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(03/27/00 10:00am)
When looking at that warm, moist, frosting-covered piece of chocolate cake, stop deciding and go for it. Give in to your hunger. That was part of the message delivered yesterday morning at a conference entitled "Body Image and Judaism: Accepting Ourselves, Body and Soul." Drawing a crowd of more than 50 female students, almost all of whom were Jewish, the program kicked off Body Image Awareness Week, a five-day series of events designed to bring awareness to self-esteem issues as they relate to body image. Sponsored by groups like Guidance for Understanding Image, Dieting and Eating, the Jewish Renaissance Project, Connaissance and Penn Hillel, the conference attempted to debunk the myths of what it takes to be a successful woman in today's world. "To look at eating disorders is to look at the state of gender politics in this country," said keynote speaker Karen Smith, who told the audience that 95 percent of all people diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia are women. "Whereas the feminism of 30 years ago said, 'We're hungry, and we will be satiated,' we now have women saying, 'We need nothing,'" said Smith, who is a clinical social worker at the Renfrew Center, an organization that offers in-patient and out-patient treatment to women suffering from eating disorders. Smith argued that the self-sacrificial woman has become the icon of the modern world, a phenomenon that has proved detrimental. Today's woman, Smith said, should hunger for and go after her rights -- and her piece of cake. Smith, who will be releasing a new book entitled, From Chicken Soup to Going Nuts: Hungry Jewish Women and the Body of Our Tradition, offered an interpretation of eating disorders from a uniquely Jewish perspective. In Judaism, "Food is the transmission from mother to daughter," Smith said. It is only fitting then that young Jewish women would choose eating disorders as an expression of their conflicts, she said. And when compounded with the pressures successful women encounter in what Smith called the "Barbie Doll World," many women develop eating disorders because "the emaciated woman is the sexy woman." "Women think that they're not supposed to need," College senior Helisa Katz said in agreement. "I really liked the idea of giving permission to women to want." College sophomore Wendy Shiekman added, "I loved how Karen related the good versus the bad, and how hunger in life is actually a good thing." While the discussion was geared toward Jewish women on campus, the program was intended to appeal to all women who are struggling with eating disorders. College junior Miriam Kiss, one of the organizers of yesterday's conference, said the goal was to "educate students and let them know that people are talking about the issue." "We are kind of tying the problem in with Judaism, but I think you would enjoy the conference if you weren't Jewish," College senior Jordana Riklis said. The program also highlighted a number of resources open to Penn students. Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Services, the Women's Center and GUIDE all offer free and confidential services ranging from counseling and treatment to nutrition guidance and information.
(03/27/00 10:00am)
The census data will be used to provide a count of citizens in the U.S. This month, Uncle Sam's looking for some answers. And by law, everyone in America must supply them. As mandated by the Constitution, this year the members of nearly every household in the United States will receive a simple questionnaire asking about their lives. The Census -- conducted every 10 years -- aims to provide the government both with aggregate data about Americans as a whole and a complete count of every citizen in the United States. "Census figures affect our lives in just about as many ways as you can imagine," explained Judy Antipin, spokeswoman for the Regional Census Center for Philadelphia. "They're used to distribute literally billions of dollars in state and federal money to communities every year." By April 1, every household in the United States is required to return the census forms that have been arriving in American mailboxes for the past several weeks. While students living off campus should fill out and return their forms like the average household, Partnership Coordinator for the Regional Census Center Lyn Kirshenbaum said dormitories and on-campus housing are enumerated as "special places," leading to a slightly different census-taking process. "A contact person and census liaison, appointed in each dorm, will hand them out to residents and collect them later on to return to the Census Bureau," Kirshenbaum said. As a result, students living on campus will not receive census forms in their mailboxes. Census forms should be available in dorms sometime in early April, past the deadline for mail-in questionnaires. Antipin also emphasized that Penn students need to identify themselves as residents of Philadelphia regardless of what they consider as their hometown. "It's important students do this because they're using services in the community where they're living, and it's important for these communities to get their fair share of resources," she said. "That's something that students often don't realize." Kirshenbaum added that there is a "huge undercount of students in the city where they're living." Five out of six American households will receive a short seven-question form asking, among other things, about the age, name, sex, race and possibility of Latino origin of every household resident. The remaining one-sixth of households will instead fill out a longer, 34- question form asking for detailed information about things like family income and educational level. A random process selects whether a household will receive the longer or shorter form. While the data will largely be used by the government to help allocate funds, Antipin also said that businesses use aggregate data about a community to help guide decisions about investing in that area. "It tells you about the workforce, and helps tell you whether your business will do well there," she explained. This year, Antipin said, the government launched the first-ever paid advertising campaign to encourage households to fill out and return the forms. She noted that census advertisements have been shown during the Oprah show and the Super Bowl. "This in an advertising campaign geared towards all kinds of special populations," Antipin said. Minorities are being especially targeted, she added, with advertisements running on Latino and Korean television channels. "Minority populations are among the groups that have historically been undercounted in previous censuses," she explained. Also for the first time, the form will be available in six languages other than English to help recent immigrants or those unfamiliar with English fill out the census form.
(03/27/00 10:00am)
The Quakers finsihed first in eight events, led by two wins by sophomore Lit Wittels. The Penn women's track team began its outdoor season on Franklin Field on Sunday with an impressive showing at the Quaker Invitational. Penn got the best of its competition, which included teams from Temple, Delaware State, La Salle, St. Francis (Pa.), West Chester and St. Joseph's. Penn coach Betty Costanza had reason to be pleased with how well the entire team performed, with standout performances coming from the women's throwing and relay teams. Sophomore Liz Wittels led Penn's field group, placing first in both the hammer throw and pole vault events. Also impressive for the Quakers was Julie Siebert-Johnson. The freshman did not compete during the indoor season, but debuted by placing a dominant first (43.34 meters) in the women's javelin throw in her first outdoor appearance. Penn came close to dominating the afternoon's events, the closest competition coming from Big 5 rivals Temple and St. Joseph's. The Red and Blue's success was a combination of the experience of the older team members and the hard work and continued maturity of the underclassmen. "Our seniors and juniors have been performing well because of experience, but the freshmen and sophomores have also stepped up. And we make a good unit together," junior jumper Jill Aronovitz said. The overall team success did not overshadow several other exceptional individual performances for Penn. Junior Bassey Adjah contributed by running the second leg of the winning 4x400 meter relay, finishing first in the long jump and logging a third-place effort in the 100 high hurdles. Junior captain JaJuan Gair also shined, placing second in the 100 high hurdles, while senior captain Ruthie Neuhaus placed second in the triple jump and junior thrower Monica Maccani placed second in both the shot put and discuss throw. Maccani did even one better by recording a strong third in the hammer throw as well. This season's Quakers -- who include 34 freshmen and sophomores compared to just 17 juniors and seniors -- look undeniably promising. Last year's team experienced painful disappointments by not measuring up to its full potential and finishing a distant sixth at the Heptagonals. However, with four events scheduled on Franklin Field's track throughout the season, this year's young outdoor team should be able to thrive. "This year's team also has a lot of potential, and we are especially hopeful with our good start," junior Regina Hendricks said. Freshman Petra Stewart, who recorded the third-fastest time in the 400-meter dash and also ran anchor for the winning 4x400 meter relay team, agreed. "It was nice that we all came out and performed well in our first meet of the [outdoor] season," she said. "This [showing] gives us a lot to build on for upcoming meets." Indeed, the Quakers have a lot to look forward to. They will need to outdo Sunday's success with five different meets scheduled throughout the month of April, including Penn Relays, April 27-29. And so far, things look promising. The Quaker Invite, which has been plagued by rainy weather in the past, took place all day yesterday amid sunshine and cool breezes which, according to Costanza, helped the meet to run very efficiently. The Quakers' next meet will take place this Saturday in North Carolina at the Raleigh Relays.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
