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(07/20/95 9:00am)
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania announced earlier this week that it has been named one of the finest hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report. HUP has consistency received high ratings from the magazine for the past three years, and is currently rated above any other hospital in the Delaware Valley. U.S. News and World Report evaluates the hospitals based on extensive surveys focusing on the hospital's reputation, its quality of patient care and its ratio of nurses and staff0f members per bed. The surveys are confidential. HUP was recognized for many clinical specialties including AIDS, cancer and psychiatry. "Every single service we provide in our major program has improved in its ranking, making it the number one hospital in the Delaware Valleys," said Donald Snell, the executive director of HUP. "What differentiates us from the other five hospitals in the county is due to the devotion we have to a three part mission -- the quality of our medical education program, the quality of the research conducted by faculty and students and our patient care," he added. "It is a combination of these things that make our hospital stand out and give it the market leadership over the other hospitals in the area. Snell added that HUP is currently rated sixth in the country in National Institute of Health Funding. "We intend to use the magazine's ratings to market the hospital in conjunction with the already successful television advertisements," he said. And the University can only gain from this ranking, he said. "The prestige of the University in general is heightened," Snell said. "Being recognized as a first-rate hospital is due in large part to the support that the University has demonstrated toward the health system. "Often the best hospitals are associated with universities," he added. "The number one hospital in the country is Johns Hopkins University Hospital, which is, of course, associated with Johns Hopkins University."
(07/20/95 9:00am)
Student Dispute Resolution Center Director Steven Blum stepped down from his position on Monday. But Blum is not leaving the University. He will be continuing to teach in the Legal Studies Department. While Blum would not specify why he was giving up his post, Provost Chodorow speculated that he was leaving because "he is tired of the job, which is a tough one, and because he wants to pursue other career options." Chodorow has named Law Professor Michele Goldfarb as acting Judicial Inquiry Officer. Her appointment will be effective August 1. He said Goldfarb was highly recommended by people in the University who knew her from her work at the Law School Clinic. "Both faculty and students who knew her gave her rave reviews for her judgement, good sense and organizational skills," Chodorow said. He added that the search for a permanent JIO will not begin until the fall. "I will start a search for a permanent replacement in the fall, when the students have returned to campus and we can set up a proper committee," he said. When Blum came to the University two years ago, the University was still recovering from the "water buffalo" case. His biggest goal was to restore confidence in the University's judicial system. And he said he thinks he has accomplished this during his short tenure. "We took a system that was deeply involved in controversy and we were able to bring it back to being a system of University discipline and get it out of the controversy," Blum said. Last September, the JIO changed its name to the SDRC in an attempt to better reflect its job on campus. At the time, Blum said students work with each other to solve their disputes and come to a resolution, and that the center's job is not to decide if students broke criminal statutes. Blum said he is proud of his department's introduction of mediation into the handling of discipline matters. Under Blum, the SDRC emphasized mediation over prosecution. With this system, students who go before the SDRC are provided with a trained mediator to serve as their advisor. Most cases were settled before actually going to the University Hearing Board. He said he was also pleased with the respect with which his office has attempted to treat every student. "We have worked hard to always treat students with respect, and I think we have succeeded with that," Blum said. And Chodorow agreed that the most important things Blum accomplished during his two years were "to put the JIO office on a stable basis and to put emphasis on mediation of those disputes that were suitable for such treatment. "His experience with mediation and with counseling helped to make the JIO office into an educational office," he said. One of the biggest projects of Blum's term was the creation of the Student Judicial Charter. The new system would involve a Student Judicial Council, which would include 17 students and a hearing board with four students. The Committee for Judicial Reform released its final recommendations for a new Judicial Charter in March, calling for "a new system with greater and direct student and faculty involvement." The draft charter has still has to be completed by the General Counsel's office. After it is completed, it will have to be reviewed by the administration, the student/faculty committee, and the University Council. And when that process is completed, the charter must be accepted by the deans of the schools. Chodorow said he expects putting the new charter in place to take most of the fall semester. But Chodorow said Blum's departure will not have an effect on the review and approval of a new judicial charter. And University Judicial Administrator Stephen Gale said this charter will be more important to the future of the SDRC than who is appointed as the next director. "The constitution of the office will certainly be driven by the nature of the charter change and not so much by the person selected," he said. "It's going to be, I assume, very close to business as usual except in so far as there are changes in the charter."
(07/13/95 9:00am)
More students than ever will be hooking up this fall -- to ResNet, that is. ResNet is being installed in Hill House, Mayer Hall, Stouffer College House, Van Pelt College House and W.E.B. Dubois College House this summer. This will allow students to have enhanced telephone service, a computer connection to PennNet and access to a 55-channel cable television network. But in order to provide these services, Data Communications and Computing Services had to create completely new pathways throughout the dormitories, which were not constructed to accommodate such a system. According to DCCS Project Coordinator Matthew Bixler, construction began for all of the dorms except Mayer Hall on May 25th, and the project is expected to take 10 weeks to complete. Contractors are slated to begin work on Mayer Hall the first week in August. Bixler said the installation process varies by building. For Hill House, contractors had to install an enclosed metallic chaseway to run through each room in the five-level dormitory. They then had to "hack open" walls in order to run the wires into a box. All of the wires connect to the basement through holes in the floor, where an intricate set of trays and pipes were installed along the ceiling. The signal is carried to and from two new communication closets that were created to store all of the power necessary to run the ResNet system. Stouffer College House used a similar system, but since there are stores above the two-story building, DCCS had to coordinate their construction with those tenants. And for Van Pelt and DuBois, contractors built a series of dry wall soffits to accommodate the necessary facilities. Last summer ResNet services were extended into High Rise East, High Rise South, Modern Language College House and Ware College House. By the fall, the only residences that will be not have access to ResNet services are the Quadrangle -- with the exception of Ware College House -- the Graduate Towers and the Castle. Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said her department faced a tough choice when determining which dorms should be wired for ResNet this summer. Simeone added that a cross-section of residences was selected in order to give students more options. However, she said her department has not yet determined if the remaining buildings will be wired for ResNet next summer. "If we could wave a magic wand, we would do all of them," she said.
