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(12/14/00 10:00am)
While the common Penn student recuperates in bed from a sleep-deprived exam week this winter break, 37 men will shed their covers of protection and go to battle.
On December 29, January 7 and January 12, the Quakers men's wrestling team will look to continue its assault on its opponents.
This time frame may constitute a vacation to some, but not to the Penn wrestlers, who will be grappling with arguably the most competitive portion of this year's schedule, prior to the NCAAs.
The first destination for the Red and Blue wrestling train is Evanston, Ill., and the Northwestern campus. Here, Penn will attempt to derail strong opposition in The Midlands Open.
"The Midlands is annually one of, if not the best collegiate tournament leading up to the NCAAs, and is a true test of where we stand nationally," Penn coach Roger Reina said.
Reina will be looking at this tournament as a test of the Red and Blue's current abilities, in preparation for the grand-daddy of them al -- the NCAAs.
"It takes place with two months remaining in the season, so that improvements can still be made after the Midlands and before the NCAAs," Reina said.
Last season, the Quakers placed fourth out of the 56 teams in the Midlands field, a field that includes the elite teams of the Big Ten.
The reigning Ivy League champions will return home to the Palestra on January 7, when they will attempt to avenge last season's 18-17 loss at Michigan.
Penn's match with the Wolverines is part of a home-and-home agreement, as the Quakers traveled to Ann Arbor last January.
"Michigan is a highlight of our home dual meet season," Reina said.
Finally, the Red and Blue will travel to Hampton, Va., on January 16 to take part in the 16-team Virginia Duals.
"The Virginia Duals is a national caliber event -- very prestigious," Reina said.
The notable teams the Quakers will be wrestling against in the Hampton Coliseum are Cornell, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Rider, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Reina is looking to finalize his dual meet team prior to the Virginia Duals, noting the ranking implications the tournament holds.
"We expect to have our dual-meet lineup solidified by then and look forward to gaining on our national ranking at this event," Reina noted.
So when your head aches from lack of sleep or your stomach feels queasy from egg-nog, just remember, some of your classmates will be attacking the premier wrestlers in the country, bleeding red and blue.
(12/01/00 10:00am)
When the Penn wrestling team boards a bus en route to Happy Valley and Penn State this weekend, the Red and Blue will be in search of not only a tournament victory but also team development.
The Penn State Open will include a medley of teams, most of which hail from the East. At 9 a.m., the the grappling will begin, as the Quakers square off against the likes of Navy, Rider, Seton Hall, and the host Nittany Lions.
Yet, as this is an open event, Penn coach Roger Reina noted that currently unknown competition could appear.
"It will be an open event, an event that will have a very wide range of teams being represented," Reina said.
Within a field that should prove to be of large proportions, the Quakers will be targeting Navy and Penn State.
Navy, a fellow EIWA conference member, is ranked eighth in the conference. Penn holds the third position.
Navy cannot be overlooked, however, since the Midshipmen pose a threat within the competitive EIWA.
"Facing Navy will be important, in terms of our conference," Reina said. "It will have bearings on the individual rankings within the conference, which will impact the seedings for the Eastern Championships."
Penn State, will also be a marked team for the Red and Blue this Sunday.
Ranked 25th nationally and fifth in the Atlantic Regional Division I Preseason Rankings, the Nittany Lions are projected to have a talented team this winter. Penn ranked fourth in the Atlantic preseason poll, and 15th nationally.
This will be the first of two meetings between the Quakers and Lions.
"We'll have a good chance to take a look at them [Penn State], and we'll have a dual meet with them in January," Reina said.
Penn State is coming off of a fourth-place finish in it's last showing, at the Mat-Town Classic.
Rider and Seton Hall, teams that the Red and Blue bested in the Keystone Classic two weekends ago, will also be making appearances.
Both teams failed to upend Penn, finishing second and fourth respectively to the Quakers, the tournament victor.
Regardless of the other competition that appears at Penn State's Recreational Hall on Sunday morning, Coach Reina is looking forward to a strong showing by the Quakers.
"We've competed very well at this tournament every time that we've gone," Reina said.
Reina, who has constructed arguably the best wrestling program in the state, intends to use this weekend's result as an evaluation of the team's progress thus far.
"We use this tournament as an opportunity to get a high number of matches in and evaluate our technical progress," Reina said.
Individually, Penn wrestlers will be aiming to utilize this tournament to help elevate their rankings.
Yoshi Nakamura is currently ranked eight in the 157-pound weight division by Amateur Wrestling News, second in the EIWA and fifth by Intermat.
The Outstanding Wrestler of the Keystone Classic will be looking to sustain or possibly even elevate his current rankings by wrestling well at Penn State this weekend.
Also, Jody Giuricich and Mike Fickell, both ranked number two by the EIWA, will be attempting to dominate the field in their respective 175-pound and 191-pound weight classes.
Most importantly, the Red and Blue wrestling team will return to the Penn Campus as a more experienced and technically inclined team.
"Our focus is on our own technical development, not the teams that will be there," said Reina.
News and Notes
The last time Penn faced Penn State, the Quakers defeated the Nittany Lions, 22-16, last December at the Palestra. At the 1998 Penn State Open, the Red and Blue performed well. Rick Springman, who is sitting out this season, won the 165-pound title at the tournament.
(11/22/00 10:00am)
When the last fall occurs on an Ivy League mat this winter, the Ivy standings should resemble those of the last half decade. According to this historical trend, Penn and Cornell will be atop the Ivy League standings, Harvard and Brown will occupy the middle of the pack and Columbia and Princeton will inhabit the basement. Dartmouth and Yale do not have wrestling teams.
Penn
Penn will be looking to win its sixth title since 1994, and its fifth straight. With a recruiting class ranked fourth in the nation by the Amateur Wrestling News, and the leadership of senior captains Mike Fickell and Yoshi Nakamura, the Penn team is poised to be the juggernaut of the Ivy League.
But coach Roger Reina, who holds 165 coaching victories at Penn to date, is cautiously optimistic.
"In my experience as a head coach of 15 years, every year is different," Reina said. "Each year does not roll into the other."
