeine drinks and alcoholic beverages should be highly avoided, she advised. As far as keeping cool, Collins said that people should not take cold showers, but rather tepid showers. Shepherd also said that some medications can lead to heat stroke. Certain medications decrease the ability of the body to get rid of heat and some drugs block the perception that the body is getting hot. Some psychiatric medications, antihistamines and narcotics like cocaine and pcp are examples of medications that react adversely to extreme heat. And earing the proper clothing, cotton preferably, is another measure that can be taken to reduce the risk of heat stroke, Shepherd said. She also suggested that people were sunblock to prevent over-exposure to the sun and skin diseases.
(07/20/95 9:00am)
The committee searching for a permanent Vice Provost for University Life at the University is getting close to making its recommendation to Provost Stanley Chodorow, according to VPUL Committee Chairperson and Undergraduate Mathematics Chairperson Dennis DeTurck. "I think we will be ready before too long," he said, adding that he is almost certain the committee will make its recommendation before the semester starts. DeTurck added that the committee is only looking at candidates from within the University community. "But not necessarily within the division of University Life," he said. "It can be from other places in the University." Chodorow began the search for a permanent VPUL last spring. Acting VPUL Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum has occupied the post since Kim Morrison, executive director of the 21st Century Project on the Undergraduate Experience, departed in December 1993. McCoullum is one of the candidates for the permanent position. Chodorow added that while he has not given the committee an "absolute deadline" on the search project, he has urged it to complete its work. And the search for a new University Police Commissioner is also coming along well, according to Executive Vice President John Fry. The initial group of more than 70 applicants has been reduced to "a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4," he said on Monday. Fry said he is very happy with the resulting group of applicants. "It's a really great pool," he said. He added that his next step is to bring the candidates to select groups of students and faculty on campus to see what they think. "Based on their feedback, I am going to make my recommendation to the president," Fry said. "And at that point we will make an announcement." He added that he wants to move quickly because he is "very anxious to get the person on the board as quickly as possible." "I would love to see groups set up by the early part of August and see a decision made by mid-August," Fry said. "The person should be ready to start sometime in early fall."
(07/20/95 9:00am)
The intersection of 33rd and Walnut streets has been the site of several serious accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles this year. And now the University is taking some steps to make the controversial intersection safer. Victim Support and Special Services Director Maureen Rush said the University is working in conjunction with the Philadelphia Streets Department to increase the safety of the area. The changes to the intersection will include the addition of international signage, warning pedestrians of the dangers of the intersection. In addition, new speed limit signs will be installed and a no-turn-on-red sign will be set up in the near future. Rush added that she believes that University police will be using radar enforcement to potentially slow some of the speedy vehicles on Walnut Street. Some of these new precautions have already been implemented, while others will be put into effect during July and August, she said. An educational component is also part of a proactive plan to improve safety at the infamous intersection, Rush added. She said new employees and new students will be informed of the dangers surrounding crossing certain intersections around the University campus. College sophomore Jae Lee was hit by a car at 34th and Walnut streets November 7. He was in very serious condition at first, spending several weeks in the hospital, undergoing brain surgery, but has since recovered and returned to the University. Post-baccalaureate student Adam Zion was also seriously injured December 7 after being hit by two cars while crossing at the 33rd and Walnut intersection. Zion said he expected to be back to campus by the fall. "The best thing students can do is to cross at cross walks and always ensure that the cars are waiting for you to cross," University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said at the time. " It is basically an awareness issue." Several posts made to the newsgroups upenn.safety and upenn.talk discuss the hazards of the intersection of 33rd and Walnut streets.
(07/20/95 9:00am)
Robert Davenport and Christine Morgan claim they have lived on campus for five years. But on Sunday, University police removed the homeless couple from the Class of 1920 Commons fire escape that had been their home for several weeks, according to Davenport. "They just threw it all away," Morgan said, referring to the possessions she and her mate had accumulated on that balcony. A mattress was among the things that came flying off the balcony towards the dumpsters below. The couple said they were told that they were only allowed to keep what they could carry. "Why can't we just sleep out here?" Morgan questioned. The couple said they tried to respect the students who eat at the 1920 Commons and the University employees who run it by leaving well before breakfast and not returning until after dinner. One of the three University police officers who removed them said it was a "major non-incident." University Lieutenant Susan Holmes said the department had received numerous complaints about homeless people from building administrators around the campus. She could not say, however, whether any of the complaints had been about this particular couple. "Homeless people have not been banned from the campus," Holmes said. She added that the homeless are not permitted to set up permanent dwellings on University property. The homeless often create a hazard to the public safety, she said. Both the University and the University Police provide services to the homeless, including access to a shelter. And one meal a day is provided, Holmes added.. Davenport and Morgan said they live by doing odd jobs, collecting welfare benefits and food stamps and finding discarded hoagies and tacos behind Wawa. They also make sugar water. Davenport said he worked for the city of Philadelphia for eight years, in the Sanitation and Highways departments, and that he was "laid off" for budgetary reasons.