(07/13/95 9:00am)
Virtually everyone in Van Pelt College House will notice the new environment when they return this fall. English Department Undergraduate Chair Al Filreis has been appointed Faculty Master of the dormitory by Provost Stanley Chodorow. He will hold the position for a three-year term, after which it can be renewed upon review. Filreis is replacing Marco Frascari, who will be the new Architecture Department Chair. Academic Programs in Residence Director Chris Dennis said that as Faculty Master, Filreis is a member of the Residential Faculty Council, which meets at least monthly to "carry out its mission of developing the educational and academic potential of Penn's residential system." Filreis said he has big plans for the future of Van Pelt College House. Along with newly appointed Van Pelt Faculty Fellow James O'Donnell, a Classical Studies professor, Filreis intends to use technology to enhance the quality of life for the residents. This goal comes as no surprise to students and faculty who know the two professors. And it is one of the main reasons wy they were selected for the initiative by the provost. "When announcing to me by e-mail my appointment to the position of faculty master, and noting that Jim O'Donnell would also be moving into the house, the provost jokingly reminded me to be sure to foster 'an actual community as well as a virtual one,'" Filreis said. He said he hopes the need for such a virtual community in a College House, "where lively live discourse is the thing," is recognized. "I hope Van Pelt will soon be a place where that lively discourse will be livelier as the result of new media used to intensify social-intellectual life still further -- a discourse that never sleeps," he said. One of Filreis's and O'Donnell's projects is to have put all of the residents on a special Van Pelt listserv, which is already up and running. O'Donnell said he sees his move to Van Pelt College House as an "opportunity to make things happen at the intersection of the academic community of the campus and the world beyond that we can now reach through the electronic networks. "The chance to put myself through a reeducation course in student life and ideas -- necessary, now that I am no longer as young as I used to be -- is a bonus of great value," he added. "It will be an exciting place, that I guarantee." Filreis said that as a prominent faculty figure in the dorm, he intends to be a be a part of students' lives and conversations. He said he and O'Donnell plan on continuing the "e-geek/computing group," as well as the Van Pelt House Council -- a student committee which organizes programs and allocates funds for house activities. This is an important time for the College House system, "since the new-look undergraduate education to come will have close connections to academic programs in residence," Filreis said. "We hope to manage the sort of acute integration of academic and residential that planners for '21st Century' undergraduate education have been dreaming of," he added. Many students who will be living in Van Pelt next year are looking forward to working closely with Filreis and O'Donnell. "I am really excited about having Al and Jim in the Van Pelt community," Van Pelt College House Computer Manager Marsha Chan Wai Hong said. "I believe that they will spur networking awareness throughout the dormitory," the Engineering senior added. Even residents who are not active participants in the networking community are anticipating a positive experience. "I'm not much into e-mail in general, but this sounds like a step in the right direction towards improving communication around the house and may very well lead to a strengthened sense of community," Wharton senior Adam Blitz said. There are 25 faculty members in the University's College House system. Dennis said faculty involvement in the University's House system can be traced back to the early seventies. "Since that time, about 180 faculty members have lived in residence, making Penn's program of faculty involvement one of the most intensive the the country," he said. Summer Pennsylvanian staff writer Salman Sajid contributed to this article.
(07/13/95 9:00am)
Some say Mumia Abu-Jamal has been unjustly sentenced to be executed on August 17 because he did not get a fair trial. Others maintain that Abu-Jamal, a black political activist and journalist, murdered a police officer and was duly tried and fairly convicted. The case is now under appeal. Students at the University had mixed opinions on the controversy, which has gained visibility on campus after a group of protesters plastered Locust Walk and campus buildings with signs alleging that Abu-Jamal's trial was corrupt. "They have a right for free speech, but they're littering," Penn Summer Science Academy student Tommy Walsh said of the campaign. According to the signs, Judge Albert Sabo, who heard the Abu-Jamal case, has sentenced 31 people to death, none of whom were white. His law clerk, however, said that this claim is irrelevant, because under Pennsylvania law it is the jury, not the judge, which has the power to impose the death penalty. Fourth year Medical student Mark Knight said that he was unsure of the influence of race on the case, although he added that he was sure it was an issue. "Many young African-American males are prejudged to be of a criminal character," he said. "I myself, even here at Penn, have experienced that. "It is pretty clear how your civil rights can get trampled, given the right set of circumstances," Knight added. College sophomore Disise Tomaz agreed with the protesters. "I think he should be let free," she said. "I think he had an unfair trial." But Carthik Bala, another Penn Summer Science Academy student, believes Abu-Jamal is getting what he deserves. "I think he should be shot," Bala said.
(07/13/95 9:00am)
The Trauma Center at the University of Pennsylvania is teaming up with the Trauma Center at Brandywine Hospital in an effort to serve larger geographic areas of eastern Pennsylvania. The union will allow Chester County residents to benefit from both institutions' resources at the same time, said Chief of the Division of Traumatology and Surgical Critical Care, C. William Schwab, MD. "By combining the services of a community trauma service with that of a university-based program, optimal care of the injured patient will be ensured," Schwab said. And Michael F. Rotondo, MD was named Schwab's counterpart at Brandywine Hospital. Physicians at the two trauma divisions will rotate between institutions. "The relationship is dynamic, not only because of the enhanced education and research capabilities, but because it is the first union of an urban Level I university-based center and a suburban Level II community-based facility in Pennsylvania," Rotondo said. Patients would benefit by having access to expertise from both institutions, Rotondo added.