Cornell
Cornell will be Penn's greatest challenge within the Ivy League. With their 1995 Ivy League title, the Big Red are the only squad to have interrupted Penn's string of dominance in recent years.
Further, in a preview of its strength this year, the Big Red won the Cornell Invitational on November 18.
"Over the course of the last 15 years, Cornell and Penn have been the dominant programs within the Ivy League. There is a likelihood that could happen again," Reina said.
But this year's Cornell team is a youthful one, as freshmen and sophomores are projected to comprise more than half of the 10 weight class positions.
"Cornell has traditionally had good recruiting, but they have been hard-pressed to produce an All-American at the NCAA level," Reina said. "But they have been pretty consistent with the strength of the entries in all the weight categories."
Harvard
Harvard should put forth a decent team this winter. In fact, the Crimson hold a pre-season EIWA ranking of No. 4, one spot behind the Red and Blue.
"Harvard is a team that is emerging but hasn't yet been able to put forward a full lineup with strength in every weight class" Reina said.
Brown
Brown looks to pose little threat to the big guns in the Ivy League this winter. Last weekend, Brown finished finished fifth in the Keystone Classic, a tournament the Quakers won.
"We saw that Brown had some strong people, but I didn't see anyone that dominant," Reina said.
Princeton
This winter, Princeton will be looking to avenge its winless season against Ivy League teams last year. Despite last winter's 0-5 record and running a program short of funding due to Title IX, the Tigers rank third among Ivy League teams, according to the EIWA preseason rankings.
"Princeton has been a program that was nearly discontinued, largely because of unintended consequences of Title IX, but they have rallied and gotten increased alumni support," Reina said. "There is good enthusiasm there."
Columbia
Rounding out the six Ivy League teams involved in wrestling competition is Columbia.
The oldest wrestling program in the country will be led this year by a new a head coach, Brandan Buckley.
"They have some good recruits, but transition phases are always difficult," Reina said.
Despite the Lions' long tradition and a new coach, it is indeed expected to be a difficult year in Morningside Heights.
(11/01/00 10:00am)
Playing under harsh weather conditions, the Penn men's golf team battled to a fifth-place finish at the Georgetown Invitational this past weekend.
The 16-team tournament was held not in D.C., but rather in Leesburg, Va., at the Lansdowne Resort.
Penn fired scores of 312 and 314 on days one and two, respectively. The team score of 626 was respectable, considering the strong wind blowing through the Virginia course on both days of competition.
Peyton Wallace, who finished tied for third on the team, attributed the wind to making the same golf course that the Quakers conquered last year much more of a challenge. In addition, the greens were dry, creating difficulty in sticking approach shots on the green.
"The wind was really swirly and gusty, so it was unpredictable," Wallace said.
"The greens were very firm," he added.
Penn sophomore Chad Perman fared best among the Quakers. The 2000 All-Ivy selection as a freshman finished in 10th place overall with a two-day score of 153.
"I think being patient and just trying to make par allowed me to finish 10th in the difficult, windy conditions. Becoming frustrated in difficult conditions only makes things worse," Perman said.
The Red and Blue's fifth-place finish was not the result that the team hoped for in its final fall tournament. Penn had finished in second place in its two tournaments prior to the Georgetown Invitational.
"The team did not play particularly well, but we can only compare ourselves to the field," Perman said.
However, finishing ahead of rival Princeton enabled the Quakers to leave D.C. with a great deal of pride. The Quakers edged out the Tigers by two strokes.
"Beating Princeton was nice psychologically, as well as rankings-wise. We helped ourselves by beating a lot of teams in our district," Perman said.
In the four tournaments that both the Quakers and Tigers have played in this year, Penn has placed higher twice.
"They had beaten us twice, and that [tournament] evened our record against them. We're always happy to beat Princeton," Wallace said.
Penn State and Seton Hall prevailed in the 16-squad invitational. The tournament co-champions shot team scores of 606.
(11/01/00 10:00am)
Kyle Moran embodies just about everything you would expect to find in an exceptional captain.
The Penn men's golf standout has been a first team All-Ivy selection not once, but twice. He was a component of the Quakers team that won the Ivy League title in 1998. He placed first in a 16-team tournament two weekends ago.
However, he doesn't only garner accolades on the golf course. The Wharton senior also holds a prestigious title -- Academic All-American. That's a first for Penn men's golf.
And admiring coach Francis Vaughn holds great respect for Moran both as a person and as a golfer.
"Kyle has led by example both on and off the golf course. He works very diligently... and he's developed into a great player," Vaughn said. "He plays very much within himself, and strategically he plays a great game around the course."
Moran holds equal respect for Vaughn, who has molded him into the leaderboard threat that he is today.
"We have a terrific coach, who is both a leader, teacher and also a very good friend for us," he said.
Moran's ultimate goal is not an individual one, but instead he hopes for the entire Penn team to sit atop the leaderboard when the final group walks off the 18th green at this year's Ivy Championship.
"Our season is defined by our performance in the Ivy League Championship, even though it is only a one-tenth of the rounds we play," Moran said.
With respect to his individual performance, Moran aims at playing to his potential in every tournament round.
"My individual goal for each tournament is to go out and put up the best two or three rounds that I can," he said. "I just try to take it week by week and know that if I am giving my all... it's a matter of if the breaks go our way most of the time."
These breaks have not quite gone Penn's way this fall. The team has consistently turned in excellent scorecards -- placing second in its last two tournaments -- but its combined scores have yet to secure a win.
"I think we've played real well," Moran said. "We've had a few near-misses lately, where you can't criticize anything in particular.... We're just not breaking through. I think we're really close to playing terrific golf."
Moran attributes this fall's successes to the equality of talent on the Penn team.
"We're lucky to have a team this year where seven people are on an equal footing come each weekend. We have the potential to beat every team that we meet. I certainly feel good about the team going into the spring season," Moran said.
Moran intends to exchange his golf bag for a briefcase following this spring, as he plans to drive into the world of investment banking.
"It won't allow me to play as much golf as Penn has, for sure," he joked.
(10/24/00 9:00am)
With only two tournaments remaining on this fall's schedule, the Penn men's golf team traveled to Upstate New York this past weekend in search of a performance they would remember well into the spring.
