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(09/21/99 9:00am)
From Josh Callahan's, "Under Construction," Fall '99 From Josh Callahan's, "Under Construction," Fall '99The University of Buenos Aires, Argentina's largest university with over 200,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs, has a finals period that is slightly longer than Penn's. Two years. Unlike at Penn, where students doing research papers much chose and work on a topic long before the end of class, students in Argentina can wait until the course is over and all the course material has been presented before picking a topic. Most importantly, Argentine students have more time to prepare for both their tests and papers because the two do not overlap. There is time to study for exams, take exams and then begin meaningful work on papers. While a window of two years seems excessive as well as impractical for Penn students -- Argentine students often graduate in six years at the least -- their system does have valuable advantages. Therefore, I would propose opening a one-month window for papers to be submitted following the end of the semester. For example, in the fall semester, students would be allowed to turn in work until the end of the first week of the spring semester, roughly the second or third week in January. An equivalent amount of time would be given in the spring semester. The exceptions, of course, are students who want to walk down the graduation aisle in May and need the credit to graduate. Tests, meanwhile, would continue to be given in the same fashion. The system employed by Princeton and Harvard where students return following a winter break to take exams is of no value to students, as they are generally better off sitting in front of a test while some semblance of the information from the lectures might still be hanging around in their brains. Students who don't want to be bothered by papers and projects during their vacations would of course have the right to hand them in earlier. This new system simply creates more options for students who want to space out their work and thereby have some hope of keeping up with professor's expectations. University administrators must recognize that at present, it is hard to do anything but cram for tests and quickly punch out papers. Defending Penn's current system is at best unfaithful to the mission of furthering knowledge and educating young minds. Cramming has been proven again and again in studies to be a completely ineffective way of storing information in our long-term memories. It serves its purpose -- scoring well on exams -- but that should not be the goal of a Penn education. Professors would no longer have winter break to grade papers as they do now, but they would gain the advantage of having papers flow in over a greater time period. Thus, rather than facing a stack of 30 papers to be read all at once, professors could pay more attention to each student's work. This is not about procrastinating -- Argentine students rarely use the full two years to do their work. Most students turn in papers within two to six months of the end of a class. But those few months allow students to find the most opportune time to do their best work. Right now, University rules are getting in the way of what Penn should want most -- more knowledgeable and happier students. By giving students those few months, the University could accomplish both goals.
(09/13/99 9:00am)
The role of student governments in campus decision-making is always a difficult one -- administrators are often reluctant to entrust responsibility for truly important decisions to students, leaving the student body's elected representatives to serve either as consultants with little leverage or as pointmen on projects of limited significance. Last year's UA set an admirable example in this respect on several occasions, particularly through its role in encouraging the renovation of Rosengarten Reserve Library and the funding of subsidized legal counsel for students enmeshed in disputes with their landlords. Again this year, a number of issues seem ripe for student involvement. Perhaps most importantly, we hope the UA stands by its pledge to work with the administration on the implementation of last spring's Final Report of the Working Group on Alcohol Abuse, including bringing a full-service video store to campus and increasing the number of social and recreational options available to students of all ages. The UA's ongoing work with SEPTA also has the potential to produce beneficial results, including an increase in the number of token machines on campus. Unfortunately, last year's example is not an entirely positive one. One area which needs to be improved is the UA's sensitivity to the surrounding community, which hit a low point with the distribution of "Am I a Target?" stickers in the wake of last fall's Steinberg-Dietrich assault. Also, it seems unlikely that efforts to involve the UA in increasing financial aid packages will prove productive. While Michael Silver, this year's chairperson, is absolutely correct to note that Penn must prop up its aid packages, the UA is not in a position to substantially contribute to the discussion. Finally, we fully expect that the attendance problems of previous years will not repeat themselves this year. The crippling absence levels of years past -- notably, not a problem for last year's UA -- damage both the credibility of the UA and the ability of its members to do their jobs properly.
(06/01/99 9:00am)
Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School '97 Plymouth Meeting, Pa. Speakers brought to campus this year through Connaissance -- part of the student-run Social Planning and Events Committee -- included noted feminist Gloria Steinem, MTV Loveline hosts Dr. Drew Pinsky and Adam Corolla and actress and comedienne Ellen DeGeneres. And billionaire Warren Buffett graced the stage of the Annenberg Center's Zellerbach Theater as well, as part of the Wharton School's Musser-Schoemaker and Zweig Executive Lecture series. Connaissance sponsors two major speeches annually featuring speakers of national prominence, as well as numerous other entertainment events. In past years, speakers have included actor James Earl Jones, talk show Conan O'Brien, singer Billy Joel and sportscaster Dick Vitale. Last fall's speaking engagement was a November 4 appearance by Steinem, one of the World Almanac's 25 most influential women in America. The 64-year-old Steinem, a writer and consulting editor for Ms. magazine -- which she co-founded in 1972 -- followed her 45-minute speech with an interactive question-and-answer session. During these last 40 minutes of her appearance, several of the 900 audience members in attendance at the sold-out show in Zellerbach stepped up to the microphone to ask the feminist pioneer about issues addressed in her lecture, "Acting Globally and Thinking Globally." But in February, the atmosphere at the Zellerbach shifted to the rowdy tone consistent with MTV's hit show Loveline when hosts Pinsky and Corolla brought their mix of sound medical advice and gleeful wise-cracks to Penn for another sold-out engagement early in the spring semester. The show, scheduled to coincide with Valentine's Day weekend as a part of the campus-wide Lovefest '99, provided an outlet for all manner of outrageous romantic concerns. In between Corolla's jokes and anecdotes -- which detailed everything from his own sexual experiences to the tale of a high school friend capable of expelling water from his rear end -- Pinsky advised curious students on problems including the repercussions of a coed roommate "threesome" and female orgasmic incontinence. The following month featured DeGeneres in a two-hour-plus event that received mixed student reviews. The Emmy Award-winning comedienne kicked off her time on stage with her characteristic dry humor, but soon got down to the topic which her speech's theme, "Ellen DeGeneres: Speaking Honestly," suggested. DeGeneres focused on homosexuality, both as it related to her own personal experiences and to her larger desire to change American society's perception and treatment of gays and lesbians. She especially expressed her dismay with the actions of many groups in what she referred to as America's "religious wrong," causing heated controversy within the audience. While many audience members appreciated DeGeneres' openness during the evening, some who had come expecting more material akin to her stand-up comedy were annoyed with the overall somber quality of the event. "I was disappointed because I wish that she had made us laugh," then-Nursing senior Zena Lobell said. In a turnaround representative of the diverse nature of Annenberg Center events, Buffett's April 21 lecture in Zellerbach catered to young, zealous Whartonites seeking the type of success that have earned the renowned chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. his enviable position as America's second wealthiest man.