(07/13/95 9:00am)
Researchers at the University's Cancer Institute have discovered a treatment that prevents the formation of tumors in mice genetically programmed to get cancer. According to Mark Greene, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, the new treatment is the first proof that the growth of genetically-based cancer tumors can be deterred, and offers encouraging data in the search for a method to prevent cancerous tumors in humans. The technique, published in the July issue of Nature Medicine, involves the use of antibodies against a protein produced on the surface of tumor cells. Greene's research team demonstrated that when antibodies were applied to the tumor cells, the subsequent annihilation of the protein allowed the cells to resume normal growth. "What this means is that we can effectively suppress tumor development in a large fraction of these mice for almost their entire life span," said Research Assistant Professor Makoto Katsumata, who coauthored the report. But despite the encouraging results, the current treatment is not yet applicable to humans, and it will take years before the treatment could be made commonly available. "We aren't thinking of putting it into human's yet -- it's a mouse antibody," said Katsumata. "However, we're now working on small molecules that mimic this antibody. These are the type of chemicals that can be mass-produced for use on humans," Katsumata added. The most practical application of the treatment to humans would be to possibly prevent the recurrence of breast cancer in women who have had prior surgery to remove breast tumors, said Greene. Genetically-driven cancer and the use of genes to help eradicate the disease is a hot topic of research at the University's Cancer Center, with at least two other research projects currently underway in this field. One of the projects, led by Barbara Weber, Associate Professor of Medicine and Genetics and Director of the Breast Cancer Program, involves the search to find mutated genes which greatly increase a person's risk of breast cancer. Weber's team is currently mapping the various mutations observed on a gene discovered last fall, called BRCA1, and is also working to isolate another gene which carries mutations known to increase one's risk of breast cancer. "Those who have the gene not only get breast cancer at very striking rates, but also at earlier ages," said Weber. However, despite the possible advantages of knowing who is more susceptible to breast cancer than others, the test for the BRCA1 gene has become controversial because of the legal and ethical issues involved. Because insurance companies would most likely deny coverage to a person known to carry the particular gene, many patients attempt to keep the information private, Weber said. In addition, there are psychological difficulties with knowing that one is more likely to get breast cancer, said Weber, especially if one feels guilty about the possibility of passing the gene on to one's children. "It's quite a morass, because it's all so new," said Weber. In another research project, scientists are using gene therapy to treat a type of lung cancer strongly linked to prior asbestos exposure. The technique involves inserting a "killer" gene into the cancer cells, which allows the cells to be destroyed by a drug called ganciclovir. 'We're very excited, although we know that this particular treatment may not work," said Steven Albelda, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of Lung Research and Co-director of Thoracic Oncology Laboratories. Albelda added that he is "absolutely convinced gene therapy will be a major player in the treatment of cancer down the road."
(07/13/95 9:00am)
Sidney P. Holmes was recently named Assistant Director of Commonwealth and City Relations at the University. Holmes was named to the position by University Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs, Carol Scheman. As assistant director, Holmes will take on several responsibilities some of which include: representing the University in state and city legislative and executive offices, develop and supervise communications between the University and state and city government, and provide legislative and regulatory review and analyses.
(07/13/95 9:00am)
Last December, researchers at Harvard University made an announcement that came as no surprise to most students: college campuses across the country are a haven for binge drinking. Now, that same group of researchers says it has pinpointed the culprits, citing the stereotypical member of the Greek system as the source of the majority of this "party animal" behavior. These latest findings, published in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health, indicate that students who drink excessive or dangerous amounts of alcohol were most likely to be white fraternity members involved in athletics. In addition, the greatest predictor of binge drinking was membership in a fraternity or sorority. Students in this category were four times more likely to binge drink than non-Greeks. Researchers defined binge drinking in males as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting in the past two weeks. For women, because of differences in metabolism and body weight, the limit was set at four drinks. More than 17,500 students at 140 randomly selected four-year colleges were surveyed for the study, which found that 44 percent of respondents had engaged in a drinking binge in the last two weeks -- 50 percent were men and 39 percent were women. The severity of binge drinking varied from campus to campus, the researchers also found. At one campus, only 1 percent of the students surveyed said they were binge drinkers. At another, the level was as high as 70 percent. And at 44 colleges, more than half the students reported drinking heavily in the past two weeks. Race also plays a factor in predicting who is likely to drink excessively. The study shows that white students were twice as likely to binge than non-whites. In January, fraternities at the University tried distance themselves from the "Animal House" stereotypes as the InterFraternity Council adopted a "Bring Your Own Beer" policy and pledged to restrict underage drinking at their parties. But the very weekend after the IFC ratified its BYOB policy, two fraternities were found to have violated the new alcohol guidelines. Monitors at Pi Kappa Phi and Zeta Psi caught the two fraternities serving alcohol at weekend social events. And while some colleges and universities are trying to draft policies to address the problem of binge drinking, one school has already taken action. Last month, the University of Texas at Austin shut down an all-male social club until the year 2000 after one of the group's pledges drowned in the Colorado River last semester. The student, who was underage, had been drinking heavily at an initiation event. The authors of the study called upon campus authorities to stop denying the extent of the problem of binge drinking and the problems it causes and start making broad institutional changes in attitudes toward drinking.
(07/13/95 9:00am)
Smith Hall may not even make it to the end of the summer. According to Vice Provost for Research Barry Cooperman, the University was issued a permit by the city late last month that allows for both the demolition of the building and the construction of phase one of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. Phase one entails the construction of a $34 million, 86,000-square-foot high-tech building on the Smith Hall site. This site was officially approved by the Air Force last month when it signed a Record of Decision and released the necessary funds. This approval came after more than four years of planning, discussions and controversy. Since the initial plans for the IAST were released, many students and alumni have expressed concern over the idea the historic building will be destroyed in order to make room for the IAST. For now, the University is in the process of preparing Smith Hall for demolition. This involves removing all of the asbestos in the building and hiring a contractor to undertake the project. "There is still a lot of prep work," Vice President for Facilities Management Arthur Gravina said Tuesday. Cooperman said the earliest the building can be demolished is next Wednesday because the demolition notice has to be posted at least 21 days prior to the act. But Gravina said he does not expect the demolition to take place until "sometime this fall or late summer." He added that the University is currently in discussion with seven contractors, and that meetings will begin to be held next week. The University is looking into many different options, since there are various ways to approach tearing down the building. Cooperman said the date of the demolition is contingent upon the contracting how the bidding process goes. "We will see how the bids come in," he said. "Obviously it is a long project and we are intent on getting the best price." Gravina said the University wants to insure that the demolition is done safely. Since Smith Hall is a small building, he does not expect that the job will be done by explosion. This project began in 1991, when the federal government selected the University as the site for the IAST. The project was then turned over to the Department of Defense and subsequently to the Air Force. The project is slated to create space for the Chemistry Department, additional Chemical Engineering laboratories and research space for the Bioengineering Department. Three years ago, the Air Force began an Environmental Impact Study, analyzing the plan's historical and environmental significance, focusing specifically on Smith Hall. In March, the Air Force finally completed the EIS and deemed the site appropriate. And last month's release of the Record of Decision made it official. As of March, the Air Force had already allocated $23.75 million in grant money for the entire project, according to Associate Director for Federal Relations Carl Maugeri. Its total contribution could reach $35 million. Cooperman has estimated that the construction phase of the project will cost between $44 and $50 million, and that the entire project could cost up to $70 million. Phase two of the project will consist of remodeling the Morgan Building and the Music Building and constructing a new wing that will connect the two buildings from the rear. For the third phase, the University will construct an engineering-science library in Hayden Hall. This will be expensive, and may take a long time to construct. The fourth and final phase of the project is the retro-renovating of space in both the engineering and chemical complexes. Because this phase is routine renovation work, its budget can be cut if the costs of the project become too high. Gravina has estimated that the entire project will take two years to complete.