This memorable outing came in the form of two solid team rounds of 306 and 307 at the Binghamton Invitational. Those scores handed Penn second place on the leaderboard out of sixteen teams, marking the Red and Blue's second consecutive bridesmaid finish.
The two consistent showings last weekend provided a change from Penn's previous weekends this autumn. One stellar round coupled with one average round had been the Quakers' norm during prior tournaments this year.
In accordance with the team's exceptional performance, a myriad of individual bests emerged. On a narrow SUNY-Binghamton course, senior Kyle Moran, junior Mike Russell and sophomore Chad Perman all turned in impressive scorecards.
Moran, of Bonita Springs, Florida, left New York with the title of Binghamton Invitational individual co-champion, as he tied for first place. Moran shot two sensational rounds totalling 149, capped off by a clutch round two score of one-over 73. That round catapulted Moran from fifth to first.
After finishing 18 holes on Sunday, Moran was deadlocked with a SUNY-Binghamton golfer for the tournament's lead. A playoff ensued as darkness fell on the course. Eventually, it got so dark that Moran felt he couldn't continue.
"It got to a point where [the playoff] was unresolvable," Moran said. "We literally could not see the shots. The Binghamton coach wanted to settle it out on the course. It was pitch dark. The tournament director had a vested interest in his own team. At that point, it became ridiculous."
Russell carried the team during round one, where he shot a field-leading score of 74. Russell attributed his low round to his green work.
"I putted very well," Russell said.
Sophomore Perman followed his team-leading round two score of even par at the Lehigh Invitational two weekends ago with a fifth-place finish. Perman shot a score of 152 on a challenging Binhamton course.
Although the team arguably played its best golf this season, it still has a yen for victory. Penn finished a mere two strokes out of first place, falling to the course's home team, SUNY Binghamton.
"We have finished second in five of our last seven tournaments going back to last spring. It's been a long stretch. We're definitely itching to go over the hump and win a tournament," Moran said.
The Quakers will attempt to satiate this desire for a team victory in their final tournament this fall at the Georgetown Invitational this upcoming weekend.
(10/18/00 9:00am)
As the scorecards were turned in at the end of round one, the Leigh Invitational seemed to be the Penn men's golf team's first disappointing showing of the year. A team score of 306 at the end of day one resulted in a sixth-place standing on the leaderboard. It was an unfamiliar position for this year's Quakers.
The Quakers were victorious in the exact same tournament last year. There's no doubt that sliding into sixth place was disappointing initially.
"It was a rough day the first day out," said Penn freshman Adam Squires, who shot a team-best 73 on the day.
However, a tenacious Red and Blue appeared during round two.
Led by sophomore Chad Perman's blistering score of even-par 72 on day two, Penn shot four places up the leaderboard into second place. In fact, the team combined for the best score of the day -- 297.
"In the first round, I played a little sloppy. I was a little more comfortable with the course in the second round. I think everyone hadn't played a tournament in a while and didn't know what to expect," Perman said. "I hit a lot of greens, which gave me a shot at a lot of realistic birdie chances, and helped my score out."
Penn coach Francis Vaughn, who has witnessed strong consistent play thus far this fall, was not ecstatic over his team's performance, despite the dramatic turnaround.
"The team believed they could win the golf tournament," Vaughn said. "It was not our best round of the year. We shot a 289 at Navy."
Mike Russell played the best 36 holes on the team, tallying scores of 75 and 73. Following Russell by a single stroke was the lone freshman on the Red and Blue, Squires, a native of Coral Springs, Fla. Squires posted robust rounds of 73 and 76 in his first tournament of the year and of his Penn golf career.
"I kept the ball in play, made some birdies and played an all around good game. I played two decent rounds," Squires said.
The newcomer's strong performance left an impression on the coach.
"Adam Squires played really well for his first tournament. He finished 11th individually, which I thought was great," Vaughn said.
The Quakers' second-place finish was bittersweet, nevertheless, as they were edged out by Princeton. The Red and Blue's archrival captured the tournament by seven strokes.
"It was disappointing to us, but they just played better than us this tournament," Perman said.
The Red and Blue have placed sixth, fifth and second in its last three tournaments, respectively. Penn looks to bring home its first championship of the year at the Binghamton Invitational, October 21-22.
(09/20/00 9:00am)
A round of 34-over-par would fail to please your average duffer.
But for the Penn men's golf team, a two-day total of 34-over at the James Madison Invitational feels like a 30-foot birdie putt that falls right into the cup.
Behind strong outings from senior Kyle Moran and sophomore Chad Perman, the Quakers captured a fifth-place finish last weekend in Harrisonburg, Va. The two-day tournament's field consisted of 17 teams from all around the East, including Princeton.
On Friday, Penn found itself comfortably in third place, but fell to fifth after Saturday's round. Penn recorded team scores of 298 and 304, respectively.
This was a significant improvement from Penn's ninth-place performance in the same tournament last year. Penn coach Francis Vaughn, who has helped to develop the Quakers into a perennial Ivy League championship contender, felt that his team met his expectations.
"I was not surprised [at] our fifth-place finish," Vaughn said. "The team played well last week and had a good week of practice."
That week of practice followed up a sixth-place performance for the Red and Blue at the Navy Invitational.
Looking ahead to Penn's next tournament, which is nearly a month away, Vaughn hopes to focus on team members' short games during practices.
"This is one area where everyone on the team could improve," Vaughn said.
The Quakers will try to keep their momentum rolling and their putts sinking at the Lehigh Invitational on October 13-15.
At James Madison, 1999 All-Ivy selection Moran placed 11th out of the 90 players competing in the field. Moran shot a two-day total of 147, five-over-par. Teammate Chad Perman followed with a total of 149, landing him in the 17th-place position.
"Endel Liias and Mike Russell also played well this past weekend," Vaughn said.
Liias and Russell rounded out the Penn scoring. Liias tallied a score of 151, while Russell shot a total score of 155.
St John's won the tournament with a team score of 16-over.
Princeton finished in 13th place, marking the second week in a row that the Tigers have been bested by the Red and Blue.