(05/27/99 9:00am)
Graduation weekend was a time of celebration and joy for many graduating seniors. Bright futures lie ahead and vivid memories will be left behind. The Baccalaureate Service -- which took place the Sunday before Commencement -- traditionally separates itself from the normal graduation weekend ceremonies as a celebration aimed at the entire Penn community. While many of the other Commencement events glorify the academic and extracurricular achievements of the seniors, Baccalaureate tries to celebrate the diversity of culture and religion that exists at Penn. With performances by two a capella groups, speeches by University administrators and readings of varied religious texts, the service offered a taste of the cultural diversity that can be said to define institutions like Penn. But you have to wonder: For how many seniors was this the first taste of that diversity? All too often, students wander through four years of school without exploring the cultural diversity that our school offers. And it may be the single greatest resource a student can choose to ignore. It is possible to go back later and read the historical or scientific lessons that we may have neglected in our college careers. But the unique setting that college provides will never again be available. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to find the same sheer diversity in a small accessible area like the Penn campus. University President Judith Rodin said these "life lessons" are often as important as scholarly pursuits of classroom and laboratories. But we have to try and utilize the experiences available at Penn. For example, how many of the 1000 people in attendance at the service, who were not Muslim, had ever heard a reading from the Koran? Gerald Wolpe, who was the event's featured speaker and the senior rabbi of Har Zion Congregation in Philadelphia since 1969, relayed the importance of open-minded thinking to his audience. He told the crowd that he sees the quest for "self-identification" occupying society's thoughts. He believes this causes people to undervalue their heritage and ancestry, focusing solely on themselves. More importantly, Wolpe added, there is a failure to consider the heritage and history of others. It is equally important to understand different cultures because they have affected the development of all groups occupying this globe. The ability to interact with and tolerate all types of groups may be the best lesson we can learn at such a diverse university. The Glee Club and Counterparts represent a valuable contingency of the performing arts sector of the University -- a large part of the cultural experience at Penn. However, performing arts groups are certainly more visible in the Penn community than many other culturally diverse activities. Students need to expand their horizons and venture into other religious and cultural experiences. This is not to say that religious communities have a lack of participation -- but more importantly a lack of cross-participation. Why can't someone who isn't religious take the time to visit Chaplain William Gibson and learn about his faith and beliefs? Or, why shouldn't a devout Catholic speak with Rabbi Levine and try to comprehend the differences between Catholicism and Judaism? Regardless of how you mold your beliefs, your interaction with others will inevitably change after experiencing the cultural diversity that Penn has to offer. These may be the most important lessons people teach themselves at Penn and it would be a shame if you didn't open the text book until the weekend before you leave.
(04/06/99 9:00am)
Three areas should be the focus of changes to Penn's existing alcohol policy. We do so with some measure of apprehension. As we have often noted, alcohol abuse is fundamentally not an issue that regulations can address -- there is no way to prevent students from drinking to excess, and even attempting to do so invariably risks grave infringements on civil liberties. But we continue to believe that Penn has a role to play in constructing an environment where students can consume alcohol in a responsible fashion. And so, there are three areas that must be at the heart of any revised alcohol policy: education, the sale of alcohol and the appropriate enforcement of existing policies. We strongly urge the addition of a truly mandatory alcohol education component to freshman orientation. Such a program should begin from the premise that students will drink. Upperclassmen should talk with freshmen about their personal experiences, providing practical advice on responsible drinking. Speakers whose lives have been touched by alcohol-related tragedies are also particularly effective apostles of the dangers of excessive consumption. Such a class stands to benefit all students, even those who don't consider themselves drinkers: all it takes is an extraordinary evening or a friend who drinks more than you do. The second area where existing measures could be improved upon is in ensuring that underage students cannot purchase alcohol on or around campus. Penn already has some ammunition for this campaign in the form of a $360,000 grant from the state's Combatting Underage Drinking Program. And providing area establishments with scanners capable of establishing ID authenticity is also worthwhile. The third area is the most nuanced -- the enforcement of existing laws and University regulations. The simplest of these is the law against carrying open containers. Police are well within their rights to cite individuals seen doing so. Furthermore, it is appropriate for police to be citing obviously inebriated individuals walking on or around campus. However, when students are behind the doors of their residences, they ought to have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Police should not enter residences merely on the suspicion that alcohol is being consumed within. Furthermore, we are disturbed by any suggestion that police might wait for possible underage drinkers to emerge from a residence. If they don't have another reason for being there, they shouldn't be there at all. However, when police have some other reason for entering a private residence -- for example, excessive noise levels -- it is appropriate for them to cite underage drinkers while there. The committee will also be addressing specific events on the spring calendar, chief among them Spring Fling. Here, we would hope that police act with the health and safety of students as their only concern. Attempts to overenforce regulations are unlikely to further this goal. We encourage police to act with past years as their model, ensuring that a good and safe time is had by all. In the final analysis, the report should reflect the overriding importance of personal responsibility.
