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(12/03/91 10:00am)
University Police responded to three reports of robbery, a burglary, and a report of a man wielding a gun over a relatively quiet Thanksgiving Break, Lieutenant Susan Holmes said. One person reported being robbed at gunpoint on the 4000 block of Spruce Street at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Holmes said. The complainant said his attacker approached him and demanded money thinking that the complainant had just withdrawn cash at an automatic teller machine. Although the attacker never showed the gun, the complainant told police that the attacker said he had a gun. The complainant handed over money and the attacker fled. The man was described as about 30 years old and wearing a blue jacket with dark pants. In another incident, University Police received a report of an attempted robbery at the WaWa Convenience store at 3925 Walnut Street at 7:35 p.m. Wednesday, Holmes said. A man ordered the clerk to open the cash drawer and turn over the money, but the clerk was unable to open the drawer. The man fled. The 20- to 30-year-old man was five-feet, 10-inches tall and was last seen wearing a dark blue coat and black sweatpants. In a separate incident, University Police apprehended a robber near the 3600 block of Chestnut Street at 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Holmes said, following an attempted robbery of the WaWa on Chestnut Street. According to police, the man earlier Thursday evening ordered a WaWa Convenience Store manager to hand over money, saying "I have a gun." The manager pushed the panic alarm, picked up a crowbar behind the counter, and chased the man out of the store. University Police Officer William Daley observed the manager chasing the robber out of store on the 3600 block of Chestnut and apprehended the suspect, Holmes said. University Police responded to several other incidents over the break including: · A house on 4000 block of Baltimore was burglarized Tuesday afternoon. The burglar entered the house through a first floor window and stole a leather jacket and other clothes. · University Police stopped a man who witnesses said had been wielding a gun near the corner of 40th and Spruce streets at 9 p.m. Wednesday. The man was taken to Philadelphia Police's West Detective Division for carrying an air gun with a six inch barrel.
(11/26/91 10:00am)
A couple of weekends ago I watched Saturday Night Live. Public Enemy was the musical guest. Before they began the song, Flavor Flav, Chuck D's lyrical partner, asked for a moment of silence for Miles Davis. I was shocked to hear that the one person who's style I patterned my own after, the one person who could get more than $30.00 for his concert from me, had died of a stroke, respiratory failure, and pneumonia earlier that day. Sunday morning some friends came by my room and I asked them how they felt about Miles' death. Not one person had a clear idea of who this man was. One girl asked, "Was he a singer?" My roommate said that Miles was a crazy man who played crazy music. These type of comments were really depressing and discouraging. In an era where the greatest concepts begin here but are perfected and therefore claimed by those outside this country, we really need to express interest in and appreciate those, like Miles Davis, who have made lifetime contributions to world culture. For those of you who don't know, let me school you a little bit. Miles Davis was living history. Once, during the '80s, at a dinner with the president an ignorant woman asked him what it was he did that merited his presence. He told her that he changed the course of music about six times. Starting at the creation of be-bop (early jazz form) with Charlie "Bird" Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in 1944, Miles went on to develop cool jazz, hard-bop, modal jazz, jazz-rock, jazz-funk, and modern jazz. Every time critics thought they knew what he was doing, he'd change it. Miles not only gave us new kinds of music to appreciate, he also inspired and nurtured many of the other musicians and groups that we listen to; just to name a few: Herbie Hancock, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea, Tony Williams, Weather Report, and Wynton Marsalis. Lack of insight and awareness is the reason why many people feel that Miles was crazy. This is the image that the media relayed to the general public because his actions and his music were non-conformist and could not be predicted. Remember, Malcolm X was labeled as an irresponsible leader for the same reasons. People like to believe that his usage of narcotics was the cause of his voice being lost. In actuality, he lost his voice while arguing with someone immediately after an operation on his throat. (By the way, his use of drugs ended more than a decade ago.) Another gripe that was often used to downplay Miles is that he sometimes played with his back to the audience and walked off stage when not soloing. Because Miles never thought of himself as an entertainer, but rather as an artist who enjoys striving for perfection, he felt it more important to face his band while giving directions. Finally, no one can deny that Mozart was considered as insane in his day. But do we think about his actions in his personal life? No, we adore him for his music. Because Miles is dead, it's too late to show him the appreciation and respect that he deserved. However, his life given for jazz music will not be in vain if we embrace it, become educated about it, and never ever let those who have had nothing to do with it claim it as theirs. Much more can be said about Miles Davis, but the best way to learn is to read his autobiography and listen to some of his records: Birth of the Cool, Amandla, Tutu, Kind of Blue, Milestones, Sketches of Spain, and Bitches Brew.