(09/27/99 9:00am)
To the Editor: So which is it? Are Diorka, et al., endangering our health and safety or are they merely extorting our money with these underhanded, annoyingly pathetic tactics? Marcel Benjamin College/Wharton '01 Bike safety concerns To the Editor: It is difficult to see how the University could prevent an unsanctioned bike race from occurring on Locust Walk ("Parent sues U. for injuries from collision," DP, 9/16/99). But the University is knowingly setting the stage for tragedy through their lack of planning for bicyclists and bicycle traffic. Aside from the occasional crackdowns on Locust Walk peddlers and a handful of substandard bike racks, bike riders are virtually ignored. Bike racks are placed in secluded spots and bikes are banned from buildings even at night, helping keep bike thieves busy on campus. More importantly, the University has made no constructive provisions for safe cycling. Walnut and Chestnut streets have no bike lanes and are for skilled riders only. The Walnut Street bridge is frightening even to skilled cyclists. Spruce Street is marginal eastbound and hazardous westbound. The University has no bicycle coordinator or bicycle resources office and offers no real instruction of any kind in bike safety or security. Small wonder that many Penn students wind up riding on the sidewalks, even in Center City, where bike lanes are common. Since the sidewalk ends at each intersection (where most car-bike accidents happen), this practice only makes bike riding slower -- not safer. Near-misses between student cyclists and cars and between pedestrians and other riders are a daily occurrence around the campus. In fact, unskilled cyclists probably spark more complaints than the 50 or so skilled bike messengers working Philadelphia's streets. Before another pedestrian or cyclist is hurt or killed, the University could take some simple steps: · Create a "bicycle orientation" for new and returning students, which would offer street smarts to new city riders. · Offer a fall "Welcome Back" bike ride to promote safe cycling, spotlight biking as a responsible form of transit and help show students the city beyond the campus. · Make a westbound bikeway on Sansom Street from 34th to 42nd streets and beyond by cutting a bike-sized lane through the concrete divider at 38th Street and adding a "push-for-green" traffic signal. · Stripe bike lanes on Spruce Street eastbound from 43rd Street and add rubber matting to make the trolley switches at 40th and 42nd streets less dangerous to cyclists. · Train campus shuttle and LUCY drivers to respect the rights of cyclists on the road. Michael McGettigan President Trophy Bikes Taking offense To the Editors: As a loyal Villanova student and fan, it is always a pleasure to attend sporting events. College athletics epitomize healthy competition, hard work and school spirit. I usually have a great time whether at a home or away game. This past Saturday, I was met with the most offensive and tasteless display of "school spirit" I have ever seen. They insulted our intelligence, put down our standing as a university and directly offended certain members of our student body. They displayed all that college competition is against and destroyed all respect I had for their talent as performers. What I was even more disappointed with is the fact that the University of Pennsylvania's administration, music director and students allow this kind of poor sportsmanship and downright indecency. I would think a well-established and well-respected university would have a lot more class than was shown during halftime Saturday night. Were I a member of the Penn student body, faculty or administration, I would be ashamed and embarrassed of their display. While we at Villanova have nationally recognized academic and athletics program, talented student-athletes, supportive and caring fans, wonderful students, faculty and alumni we also have dignity, pride, respect and class -- standards I'm sure the Penn Band wouldn't understand but hope they can learn. Alexis Venutolo-Mantovani Villanova '01
(01/25/99 10:00am)
The initial question one has to ask is "Why do it?" Why subject yourself and willingly become a student leader at Penn? The answer is hardly obvious. For the last year, I've devoted between 30 and 40 hours per week to extracurricular activities. I spent more time in administrator's offices than I did in the classroom, lobbying for undergraduate education, ironically enough. Would I do it again? Was it worth it? I suppose, as I approach graduation, it is only natural to pose such questions. The year has not been without sacrifice and I do not mean the obvious sacrifices of being unable to accompany my friends to dinner on Saturday night. I made academic sacrifices as well. I spent late nights at the library furiously trying to catch up with work because my week was consumed with an endless succession of meetings and activities. The SCUE chair is often the sole undergraduate representative to committees composed of administrators with vast institutional knowledge. I -- drawing only on my transient existence as a student -- fought countless battles armed with only a fragile sense of legitimacy. Some committee decisions affected only a few students, but others were ideological and struck at the very core of the undergraduate experience. I know, first hand, what it is to feel, "the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat." I also learned to "fight the good fight." I was governed by what I believed was right and what was in the best interest of students, even when the consequences of opposing the deities of the University seemed a daunting proposition. Only time will tell whether decisions I helped to make will be enduring and meaningful. Regardless of any long-term implications, I feel extremely grateful to have had support from various members of the University community. I was fortunate to have a talented group of individuals, the members of SCUE, who provided me with their support during my tenure. Their tireless efforts in transforming undergraduate education have led to projects like the preceptorial program, the Speaking Across the University initiative and the Dinner with the Deans. I also appreciated working with a cadre of accomplished student leaders. Their activism and dedication inspired and motivated me, particularly when my own commitment wavered. Many of these individuals have become my closest friends and I look forward to sharing in their lives as they strike out into the world that awaits them. Finally, I worked with many thoughtful and dedicated administrators and faculty. Whenever I became frustrated or disillusioned, they reminded me that Penn is a special and an important place. In my role as SCUE chairperson, I realized that my work hinged on the contributions of more people than I ever imagined when I first assumed my responsibilities. I feel very lucky that I was elected to this position. The experience was far richer than I could have anticipated when I submitted my name as a candidate. So, for those of you who are considering a position of leadership in the University, do not lose your sense of purpose and commitment. Holding steadfast to what you believe will ultimately earn the respect of others. I hope that all students will become involved and active in this community, whether it be through student government, a fraternity or a performing arts group. Not only is it a rewarding endeavor, but our collective efforts coalesce, albeit briefly, to create a University that is a reflection of ourselves.