The Quakers have twin bills with Lafayette today, LaSalle tomorrow and Rider on Sunday. It's that time of year again. As the days of March wind down and the frigid winter climate gradually lifts to make for warm spring days, Major League Baseball teams across the country prepare to leave the confines of sunny Florida to do battle up north. The Penn softball team is no different. After kicking off its season with a 14-game stretch in the Sunshine State over spring break, during which they compiled a 4-10 record, Penn will prepare for its first home games of the season. The Quakers will play three doubleheaders against Lafayette, La Salle and Rider this weekend at Warren Field. And although the trip to Florida was a great experience for the team, the Red and Blue are glad to be back in the friendly confines of West Philly. "The Florida trip brought us closer together, and we feel more comfortable with each other," senior captain and pitcher Suzanne Arbogast said. "I think now playing at Penn on our home field will be a lot easier." "I'm definitely looking forward to playing on our own field," freshman pitcher Dina Parise added. The Quakers' sub-par record going into their first home contests may be a bit deceiving, however. The young squad, comprised of mostly freshmen and sophomores, faced extremely challenging competition over the break, including the likes of Illinois-Chicago, which is ranked 20th in the nation. "We're a pretty young team and, for having eight freshmen, I think we played really well," said sophomore left fielder Clarisa Apostol, who received first team All-Ivy honors in her freshman campaign. Apostol's roommate and starting second-baseman Jamie Pallas agreed. "Our record doesn't really show how good we are," the sophomore infielder said. The Quakers will look to even up their record this weekend, as six wins would bring them to a .500 mark on the season. "We all need to play hard, hit the ball and keep our defense sharp," Pallas said. "If we play like we know how, I'm pretty confident we can take all six." This goal, shared by the whole team, is fairly realistic. The '99 Quakers swept both Lafayette and Rider, while splitting with La Salle, and this year's Penn squad, with the addition of some key freshmen, is believed to be better than last year's. "This year, we're stronger defensively and offensively," Apostol said. "If we play our game, I don't think we'll have a problem this weekend?. It will also be nice to even out our record." Despite that Penn is playing against less-than-stellar competition -- Lafayette has only one win on the season while La Salle is coming off a 30-loss 1999 campaign -- the Quakers know that they cannot take any of their opponents lightly. "Coach [Carol Kashow] always tells us that we shouldn't take anyone lightly," said senior captain Michelle Zaptin, who plays both on the mound and in center field. "We're looking at each game individually to improve our record -- we just want to take one game at a time and see how things go." However, while not being cocky, the Quakers are still bubbling with confidence going into a very important weekend. "I'm really confident in our team, and I think we should win all six games," Parise said. "It will be competitive, but we should be on the winning side."
(03/24/00 10:00am)
While only two weeks ago Penn students were talking about Super Tuesday primaries, the undergraduate community will now be focusing on the election of different leaders -- their own. Undergraduate Assembly and class board candidates were introduced to the Fair Practices Code at last night's candidates' meeting in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall. The candidates will begin campaigning today at 6 a.m. and elections will begin next Wednesday. Nominations and Elections Committee Vice Chairwoman for Elections Teresa Lee said that turnouts have been good this year, with strong responses for the UA and slightly weaker turnouts for the class boards. "Elections look like they are going to be [great]," the Wharton and Engineering junior said. "They're going to be big," College senior and NEC Chairwoman Christine Naselaris said. "[We're] expecting a high voter turnout." Sixty students will be running for 25 seats available on the Undergraduate Assembly. The eight remaining seats will be given to incoming freshmen, who will be running in the fall. This number is slightly higher than last year's, when 53 candidates were seeking spots on the UA. Of the 60 candidates, 25 percent are current UA members -- seven students from the College of Arts and Sciences, three from the Engineering School and five from Wharton -- seeking re-election. Like last year, the Wharton race for UA spots will be the tightest, as 15 candidates will be running for the four available spots. There are 35 candidates running for 16 College seats, nine candidates running for the four Engineering seats and one Nursing student running unopposed for the seat from her school. Nineteen sophomores will be running for the 10 seats on the Sophomore Class Board. Turnouts for the junior and senior class boards, however, were lackluster. As of the Wednesday before spring break, the NEC had only received a total of nine candidates for the 20 positions available. The lack of candidates caused the NEC to extend the deadline for all class board candidates to yesterday afternoon and reduce the signature requirement from about 300 to 50 signatures. Under the the extended deadline and easier procedure, 31 more students applied. Lee said approximately 25 percent of the current class board members are seeking re-election. Elections will begin next Wednesday. For the first time ever, students will be able to vote on Penn InTouch. Paper ballots will become mere memories as polling stations become unavailable for the first time. Since the elections period overlaps with fall pre-registration, Lee hopes to see a high voter turnout because students will already be accessing the site. Lee said there are no expected problems with the program at the moment. While some might have thought that this year's ballots would include referenda, Lee said that is unlikely. "At this time no one has approached the NEC [with a referendum]," Lee said. Ballots will be available online at 8 a.m. next Wednesday and the NEC will be sponsoring a "Get Out the Vote" event that day, mimicking the MTV effort to encourage young voters. Candidates will hand out pizza on College Green and will be talking to potential voters. Various performing arts groups will also be performing throughout the day. A special focus will be placed on advertising Penn InTouch, Lee said. Election results will be announced at NEC's FPC hearing on April 6.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
The Crimson have yet to play an Ivy League game, but Penn has not toppled them since 1993. The Penn men's lacrosse team has not defeated Harvard since 1993, although the Quakers came close in an 8-7 overtime loss in Cambridge, Mass., last season. Penn's (3-2, 0-1 Ivy League) long dry spell against the Crimson will doubtless be a motivating factor as Harvard visits Franklin Field tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. "We want to win just for the sake of winning," senior co-captain Bill Fowler said. "But I think that not beating Harvard over the past four years adds more pressure than [the] Yale [loss]." The Quakers lost their Ivy opener to the Elis in a close 11-10 contest in New Haven, Conn., over spring break and look to improve their Ivy record to .500 tomorrow. "Going in the hole last weekend against Yale probably puts a little more importance on the game," Penn coach Marc Van Arsdale said. "But there really are no larger implications other than [Harvard] -- a good league opponent that we haven't beaten in some time." The Crimson will be sporting an undefeated 3-0 record at Franklin Field after wins over Boston College, Colgate and Hobart. The Quakers, meanwhile, enter the contest one game over .500 after routing Lafayette last Tuesday, 20-5. "They're certainly not [Lafayette]," Van Arsdale said of the Crimson. "There's none of those in our league." On offense, the Quakers will be challenged by one of the league's best defensemen, preseason College Lacrosse All-American and Harvard senior captain Jeff Psaki. Psaki will draw the Quakers' No. 1 attackman, senior co-captain Pete Janney. "He's good," Janney said. "I've been playing against him for a couple of years now, and Jeff's always been a good matchup." Psaki won't be the only roadblock to the Crimson net tomorrow. The Quakers will also have to contend with yet another preseason All-American in junior goalie Keith Cynar, who Van Arsdale said is "probably the best returning goalie in the league." The key to penetrating this star-studded defense is to get on top early. "When a team has a good goalie, it's important to put shots on the cage and put some in early," Janney said. "You can't let the guy get motivated and fired up." While Janney and the forwards will concentrate on putting the ball in the net, the Quakers' other captain, senior defenseman Fowler, will work to prevent the Crimson from doing the very same thing. "Their big guns, their shooters, are their [midfielders]," Fowler said. "The attackers do a good job of feeding the middies, which forces us to slide." Van Arsdale is also concerned about the quality of the Crimson midfielders. "They have a lot of different personnel that can attack you in a lot of different ways," Van Arsdale said. "They switch back and forth between midfield and attack." Regardless of the recent history between these two teams, both Janney and Fowler counted the fact that the Quakers will be playing at home after four consecutive road games to weigh heavily in their favor. "It feels awesome to be back at home," Fowler said. "There's really nothing like Franklin Field." Franklin Field is different, not just because it's one of the most historic fields in the country, but because it has something the Red and Blue haven't played on for the last four games -- artificial turf. The Quakers prefer turf because they feel it lets them exploit their superior athleticism. "On turf, there's always good footing, and things are a little bit cleaner," Van Arsdale said. "Turf is better for us because we're a much quicker and faster team," Fowler said. "It prevents us from sliding and falling down." Van Arsdale is quick to point out that, while turf benefits the Quakers' speed, every player has plenty of experience on grass. "I think [the benefits of turf] can be overblown. Every guy has played every game of his life on grass up till now," Van Arsdale said. "You don't want to use [the turf] as a crutch, or for it to become a mental problem." While the Quakers do have plenty of experience on grass, it is quite obvious that they prefer the artificial stuff. "Once you experience the turf, bounce shots are a lot easier, and you can really use your speed," Janney said. "Grass is an equalizer. Turf gives more athletic teams like us an advantage."