(07/13/95 9:00am)
Through an elaborate scheme, someone has sabotaged the Internet security of eight Macintosh computers in a computer lab in the David Rittenhouse Laboratory. The perpetrator installed a phony program, called "Mac Life Insurance," that secretly captured all of the text that was typed during all Telnet and Fetch sessions in room 2N40 of DRL, according to University Information Security Officer David Millar. Millar said its very difficult to say how many students may have been affected by the scam. He also warned that anyone who used their account in is room between June 1 and July 6 should have their password changed immediately. The perpetrator could be reading the students' mail, forging correspondence, altering their files or using their account to get additional privileges, he added. Information Security is currently investigating the scam. If an individual is caught, Millar said that the matter will be referred to the Student Dispute Resolution Center. "I take the matter seriously," Millar said. "I consider it a violation of the Ethical Computing policy to try to steal passwords like this. However, I have not yet heard any reports of this problem in any other campus labs. Dan Updegrove, associate vice provost of Information Systems and Computing, said that there are "serious penalties" for internet security violations. Updegrove, who is also the executive director of Data Communications and Computing Services, said that the phony program is known as a "trojan horse." While it might look and act like a Telnet application, in reality it is a fraud. "If it's done artfully it's darn near impossible to tell," he said. He added that Internet users should be wary of a scam if they observe that the program seems to be behaving differently, especially if it is operating at an unusually slow pace. Millar, Updegrove and Engineering senior and Internet expert Meng Weng Wong all agree that is relatively easy to install "trojan horse" software. "Computers on the Internet are insecure," Wong said. "Start with the assumption that everything you transmit is being intercepted, and that everything you have publicly available is under scrutiny. Then take advantage of the intelligence in the computer before you to encrypt your messages. "Protocols are being being developed that will make security on the internet less of worry," Wong added. "Right now, the Information Superhighway is an open road, but soon we'll have bulletproof cars to drive on it." Millar urged students to regularly change their password and encouraged lab administrators to be cautious of suspicious activity. Updegrove said that when students log into e-mail, they do not always check the message that informs them of the last time their account was opened. But, he said the "last login message" is a useful tool for determining if someone has accessed the account, because it tells the location of the last login.
(07/06/95 9:00am)
A recent policy change in the United States Labor Department is requiring universities to pay its foreign employees a salary that is now the same as what workers for private industry are earning. This has a direct effect on the University, which employs "a couple hundred people on H-1B Visas," the group of foreigners specified in this new policy, according to Associate Director of International Programs Ann Kuhlman. H-1B is a method that allows foreign professionals to work legally in the country while they attempt to find permanent residency. Kuhlman said most of these workers are employed at the University in impeaching and research capacities. Part of the process of getting an H-1B application is having to attest that your employer is paying the prevailing wage for that occupation, she said. Kuhlman added that there are several ways to calculate the prevailing wage, but that "the surest way to do it is to ask the department of labor what the prevailing wage is for a particular occupation, which is what we do." But a recent ruling eliminated the distinction between types of employers, which means all foreigner researchers must be paid at the same rate, whether they are working for an industry or a university. "The problem is that academic researchers are not paid what industrial researchers are paid," Kuhlman said, adding that these are two very different job markets. Assistant Vice President of Policy Planning David Morse said there are a number of ironies that make the rule "kind of crazy." He explained that the salary for a worker doing research in industry could be twice as much as the salary of a postdoctoral fellow who is doing research for a University. "So you'd end up paying a foreign postdoctoral fellow not only more than a US postdoctoral fellow, but you would also end up paying the postdoctoral fellow who is not a professor more than an assistant professor, more than an associate professor, and in most cases more than a full professor as well," Morse said. He added that the case the government is basing the prevailing wage on has nothing to do with either research or universities, but that it actually had to do domestic child care. "The Labor Department appears to be extrapolating from that and telling the regional administrators that they have to apply these rules to everyone in terms of making distinctions between US and non-US nationals," he said. Morse said the University has had several conversations with the Labor Department, both separately and in conjunction with other major universities and organizations. "The Labor Department has asked us to come up with a set of functions that distinguish between industry-based and university-based research people, namely postdoctorate fellows," he said. Morse said some of these distinctions include the fact that postdoctorate fellows do not teach, they need greater supervision and that "these are still relatively junior people." He added that the University is currently attempting to work out a system with which it can demonstrate these distinctions. "It is unreasonable and will cause enormous hardship," Morse said. "And it would have a terribly skewed effect in terms of salaries of comparable postdoctorate fellows from the US doing the same work and faculty members as well."