(11/25/91 10:00am)
Some were uplifting. Some were depressing. Some were shocking, and caused a revolted few to gasp. Jacob Holdt's American Pictures exhibition took its capacity crowd at Meyerson B-1 through a roller-coaster of images and emotions Thursday night. Holdt's intent was to "oppress" the members of his audience by subjecting them to a four-and-a-half-hour, 3,000 picture photographic essay. The exhibition, Holdt's fifth at the University, covered the European traveler's years of "vagabonding" through the U.S., bombarding the audience with scenes of abject underclass poverty, contrasted with some of the most incredible affluence in America. After a seven-minute introduction, the Danish-born photographer turned out the lights and turned on the slide projectors to show the University community "a side of America most Americans don't want to deal with . . . a show of oppression in its most extreme forms, as seen through the eyes of a foreigner." Holdt, by his own account, hitchhiked over 118,000 miles through 48 states, and sold his blood plasma twice a week in order to compile approximately 15,000 pictures of a forgotten part of America. During the course of his travels, Holdt was arrested twice by FBI agents, four times by the Secret Service, infiltrated meetings of the Ku Klux Klan, and spent nights under the same roof as murderers on three separate occasions. Holdt, though, steadfastly maintains that he has "never known a bad American." At 11:30 p.m., roughly half of the audience remained, riveted. After the show, many in the audience were at a loss for words to describe the visceral impact of what they had been watching for the past four and a half hours. Student Employment Services worker Janice Hoggs said she was struck by the "very powerful, unforgettable . . . idea [that ] slavery still exists." College Senior Glenn Yeck said he thought the show was "powerful . . . a lot to absorb all at once." "If you leave with anything, [it is] an awareness that the problem [of poverty] is worse than anyone realized," Yeck said. But students said the education they had received more than made up for the four and a half hours of "oppression." College junior Joe Kim said the show "was riveting . . . I'd see it again."
(11/22/91 10:00am)
The subjects included the addition of Asian-American studies coursework into the College curriculum, multiculturalism, and the experience of Asians at the University. The forum was sponsored by Students for Asian Affairs, a campus group established two years ago that has been pushing these and other issues since its inception. Professors from the English, Oriental Studies and American Civilization Departments, among others, and representatives of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of University Life all came to participate in an informal dialogue with students. But last night's meeting was just part of what has been a "landmark" year for Asian-American issues at the University, according to SAA Chairperson Phan Lam. A course on Asians in America was introduced on a temporary basis this semester, and two more classes -- one on literature and one on politics -- will be offered next semester. Also, a committee commissioned last spring by former SAS Dean Hugo Sonnenschein to study the inclusion of Asian American studies into the curriculum began meeting this semester. And according to Winnie Lam, editor of SAA's newsletter, awareness of Asian issues has grown on campus. "This year, faculty are becoming more aware of who we are," said Lam, a College sophomore. Assistant Dean for Advising Joseph Sun said SAA is a well-organized group that has the unity a student group needs to fight for curriculum changes. "It takes a lot of work and energy," said Sun. "[SAA] has the momentum. Its only agenda is student concerns." But in spite of the advances it has made, SAA members said they still have many objectives left to meet. The classes being introduced next semester, Asian-American Literature and Asian-American Perspectives on Government Policy, will not be added as a permanent part of the arts and sciences curriculum, but instead will be offered through the College of General Studies. According to American Civilization Chairperson Murray Murphey, who heads the committee, the College does not have professors who can teach Asian-American studies. "The standard way [to add courses] is to get members of the standing faculty to teach them," Murphey said. "But since there aren't many Asian Americans on the faculty, we're trying this way." The Asians in America course is also taught by a visiting faculty member, Bryn Mawr Professor Jean Wu, and although she has agreed to teach the course again next year, Murphey said he cannot guarantee that it would remain in the Am Civ curriculum. The SAA's ultimate goal, according to Chairperson Lam, is to institute a program in Asian-American Studies, similar to the ones offered at Harvard and Brown universities, and eventually to offer a major in that area. She added that teaching Asian-American studies is just one way the University can diversify its academic offerings. "We're all working toward this multicultural curriculum," said Lam, a College senior.