(03/24/00 10:00am)
The Quakers scored six runs in the eighth and final inning to clinch a comeback victory. Murphy Field's opening day as the Penn baseball team's new ballpark turned out to be a three-hour-long doozy yesterday that in the end left the visiting St. Joseph's players in stunned disbelief and in possession of a 13-12 loss. Through a combination of mental errors on defense and poor decision making on offense, the Hawks (5-15) squandered a 12-7 lead that they held in the top of the seventh inning and found themselves tied, 12-12, with the rallying Quakers (6-5) late in the eighth. And with darkness rapidly descending upon the multi-million-dollar Murphy Field facility -- which has yet to have lights installed -- Penn shortstop Glen Ambrosius completed the Red and Blue's game-winning comeback before the game was called for poor visibility. The Penn tri-captain, who had been hitless in the game, stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with one out and the bases loaded after seven of the last eight Quakers' batters had gotten aboard. Hawks' closer Mike Miller greeted Ambrosius with a slew of curveballs looping through the darkening batter's box, but he sealed his own fate by following with a fastball straight down the middle. "The ball was kind of hard to see," Ambrosius said. "I didn't pick it up until the end, and I just sort of threw my hands in and threw the bat at it." The senior shortstop's near-blind hit looped into shallow left field and brought home Penn's Oliver Hahl with what was apparently just the go-ahead run. But once Hahl touched the plate, the umpire signaled the end of the game, and the Quakers rushed the field to celebrate a memorable 13-12 victory to open their new park. The Hawks were shocked at the last-minute turn of the game. "It's a hard thing to swallow to see guys touching the bases with nobody out, and we're trying our damnedest to get guys out," St. Joe's catcher Rob Reed said. The most bitter pill for Reed and the Hawks came early in the bottom of the eighth from Penn's Anthony Napolitano. With two men on base after a walk and an error, Napolitano sent an 0-2 pitch from Hawks' reliever Kevin Kirkby just over the center field wall for a three-run homer that put Penn back within striking distance at 12-10. The shot was hit so straight toward the wall that neither Napolitano nor his teammates were sure whether it had flown over the yellow scoring line to go yard. "I actually didn't think it was going to get out, so I put my head down [and ran for first base]," Napolitano said. "But then I heard some hootin' and the umpire gave the finger and I just settled into my trot." Napolitano's blast prompted Hawks coach Jim Ertel to call on Miller, but the momentum had already changed in the Quakers' favor. Miller came out to walk two of the first three batters he faced, then give up an RBI double to Hahl to bring Penn within one. By the time Ambrosius came to bat, another Quaker had been walked home to tie the game. The six-run final inning was quite a change for the Quakers, who had been giving much more than they had received throughout most of the game. Mike Mattern, Penn's ace, gave up a disappointing nine runs on 10 hits -- including the first home run in the new stadium to St. Joe's Tim Gunn -- in five innings pitched. Mattern's worst inning was his last, when the Hawks lit him up for five runs on four hits. "I just didn't have it today," Mattern said. "They started timing my pitches a little better later in the game and they hit a couple balls hard and found holes." By the time Penn reliever Brian Burket took up Mattern's cause to start the sixth inning, the Quakers faced a seemingly insurmountable 9-4 deficit. Burket, though, came up big for the Red and Blue, striking out the first batter he faced and retiring the side in order. The Quakers answered Burket's effort with a three-run sixth inning to bring Penn within two. But the Hawks struck back in the top of the seventh when Burket faltered, giving away a solo home run to Reed and letting up two more runs before stepping off the mound. After Penn went scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, Quakers coach Bob Seddon called Benjamin Krantz in to hold the Hawks down as the sun began to set. Krantz managed to keep the score at 12-7 by forcing St. Joe's into a three-up, three-down top of the eighth, and the Penn offense rewarded the freshman his first collegiate win with its late rally. Despite the disappointing showing, there was a bright spot in Mattern's day. Penn's ace had been battling the flu for three days but made sure to recover in time to get the start for yesterday's first game in Murphy Field. "I didn't want to miss this first game," Mattern said. And perhaps as a good omen for the park, the first pitch ever thrown in it was a strike.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
The Quadrangle was transformed from a residential complex to a lively carnival ground yesterday afternoon, complete with kosher food, live music and entertainment and games. For two hours under fair skies and warm temperatures, the Upper Quadrangle hosted a Purim carnival sponsored by the Jewish Heritage Programs in celebration of the festive Jewish holiday. The carnival was initially scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon to coincide with the dates of the holiday -- from Monday night to Tuesday night-- but was postponed due to Tuesday's inclement weather. About 25 students milled about the Quad, helping themselves to food and participating in the various booths and games. The entertainment included music from the five-member Ba'al Shem Tov Band, as well as live dancing and performances from the Mummers. Kosher sushi and the traditional hamantashin -- pastries filled with jam -- were spread out along tables. Included among the carnival-like games were a basketball shooting station and a dunking booth, featuring Rabbi Ephraim Levin of the Lubavitch House for Penn in the hot seat. "It's a fun way to celebrate Purim and educate people of the holiday," Levin said, in between throws from students. The JHP sponsored the carnival in an effort to promote awareness of cultural Judaism on campus in a spirited way. "It promotes awareness through campus in a fun way," College sophomore Richelle Eisendrath said. "It shows that Judaism can be fun." "With the Purim Carnival, the JHP is attempting to break the conception that Jewish holidays are not fun," added College senior Alan Dorfman, who is a JHP intern. Purim is a celebration of the death of Haman, approximately 2,300 years ago. Haman was the advisor to the King of Persia and plotted to massacre the Jews living in the land. He was executed when the king learned of his plans. The holiday is centered around Queen Esther, a Jewish heroine who risked her life to inform her husband of Haman's plot. Traditionally, the holiday is celebrated through the reading of the Megillah, the story of Purim. Customs also include giving gifts of food, giving to charitable organizations and eating hamantashins. The JHP is an organization that strives to promote education and awareness of Jewish culture. "The purpose of the JHP is to select leaders on campus to run programs for their peers," said Rachel Baum, a fellow to the JHP.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