(04/06/99 9:00am)
Students have a chance to show support for victims of sexual violence at Penn. And only by turning out, only by listening to speeches until the consequences of rape are imprinted on the communal consciousness, can we hope to eradicate the social disease of sexual violence. There should be no doubt that the problem warrants such a description. We live in a country where one in five college women are the victims of rape or attempted rape and where 84 percent of victims know their attackers. Too often, individuals involved in relationships do not demonstrate sufficient respect for the rights of their partner. Too often, the word "no" has not received the respect it ought to command. It is in this context that we are particularly disturbed by the decision of organizers to bar men from the march around campus. Rape is not a female issue; it is a human issue. No statistics can justify either the victimization of women or the criminalization of men. Simply put, men are part of the solution and any "solution" created in a vacuum where men are absent is a solution that does not converse with reality. By excluding men from the march rather than encouraging them to participate -- men are, however, encouraged to attend the speak-out -- organizers will only precipitate yet another adversarial dialogue, detracting once again from an evening that should be about unity and appropriate intergender relationships. No concerns with the organizers or rules for the evening, however, should stand as an acceptable excuse for absence tomorrow night. The overriding message, and the support each student's presence will lend, are both too important to justify such a response. We hope to see you there.
(03/19/99 10:00am)
From Nadia Dowshen's, "Urban Guerrilla," Fall '99 From Nadia Dowshen's, "Urban Guerrilla," Fall '99On the island of Puerto Rico, people speak Spanish. Unfortunately, though I'm proficient by Penn standards, I do not. I know the essentials: how to get a hotel room, order vegetarian food and find a bathroom. But I am often mistaken for a native speaker and at times during the week people began speaking to me in Spanish, leaving me embarrassed when I couldn't respond. Expending the effort to formulate a question or comment in Spanish and then getting a response that I could not comprehend frustrated me even more. My Puerto Rico experience made me realize the importance of knowing another language -- and knowing it well. I admire Penn's efforts to ensure that its students learn other languages but I don't think most of us learn them in a way that prepares us to communicate with clients, friends, patients and colleagues that happen to speak a different language. In my experience with Penn's Spanish language program, the courses leading up to the proficiency focus mostly on reading, writing and grammar. But the only way to learn to communicate in another language is to practice speaking it. Even though I disappointed myself in Puerto Rico, I learned more Spanish then and during a one-month trip to Guatemala than I did in my entire four semesters at Penn. Although many language classes do not emphasize speaking skills, Penn does provide opportunities for many students to become fluent through study abroad programs in almost every country in the world. Many of these programs also teach students to negotiate the cultural differences that come along with the language gap. However, I don't think we need to be shipped off to other countries to learn how to communicate across language and cultural barriers. We should take advantage of the linguistic diversity in our own backyard. Asian, Latino and other immigrant communities now make up a large portion of Philadelphia's population. Coincidentally, many of these immigrant groups need to learn English in order to acculturate and to be successful in the job market. Penn undergrads could learn a great deal about how to communicate with people who speak other languages by exchanging English for these immigrants native languages. It's time that universities and our educational system as a whole get serious about teaching people to communicate across language and culture. Knowing another language -- and how to speak it well -- is a marketable skill and makes cross-cultural and language experiences more meaningful. Indeed, most other countries begin to teach their children multiple languages at a younger age than we do in the United States. No woman or man is an island and at the rate that our nation's population is diversifying linguistically, your cross-cultural communication will be severely limited if you don't know how to speak another language. Last week my limited Spanish speaking ability may have made my vacation a little less enjoyable, but as a future physician, in a few years not being able to speak Spanish may well render me incapable of doing my job -- providing health care services to people who may or may not speak English.