(09/22/98 9:00am)
All sinners will burn in Hell. They will swim for ever in molten lava, fiery brimstone and sulfurous gases. Who counts as a sinner? Who can expect this fate of eternal damnation? According to the self-proclaimed messenger of God, Brother Steven, who has been attracting huge crowds this month on Locust Walk with his fervent preaching, just about every student in the University qualifies as a sinner. Those engaged in "sinful" behavior include everyone who listens to rock 'n roll music, thinks of their own needs before those of others, smokes, drinks, participates in premarital sex, uses obscenity or wears provocative clothing. Not to mention Chinese students, anyone of the so-called heathen Buddhist or Hindu faiths, gays and lesbians. The list goes on and on. What is particularly fascinating about Brother Steven is not that he holds extreme fundamentalist views, or that he finds it his duty as a messenger of the Lord to espouse his beliefs on a college campus, or even that he's willing to subject himself to the mockery and derision of countless students for hours on end, as passersby swarm around him, drawn by the inherent comedy in his earnest ravings about religion. No, what is intriguing about Brother Steven is the amount and the type of attention he is accruing with his act. At an urban university where homeless people, crime and the occasional disturbed individual are looked upon as sad, but rather commonplace occurrences, Brother Steven has managed to capture the time and attention of busy students. These students are normally too jaded to pay such ranters much mind as they hurry down the walk to their next class. But the lure of Brother Steven proves magnetic and infectious as more and more people join in the chorus of hecklers who goad him on from the sidelines. "Am I a sinner?" one guy asks. "How about Madonna?" quips another." And what about Bill Clinton?" Steven answers that the campus and the nation are filled with "whores and whore mongers," to which the crowd responds with jeers, laughter and cries of "All right!" and "Sounds good to me!" Why have so many students, myself included, with plenty more pressing matters to attend to, dropped their backpacks and black bags by the curb and listened to the preachings of Brother Steven? And they don't just listen and move on. Rather, they often become so absorbed by the spectacle that they have to dash away, sheepishly grinning and shaking their heads, whenb they realize that they're already late for class. His hair is combed and greased back so that not even a rough wind disturbs it. This in itself is somewhat peculiar, but alone probably wouldn't be enough to spark such interest. One advantage of attending a large university such as Penn is the chance to test your own ideals against those of others. We try to find what it is we approve of, what defines our political and social beliefs, our value systems, our morals. Often times, however, we have no way of defining what we do approve of until we see something that we don't approve of first. Brother Steven has this in spades. If there's anything most of us could agree on, it's that we don't like being told what to do or how to run our lives. By trying to tell us just that, good old Steven has tapped into a common college student enjoyment: The love of mouthing off to someone who's trying to give us direction. Furthermore, Brother Steven provides the opportunity for humor, and perhaps most importantly, exhibitionism. It seems to me that he isn't the only one who likes to rant on Locust Walk to get his ideas heard. Lots of us feel the desire to express our views and to have others applaud our wit. Brother Steven provides the perfect excuse with his showing off for us to do the same. And while letting him get what he wants -- namely, our attention, -- can't be ther right thing to do, I have to admit, it's a lot of fun.
(04/07/98 9:00am)
Think to yourself what would happen if you were suddenly evicted from your room, house or apartment. With exams on the horizon and in the midst of searching for a summer or permanent job, you must pack up your belongings and move to a new residence. As many of you read today, Phi Sigma Kappa's Mu chapter lost its fraternity status yesterday and was subsequently forced out of its house on Locust Walk. I'm not here to contest our national alumni's decision to revoke our charter, although I do not agree that such a decision should have been made without representation by one of our chapter members. I understand that we violated our Risk Management policies, and as a result, we deserve to be punished. But as a brotherhood, we believe that asking us to leave the chapter house before our lease expires is unreasonable. If history is any credit, we have certainly not been a "problem" chapter on this campus. In fact, just last Friday we sponsored a concert to benefit the Penn Leukemia Society. And while several other fraternities at the University have received negative press as a result of high-profile incidents, we are guilty of comparably minor charges: illegal kegs and an offensive homepage. Phi Sig brothers were already planning to move out in June to make way for large-scale renovations -- a project scheduled to take more than a year. And we have offered to pay for any potential damage that occurs to the chapter house in the meantime. One wouldn't think that allowing us to remain in the house for the remaining month of the semester would be too much to ask. But the University has been unresponsive to our requests. Administrators explain that our only alternative is to appeal the decision to revoke our charter. According to our Grand Chapter's bylaws, however, since our chapter has only been suspended we cannot make an appeal. Therefore, we have no way to block the implementation of the University's policy. Our National has every intention of returning to this campus in the near future, yet it will not support us right now. That the University has also turned its back on us is unfair. As a community, we must protest this treatment by appealing to the offices of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the Vice Provost for University Life. After all, you never know when it may be your turn to pack up.
(09/30/96 9:00am)
$210,000 NEH grant The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded Penn's African Studies Center a highly competitive $210,000 grant. The African Studies Center and 11 other recipients beat out 310 other applicants. The money will be used to develop innovative educational methods to teach Swahili and East African culture to Philadelphia-area high school students. The major goals of the proposal include creating a nationally televised course in the Swahili language and a "living library" of educational resources available at the Penn's African Studies Center Web site, according to African Studies Center Director Sandra Barnes. "What makes our proposal so unique is that we're using multiple technologies to disseminate information to teachers," Barnes said. The Center has a history of utilizing technology to distribute information on Africa. Its Web site is the largest source of information about and from Africa on the Internet, according to Barnes. He explained that there is a clear need for East African enrichment in communities in Philadelphia. "We have 57 Africanists within the African Studies Consortium, and our web site gets 150,000 hits a month," Barnes said. Carolyn Holmes, who oversees African and African American studies for the Philadelphia school system, also saw a need for East African curriculum development in schools. "This is terrific," Holmes said of the school district's involvement in the program. "Not only do we need African enrichment in classrooms, but its so important to build partnerships between University faculty and teachers." Holmes explained that her department got involved with Penn's African Studies Center two years ago when Philadelphia teachers expressed an interest in using the Center's Web site and other Internet resources in their classrooms. In addition to their information on the Web, the Center provides regular training sessions for teachers, librarians and administrators. NEH Chairperson Sheldon Hackney served as University president for 12 years, resigning in 1993 to head up the NEH. "With the funding of these projects, the NEH is setting a high standard for content in the educational software available for teaching," he said in a statement. "As the nation's schools? become equipped with computers and gain access to the information superhighway, it is paramount that high-quality? materials be available." In addition to the NEH grant, Penn's African Studies Center already receives funds by the U.S. Department of Education as a national resource center for the study of Africa. Their mandate is to engage in community outreach programs on a continual basis, Barnes said.