Six Senate hopefuls are vying for heDemocratic nomination on April 4. With the major presidential candidates already set, state primaries are no longer headlining the evening news. In Pennsylvania, however, primary season is far from over. On April 4, hundreds of candidates will be vying for smaller offices ranging from United States senator to representative in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Though the Pennsylvanian primary probably will not attract national attention, state officials maintain the primary's importance lies in the effect it will have on state politics. "This election is not just about the top of the ticket. It's about the delegations in the convention and it's about local officials," Pennsylvania Republican State Committee spokeswoman Lauren Cotter Brobson explained. And according to Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee spokeswoman Sandi Vito, the race where votes will count the most will likely be the six-way Democratic struggle to challenge Republican Sen. Rick Santorum. The six candidates have turned out in an effort to oust the conservative Santorum, who was swept into office in the 1994 Republican electoral landslide. With the focus in Pennsylvania on the race for the Senate, Political Science Professor Henry Teune thinks the true contest lies not among all six Democrats but among three key candidates: State Sen. Allison Schwartz, former state secretary of labor and industry Tom Foley and U.S. Rep. Ron Klink. "This is going to have to be an organizational fight," Teune said, explaining that endorsements of the different candidates are going to be crucial in swaying voters this April. Despite the fact that Philadelphia Mayor John Street recently endorsed Schwartz, the only woman in the race, Teune said her close ties with her predominately Democratic hometown of Philadelphia will work against her in the primary. The Democratic candidates will be on campus on Wednesday for a debate sponsored by the College Democrats. But despite the local focus on the senatorial race, the Pennsylvania primary will not be entirely irrelevant to presumptive presidential nominees Al Gore and George W. Bush. According to state spokeswoman Stephanie Rimer, this primary differs from most years not only because presidential candidates appear on the ballot, but because it gives voters the opportunity to nominate delegates to the Republican and Democratic National Conventions this summer. "Pennsylvania is a state that is a must win for either part in the fall," Brobson said. "The primary is a good indication of what voter turnout might be in the fall." However, with the presidential nominations basically decided, Teune predicted voter turnout April 4 will be low, estimating that no more than 25 percent of registered voters will cast a ballot come primary day. "There's no real attraction," he noted. "Most of the voters don't know who these people are." Furthermore, he added, the national parties will be concentrating little attention on Pennsylvania after the recent victories of Gore and Bush. But Vito, Brobson and Rimer all contend that the upcoming primary is important regardless of the degree of national resonance, citing the primary as an early opportunity for Pennsylvania residents to make their voices heard.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
The Quakers will try to reach 3-1 by beating the explosive Big Red. When the Penn women's lacrosse team travels north to Ithaca to face No. 16 Cornell tomorrow at 1 p.m., it will be bringing one thing along that has been missing for some time -- the confidence that the Quakers can win an Ivy League game. The Quakers (2-1, 0-1 Ivy) struggled to a 1-6 mark in League play a year ago, and going into its Ivy opener this spring at No. 10 Yale, they were unsure of how they would hold up. But a close 9-8 loss to the Elis, followed by a 14-7 Quakers victory over Villanova on Tuesday, has the team confident it can play with anyone. "I think because the team did play Yale tight, that they definitely feel that they can win the game," Penn coach Karin Brower said. "This is a huge game for us, and they're getting to understand that. I think they are getting really excited to play Cornell and to hopefully beat them." To have success tomorrow, though, Penn will need to turn in a strong defensive performance. Cornell (4-0, 0-0 Ivy) brings a high-powered offense into this meeting -- the same offense that raced out to a 7-0 lead on the Quakers last spring and a 9-0 advantage two seasons ago. And though Penn has played well in the second half all season, they once again fell behind early at Yale, 3-0, and Villanova, 3-2, in the past week. "I think we still are getting out kind of slow, but we are definitely picking it up a lot faster than we were last year," Penn goalie Christian Stover said. "Hopefully for Cornell, we can go out there and get an early lead." A young team, the Big Red are led by a quartet of sophomores. Attackers Ginny Miles and Lori Wohschlegel, midfielder Jaimee Reynolds and goalie Carrie Giancola are the heart and soul of a Cornell team that has surprised many by racing out to four straight wins. Miles, who holds the Philadelphia area high school record for career goals with 281, is the Big Red's most potent weapon. A first team All-Ivy selection as a freshman after tallying 38 goals, Miles is off to another torrid start with 13 goals in four games. Penn will likely match the Cornell star up with junior Amy Weinstein, who was honored by the league this week for her performance at Yale. "Amy Weinstein, I think, is going to play on Ginny Miles," Brower said. "She did a nice job against [Yale first team All-Ivy selection] Heather Bentley. I think if Amy is physical on Miles, that she'll do fine against her. We've seen Ginny play, and she's a good player, but I think Amy can do a nice job on her." Weinstein, who spent her first two seasons with Penn lacrosse as an attacker before moving to defense this spring, is excelling in this transition. "I'm really enjoying myself and learning a lot," Weinstein said. "I hope that I get matched up on the top players from now on." The junior, however, was quick to credit the team aspect of the defense. "Whenever anyone scores or anything happens, everyone basically marks up on everyone," she added. "A lot of times the best defensive plays aren't one person doing something, it's the team recognizing that someone's in, and everyone crossing in on them." To this end, the Quakers know they must win the battle of ground balls and double-team well on the Cornell attackers if they are to win. The Big Red are coming off a 14-3 win over California in which Miles netted four goals and Wohschlegel added three of her own. On the other side of the ball, Penn has an attacker who has been blowing up in the early season. Sophomore Traci Marabella leads the Quakers with 10 goals, and combined with senior Brooke Jenkins and freshman Crissy Book, Penn has a potent offense of its own. But in order to find the back of the net, Penn's front-liners will have to beat Cornell's Giancola. The sophomore has excelled this spring, with a save percentage of .632. Quakers goalie Christian Stover also comes into tomorrow's game on a hot streak. The junior did not allow a goal for a 25-minute stretch in Tuesday's 14-7 Penn win at Villanova. Stover, however, is quick to credit her entire defense -- including Weinstein, Lee Ann Sechovicz, Christy Bennett and several other members of Penn's back line -- for the team's strong defensive play. "The defense is very aggressive, and I love that," Stover said. Tomorrow's match is the Quakers' fourth consecutive road game, and playing a league opponent on their home turf is never an easy task. But Penn feels good nonetheless. "What we really need to do is come out right from the start and be as intense as we have been in our second halves," Weinstein said. "And I think we've got a good shot at beating Cornell and really working our way up the Ivy ladder."