(03/05/99 10:00am)
From Nadia Dowshen's, "Urban Guerrilla," Fall '99 From Nadia Dowshen's, "Urban Guerrilla," Fall '99If you need a great conversation starter for a party or family gathering try telling someone that you are an Urban Studies major. When I offer this piece of information, I usually get responses like, "Oh, that's nice honey, but what are you going to do with that?", "I didn't know you wanted to be an architect" or just plain "what exactly is Urban Studies anyway?" Employers and graduate schools are looking for people who can think and communicate rather than a specific body of knowledge. And Urban Studies teaches students the most important skills needed to succeed in academia or the workforce: how to solve problems, communicate effectively through writing and speaking and gain some hands-on experience in their field of interest. These are these should be the goals of all educational institutions and these are certainly the skills that all human beings need to succeed in this increasingly complex and technological society. Equally important is the interdisciplinary nature of the Urban Studies program, allowing students to explore problems that affect cities from a variety of perspectives. Developing a broad framework for analyzing problems is important. Students who focus too closely lose the broad perspective and differing approaches to knowledge that other fields offer. Field work is also an important component of the program. In a two-credit semester-long internship, students work for 15 hours a week in a chosen city organization, corporation or institution. This allows majors to develop important connections and research interests and gives them experience that employers and graduates schools in that field will respect. And in the senior seminar all majors are required to write a thesis on a topic of their choosing involving primary research -- that is, interviewing, ethnography or analyzing previously collected data. After writing, revising and rewriting this substantial paper with the help of three professors and your peers, you orally present your project. This final product proves that you have learned something in your four years and gives you something to talk about in interviews for jobs or graduate schools. I honestly believe that my internship and senior thesis, in addition to being two of my most intellectually and personally rewarding experiences, played a large role in my getting into medical school. So here is my advice to underclassmen. Don't choose a major because you think it will lead to a particular career path. Plenty of English majors find jobs in investment baking and plenty of med school students were non-science majors. Don't choose a major because you think it will be hard or easy. Getting bad grades will not help you, but you need to be able to show grad schools and employers that you have challenged yourself. Pick a major that you are passionate about and where you have access to good professors. But in the end, it really doesn't matter what you major in as long as you learn how to think and communicate.
(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.
(01/12/99 10:00am)
Do you know who we are? You pass us on Locust Walk sometimes, or stand behind us in line at Van Pelt. But mostly, we're creatures of the night, and you don't see us. We have our own private underground network of recommendations and favors, information shared and books borrowed, and our tenuous connections are sustained through e-mail and the occasional after-class coffee and drink. Personally, I walk a funny, blended line. My business clothes fit in with my fellow night students, but at 22, I could pass for a day student. Yet I barely know what the campus looks like by day. After five years, I can make my way from Bennett Hall to 30th Street in my sleep, but I can't keep track of the various dorms' locations, much less their ever-changing names. In some ways I feel like an old-timer: I came here when the wounds from the 'water buffalo' incident were still bleeding; I remember Kathy Change; I know enough to anticipate the joke issue of the DP every spring. But in other ways I am still a newbie. I've never attended a Penn sports event or been to a Senior Screamer. Of course, my experiences aren't true for every night student any more than every day student attends football games or even takes only daytime classes. But my years at Penn have immersed me in a certain community, one that gets short shrift in the discourse about campus life. CGS is in some sense Penn's best kept secret. Many of my fellow students have told me they stumbled upon it -- much as I did. For a school that advertises itself through SEPTA posters and newspaper ads, this may seem strange. Yet people I work with or meet regularly express surprise that Penn even has a night program, while its on-campus reputation seems to be somewhere between one of "gut" courses and those designed for athletes and late-sleepers. Reputation notwithstanding, night classes at Penn have taught me what art deco is and how to locate the epicenter of an earthquake. They have provided me with enough psychological terms to spar with my sister-the-future-psychologist at the dinner table: "Didn't that article confuse correlation with causation?" or "Hey, trying to resolve a little cognitive dissonance there, huh?" I've learned about the complex man who created "Franklin's University," and why our founding date is a handy but likely misleading reference point. Yes, night classes have been good to me: I can coherently discuss Descartes and Hume at 9 p.m., explain why the demand curve might shift to the right, and I'm even reasonably proficient in a foreign language. And along the way I've connected with some marvelous people. We may not have time to hang out with each other too often, but we share tips on classes, buy books for each other and conduct study sessions over the phone. Over the years I've been party to some wonderful -- and sometimes bizarre -- situations: classmates snowed in at home in Bucks County who had to have the final exam faxed to them; a man late to class because his company's fiscal year was ending and they had to spend some money by 5 p.m.; a boisterous class field trip to Old City; fiestas in Spanish class and giddy after-class outings at the White Dog. College as a working commuter student is certainly different from the traditional college experience. As I've juggled my schedule to make room for an advising appointment or get to the bookstore during the chaotic first week of the semester, I've felt a kinship with my fellow night students. Whether or not we attend the orientation session or read the CGS newsletter, we're part of something unique. Intriguing people are thick on the ground at Penn, regardless of what time of day they attend classes or whether they attend them at all. So the next time you're on Walnut Street during the evening, hurrying along in the tide flowing away from campus, take a moment to notice the people walking against the current. During the day we may inhabit offices or paint buildings, but at night we are students, purposeful and proud. Notice us.