(07/06/95 9:00am)
WASHINGTON -- Moving to Washington, D.C. for the summer does not have to mean leaving school behind. In fact, more than 100 students participating in the Career Planning and Placement Service's "Penn in Washington" program have been able to keep in touch with other members of the University community while living and working in the nation's capital. The program, run by College junior Paula Feldman, provides "social, educational and cultural events for Penn students in the Washington area." Any University student living in the area can attend Penn in Washington events. The program has already sponsored happy hours at Washington bars, softball games against other schools, and a series of talks by Washington politicians and journalists. "The basic focus is to provide students with an insiders' view of policy-making in Washington to supplement their internship experience," Feldman said. "Also, [Penn in Washington seeks] to provide a social network with which to meet other students." Speakers have included NBC News White House correspondent and University alumna Andrea Mitchell, ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson and government officials from the Central Intelligence Agency and the Departments of the Treasury and Education. Feldman said most speakers have been very willing to talk candidly with the program's participants about Washington power politics. "There's been an incredible response from people in Washington," she said. "I've had far more acceptances to speak than I could put on the calendar." But Feldman added that she has been disappointed by a lack of student attendance at some events. Out of 130 students on the program's mailing list, only 30 have consistently attended Penn in Washington programs. "The problem is that students both don't have the time to take out of their work and don't have the interest for speakers who aren't big names," she said. Feldman added that she has begun to telephone students on the mailing list who she has not seen at events to make sure they know about the program. In addition to the series of speakers, Penn in Washington provide participants with many opportunities to meet students from other schools who are also in Washington for the summer. Feldman said she has been in constant communication with coordinators of similar programs from Yale University, Princeton University, University of California at Berkeley and other schools in order to schedule group events. Each school with a program in the area has hosted a happy hour for college students at a local bar, and there is a softball league of summer interns from different colleges. For the fireworks display at the Washington Monument on the Fourth of July, all the programs roped off a space on the Mall just for students. Feldman said the program's events have been marked by a "great spirit," adding that she has received only positive feedback.
(07/06/95 9:00am)
Relief might be in sight for women suffering from premenstrual syndrome, as a result of a new University study. The study, which was published in the this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, reports that the tranquilizer Xanax can relieve symptoms suffered by women with PMS. And the study found that the hormone progesterone, which is commonly prescribed for the treatment of PMS, is not effective. These findings come in the wake of a recent Canadian study that showed the antidepressant drug Prozac is effective in treating PMS. Xanax was determined to be "significantly" better than placebo or progesterone in reducing the overall severity of premenstrual symptoms, particularly improving mental function and mood, as well as in alleviating pain, the study reported. The study, which included 170 women, age 18 to 46, lasted for a three month trial and tested the efficacy of oral progesterone, Xanax and a placebo. Of those taking Xanax, 37 percent experienced a 50 percent reduction in symptoms, compared with 29 percent from progesterone and 30 percent from the placebo. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Ellen Freeman, the principle author of the study, said that the Xanax discovery is important because it could help those women who were not aided by the use of Prozac. "This is a different kind of drug that could help the other women," Freeman said. The Prozac study, which was published in last month's New England Journal of Medicine, indicated that about half the women who took Prozac had an improvement in PMS symptoms. Freeman said any new research on PMS is exciting because five to 10 years ago there was no information on the subject. PMS afflicts two percent to 10 percent of menstruating women, and is marked by irritability, tension, mood swings, anxiety, confusion, swelling, depression, fatigue, insomnia, aches or other symptoms before each cycle. One issue the use of Xanax brought up was that of dependency. But Freeman contends that dependency is not a problem because the women take the drug for such a short time. Unlike Prozac, which is taken every day, Xanax is only taken for about 10 days while the PMS symptoms persist, Freeman explained. Xanax, made by UpJohn, is also known as alprazolam and is part of a class of anti-anxiety drugs called benzodiazapines.
(07/06/95 9:00am)
When Stanley Chodorow met Judith Rodin last April, he was pleased to discover that they had a similar set of goals for the future of the University. "We had a lot in common, but were not exactly alike," he said. "In a way, we complimented each other in our differences. And one year later, both Provost Chodorow and University President Rodin feel that they have been a productive team. "I think in terms of the goals that we set for our administrative team in the first year, we have moved forward on many of them," Rodin said. The first goal they set out to achieve was to implement the recommendations of the Commission on Strengthening the Community, a project launched by the previous administration aiming to improve many aspects of University life. The Commission's report, which was released last April, included recommendations on housing Greek life and relations between faculty, students and staff. Rodin said that most of the Commission's 60 recommendations had been put in place by January. "We felt very strongly that the work that was begin last year was important and that it galvanized the interest and intention of faculty and students and staff in a very significant way," she said. Rodin added that the administration took this project so seriously because they felt they could make a "bigger and stronger Penn" by implementing as many of the Commission's suggestions as possible. The first project that the Rodin-Chodorow administration initiated on its own was the Provost Council on Undergraduate Education's creation of a model for the 21st Century Undergraduate Experience. Chaired by Chodorow, PCUE -- comprised of nine subcommittees of students, faculty and staff -- released phase one of its proposal in May. Phase two will organize and monitor the progress of the present committees. "The 21st Century project for the undergraduate experience is at full steam," University spokesperson Barbara Beck said. "Indeed, some projects will begin on a pilot basis next year." Chodorow explained that one of PCUE's objectives is to create an environment that prepares students for success, in addition to making the University a more comfortable, fun and effective place for students. "We want students to look back two years down, five years down, 12 years down, 30 years down and say, 'I am what I am because Penn really made a contribution to my being, and God was that fun,'" he said. Following the shocking off-campus murder of Al-Moez Alimohamed in August, the University went to work to increase the level of safety on and off campus. Rodin said the University has also been concerned with improving its relations with the immediate community. In February, Rodin unveiled a master safety plan for the University, designed to increase security both on and off campus. The plan included the construction of five security kiosks placed at strategic points running through the center of campus and heavily travelled off-campus streets, creating a series of Community Walks. The new administration also tried to keep student charges as low as possible for the upcoming year. And they were successful -- the University experienced the lowest percentage increase tuition and room and board in 20 years, as well as the lowest increase in the Ivy League. "We wanted to signal to students and to the families that we do understand that the costs of higher education have been escalating enormously, and that we intend to do our part at Penn to manage our resources well and to think seriously when we raise rates about what it means to the families," Rodin said. Rodin was also responsible for establishing a new leadership team this year, which included Coopers & Lybrand partner John Fry as executive vice president -- the University's top financial officer. And former Food and Drug Administrations Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs Carol Scheman was hired as vice president for government, community and public affairs -- a position created to link the University with federal, state and local governments. "I am extremely pleased with the outcome and with the commitment of the new team to Penn and where it is going," Rodin said. Along with a new team came a new approach to many old issues -- not the least of which was the idea of a student center. In January, Rodin and Chodorow scrapped year-old blueprints for the Revlon Center, which had been in the works since 1988. They replaced this with the Perelman Quadrangle, for which construction should begin in December. The project will renovate and restore Irvine Auditorium and Logan, Williams and Houston halls in order to create student offices, meeting rooms, eating and lounge areas, rehearsal and gallery space and an auditorium with variable seating arrangements. The announcement of this new center originally came a shock to many student groups that had been promised space under the Revlon Center plan. But the project has gained substantial support from members of the University community. In April, University Trustee and alumnus Ronald Perelman pledged a record $20 million to the new center, doubling his original pledge to the Revlon concept. And last month, University Trustee and alumnus Stephen Wynn committed $7.5 million to the project. Added to the $2.5 million from class gifts given during Alumni Week, the University has already raised nearly half of the $69 million cost. "In just 10 months, President Rodin has attracted several of the largest charitable gifts ever made to the University," Beck said. "And she managed to be enough of a presence on campus so that deans, faculty, students and employees are incredibly enthusiastic about her leadership." In November, Rodin was named to an independent committee to analyze security and safety at the White House. She also worked with two Keystone subcommittees, as a member of an advisory board composed of civic leaders from across the state. Rodin, who estimated in April that she spends 15 percent of an average semester away from campus, said last week that she expects to spend about the same amount of time on the road next year. But she added that she is trying to get more control over her on-campus time. "As a personal goal for next year, I really do want to continue to meet more faculty and students and staff and spend a little less time in formal meetings," Rodin said. "I think I have been out a lot, but I would like to continue that and not think, 'well gee, I did that -- that was last year.' "I get tremendous energy and ideas from being out there and really spending time with people who are part of Penn, and I want to fashion my schedule for next year in a way that continues to allow me to do that," she added. Chodorow set a similar personal goal for next year. "At mid-year, I started this program of meeting with students on a regular basis, and it worked well both for me to understand the students and for the students to understand me," he said. "And a lot of students tell me, 'you know, you are not such a bad guy.' "But I had a much harder time, and I am going to take much more time this year, getting to know the faculty," Chodorow added. Chodorow's relationship with students got off to a rocky start early in his term, when he was quoted in The Daily Pennsylvanian as saying, "The problem with student participation is that many of them don't have much time. It's not as if students are the best organized people in the world." This angered many student leaders. He admitted last week that one of the things he had to adjust to this year was the different traditions of participation and the decision-making processes adhered to by the University and University of California at San Diego, where he had been chancellor. "I didn't really know what to expect coming to a new institution," he said. "I didn't have a lot of preconceived notions, although naturally you expect things to be like what you know, and Penn is very different from UCSD." Chodorow added that he found his regular meetings with students in the spring to be "tremendously useful." "The character of someone who comes to Penn needs to be understood by someone like me," he said. And College senior and Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Lance Rogers said that although he has not had the opportunity to work closely with the provost, he respects that Chodorow keeps an open mind. "If Provost Chodorow is set on doing something and someone comes forward, no matter who that someone is, and presents a logical argument, he will listen to that person, and in some cases even change his mind," Rogers said. Chodorow said his thoughts on undergraduate education evolved as he learned more about the University's traditions. "In the time that we worked on PCUE, I did learn the traditions and my expectations and my notion of how Penn does its undergraduate education ? changed quite a lot," he said. "It became about Penn, not about what I knew from this other institution. "And that happened in lots and lots of areas where Penn is organized so differently," Chodorow added. In particular, he discovered that the University's leadership is different from what he was used to. "Judy Rodin is a leader of a sort you come across very rarely," Chodorow said. "She has ferocious intelligence and determination to get things done that you rarely see." Another aspect of the University that surprised him was that "Penn is a place where you can actually get things done." He contrasted the University to UCSD, where every process has a procedure and everything is pinned down. "And in that kind of environment, even with the kind of drive Judy has, it takes longer," Chodorow said. "It is a very formal process. "Here, leadership has more room to move and things can happen more quickly," he added. "And Judith is exactly the right person to take advantage of that." Chodorow said he was also impressed by how much the administration was able to get done in a one year period. "Me and Judy changed the way we do our capital planning," he said. "I can't tell you how long that would take and how much consultations with state agencies that would require at UCSD. "But we were able to create a new process this year, and next year we will use that process which will make our capital projects more rational," Chodorow added. "When you think about the fact that I had to spend the first six months figuring out what the place was like before I was in a position to do something, we accomplished an enormous amount." He said that ever since the first time he came to visit the University, he has recognized the University as an institution ready for a sudden and drastic improvement. "At that point we were just coming from a billion dollar campaign, we had spectacular new resources and new energy," he said. "The little engine that could became a pretty good sized engine that could. "There was spirit, and you want to pick up on that," Chodorow added. "You don't want to pick an institution out of the gutter, you want to join it as it's starting to trot. And this institution was already at a good trot." He added that the other thing he noticed was that faculty and students "absolutely loved this place." "I thought this was a lovable institution, and I wanted to be at a lovable institution," he said. Chodorow said his goal is to make the University even more lovable. "So faculty and staff and students don't have to say, 'I love this place but?,'" he said. "They can just say 'I love this place.'" Rodin had a different feeling when she visited the campus last year because she was coming home, both to the University and to Philadelphia. She feels that her status as an alumna is an advantage for the University. "I believe and hope that it is true that it has helped me to relate to the students very well, particularly the undergraduates, because I was an undergraduate here and really do remember what it felt like," she said. And Rogers said the University was "lucky to get someone who was familiar with Penn and its traditions." Rodin said she has also been impressed by the warm feeling that people have for the University. "One of the most striking things to me is how many undergraduates stop me on campus and tell me how happy they are," she said. "And that never happened to me at Yale, and maybe I was just the provost so they didn't feel that they needed to tell the provost, but it is wonderful. It really is." Beck said Rodin is "well underway to building an efficient, well-run institution that is prospering during a time when many other universities are failing." "Time and time again this year, President Rodin demonstrated that good leadership includes teaching and learning, building relationships and influencing people, as opposed to exercising one's power," she said. Philadelphia Mayor and University alumnus Ed Rendell said Rodin has "injected new energy into Penn." "She's a great symbolic leader," he said. "But it is too early to tell whether she will make substantial changes."