(05/01/96 9:00am)
Students worrying over the growing national deficit and the bleak future of entitlements received the opportunity to testify at a congressional hearing on Friday afternoon. U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairperson John Kasich (R-Ohio) and several members of the committee came to Villanova University to speak to more than 800 students during a hearing entitled "Today's Students and the American Dream: Their Concerns, Their Solutions." Budget Committee members Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), Robert Walker (R-Pa.), Jim Kolbe (R-Az.), Marin Hoke (R-Ohio) and Patsy Mink (D-Hawaii), were present for the hearing. Rep. Jon Fox (R-Pa.), who serves the district in which Villanova is located, also attended the hearing. After eight students, who were chosen in advance, testified individually about issues that concerned them, students from the audience were invited to voice their concerns to the committee through an open microphone. Kasich said he believes these sessions are important because they allow members of congress to hear directly from their constituents. "In Washington, we hear from the special interests all the time," he said before the forum. "It will be refreshing to hear from students whose concerns are valid and whose solutions, I believe, will be creative." But many students were not convinced that the forum provided them with an opportunity to be heard. "It seems like you sit up there and you don't really know what's going on," said a Villanova junior from the open microphone. "You make little notes and side comments, but you're so far removed from what's going on." Several students directly attacked Kasich, describing his behavior as condescending and offensive. Often, Kasich would whisper to a staffer during testimony, angering some of those present. "I've been here for about twenty minutes," said Villanova junior Karen Sharikon. "I would say in about that time, maybe about twice or three times I've noticed that you were actually looking at us and listening to what we've had to say." Other students felt compelled to focus on budgetary issues. Villanova freshman Jeff Walsh asked Kasich why the budget was over seven months late for passage. "If I hand in a paper here that's three days late, I get a zero," Walsh said. "The budget was seven months late. Why can't Congress do its job on time?" Kasich explained that it took time to create a budget that had the largest cuts since World War II.
(04/26/96 9:00am)
Few students know that the African American Resource Center even exists on campus --Ebut the center's new director has ambitious plans underway to change that. At the helm of those efforts, Jeanne Arnold -- who was appointed as the center's director in October -- hopes to carry out the office's mission of enhancing the quality of life for African Americans on campus. Arnold, a dynamic individual who graduated from the University's School of Social Work in 1980, has always considered herself to be a "people's person." It was only after declaring her major as an undergraduate at Penn State University that she realized what type of profession she would pursue. "At Penn State it became clear to me that I wanted to be in the people field," she said. "I knew that I wouldn't just work with the books or in front of the computer. "I realized that I wanted to do something with people's social condition, their place in society, and their access to resources in society," she said. With 15 years of experience in counseling, social work and human resources, in diverse settings ranging from a hospital to the U.S. Navy, Arnold said she feels she can effectively assess peoples' needs and connect them to the appropriate resources. She explained that her past jobs had very similar demands to those imposed by the African American Resource Center. As the center's director, she views herself as both an advocate and a proactive participant in supporting the center's mission. For her first major attempt to communicate with her constituency, Arnold distributed a survey to African American students, faculty and staff last semester. "I didn't want to come in with my own agenda and not be in touch with what people on this campus feel are the most critical issues," she said. "So it's based from the input in that survey that we will develop programs and services." During a presentation of the survey results yesterday afternoon, Arnold outlined how her office will respond to the 88 responses she received. Although the African American Resource Center already acts as an advocacy and referral office for the African American community and co-sponsors events with other organizations on campus to heighten cultural awareness, Arnold said she feels there are still several issues that the center should address. She said she hopes to clarify the center's role for students so they can utilize the resources available. She also wants to expand the proactive part of the center by identifying common goals within the black community and examining the gaps in services on campus that need to be filled. Arnold is looking forward to addressing critical issues, such as racism in the classroom, by developing a World Wide Web site and an e-mail account for the center. Library Services Assistant Associate Jim Gray, who serves as one of the three co-chairpersons of the University's African American Association, expressed his strong support for Arnold. "We've had a good relationship with her so far," he said. "I've particularly noticed that she's extremely busy, while trying to provide a great deal of services and stay pro-active in dealing with issues. "She will need to duplicate herself particularly if the downsizing process occurs," he added. Wharton senior Kendrick Cox, former president of the Black Student League, explained the nature of the relationship between the African American Resource Center and the BSL. "We've had a great relationship since its inception in 1992, because it provides counseling, tutoring, and mentoring," he said. "[Arnold] has done a tremendous job so far and we've had a very positive relationship with her." Arnold said she is looking forward to future success for the center. "I'm excited," she said. "We have work to do. We're going to be doing a lot this summer to get ready, but we want your feedback -- we want to constantly hear from you so we know that we're doing what we need to be doing."
(04/24/96 9:00am)
Renowned French medical researcher Serge Renaud thinks alcohol is not a big enough part of the American diet. Renaud presented his evidence in a lecture entitled "The French Paradox: Alcohol Intake and Coronary Heart Disease," yesterday afternoon to a group of approximately 40 graduate students and physicians in Meyerson Hall. He explained that consistent alcohol intake is responsible for France's low mortality rate from coronary heart disease (CHD). This is despite the prevalence of high-risk factors in other aspects of French culture. Renaud coined the phrase "the French Paradox" to describe this discrepancy between high-risk behavior and low rates of mortality. His findings were published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet in 1992. During his lecture, Renaud stressed that France's low CHD rate cannot be attributed to genetic makeup. He cited Japan as an example, explaining that expatriate Japanese citizens tend to have much higher CHD rates than those living in Japan. "Once the Japanese moved to the West, their rates for heart disease were the same as their U.S. counterparts," he said. Renaud concluded that external factors -- not genetics -- cause these rates. He cited various studies to illustrate a connection between the low rate of CHD among the French with the regular consumption of alcoholic beverages among the French. According to The Monica Studies, which monitored and examined the diets of four communities in France, the one ingredient that was markedly different was the consumption of wine. "In 10 out of 11 moderate drinkers, there is a lower risk of CHD compared to those who don't drink at all," Renaud said. While there was a 20 to 60 percent decrease in CHD mortality with the consumption of 40 grams of alcohol, Renaud explained that alcohol was only beneficial when people consumed it regularly and spread their drinking out over the week. Binge drinking, or drinking for the purpose of getting drunk, he emphasized, is harmful and detrimental to health. After addressing the group for approximately 30 minutes, Renaud opened the floor to questions. Psychiatry Professor Albert Stunkard said he found the lecture important and informative. "He's very thoughtful because he is both an ethnologist and a pathologist," Stunkard said. "So he understands the population and the mechanisms."