(03/24/00 10:00am)
Fans enjoyed free peanuts and Cracker Jack, and the field was in good shape. With the gigantic, smiling face of Will Smith looking down upon it on a warm, sunny spring afternoon, how could anything have gone wrong at the first game played at the Penn Baseball Stadium at Murphy Field? As it turned out, nothing went wrong for the Penn baseball team, as it made its Murphy Field debut a memorable one with a Smith-adorned billboard for a local radio station looking on. The Quakers overcame a five-run deficit in their last at-bat to beat St. Joseph's, 13-12. The glistening new ballpark's debut was just as successful. While the 263 Quakers supporters who attended the game were chomping on free peanuts and Cracker Jack provided by the Penn Athletic Department, the newness of the field they were watching caused few problems. For instance, the brand new turf on the infield grass kept ground balls down for the most part -- much to the delight of the infielders on both sides. The excellent condition of the field was due to the work of Penn head groundskeeper Tony Overend and his crew, who arrived at the field at 7:30 yesterday morning to iron out any last wrinkles before the 3 p.m. game. "The guys worked pretty hard, the crew I have," Overend said. "It all came together, it was a good job. And we got the 'W.' That makes it a little bit more sweeter." But rarely does any new turf lack irregularities. This became painfully apparent to the Quakers during the Hawks' five-run fifth inning that gave them a 9-4 lead over the Quakers. A ground ball smashed to Penn third baseman Oliver Hahl took a bad hop on the new infield grass and bounced over his outstretched glove as he was diving to his right. Hahl felt that it was probably the rough new turf that caused the ball to skip into left field, allowing one run to score. "[It] sucked," Hahl said. "I was pissed about it." One thing about which the Quakers weren't upset was the early verdict on the relatively small Murphy Field -- it seems to be a hitter's ballpark. The game's first homerun was a fourth inning monster shot to dead center field off the bat of St. Joe's first baseman Tim Gunn, who had not hit a home run all season. Penn's $2-million launching pad eventually paid dividends, as the first Quakers homerun at Murphy Field -- a three-run shot by Anthony Napolitano -- was a crucial step in their six-run eighth inning comeback. "As you can see, there were balls flying out of here like crazy," Penn right fielder Kevin McCabe said. "We took advantage of the last one. But our pitchers are going to have to keep the ball down." While Murphy Field has the potential to reward hitters, it also has the potential to distract them. Cars buzz along the Schuylkill Expressway, which towers above the outfield. In the late afternoon, while home plate is still in sunlight, the pitcher's mound is shrouded in the shadow cast by the huge water cooling plant that looms over the field on the first base line. "I really didn't think it was that bad. You know, Bower [Field] had the trains and the cars, so it's something that we're used to," McCabe said, referring to the Quakers' previous home. "The sun didn't seem too bad. There were shadows in the middle of the field, but you could see the ball fine coming out of the pitcher's hand." Penn coach Bob Seddon, however, thinks that the expressway beyond the outfield might pose a problem for some players. "A couple of the hitters said that the backdrop is not quite high enough," he said. "When a [pitcher's] arm is up, you see a car behind the arm." The hitters aren't the only ones who might be distracted. Penn shortstop Glen Ambrosius said that the stands and the nets that protect the spectators can make fielding tricky. "There were a few times where the guy flied it back, and I thought it was a fly ball coming out into play. It's really tough on the fly balls," he said. "I actually felt they should have named the field Will Smith Field at Q102 Stadium. We need to get a Penn baseball sign up there or something like that," said McCabe, who faces the sign while playing right field. "I was joking around with the guys, saying, 'If you ever lose focus, look at the smiling Will Smith and you can't be upset.' But obviously, you can't have everything be perfect with the field. "I like Will Smith," he added. Yesterday, Will Smith wasn't the only one who was liked. Everybody praised the success of Murphy Field and of those who put it together. St. Joe's was disappointed when the game was called after the eighth on account of darkness. Murphy Field is still without lights. "What they've done here for us is wonderful," Seddon said. "The operations staff and the athletic staff, what they've done for us here is unbelievable. Everybody worked day and night to get the field ready to go. That's a first class operation."
(03/24/00 10:00am)
Despite anti-drinking ad campaigns and stricter school alcohol policies, binge drinking on college campuses is on the rise according to a recent Harvard University study. The Harvard School of Public Health study of 14,138 students at 119 schools, including Penn, showed that two in five college students binge drink. The study defined binge drinking as the consumption of five or more drinks in one sitting for men and four or more for women. It also showed that students today binge drink more frequently now than in prior years. But the number of students on each extreme of the drinking spectrum seems to be growing -- the study also reported an increase in the percentage of students who do not drink at all. Harvard also tabulated exact numbers for each school studied, but they have not released this data. Penn Alcohol Coordinator Stephanie Ives maintained that according to Penn's own research, the binge drinking rate on campus is lower. But she was optimistic about the Harvard survey, pointing out that the results show that the majority of college students -- 56 percent -- do not binge drink. Ives also questioned the accuracy of the study, asking if a 6'3" man drinking six drinks in six hours --which the Harvard study would classify as binge drinking -- was high risk behavior. "The body can process one drink per hour," Ives said. "[The study] doesn't say if a sitting is 10 minutes or three hours or five hours." And College junior Michael Bassik, a member of the Working Group on Alcohol Abuse and Undergraduate Assembly treasurer, suggested that a student's weight and tolerance should factor into the binge drinking equation. "I know people who can drink five drinks and be fine and I know people who can drink five drinks and be in the hospital," the College junior said. Ives said that before she could determine the accuracy of the study, she would need to know the demographics of the students studied -- their backgrounds, class years and whether they were involved in athletics or the Greek system. Ives was also unsure of how many students were surveyed at each school and questioned whether the researchers surveyed a set number or percentage at each school. And despite the implications of an increase in binge drinking at Penn and major attempts to limit alcohol abuse, Bassik said he was not very worried about the implications of the study. "Changing campus culture is not something that would happen overnight," he said. "Hopefully, four years down the road, we will begin to see a change. Those might be accurate numbers, but we're working hard to change those numbers." And WGAA member and former InterFraternity Council President Mark Metzl said that binge drinking is not only a problem on college campuses. "Alcohol abuse is a societal, not just a college issue," the College senior said.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
It has been nearly eight months since a new policy designed to change the social culture at Penn and prevent alcohol-related tragedies went into effect. And those behind the ambitious plan say that while they believe the University is on the right track, the policy remains a work in progress. The policy was created after the death of 1994 College graduate Michael Tobin following a night of drinking at an annual Phi Gamma Delta reunion. Tobin fell to his death down a flight of stairs behind the FIJI house a year ago this week. After five weeks of discussions, a provost-led task force submitted a 10-page report to University President Judith Rodin, who approved the recommendations in full last summer. Now, administrators and students are looking at ways to better achieve their stated goals, even if it means altering parts of the policy. "We are not wedded to any of these specifics -- we are wedded to the overall goal," said Provost Robert Barchi, emphasizing that the policy still cannot be fully evaluated after just one year. The current policy outlines stricter rules for monitoring parties and the distribution of alcohol at registered undergraduate events. It also proposes a wide range of non-alcoholic social and educational programming. After more than a semester under the new rules, there is a general consensus among administrators and student leaders that the policy has provided more social options and better enforcement of alcohol rules. But there are definitely a few kinks to work out. The BYOB rules outlined in the policy have proved largely ineffective. And certain social options, such as bringing a bowling alley to campus, have not yet come to pass. Administrators stress that the policy is still a work in progress and changes will be made as needed. Barchi -- who last year headed and continues to lead the Working Group on Alcohol Abuse -- said changes to the policy are appropriate because it was designed to be a working, evolving set of regulations and guidelines. "The idea here was to try to change the culture at Penn towards drinking," Barchi said. "The goal was never to create a policy that was going to last forever. We said from the very beginning that this is going to be an incremental process." Over the next year, several components of the policy may be modified, as administrators review some of the alcohol restrictions and work to fulfill more of the social programming goals. First on the list of changes is the current rule that requires alcohol to be brought to registered events on a BYOB basis, which has proven to be ineffective at limiting alcohol at parties. "The BYOB policy is one area that is a good example of an element that was put in place for a good reason but turns out to be relatively impractical to implement," Barchi said. Barchi said the BYOB policy will likely be reviewed in coming months, as