(07/06/95 9:00am)
Robert Rescorla had big plans for undergraduate education when he became College of Arts and Sciences dean a year ago. He was especially interested in providing research opportunities to all undergraduates. "It seems to me that this is one of the greatest contributions that a research institution can make to its undergraduates," Rescorla said. Along with the deans of the three other undergraduate schools, he sat on the 21st Century committee, which focused on improving undergraduate education. He also chaired the Research Experience subcommittee. And he was pleased to report that his strong interest in research was able to be included as an important part of the resulting recommendations. He said he has also been trying to reward individual students, adding that the College Alumni Society funded eight student research projects this year. And this year's 25th reunion class gift goal went towards financing a research project, he said. "This came about as a result of discussions with alumni and their seeing the importance of undergraduate research," Rescorla said. And funds from the Pew Foundation have allowed his office to support a "wide range of educational initiatives," including ongoing assistance to the restructuring of the calculus curriculum around Maple and supporting many electronic innovations for the English Department. The money has also been put towards the development of many individual courses, such as research experience courses in economics and psychology. And it has been used to reconsider how some of our chemistry courses are taught and to develop a new way of teaching Hebrew. "It is very important that we be able to support the creative efforts of our faculty in developing new courses and teaching opportunities," he said. Rescorla also appointed a committee concerned with students' mathematical ability, as well as their analytical skills. The committee is chaired by Psychology Professor Paul Rozin. "My own belief is that they are going to find some shocking deficiencies," Rescorla said. He has also strived to increase respect for good teaching. In February his department awarded the first Kennedy Chair for excellence in good teaching to Undergraduate Mathematics Chair Dennis DeTurck. And in May the College Alumni Society presented Religious Studies Chair Ann Matter with the first Outstanding Teaching Award. In perhaps the most ambitious attempt to recognize excellent teaching Rescorla recognized the top 50 instructors, based on Penn Course Review ratings. He then wrote them personal thank-you letters. "Often you feel like nobody notices," he explained. Rescorla said he feels that all of these initiatives are paying off. "I think it is really happening," he said. "I think people are now paying much more attention to teaching." He said a large part of his job is overseeing the department, which includes the College Advising Office. "I hadn't appreciated that I was inheriting such a large staff," he said. "The number of things that just happen in this office that I don't have to make happen is amazing. "All of the people really care about undergraduates," Rescorla added. "In a way, it is kind of awe-inspiring to be a part of it." He said he was worried that when he gave up his position as chair of the Psychology Department, he would become out of touch with "what the University is about." "I was concerned that I wasn't going to have much contact with students," he said. But Rescorla went out of his way to insure that this was not the case. He said he found it useful to hold a lunch in a different dining facility every Friday, during which he was accessible to students who wanted to talk with him. And he also maintained his in-the-classroom contact with students by teaching a course in the spring. He also worked to improve communication with parents by personally writing letters telling them what is going on on campus. "It's been an historic problem that parents don't feel like participants," he explained. School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens said Rescorla has an enthusiastic commitment to undergraduate education, which shows in everything he does. "I just think he is superb, and Penn is very fortunate to have him in this position," she said.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
The University will lose one of its greatest sources of support tomorrow, when Chaplain Stanley Johnson retires after 34 years of service. And the position will never be the same again. When Johnson announced his retirement in March, University President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow set up a committee to evaluate the role of a chaplain at a modern university. The committee, which was chaired by Social Work Professor Jane Lowe, included Barbara Cassel, the assistant vice provost for University life, Reverend Ralph Ciampa, the Pastoral Care director of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons. Lowe said the group interviewed leaders of Hillel, the Newman Center and the Christian Association, as well as students and faculty. "There was a general consensus that the office of chaplain should continue and that there should be a search undertaken at some point for a new chaplain," she said. The committee recommended the position be maintained and expanded to include work with all of the various campus ministries and groups, Lowe added. "The bottom line is that the position should remain and be expanded to encourage inter-religious and intercultural dialogue," she said. The group submitted its proposal in April, but Chodorow said he and Rodin have not yet decided what the future is for the chaplain's office. And Rodin said they have not even set up a committee to search for a replacement for Johnson. "It's a two-phase project," she explained. "We have the report and we will be moving to appoint a search committee." But Chodorow said it is not unusual for the University to be without a chaplain for the summer. "Reverend Johnson has always spent the summer on Nantucket," he said. Rodin confirmed that there will be an acting chaplain appointed, in accordance with the committee's recommendation. "We've had several volunteers," she said. "There are several people who think they'd really love to do it. "Chaplain Johnson has set a wonderful model and I think a lot of people think it would be a great job as an interim position," she added. Johnson was hired in 1961. During his tenure at the University, Johnson has served primarily as a counselor, spearheading programs for students with questions about their sexuality and dealing with women's issues. The programs are now independent agencies. Johnson also served as dean of admissions from October 1974 until 1977. He said in March that he will be spending his free time traveling, volunteering and pursuing various hobbies.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