(12/15/98 10:00am)
The fall semester has been a very productive one for the Undergraduate Assembly. From student safety to off-campus living, we have strived to tackle the issues that are important to you. As part of our continuing outreach program, the UA has decided to publish a mid-year report to inform the students about what we have accomplished and what issues we will work on next semester. One way we seek to represent students is through the use of surveys. Surveys are an important first step of every project so that we can see what aspects of each issue we should concentrate on. We did surveys on student preferences for future retailers in Sansom Common and the 40th Street area so we can better advocate for retail in these places. Among other things, these surveys have helped us learn that students would like to see a store like Abercrombie & Fitch in Sansom Common and an Italian restaurant in the 40th Street area. We also did a different type of outreach with the landlord survey, where students were asked to rate their off-campus housing. The results will be distributed in January, so that students will be able to make more informed housing decisions for next year. The UA also conducted student safety survey in conjunction with the Division of Public Safety to gather information on where further security efforts should be concentrated. We have also tried to take positive steps in the area of community relations. We co-sponsored "Communiversity Days" with Civic House -- we took 15 middle-schoolers from the area with us around Penn and to our classes for a day. The UA and the Center for Community Partnerships have also planned a symposium for January 13. Students, administrators and community leaders will get together to discuss local concerns. The UA has also done a significant amount of work examining computing facilities at Penn. Our preliminary suggestions to the administration in September earned us the first student seat on the Information Technology Steering Committee, which examines computing facilities across the University. In addition, the UA has done a student survey and looked at the quality of computer labs across campus. At some point next semester, we will release a detailed report of our findings. We also hope to create a guide about computing that will include the attributes of each lab and a rating of all the labs to be distributed next fall. In addition, we are working to address many other student concerns, including: · Several students complained about the fee for use of the Katz Fitness Center in the Gimbel Gymnasium and the need to pay that fee in cash or by check. We worked closely with the Department of Recreation to allow students to place the charge on their bursar bill beginning next fall. · The UA co-sponsored -- along with Civic House and the United Minorites Council -- a symposium for a group of student leaders to discuss minority recruitment issues. · We are working with SEPTA to get more token machines on campus, more service in the University area and better publicized route and timetable information. · In conjunction with Drug and Alcohol Resource Team, we are in the process of creating a poster that contains alcohol awareness information and information about what to do if someone is overly intoxicated. The poster are intended for display in college and greek houses. · Many students complained that they have had a hard time publicizing events, while others complained that too much stuff is taped to the ground on Locust Walk. To combat these problems, the UA worked to get the bulletin board kiosks back on Locust Walk. · Upperclassmen have said that some freshman are losing out on the "freshman experience" by living in the high rises. We will be testing this hypothesis by doing a survey examining how satisfied the average freshman is with their residential experience in the high rises versus their residential experience in the Quadrangle. In addition, we will be further developing our outreach efforts in the spring by having a UA table out on the walk for several hours each week, so come see us and tell us your hopes, dreams, worries and concerns or e-mail us at ua@dolphin.upenn.edu.
(12/01/98 10:00am)
What many of us forget is that Penn is not only 9,500 undergraduates and 10,200 graduate-degree students. It is also an institution of over 20,000 employees. The administration is not only our provost and deans. It is also a body of coordinators for Finance, Human Resources, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Facilities Management, Technology Support and more. And beyond the imaginary line that many of us draw at 40th and Walnut or 42nd and Pine, there are also neighborhoods and communities with which Penn is inextricably connected. When we as students make demands of our administrators, it is likely that we are not the only nor the largest nor probably the most important voices they hear with concerns to which they must respond. It is probable, though, that many of our concerns as students overlap with those of the surrounding neighborhoods or Penn employees -- those issues of safety, retail development and community relations in particular. Keeping this in mind, how do students make effective changes and progress for the long-run? Two avenues present themselves as options. We can function as an isolated student body, or we can deal with the issues that face us by better utilizing the potential resources with which we come in contact. Administrators, employees and local residents in many cases are less transient and more experienced in problem-solving at Penn than we are as students. By partnering with them we are capable of joining our concerns to make positive, educated, broad and long-term changes for the future. When we attempt to attack large issues as an independent student body, we become independent of those resources. We can make resolutions and demands regarding the appointment of the new provost, improvements in recreational or dorm facilities and our safety on campus. But these issues affect and have relevance to other parts of Penn besides students. Certainly the appointment of the new provost is of great concern to the faculty, recreation facilities are particularly important to the staff and director of the Department of Recreation and improvements in dorm life are of interest for the coordinators of the college house programs. Likewise, there are over 200 SpectaGuards and Penn Police officers whose livelihoods depend on making Penn a safe place for all of us. These are individuals and departments well-equipped to deal with our concerns. The idea of partnerships is pertinent to community relations in particular. From the Center for Community Partnerships and Civic House to the Office of Community Relations, there are vast numbers of student volunteers, employees and campus leaders dedicated to fostering our connection to University City. When we take aggressive actions that affect the community, we are stepping on these efforts. And beyond the University there are local residents whose concerns mirror our own on topics such as retail development and safety. After all, students are the ones with nine-month leases, while permanent residents' stake in Penn's retail development in the area is even greater than our own. And what is the use of making campus safer if the surrounding community is crime-ridden? Our concerns about preventing muggings, robberies and assaults are mirrored by the many resident surrounding Penn's campus. When thinking about any large issue from crime to campus resources, we can and should ask for help from our faculty, administrators and neighbors -- not only because they may serve as centers of knowledge and support, but also because their concerns are likely in sync with our own. One way in which these partnerships are being created is with next Tuesday's Community Relations Symposium, which links the resources of the Undergraduate Assembly, Civic House and the Office of Community Relations. By working in partnerships, problems which face us as students that may seem impossible become solvable.
(11/13/98 10:00am)
Penn officials should work with, not against, students to keep winning safe but fun. When the Quakers clinch the Ivy League football title tomorrow -- and they will -- the University Police force will be on hand to ensure that loyal fans don't rush the field and tear down the goal posts. Why all the fuss over a little celebratory act? The fact is that although ripping down the goal posts is a tradition, it's time to find a new one. Students at other institutions have been seriously injured and killed as a result of similar acts, and it just isn't worth the risk to people and property. Instead, University officials should work with students to devise a system that balances safety with celebration, such as by letting students rush the field without going near the goal posts. Thus far, University officials have mishandled the situation. Even if tearing down the goal posts is the wrong way to celebrate, students should have the right to safely show their Quakers pride. But there is another alternative. By planning ahead and using police and security officers to guard the goal posts, the University can still provide students with a chance to party. It's a shame that this has become an issue of the police versus the student body, as opposed to an opportunity for everyone associated with the University to show some Penn pride. While safety concerns dictate a change in tradition, there's no need to take the fun out of football.