well as the practice of using tickets to redeem drinks from bartenders at parties. Alcohol Policy Coordinator Stephanie Ives said the policy's implementation has gone very well in general, with students demonstrating a willingness to comply with the new University regulations. "I think the rest of the policy looks pretty solid," she said. "The increased social options have been very successful." The BYOB situation will most likely be discussed this summer, she said, with a decision in place before the start of the fall semester. A related provision in the alcohol policy requiring that registered parties have trained bartenders may also be revisited in the near future, according to Undergraduate Assembly Chairman Michael Silver, a member of the Alcohol Rapid Response Team, a committee of student leaders which meets periodically to discuss alcohol issues with the provost. Many fraternities have been reluctant to use the bartenders trained by the University because of their high costs, he said, preferring to use other licensed bartenders instead. Incentives are being considered that could be used to encourage increased use of University-trained bartenders, Silver said, noting that these bartenders "were trained according to the rules of the alcohol policy." InterFraternity Council Executive Vice President John Buchanan, a College junior and ARRT member, agreed that it is "easier on the fraternities" to have bartenders familiar with University rules at their parties, but noted that the $25 per hour charged for each University-trained bartender is "a fairly significant expense" when fraternities can have licensed students tend their bars for less money. "Another compromise can be reached where we have trained bartenders behind the bar instead of students," Buchanan said. "I respect the University wanting to have trained people behind the bar." Regulating alcohol consumption at parties, however, wasn't the only recommendation to combat alcohol abuse made by the WGAA in its report last spring. The group recommended that the University arrange for increased non-alcoholic social options for students late at night. Programs organized by college houses and student groups have been a part of the implementation of these recommendations, but the University has also been working to bring businesses to University City that will allow students to have a wider range of late-night entertainment. "When we start talking about entertainment options? we're working on that right now," said Vice President for Business Services Leroy Nunery. The opening of the Perelman Quadrangle this summer will be "a huge plus" in providing more options for students, Nunery said. Surveys have shown that students are interested in having an expansion of the types of entertainment available to them, he added. "People particularly were interested in places where they could play pool [and] bowl," Nunery said. Though he said the University is working on bringing new business to campus, Nunery noted that projects like building a bowling alley require a considerable amount of space, among other expenses. "We had some early discussions about [bowling]," he said, including talks with a leading national producer of bowling alleys. "I think it would be a very attractive option." However, Nunery stressed that Penn must "utilize the assets we already have" by focusing on efforts like those of the Vice Provost for University Life to create more non-alcoholic student programs. "You can't just throw money at it" with new businesses, he said. "You have to make sure that, on a broad scale, [change] happens."
(03/24/00 10:00am)
Penn's total charges will be the third lowest in the Ivy League, behind Yale and Princeton. The University Board of Trustees approved a 3.4 percent increase in total student charges for the academic year yesterday, pushing the cost of a Penn education up to $32,996 from $31,902. The increase is Penn's lowest in more than 30 years. At an Executive Committee Meeting yesterday, the Trustees approved a 3.9 percent increase in undergraduate tuition, raising rates from $24,230 to $25,170. In addition, room and board costs will rise two percent, from $7,672 to $7,826. "We're so committed to try and limit the rate of increase," University President Judith Rodin said. The increase in total charges was 3.7 percent last year and 3.9 percent the year before. Rodin added that the University has done everything possible to "create all the opportunity for the best and brightest [to come to Penn]." Penn's increase is on the low end in the Ivy League, with other undergraduate charge increases ranging from 2.9 percent at Harvard and Yale universities to 4.6 percent at Cornell University. And Penn could almost be called a bargain, at least relatively -- its total charges are the third lowest in the Ivy League. Rates will be slightly lower only at Yale and Princeton University, at $32,880 and $32,681, respectively. Columbia University is the only Ivy that has not yet announced next year's charges. University Budget Director Mike Masch explained that Penn is committed to keeping expenses down and not raising tuition more than necessary. He explained that much of the tuition money goes toward a wide range of academic programming. Initiatives in the Penn Humanities Forum and the Institute for Research in Cognitive Science, coupled with the construction of new buildings on campus, contribute to rising costs, he said. Masch added that Penn's greatest expense is personnel. "We pride ourselves on having a really outstanding faculty," he said. "We want to retain our faculty? so salaries have to be competitive." But the increases are necessary if the University is to "remain at the cutting-edge of creating new knowledge," Masch said. Another top priority for the University is continuing to make a Penn education affordable for all qualified students. According to Rodin, the support of the Trustees will enable the University to maintain its need-blind admissions policy and continue to provide financial assistance to those students who demonstrate need. She said in a statement yesterday that she expects the University's undergraduate, need-based grant budget for the 2000-01 academic year to exceed the $54 million budgeted. Penn has had difficulty competing in recent years with the financial aid offerings of other schools, such as Princeton and Yale, who offer predominantly grant-based aid because they fund financial aid almost entirely from their endowments. But Penn has a much smaller endowment per student ratio than other schools and has been unable to take similar steps. Still, more than 40 percent of undergraduates received grant support from the University last year. "We have had and continue to have one of the most creative, and flexible and extensive financial aid programs of the top research universities in the United States," Masch said. Rodin added that she and the Trustees are committed to the University's campaign to raise $200 million to enhance its endowment for undergraduate financial aid. Over $100 million has already been raised. Penn's per-capita endowment is the lowest in the Ivy League, making it difficult for the University to match financial aid packages offered by other schools.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
And to think, Penn students were just getting used to the peace and quiet. With a Bible in hand and crowds of students listening to his raucous sermon, evangelist Christian preacher Stephen White -- known better to Penn students as "Brother Stephen" -- revisited his old College Green stomping grounds yesterday. During his first visit to Penn of the spring, the flamboyant clergyman shared his views on religion, culture and morality with just about anyone who would listen. White, 36, first made waves here in the fall of 1998, when he began making his eccentric, one-man College Green sermons before large crowds of bewildered students. His remarks drew fire from a wide spectrum of the University community, many of whom were quick to characterize him as racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic. And despite his lengthy exodus from campus, White has not changed his act. Accompanied by wife Laurie and sons Philip, 2, and Wesley, 2 months -- both named after evangelical preachers -- White addressed large crowds all day long, debating with students and sending an occasional chant of "Whoremonger!" or "Fornicator!" out into the crowds of passersby. "I desire to communicate with students again," said White, who runs a campus ministry at Temple University and travels to universities up and down the east coast to preach his beliefs. "I love Penn!" For many students in the crowd assembled just outside of Van Pelt Library, White's preaching was a catalyst for theological debate. For others, it was nothing more than pure amusement. "I think Brother Stephen is definitely one of the more interesting figures we have around here," College sophomore Bill Groh said. "I don't think he makes anyone more likely to convert to Christian evangelism, but he does make people think and he stirs up some controversy, and I think that's good for this campus." "I think this is pure entertainment," College junior Dan Leberman added. "He is a raving lunatic. It's like watching television, like watching Jerry Springer." Despite the angry response his views sometimes elicit from audience members, White says that he will continue to preach at college campuses "in the name of Jesus." "They thought Jesus was a lunatic, and they think that because I want to represent Jesus, I'm a crazy whacko," he said. "But that's OK -- all prophets were considered lunatics." He added that he enjoys preaching at Penn and other Ivy League schools more than at other institutions. "I notice a complete difference at the Ivy League schools from the other schools -- a total difference," he said. "At least [students] here sit there and listen before they get all emotional." But students were not White's only opponents yesterday. Even University Chaplain William Gipson -- who has in the past led student discussions about the controversial preacher -- got into the act. "I actually became quite angry and agitated about a line of questioning directed toward a young woman in the crowd, in which he asked her very personal questions about her sexual activities," Gipson said. "I thought it crossed the line, and I lost control over my own emotions at that point, so I basically challenged some of his interpretations. "Most of his assertions are theologically unsound and sociologically corrupt," he added.