(04/22/96 9:00am)
Approximately 20 students and faculty met to talk about women Thursday night -- but instead of focusing on students, they talked about those who work in academia. The panel, entitled "Women in Academia: Challenging and Redefining Boundaries" and held at the Writers House, concluded Penn's Women's Day. English Professor Nina Auerbach said she has witnessed significant changes in the English Department since she first came to the University in 1972. She cited affirmative action policies as part of the reason behind those improvements. "There's a horrible right wing myth that everybody [before affirmative action] was very brilliant and that all these stupid women and minorities started taking jobs away from very brilliant caucasian people," Auerbach said. "But it wasn't like that. To succeed in the Penn English Department, you really had to be as mediocre as the people who were choosing you." She noted that affirmative action forced the department to be held accountable for their tenure and hiring practices. "When people talk about the days when there were standards, I was there," she said. "It isn't true. There were not standards. They were largely people who were trying to make each other look good." Anthropology graduate student Julia Paley explained that women can bridge the gap between those within the universities and those outside of academia. Paley said the proof of that point came when she presented research she had done on an unrelated subject to women outside of academic circles in Chile. "I had to engage as a peer intellectually with these women and work with them on their projects as they worked with me on mine," she said. "So, they wouldn't be objects of study, but rather, we would collaborate together in analyzing social processes in Chile." Paley discussed how power structures within the research process could be modified to include more non-academic women in intellectual spheres. During the discussion, Classical Studies Professor Jacqui Sadashige debated whether she had "sold herself out" or "worked herself in" to the so-called Old Boys Network. Sadashige also considered the role of Women's Studies departments within universities. English Professor Katie Conrad talked about the differences between boundaries and borders in education using her area of interest -- gender and nationalism in Ireland. Music and Anthropology Professor Marina Roseman discussed the role of women in academia and the different approaches women utilize in studying a particular field. And English Professor Ines Salazar discussed her philosophy of teaching, expressing her dismay at the discrepancy between tenured female professors -- who make up 13% of the faculty -- and tenured male professors -- who account for 81% of tenured faculty. College sophomore Melissa Goldstein, who helped organize the event, called it a success. "The viewpoints were diverse and engaging," she said. "The panel lent itself to a very interactive evening that I really enjoyed."
(04/11/96 9:00am)
Proponent claims drug increases sex drive Heated arguments -- but no tell-tale scent -- filled the air last night in Logan Hall for a debate about marijuana smoking. In honor of Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week, Curtis Sliwa, founder and president of the red-bereted Guardian Angels, and Steven Hager, editor-in-chief of High Times -- a magazine dedicated to marijuana -- presented their arguments and answered questions from the students who crowded into the room. Facing an openly hostile audience at times, Sliwa first presented arguments against the legalization or use of marijuana and urged students to consider how the drug affects relationships with other people. "Drugs just poison your body and get you into wacky-dacky land," he said. But Hager adamantly insisted that there were no serious problems with smoking pot. "We have 20 million people who aren't going to stop using cannabis no matter what -- and I'm one of them," he said. "And nothing the government can say or do, and not all the jack-booted [Drug Enforcement Agency] thugs in the world are going to change my mind," Hager said. He went on to argue that the current ban on marijuana constitutes a violation of his freedom of religion. Hager explained that without drugs, the great rock music of the 1960s would never have been created. And he said marijuana had sexual uses as well. "It definitely increases your sex drive," he said. "It causes a three-alarm fire in your boxer shorts." Hager also urged students not to buy marijuana but to "grow it in your backyard." In an interview after the debate, Sliwa said he expected the audience to favor legalizing marijuana because of college students' typical feelings on the matter. But he felt confident that the drug would never become legal. "The generation of the Sixties was into experimentation and questioning authority," he said. "I was of that generation, and my peers have actually gotten more conservative, more opposed to any kind of decriminalization and legalization. They are the swing vote and they could easily have made that the law of the land." Although students often seemed to side with Hager, they listened intently to both speakers. Wharton junior and Drug and Alcohol Resource Team President Jonathan Brightbill, who moderated the event, concluded the debate to the dismay of audience members who clearly wanted to continue the discussion. "The debate was pretty good. It was nice to see the school had an intelligent forum on this kind of issue," Engineering junior Mike Greenspan said at the end of the program. The event's planners worried early in the night that the unexpected rescheduling of Billy Joel's Connaissance lecture would draw students from the marijuana debate. But incoming DART President Jordan Greenbaum, a College junior, said he was pleased with the way the event turned out. "It was a terrific forum, and it was good for us to change things and focus on drugs, because we usually concentrate our events on alcohol abuse," he said. "We're looking forward to planning more events like this in the future." Kate Ward-Gaus, health educator for Student Health, said she felt the evening was an important and positive experience.