(10/08/98 9:00am)
A new law makes it possible to release data on violent offenders and students cited for drinking. Made sick by the idea of facing your assailant on campus every day, you seek justice through Penn's internal judiciary system. And let's say that the offender is punished for the crime -- suspended or expelled even. But no matter how guilty, your assailant will never be held accountable to the people who matter most: student peers. Like all other colleges in the nation, Penn has been barred in the past from releasing the names of offenders to the public. But a law recently passed by Congress gives the University sweeping power to make public the names of violent offenders. The new law doesn't stop there. It also says Penn can notify your parents if you're cited for an alcohol infraction. These provisions, part of the federal higher education bill, impact every student in the University. And because Penn has the power to decide what information it will release, the University community should take an active role in setting the standards of information dissemination. Specifically, the law allows schools to release the name of students who are found to have committed violent crimes, the type of violation and the sanctions imposed. With regard to alcohol, the law states that parents may be notified when a student under 21 years old violates a school policy or the law. But the law itself does not mandate that Penn release any information. Instead, it is up to each institution to determine a policy within the range the law allows. Which is why students' opinions are so important. As a community, we have the responsibility to hold students accountable for their actions. Before deciding on a policy, the University should hold a campus-wide dialogue aimed at finding common ground on these key issues. Officials should start by sending a letter to all students explaining what the new law could mean to them. The Daily Pennsylvanian is also committed to participating in the dialogue. To that end, the DP has added a new Forum section to its Web site -- The Daily Pennsylvanian Interactive at http://dailypennsylvanian.com -- where you are encouraged to share your thoughts on the matter. We'll post your comments on the Internet and run some of them as Letters to the Editor. As students and administrators consider Penn's policies, we urge them to keep two words in mind: "accountability" and "responsibility." But when it comes to releasing the names of students cited with alcohol or other substance infractions, we urge officials to defer to students' individual responsibility. Under current law, Penn has long been able to notify most parents of alcohol infractions -- but has chosen not to. With the exception of life-threatening situations where students repeatedly end up in the hospital or incidents involving alcohol-related violence, officials should continue to acknowledge that students are mature enough to handle the repercussions of their actions -- without parents being notified. No matter how Penn decides to handle its options, we hope that officials make an informed decision -- a feat that can only be accomplished if students voice their views.
(07/30/98 9:00am)
The Associated Press Congressional hearings on date rape drugs Rohypnol and GHB will begin today, but local colleges are already warning students about the dangers. ''It is important for other members of the community to know the drug is available and being used in State College and that its ingestion can result in death,'' Police Lt. Diane Conrad said in a statement. The House subcommittee on crime will have hearings today to examine whether Rohypnol and GHB should be added to the list of federally controlled substances, said Terry Tarham, a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration's office of public affairs. Both drugs have been called date-rape drugs following reports of the drugs being slipped into drinks to facilitate rape. Eleven states have passed laws imposing stiff penalties for possessing or distributing the drug; Pennsylvania is not one of them. GHB, short for gamma hydroxybutyric acid, is legal in Europe but was outlawed by the Federal Drug Administration in 1990 after several GHB-related illnesses were reported, according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. The drug can cause vomiting, dizziness, tremors and seizures and often involves hospitalization. The two 20-year-old Penn State students ingested GHB intentionally to get high, police said. And on Memorial Day, a 16-year-old Boalsburg girl was also admitted to a hospital after ingesting the drug. Penn State students are warned about the potential danger of date-rape drugs at orientation programs, said Peggy Spear, director of university health services. ''We try to share accurate information with the students about the substances,'' Spear said. She said she did not know what impact Sunday's hospitalizations would have on the program. Recent media attention has prompted Widener University to include information about GHB in their orientation for resident assistants, said spokesperson Linda Freeman. But at Temple University, reports on the dangers of GHB come as no surprise, officials said. ''GHB has been around a lot longer than these headlines,'' said Lori Vargo, assistant coordinator of Temple's drug and alcohol education program. She said that Temple has no current plans to specifically address GHB, and if they did it would be in the form of ''a few sentences added'' to existing literature on the more widely known Rohypnol. At the University of Pittsburgh, GHB and Rohypnol are mentioned but not given special emphasis in the drug and alcohol awareness programs, said spokesperson Ron Cichowicz. ''We tell them if you're at a party, get your own drinks,'' Cichowicz said.