(03/24/00 10:00am)
The University City District has a new initiative to beautify the neighborhood -- and getting rid of "nasty couches" is part of the plan. But clearing out old sofas is just one segment of a three-pronged effort by the UCD to rehabilitate and preserve local houses, apartments and businesses. Trash on the sidewalks, dim lighting, chipped paint and leaking roofs are all coming under attack by the 3-month-old Neighborhood Rehabilitation Initiative. Led by D-L Wormley, who arrived at the UCD in January after managing Penn's community housing programs for nearly two years, the initiative is intended to improve the physical appearance of the neighborhood. "You wouldn't want to invest in a neighborhood that looked terrible," Wormley said. To this end, Wormley said she plans to hold workshops instructing landowners about home improvement, organize area landlords and provide technical assistance for local businesses. By focusing on making University City "clean and safe," the UCD as a whole has already put safety ambassadors on patrol, hired workers to clean the sidewalks and planted new trees along 40th Street. But the Neighborhood Rehabilitation Initiative will take these goals a step further, explained UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke, because the improvements will now be taking place in homes and businesses -- and not just on streets and sidewalks. Steinke explained that the addition of Wormley "gave us the opportunity to affect the private environment." In January and February, Wormley began surveying community members to determine their concerns about the neighborhood in order to determine the focus of the program. The survey revealed that the primary issue on the minds of University City landowners is selecting and working with contractors. In response to the community's concerns, the UCD will host a series of workshops in early May on contracting, roof maintenance and window repair. Business owners also voiced their concerns about what assistance UCD could provide. Many were curious as to how to improve the attractiveness of their storefronts, while others had practical concerns, such as installing more lighting. "A lot of small entrepreneurs need access to technical help," Wormley said. "Our role is to act as a facilitator to help businesses link into this assistance at no cost." UCD will not directly fund these improvements. Instead, Wormley will assist the businesses by finding and targeting foundations that offer grants for such projects. The Wharton Small Business Center will also provide advice regarding technical problems and marketing questions. Additionally, the initiative seeks to unite University City landlords in order to make neighborhood sidewalks trash-free and the houses well-lit, clean and attractive. Landlord Dan Bernstein, president of Sherman Properties, said he believes that part of the initiative will be "wildly successful" because it unifies the efforts the landlords have already been making. "We need to make sure that we continue to make University City a community that attracts people to visit it," Bernstein said. "The efforts of UCD will only help the situation and should provide some structure."
(03/23/00 10:00am)
The Quakers finished with their highest season win total in team history, but they're not satisfied. The Penn women's basketball team finished its season with an 18-10 record, good for the most wins in the history of the program. In that respect, the season was an unqualified success. However, it could have been so much more. "It was in our hands and we let it slip through," sophomore forward Julie Epton said. The "it" to which she referred is the Ivy League Championship, which the Quakers were picked to win in a preseason coaches' poll. The Quakers were on top of the Ancient Eight for much of the season, as they got off to a blistering 6-0 league start. That start came at the end of a stretch over which the Quakers won 11 of 12 games, their only loss during that span coming at the hands of Villanova on January 13. "I definitely think [the season] was successful," senior guard Mandy West said. "We did well, even though we didn't reach our ultimate goal of winning the Ivy League." West had a great deal of individual success this season, as she was unanimously named first team All-Ivy League for the second straight year. She finished the season as the league's second-leading scorer. West was beaten out for the top spot in league scoring by her very own teammate, junior forward Diana Caramanico, who was not only named to the first team, but is also the Ivy League's Player of the Year for the second straight season. Caramanico not only led the Ancient Eight in scoring but most of the country as well. The honorable mention All-American finished second in the nation in scoring with 24.9 points per game, and seventh in the country in rebounding, with 11.9 boards per game. "It's exciting, a great honor," Caramanico said of her All-American status. "There are a lot of good players on that list, and it's an honor to be included." As always, though, Caramanico is more concerned with team success rather than any individual accolades. "That wasn't the way we wanted our last Ivy weekend to go. It's just something we'll have to learn from," Caramanico said. In their final weekend of the season, the Quakers dropped two nail-biters on the road, a 93-82 overtime loss to Brown and an 82-81 loss to Yale that the Quakers let slip away in the final seconds. "Those two losses on the road really hurt," Penn coach Kelly Greenberg said. "I haven't thought about them much because the Princeton game followed, but I'm sure I will, maybe after the Final Four or something." Greenberg, in her first year at the Quakers helm, was generally satisfied with not only her players' success on the court, but also with their development off of it. "What we accomplished this year wasn't erased because of those losses," she said. "After a win or a loss, I'm proud to be in the locker room with those girls. That says a lot about a group that I didn't even know a year ago." Greenberg's long-term goal is to build "a class program," but the immediate goal, of course, is an Ivy championship next season. "We want to be No. 1 in the Ivy League and to improve and win even more than 18 [games]," Caramanico said. "And Mandy leaving is going to affect us, but the experience that [freshmen] Jen [Jones] and Tara [Twomey] gained this year is valuable, because they got so many quality minutes." Jones and Twomey got very significant minutes as the top two members of the highly touted freshman class. Each of them averaged about 20 minutes per game. "[Tara] gained a lot of experience, starting and getting a chance to play at all stages of the game," Caramanico said. "She's definitely a true point guard." While Twomey usually got her minutes off the bench, Jones started every single game of her freshman campaign. "It was harder than I thought, because the mental aspect of the game is so much more important than it is in high school," Jones said. "I'm really glad that I had the great opportunity to start as a freshman. "I think we'll come back next year and have a better season." West believes that, with the present coaching staff, the sky's the limit for her soon-to-be alma mater. "I think coach Greenberg and her staff will certainly improve the program," West said. "They're awesome recruiters and great people to play for."