The University's involvement with the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy case has just become even more complex. The group's creditors held their first meeting on Monday, during which they voted to reject interim bankruptcy trustee John Carroll III, and replace him with former federal Judge and University Law School Graduate Arlin Adams. Adams is also a trustee emeritus of the University, an honorary title given to the most distinguished Trustees upon their retirement from the Board. But although some of the creditors raised the question of conflict of interest during the election because of his potentially biasing ties to the University, University Spokesperson Barbara Beck said there is nothing to be concerned about. "Judge Adams is a man of sterling character," she said. "He is a trustee emeritus -- an honorary designation so he does not vote and he does not chair committees." And to avoid any unnecessary controversy, Adams announced at the elections that he would resign from his position as trustee emeritus trustee if he were selected. Last week, Carroll released calculations which showed the University making $2.1 million from New Era. These figures were in direct contrast with the $1.55 million loss that University officials had originally projected. The $1.55 million figure represents the amount of money the University invested in New Era. But University officials will not be able to confirm or deny this gain until it completes its own investigation, which is being conducted by Coopers & Lybrand. University spokesperson Phyllis Holtzman said last week that the firm will be investigating two major issues. "They are going to look at the University's procedures that led to this involvement with New Era," she said. "And they are also looking at this whole money issue to try and figure out what the different funds represent." Along with his bankruptcy figures, Carroll also submitted a set of rules requiring organizations that made money from New Era to return some or all of their gains to help offset charities that were devastated. But it is possible that these rules will not remain under Adam's leadership. "We do not know if there will be changes in procedures," Beck said. "We will have to wait to see who the new trustee will be. "Once a permanent trustee is appointed, he or she will decide," she explained. New Era, which is based in Radnor, Pa., with offices in London and Hong Kong, promoted itself as an innovative new charity capable of doubling nonprofit institutions' money by soliciting matching funds from a pool of anonymous wealthy donors, who supposedly relied on the charity to find worthy causes. Along with the University, hundreds of nonprofit organizations deposited their money with New Era, which said it would hold the funds for six months in brokerage accounts -- rather than in escrow -- and claimed to be investing it in certificates of deposit or treasury bills while finding matching donors. But John Bennett Jr., the charity's president, admitted to his staff last month that the anonymous donors did not really exist.
(06/29/95 9:00am)
New Orleans has always had its Mardi Gras, and New York City its New Year's Eve all-night decadence. Now finally Philadelphia, that often overlooked East Coast City with a reputation for being nasty to tourists, is hosting its own holiday party worthy of national stature -- "Welcome America." In principle, "Welcome America" resembles the patriotic national holiday known to most Americans as "Independence Day." But how an 11-day holiday, complete with an appearance by the Beach Boys and enough fireworks to forever tint the smog from the Schuylkill Expressway, be referred to by the name of a holiday only occurring one day a year? Last year, about a million tourists and city residents alike took part in a more modest, six-day version of the celebration. Welcome America spokesperson Caroline Piven estimated that this figure could more than double this year. "Sunoco Welcome America has two purposes," she said. "To celebrate America's birthday for everyone in the area, and to make Philadelphia a destination city." Today's first Welcome America activity, a "Summer Mummer's Parade," begins at 7 p.m. at the Gallery. Hundreds of Philadelphia famed New Years paraders will march from City Hall to the Liberty Bell. And as early as 6 a.m. Saturday, hot air balloons will be released into the air at the New Jersey waterfront and set adrift above the Delaware River. Too tired from all that booing and cheering at the Welcome America boxing fight between Prince Charles Williams and Merqui Susa at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Friday night? Don't worry -- the Moon Glow Balloon Festival will be repeated at 8:45 p.m. that evening, and at 6 a.m. each morning of the celebration. Other events on Saturday include the Liberty Lighted Boat Parade and Concert at Penn's Landing from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m., and late-night shopping in Center City. Shopping opportunities continue on South Street the next day with the "Great American South Street Skate, Picnic and Sidewalk Sale." At noon July 2, the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing will officially open its door to the public. And from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the concerto Soloists Concert Band will fill Independence National Historic Park at 5th and Market Streets with chamber music. Fireworks begin at 8 p.m. Monday night at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell will honor United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees Sadako Ogata of Japan with the Philadelphia Liberty Medal at 5th and Chestnut streets. At 1:30 p.m., the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution will present a band concert at Independence Square at 5th and Market streets. Touch the Liberty Bell at Independence Square, while at the same time a bell-ringing from the Centennial Bell in the Independence Hall Tower will begin and by the America Starts Here! parade at 20th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Welcome America festivities culminating later that Independence Day with fireworks at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway by the Art Museum at 8 p.m. The Beach Boys and the Philadelphia Orchestra will lull the lengthy celebration to a close with the "Sunoco Sweet Sounds of Liberty."
(06/29/95 9:00am)
Law and Economics Professor Michael Wachter will take office as deputy provost Saturday, replacing Physics Professor Walter Wales, who served in the position for almost three years. Wachter has been the director of the Center for Law and Economics since 1984, and holds a faculty post in the law school. He was selected for the deputy provost position in March. In the past, the deputy provost has been responsible for all faculty matters -- including appointments, grievances, benefits, promotions and overseeing tenure cases. He would also act for the provost in his absence. But Provost Stanley Chodorow said in March that Wachter's position is going to have less of a focus on personnel issues. Instead, Chodorow said Wachter will be using his new position to focus on academic planning. "He will work with me to set the agenda for the Academic Planning and Budget Committee and work with the deans on the review of academic programs -- an essential element of academic planning," he said. Chodorow added that Wachter will be at the center of all strategic planning and institutional research in the provost's office. "It will be through Wachter that the continuing process of planning the new undergraduate experience will connect to the broader issues of academic planning," he said. And he said he will be relying on Wachter for advice on "a wide variety of issues that fall within my responsibility." Chodorow added that he plans to create a new position in the provost's office to handle personnel, police and faculty members' individual issues. Wales announced his intention to step down effective December 31, 1994 last April. But he agreed not to vacate the post until the deputy provost search committee, headed by History Professor Richard Dunn, completed its work. Wachter has been at the University since 1969. He was a faculty assistant to former President Martin Meyerson in the early 1970s. He was involved implementing the University's current budgeting system. And after returning full-time to the faculty, he served on the Academic Planning and Budget Committee for many years. "He earned a reputation for deep knowledge of the University and for sound judgement," Chodorow said. Wachter was unavailable for comment.