(07/09/98 9:00am)
The to-do is that these multi-million dollar projects have the potential to dramatically revitalize Penn, reshaping its look and feel and turning it into a destination point rather than a one-stop shop for either classes, research or a job. But in order to bring a real transformation, the University's transportation policy must become part of Penn's redevelopment equation. While some students, faculty and administrators discount the importance of transportation, the nature of the transportation system in and around campus directly impacts the economic well-being of the entire West Philadelphia region. Automobile escort has consistently been expanded since its conception in the early 1980s, while the use of Walking Escort off campus has been curtailed. The effect of this policy was the emptying of campus sidewalks after dusk as thousands of students began to pile into Escort vans on a daily basis. Continued efforts to expand Escort were not prompted out of an administrative tendency toward masochism. Believe it or not, such expansion of the University's protective transportation services have historically been taken in response to student pressure, many times incited by incidents of crime around campus. In 1965, Penn took its first step into transit services after women leaders protested the need for a secure means of moving to and from campus. Since the precedent set by the Penn women of the 1960s, the University's transportation policies have been characterized largely by reactive measures to allay prospective and current student and parental concerns. In the late 1980s, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the Undergraduate Assembly became the administration's next foes in the war to expand Penn's transportation services. The graduate students called for increased convenience while the undergraduates wanted more protection. Both demanded increased transit services and in doing so, both tacitly called for diminished foot traffic on the streets. As the presence of crime on campus became more apparent during the early 1990s, the administration felt compelled to take a knee-jerk response by drastically expanding not only the number of Escort vehicles, but their reach as well. For the first time ever, the University would provide services east of the river into Center City -- representing an admission by administrators that West Philadelphia could not adequately cater to the needs of graduate students. As the University is being reshaped with new retail development, the campus community must work together to uncover ways in which it can once again become a destination point for students, faculty and administrators. While the pattern of the past could easily continue, the University now has an opportunity to break free from its confining and predictable approach to transportation. Admittedly, Escort's taxi-style convenience is somewhat of an entrenched tradition at Penn. Within the past year, however, Escort's ridership has dropped by over 30,000. This drop is attributed to the renewed sense in safety returning to campus. Penn must capitalize on this feeling fast. Active engagement by the campus community in long-term transportation planning will facilitate, rather than weaken, the University's redevelopment goals. Escort Services could work in concert with the University's redevelopment scheme by gradually shifting from riding to walking services around more areas of campus, and by creating pick-up and drop-off hubs at strategic locations on campus. Further, Penn's transportation division must not overlook the importance of SEPTA as a means of attracting more people to campus and relieving the burden placed upon Escort Services. If Penn is to ever again become a vibrant place with students, faculty and administrators lining the streets, rather than the seats of Escort vans, it must rethink its transportation policy. Transportation can no longer be a knee-jerk response when incidents of crime arise, but must instead become a means of facilitating movement toward a destination -- West Philadelphia.
(06/11/98 9:00am)
Despite the advent of a Spectaguard bike patrol, fewer guards raise concerns about campus safety. Now, Spectaguard officers will join the ranks of Penn Police and University City District safety ambassadors who use bicycles to look out for crime and increase residents' feelings of safety. But the strategy will only be effective if the simultaneous cuts in Spectaguard's walking force do not serve to make the campus and community less safe. Students and other community residents have not only grown accustomed to seeking Spectaguards in the areas where they live, but the security officers' very presence is viewed by many as a sign of safety. Walking around campus in the middle of the night, it is not uncommon to see at least one Spectaguard on patrol. And that's the way it should be. Crime has, in general, seen a consistent marked decrease since the fall 1996 crime wave. It would be a shame if cutbacks now made criminals feel welcome in the area around campus. We should not have to wait for another string of robberies in order to have the proper number of Spectaguards. Hopefully, the new Spectaguard bike patrol will fill the void by allowing guards to be more mobile and cover a greater amount of space in less time. But if that is not the case, we encourage the Division of Public Safety to bring back additional guards.
(06/01/98 9:00am)
Hingham High School '95 Hingham, Mass. Students who have signed up for Dining Services' meal contracts will be effectively locked into a one-year "lease"-like agreement, according to Dining Marketing Coordinator Adam Sherr. This new change was part of a goal to avoid raising prices overall for meal plans, Sherr said. After examining the business practices at other universities, Sherr explained, the University's Dining Services made several alterations to the meal contracts. Starting with the contracts for the fall, students will not be required to provide a $100 deposit. Another change involved requisite meal plans for students living in such college houses as Van Pelt and DuBois. Only students living in the Modern Languages Program of the Gregory College House must now purchase at least the "100 Meal Plan" and participate in the dinner-hour language tables. The students, who already had mandatory meal plans this year, requested that the program be continued. In addition, Dining Services added such flexible plans as the Weekend 50 Meal Plan, which allows students to choose from any four meals offered on Saturday or Sunday. Sherr said he was not projecting that any fewer students would sign up as a result of the drop of the college house required meal plans, but that the "dynamic college house" programs would "create a demand for dining." He added that as contracts cannot be cancelled, Dining would have to "try even harder" to achieve excellence, listening and responding to student criticism. Sherr added that meal plan cancellations were lower this year than in the past. Although Sherr did not have any figures on early sign-ups for the 1998-99 contract year, he said that he had not received any feedback about the changes in the contract. Then-College junior Samara Barend, an Undergraduate Assembly member who has worked on several dining issues, acknowledged the contract changes as an effort by Dining Services to "cut down on the number of options" for students. She added that she would like to see more "flexibility" in the contract options.