(03/23/00 10:00am)
The Quakers finished with their highest season win total in team history, but they're not satisfied. The Penn women's basketball team finished its season with an 18-10 record, good for the most wins in the history of the program. In that respect, the season was an unqualified success. However, it could have been so much more. "It was in our hands and we let it slip through," sophomore forward Julie Epton said. The "it" to which she referred is the Ivy League Championship, which the Quakers were picked to win in a preseason coaches' poll. The Quakers were on top of the Ancient Eight for much of the season, as they got off to a blistering 6-0 league start. That start came at the end of a stretch over which the Quakers won 11 of 12 games, their only loss during that span coming at the hands of Villanova on January 13. "I definitely think [the season] was successful," senior guard Mandy West said. "We did well, even though we didn't reach our ultimate goal of winning the Ivy League." West had a great deal of individual success this season, as she was unanimously named first team All-Ivy League for the second straight year. She finished the season as the league's second-leading scorer. West was beaten out for the top spot in league scoring by her very own teammate, junior forward Diana Caramanico, who was not only named to the first team, but is also the Ivy League's Player of the Year for the second straight season. Caramanico not only led the Ancient Eight in scoring but most of the country as well. The honorable mention All-American finished second in the nation in scoring with 24.9 points per game, and seventh in the country in rebounding, with 11.9 boards per game. "It's exciting, a great honor," Caramanico said of her All-American status. "There are a lot of good players on that list, and it's an honor to be included." As always, though, Caramanico is more concerned with team success rather than any individual accolades. "That wasn't the way we wanted our last Ivy weekend to go. It's just something we'll have to learn from," Caramanico said. In their final weekend of the season, the Quakers dropped two nail-biters on the road, a 93-82 overtime loss to Brown and an 82-81 loss to Yale that the Quakers let slip away in the final seconds. "Those two losses on the road really hurt," Penn coach Kelly Greenberg said. "I haven't thought about them much because the Princeton game followed, but I'm sure I will, maybe after the Final Four or something." Greenberg, in her first year at the Quakers helm, was generally satisfied with not only her players' success on the court, but also with their development off of it. "What we accomplished this year wasn't erased because of those losses," she said. "After a win or a loss, I'm proud to be in the locker room with those girls. That says a lot about a group that I didn't even know a year ago." Greenberg's long-term goal is to build "a class program," but the immediate goal, of course, is an Ivy championship next season. "We want to be No. 1 in the Ivy League and to improve and win even more than 18 [games]," Caramanico said. "And Mandy leaving is going to affect us, but the experience that [freshmen] Jen [Jones] and Tara [Twomey] gained this year is valuable, because they got so many quality minutes." Jones and Twomey got very significant minutes as the top two members of the highly touted freshman class. Each of them averaged about 20 minutes per game. "[Tara] gained a lot of experience, starting and getting a chance to play at all stages of the game," Caramanico said. "She's definitely a true point guard." While Twomey usually got her minutes off the bench, Jones started every single game of her freshman campaign. "It was harder than I thought, because the mental aspect of the game is so much more important than it is in high school," Jones said. "I'm really glad that I had the great opportunity to start as a freshman. "I think we'll come back next year and have a better season." West believes that, with the present coaching staff, the sky's the limit for her soon-to-be alma mater. "I think coach Greenberg and her staff will certainly improve the program," West said. "They're awesome recruiters and great people to play for."
(03/23/00 10:00am)
The Penn baseball team will host St. Joe's at Murphy Field today. Despite the familiar drone of cars emanating from the Schuylkill Expressway, the Penn baseball team will feel strangely like a visitor in its own backyard today when it hosts St. Joseph's in the Quakers' home opener. Instead of returning to the friendly confines of Bower Field to kick off the home season, where they have hosted teams for the past 20 years, the Red and Blue (5-5) will christen the newly built stadium at Murphy Field at 3:00 p.m. when they take on the Hawks (5-14). Because they haven't even had a chance to practice in the multi-million-dollar facility before this afternoon's opening pitch, the Quakers are just as unsure about the quirks of their own field as they are about the parks they encounter on the road. "I have no idea how this field's going to be," Penn outfielder and leadoff hitter Kevin McCabe said. "Sometimes you know what the infield's going to be like -- if it's going to be slow, if it's going to be a good field to bunt on or something like that. This will almost be like an away game for us." After spending the entire spring break in central Florida, where Penn split its 10 games while feeling out its new roster, the team is relieved to be back home to play. The Quakers, however, know that they will have to adjust their style of play to compensate for the slower infields found here in the damp Northeast, as opposed to the dry, fast fields they played on in the Sunshine State. "The difference in the way the ball comes up is a totally different game," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. "In Florida? every ball that went through the infield was like a rocket. It won't be that way here. It's a whole different game, and our infielders will have to be aware of that." One of the major changes Penn's fielders will have to make today is in their movement toward ground balls hit into the slow infield grass. "[We] have to be aggressive in getting to the ball," McCabe said. "In Florida, a lot of times you can afford to sit back a little bit because the ball is a lot of times coming so fast. On this field, you've got to be a little more aggressive in coming to the ball and just staying in front of it." The Quakers pitchers, including probable starter Greg Lee, will also have to come out aggressively against the solid St. Joe's batting order. The Hawks have managed to uphold a team batting average of .286 while facing several top NCAA contenders -- including Florida State and Stetson -- in the preseason, and will surely try to rattle the Quakers' younger pitching staff while at the plate this afternoon. But Penn won't need to worry if Lee, a sophomore transfer from William and Mary who is slated to throw the first pitch in the Quakers' new park while Penn ace Mike Mattern battles the flu, continues to pitch like he did in Florida. In his first collegiate start against Northern Illinois in Daytona midway through the spring break trip, Lee struck out 12 batters in an eight-inning night that helped give the Quakers an 8-4 win. Lee's dominant showing in that game, as well as daily in practice, has made many of his teammates confident in the new addition to the Penn rotation. "You just can't give guys free passes -- you've got to make them hit the ball," McCabe said. "[Lee] goes right after hitters, and that's what you need to do. I think he'll have a real good outing [today]." Of course, the Quakers will also have to contribute offensively if they hope to beat the Hawks -- but lately, that hasn't been a problem for the Red and Blue. Penn has an impressive .324 batting average on the season and has sent seven balls over the fence in 10 games. "It'll take a pretty good pitcher to stop our bats," Seddon said. "We will hit the ball. All the way down the lineup we can hit." And the Quakers are anxious to finally get out and hit on their new field after spending the last couple of practice days under shelter due to rain. "Everybody's kind of itching to get back outside," McCabe said. "When you play 10 straight days in Florida and you have to come back inside, it sucks. I mean, it's not baseball."
(03/23/00 10:00am)
One might think that nearly every successful adult poet has formally studied literature at one time or another. But meet Thalia Field, a poet who, in college, opted to study architecture and biology instead of Wordsworth and Keats. Field spoke to an intimate crowd of about 15 area college students and Philadelphia residents at the Kelly Writers House last night and read poems from her recently published collection, Point and Line. In addition, her reading was broadcast live over the Internet as part of a recent Writers House initiative to expand access of its events to anyone with a computer. An experimental poet who combines both poetry and theater in her work, Field cited her influences as architecture and visual art. As a result, she has developed into a poet who is as interested in style as she is in content. "Reading is something more than a given. It is an exciting time for the media of the book," Field told the audience. She read three selections: "Coming of Age," "Setting the Table" and "Binge of the Envelope Bag" -- all poems that place words on disparate parts of the page and utilize provocative -- and seemingly disconnected -- wordplay. "Members of the Writers House have always admired her work. Ever since we met her at the Bard [College] Conference On Poetry and Pedagogy last summer, we have viewed her work as really brilliant for writing in a style that is characterized by combining poetry, theater and fiction all together," said Kerry Sherin, the director of the Writers House. "Field's work is special in that she is interested in what lies outside normal perception, which makes her writing a new form of writing all together," Sherin added. Field is currently a faculty member at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colo., and an associate at Bard College's Institute for Writing and Thinking. She has written an opera, The Pompeii Exhibit, and previously worked as senior editor of Conjunctions magazine. Still, even though Field is part of a canon of poetry dedicated to playing with words and manipulating their meaning, she pointed out that she is still conscious of providing form in her poetry. "Another aspect that I focused on in addition to structure was indeterminacy," Field said. "I try to make my work both structured and indetermined, which is very different from improvisation." Pia Deas, a Temple University graduate student studying writing, described Field's work as "provocative, insightful and innovative." What impressed Deas the most, she said, was "the sophistication of her work, even though she does not have a literature background." And Diana Goodman, a senior at nearby Bryn Mawr College, said that though she found Field's work "interesting," she thought the "drama did not come out in reading since the word layout and structure is more effective on paper."