(07/20/95 9:00am)
A recent study by the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center may lead to earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer in American women -- the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The study, headed by Gynecological Oncology Research Laboratory Director Jeff Boyd, links hereditary ovarian cancer with the breast cancer gene BRCA1. This breakthrough means that for the first time, a genetic test for a defect in the BRCA1 gene can also indicate a woman's chances of developing ovarian cancer. The study's findings were published in the July 15 issue of Cancer Research. According to Boyd, hereditary ovarian cancer is highly treatable if it is detected in its early stages. Testing for BRCA1, offered at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, creates the possibility for "more intense monitoring" of the cancer or preventative surgery, Boyd said. He added that HUP offers a unique testing environment that includes counseling and education. "We believe strongly that general counseling and education are absolutely necessary to undergo testing for BRCA1," Boyd said. Women diagnosed with the mutation have to consider whether to ignore the test results, continue intensive screening or undergo preventative surgery that often means the removal of their breasts or ovaries. The complicated testing process can take one to two months, and is not 100 percent foolproof. Finding a mutation is conclusive, but Boyd said "a negative result is much less meaningful," due to the possibility for human error. A woman with a mutation of the BRCA1 gene has a 90 percent chance of developing either breast or ovarian cancer by age 90. "All cancers are the result of genetic mutations," Boyd said. Medical Center spokesperson Harriet Levy estimated that the BRCA1 gene is responsible for about 90 percent of all hereditary cases of ovarian cancers. The remaining "small percentage" of hereditary ovarian cancer cases are caused by other defective genes, Boyd said. Presently, ovarian cancer has a survival rate of 37 percent over a five year percent. The survival rate for breast cancer is significantly higher --Emore than 50 percent. Researchers at the University of Utah and the National Institute of Environmental Health and Science in North Carolina first discovered the breast cancer gene BRCA1 in October 1994. University Cancer Center researchers were able to link this discovery with cancer patterns found in high risk families. Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer can be inherited from either the mother or father -- despite the fact that these cancers only strike women. But men in high-risk cancer families also are at an increased risk of developing colon and prostrate cancer. Women with hereditary ovarian cancer are also likely to develop their cancer earlier that the general population. The average age for hereditary cases of breast and ovarian cancer is approximately 45. Non-hereditary cases occur at a mean age of 55 or 56.
(07/20/95 9:00am)
New position of deputy dean created School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens is trying to streamline the senior leadership of the school by restructuring her office. But while she is very happy with the new administrative structure she has created, there are members of the University community who are apprehensive about the changes. Effective September 1, there will be several personnel changes within the SAS Dean's Office. Stevens has appointed SAS Associate Dean Frank Warner to a new position called Deputy Dean. Warner, who is also a Mathematics Professor, will be Stevens' principal representative, and will therefore be authorized to act on behalf of the dean. His responsibilities include planning, budget, personnel and facilities. "My goal is to support Dean Stevens and the rest of her administrative team, to the best of my ability, to move the School of Arts and Sciences forward," he said. He added that he has already dealt with some of the budget and facility issues in his associate dean position, but that as deputy dean he will have "additional time to devote to these important issues." As a result of the creation of this post, the position of vice dean for finance and administration will be eliminated. This position is currently held by Mary Cahill. As deputy dean, Warner will have more responsibilities than Cahill did, because she did not have oversight over faculty or academic matters, according to Janine Sternlieb, executive assistant to the dean. One University official, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, attributed the creation of this new position to the fact that the SAS is being poorly run by Stevens. "[Stevens] is shifting a lot of the responsibility of running the school to Frank Warner because I think she is having a lot of trouble doing it herself," the source said. But other members of the University see Warner's appointment as a welcome addition to the SAS community. "Frank Warner is an amazingly responsive person," said Al Filreis, Undergraduate English Chair. "In my experience he's been very fair to the Humanities -- what he doesn't know about what we do, he's willing to learn. "I'm glad that the person with the keenest sense of budgetary planning in the school is now a member of the faculty," he added. Cahill said she will continue in this position until September 1, and will help Warner with the transition. She said she would like to continue working at the University, adding that she has been "having some conversations with various people in central administration and also in the health system." Cahill added that she hopes to have the opportunity to apply her business background to a position at the University. She has an MBA from Harvard University. "I have been with the University for two-and-a-half years, but I have spent about 12 years in the business world, so I have a lot of good experience that I hope I can draw on," she said. David Balamuth, Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, will be taking over as Associate Dean. He will be in charge of the Natural Sciences, Economics and History and Sociology of Science departments. Sternlieb said it has not yet been decided who will replace Balamuth as the Physics and Astronomy Chair. And Music Professor Eugene Narmour has already taken over as Associate Dean for the Humanities. He started in this position July 1, one day after History Professor Richard Beeman stepped down. Stevens said the goal of this administrative reorganization is "to strengthen the leadership of the school in order to be as responsive to faculty as possible, and to develop the School of Arts and Sciences into the best school it can be with both short and long term goals." She added that she is very pleased with the restructuring. "We are making our financial services and our facility services as effective as they can possibly be," she said. "I feel very good about what we are doing." And Provost Stanley Chodorow said he supports this re-engineering. "The SAS effort will streamline the operation, clarify the lines of authority and responsibility in the dean's office and save money," he said. Since assuming the SAS deanship in 1991, Stevens has been working on streamlining the school. In several cases, this meant making decisions unpopular within the University community. In September 1993 she announced that she would disband the Religious Studies, American Civilization and Regional Science departments. At the time, she said this was necessary to save the school money and use resources more effectively. This decision was met by much disappointment and debate among SAS students and faculty members. The Religious Studies Department was ultimately spared, but the other two departments were disbanded last summer and transformed into inter-departmental programs.