(06/01/98 9:00am)
As construction wrapped up on a number of Penn projects, facilities improvements began on others. Newton South High School '96 Newton, Mass. The reverberating rhythms of jackhammers and drills became a customary backdrop to the campus' daily sounds in 1997-98 as the University completed several construction projects, while beginning other additional renovations. Among some smaller renovations inside existing buildings and residences, construction was completed or renovations began on several of the University's most prominent buildings, including the Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Logan Hall, Van Pelt Library, the Annenberg School for Communication and Houston Hall. The Vagelos Labs of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology were unveiled in November after two years of construction. The building, at 34th Street and Smith Walk, houses two interdisciplinary research centers -- the Institute for Medicine and Engineering and the Center for Excellence in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Funding for the project came from a $10 million donation by University Board of Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos and his wife, Diana. Vagelos, a 1950 College graduate, is the former chairperson and chief executive officer of New Jersey-based Merck & Co., a large pharmaceutical company. Additional funding for the construction came from $27 million in grants from the U.S. Air Force. Another long-awaited project that was unveiled this year was the restored Logan Hall -- the second-oldest edifice on campus, built in 1880 -- which has been undergoing renovations for more than seven years. The building, at 249 S. 36th Street, reopened in mid-January after a lengthy external restoration process and $9.2 million worth of interior renovations. Logan Hall is the first completed step in the $69 million Perelman Quadrangle project, which is designed to create a student center linking Irvine Auditorium with Logan, Houston, Williams and College halls. The project is scheduled to be completed in about two years. The restored building includes a 330-seat auditorium, a terrace room, several classrooms and seminar rooms and a ground-floor art gallery. It now houses the College office along with the History and Sociology of Science, Philosophy, Religious Studies and Classical Studies departments. The Women's Studies program and the Benjamin Franklin Scholars and General Honors offices are also now located at Logan. Also in January, students accustomed to the spacious study areas of the Rosengarten Reserve and the first-floor reference area of the Van Pelt Library found these spaces closed off with plastic tape and temporary partition walls as the library entered the fourth phase of its massive rehabilitation project. Phase IV, the renovation of the facility's main entrance and circulation center, should be finished in August. Phase III of the project -- which saw the addition of new reference facilities and study areas on the library's first floor -- was completed in December, just in time for students to try out some of the new spaces during final exams. The heavy construction work going on in the library over students' heads and under their feet as they studied, however, sparked some concern toward the end of the school year. Several students, for example, said that they feared some of the drilling and demolition work may be releasing carcinogenic asbestos fibers -- dangerous above certain densities -- into the air. Indeed, some asbestos, but not enough to be hazardous, fell from the ceiling into an area in Rosengarten where more than a dozen students were studying January 21. At the time, environmental health officials said the construction posed no danger. Students also complained that the library's temporary early closing hours were leaving them without a place for all-night studying. The library returned to its normal hours in April. Further down Walnut Street at the Annenberg School, construction has been going on since October to renovate the older section of the building and replace the Annenberg School Theater with a teleconferencing center linked to the Annenberg Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Part of the two-year, $15 million renovation project will involve making the school's entrance on Walnut Street more visible. The Annenberg library and graduate students' offices have been temporarily relocated to 4025 Chestnut Street during the construction. Relocation was a big issue this year for many student government groups, campus organizations and performance art groups based in Houston Hall, as University officials prepared for the historic student union's shutdown in late May by slowly assigning individual groups to new sites. Houston Hall is undergoing renovations to link it to the future Perelman Quad and must remain empty while construction takes place.
(04/15/98 9:00am)
Every spring it seems to happen. Someone writes an editorial or column about black separatism and segregation, and W.E.B. DuBois College House becomes its symbolic bastion. Then a flood of letters pours in from everyone in the University community. Some stand up and argue for the need of such a place, but far more prop up their DuBois effigy and quickly topple it over. In this most frustrating of discourses, the finger is casually pointed in one direction. Blacks are viewed as paranoid retreatists, running from non-existent fears, while whites are constructed as the lamentable victims of black protectionism and insecurity. What no one seems to do is closely examine the most segregated group on campus. The group more compartmented and self-segregated than any other. No one talks about the fraternities that consider prospective members based on their parents' income, or the fraternities that are 90 percent Jewish, or those that are 90 percent crew team members or 90 percent Anglo-Saxoned old money, etc. etc. etc. Of course these fraternities don't admit that they are geared toward these sub-groups. And undoubtedly there is the occasional exception -- a black member or the odd Asian member -- in the same way that DuBois has a few white residents. But whites are clearly not flocking to DuBois, and blacks are not scrambling to join Alpha Epsilon Pi. We don't question the need for wealthy, white Protestant young men to belong to the same club and socialize together. We don't question the need for conservative Jews to want to live together and socialize with one another. These desires seem viable and are perhaps socially and psychologically justified. So what of DuBois? What's more, a significant number of black students on this campus attend white fraternity and sorority parties, and a smaller number even belong to some. We go to these parties and dance and have a lot of fun, drink as least as much and share similar hangovers in the morning. When a reporter once asked Ghandi what he thought of Western civilization, he famously replied, "I think it would be a great idea." This same should be said of "integration" at Penn, or anywhere else for that matter. The word "integration"comes from the Latin "integratum" or "made whole." That information may not do anything for my argument, but I would humbly submit that the only way to make something whole is through a coming together of every disparate part. Believe it or not, we're not upset. We see when you preach integration but return every night to your own enclaves. We are not offended, but we do smile to each other and shake our heads sometimes. We look for you at our parties and when you don't show up, we're not altogether surprised. I whisper to my friend that he is lucky you guys don't come because once you saw him dance, you would probably lose your fear of coming to black parties. In the meantime, though, life goes on. Phish and the Grateful Dead will continue to be heard on Locust Walk and big, funny-looking dogs will continue to get walked. And if you don't do anything different, nothing will change. But maybe that's just how things are supposed to be. See you at the Tri-Delt party.