(11/11/93 10:00am)
STEPHEN KARASIK STEPHEN KARASIKDaily Pennsylvanian Sports Writer On Saturday night, Joe Carter spoiled the chances of those beer-guzzling, tobacco-spewing, crotch-itching bunch of "baseball players" otherwise known as the Phillies of going from last place to World Series Champions. Well, at least Philly still has the Eagles. Oh, sorry. We forgot that New York Jet immortal Ken (no relation to Conan) O'Brien is now the starting quarterback. I guess the Eagles could have fun golfing in January. And, judging by the recent performances of the Flyers and Sixers, not even the 7-6, 100-pound Shawn Bradley or Eric "I like getting wasted and beating up French-Canadiens in bars" Lindros will lead their respective teams to great success this season. Well, we guess that leaves only one sports powerhouse in the City of Brotherly Love. And who may they be? The Penn Quakers of course. Following their 34-9 whooping of the Brown Bears this past Saturday, the undefeated Quakers fully demonstrated why they are among college football's elite. And, while we here at Roundup have been religiously following the nation's hottest pigskin squad, we have still managed to keep a watchful eye on the goings on in the Ivy League. So, without further ado, let's get it on. And the latest choke incident came Saturday, with a chance to defeat Jay Fiedler and his sorry-ass Dartmouth Big Green. After building up a 21-6 lead in the third quarter, the Big (in name only) Red blew it big time, giving up 233 second-half passing yards to Fiedler – including a 29-yard TD pass with five minutes left – to lose the game 28-27. And, to add insult to injury, the final margin of victory was decided on a blocked extra point. With Cornell ahead 27-14, troubled place kicker Tim McDermott, the Ivy League's worst kicker, kicked the possible extra-point right into the collective fat butts of his (truly offensive) line. From there, Big Green defensive back Joe Perry picked up the ball and ran it back 85 yards for a rare two points. Instead of Cornell being up a commanding 28-14, the score was 27-16, and you know the rest. One Cornell player who did have a good game was linebacker Chris Zingo, who had 25 tackles and a fumble recovery. Could he explain Cornell's ineptitude? "We've played hard in all of our games but we've just had trouble putting things together," Zingo said. "When the defense plays well, it seems like the offense always stalls. And when the offense puts things together, the defense's production falls off. It's been a real problem." And we here at Roundup thought that the biggest problem in Ithaca was not having enough cows to tip over. But what about the fact that the Big Red were victimized by all-Ivy underachiever and egomaniac Jay Fielder. "We did a great job of containing [Fiedler] in the first half," Zingo continued. "But he just exploded (not literally) when the second half began. If he gets hot, a kid like Fiedler can kill you at any time. It wasn't due to a lack of effort on our part." Lack of effort? Anyone knows that takes more than a good quarterback to rally a team back from a three-touchdown deficit. It also takes a pretty bad defense. While it seems everyone is giving running back Keith "I think I'm the next Emmitt Smith but I'm really an overweight, slow, out-of-shape dork" Elias credit for all of Princeton's success (however little it may be) this season, senior quarterback Joel Foote has also been a main reason why the Tigers are undefeated. This past Saturday, Foote engineered a Princeton comeback highlighted by his 58-yard TD pass to Marc Ross to seal the game. So, obviously, one wonders with all the attention given to Keith, does Foote suffer from a little Elias envy? Elias himself decided to shed some light on the situation. "Joel is a quiet type of a kid," Elias said. "He likes to lead by example alone, where I'm a more vocal type of a guy. That may explain why I get a little more of attention." Well Keith, judging by your stellar vocabulary and diction exhibited in this quote, it's hard to see how you can be outspoken at all. Please Keith, go on. "Joel is a perfect leader," Elias said. "He always puts the offense in a good position to score. That's what's most important. From there, myself and the rest of the offense can try and punch the ball in." Real modest, Keith. Now the question remains, does Elias ever suffer from a little Foote envy? According to our sources, new Patriots head coach Bill Parcells has finally admitted that his 1-6 team really does, pardon the expression, suck. But, Sims wasn't in camp because Parcells was displeased with the performance of punter Mike Saxon. The reason Sims was there was because Saxon is getting too tired from punting so much, since Drew Bledsoe and his million-dollar arm haven't been getting it done. Parcells is now trying to be a trend-setter and use the rotating 2-punter system. "They brought Sims in here on Monday," said an official for the Patsies. "Actually, the coaches were pretty impressed with him. They thought that he looked pretty good out there." So, did he make the team? "We bring people in routinely," the official said. "We have no further comment. He looked pretty good, though." Only pretty good? Who are they kidding? These coaches obviously don't have a clue about recognizing pure football talent, if their team's record is any indication. If that's the way they feel, screw the Patriots. They can take their clam-chowder eating, Red-Sox loving, phony-accent talking, Cheers-watching team and shove it where the sun don't shine. Of course, if the Pats sign Rob, we here at Roundup take it all back.
(06/27/91 9:00am)
While economists from Washington to Wharton have complained recently that the nation's current financial downturn is the worst in years, several merchants in University City say they are already out of the woods. While some local merchants, including The High Rise Bar and The Athletic Department, have gone out of business recently, many University community vendors said they have been spared the current recession's negative effects. "Sneakers have become a necessity," Dandridge said. "If anything, the sales of higher priced shoes have shown a slight decrease." However, Dandridge did note that many consumers now "look for things on sale." Houston Hall's Muffins and More has also escaped the effects of the dreaded downturn, according to owner Don McKee, who said he has seen "no effect, at least not so far." "I don't know how [the recession] will effect the beginning of the semester," he said. "I don't expect the effects to be drastic." Many local merchants said the recession's true impact on vendors in the area can only be detected in the sale of luxury items, which are often the first things to be passed up when money gets tight. But Tony Hall, owner of Houston Hall's Discovery Discs, said his store has also sidestepped the slow down, and that, even in the worst of times, students still seem to crave the latest tunes. But consumers are also becoming more cost conscious, Hall added, and many are now selecting from the store's used disc selection rather than splurging on brand-new albums. It would seem that consumers cannot pass up the sharpest duds either, if the Shops at Penn's Attivo store is any indication. According to Assistant Manager Michelle Hamilton, Attivo is feeling no effects from the country's economic woes. "Despite some slow days with Penn and Drexel out, we are plussing last year's figures," she said, adding that the store "always has sales." Overall, area merchants said they are skeptical that the bottoming out of the economy will affect their bottom lines. "I don't believe there is a recession myself, and even if & there is, Penn students and their families don't seem to be affected," Hall said.