(11/18/91 10:00am)
A student was found semi-conscious on Locust Walk early Saturday morning by University Police but is now listed in fair condition and conscious at HUP, officials said this weekend. University Police Lieutenant Susan Holmes did not know why the student was semi-conscious, but said that a Philadelphia rescue squad responded to the incident and attempts at the time to help the student regain consciousness failed. As of late Saturday, the student was listed in fair condition and was conscious, according to Holmes. In a separate incident, a suspect being chased by Philadelphia Police rammed an unmarked University Police car on the 4100 block of Locust Street at 10:35 p.m. Friday. The unmarked University Police car, part of the police department's plain-clothes team, was monitoring the chase when the car suddenly turned onto Locust Street from 41st Street and hit both the unmarked police car and two other unoccupied parked cars. The man, who was arrested for stealing the Mercedes-Benz he fled in, was unharmed, but the three University officers assigned to the unmarked car were taken to the HUP, Holmes said. All three were treated for minor injuries and released. All the vehicles suffered cosmetic damage, except for the stolen Mercedes, which was severely damaged. University Police also responded to a report on Philadelphia Police radio that a female area resident had attempted to commit suicide and was suffering from lacerations inflicted with a razor at 11:35 p.m. Friday, Holmes said. The woman was taken to HUP and her condition was unknown last night. In a separate incident, a man reported to police that he had entered a vehicle parked in the 3400 block of Chestnut Street at about 11:50 p.m. Friday to wait for his girlfriend. The car, however, was not his and when the owner of the car returned, he pulled the complainant from the car, Holmes said. The complainant was struck by the owner of the car, who fled in the car. University Police also responded to several other incidents over the weekend, including: · A female area resident reported being grabbed on the buttocks by an unknown male at 9:19 a.m. yesterday on the 3600 block of Spruce Street. The woman refused to file a police report. · The Phi Gamma Delta house at 3619 Locust Walk was robbed of 11 cases of Schlitz beer at 6:23 p.m. Friday. University Police apprehended a suspect and impounded the alcohol. · A man was caught breaking into an car parked on the 3800 block of Walnut Street by University Police officers. The man was arrested in the process of removing the stereo system at 8:48 p.m. Friday. · A bag of ice thrown out of a High Rise North window struck a car, breaking its front windshield, but causing no injuries at 11:41 p.m. Friday. · A 1985 grey Cadillac Sedan Seville was stolen out of the University parking lot on the north side of the 3600 block of Walnut Street at about 3 a.m. Saturday. · The Philadelphia Fire Department responded to a report of a fire on the 8th floor of High Rise North at 4:39 a.m. Saturday. Posters were set on fire, but were quickly extinguished with minimal damage to the floor. · A $700 Nikon camera was stolen from Meyerson Hall at about 12 p.m. yesterday.
(11/13/91 10:00am)
Actor Sam Dale invoked the power of imagination yesterday as he guided a University class through the intricacies of directing a scene from Shakespeare. Using a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream, a play he described as magical and filled with fantasy, the actor demonstrated to Theatre Arts Lecturer Jim Schlatter's class the thematic and stylistic choices actors and directors make when deciding how to portray a scene. Dale and five other professional British actors are at the University this week, sharing their knowledge of Shakespeare and theater with students in Theatre Arts and English classes and giving three performances of Dream. Yesterday morning, as College seniors Jeffrey Coon and Lori Horowitz stood in the middle of an Annenberg Center practice room to read the scene, Dale answered questions about the text and called for the students' interpretation of the scene. After each set of suggestions from the class, Coon and Horowitz acted the scene again, adjusting their portrayal to fit the suggestions. While his intent is to teach about theater, Dale said he also learns from hearing students' interpretations of Shakespeare. "It shakes your confidence," he said. "It makes you reexamine your performance." The Actors From the London Stage are completing their 20th annual tour of American colleges. Sponsored by A Center for Theater, Education and Research at the University of California at Santa Barbara, they visit six schools a year to perform and to teach. Actor Eunice Roberts said she enjoys discussing Shakespeare from the different points of view demanded by the psychology, English and acting classes to whom she has spoken during the tour. "It's different depending on what sort of classes you go to," she said. "I enjoy the variety." Coon said the workshop was helpful because he was able to see the concepts discussed in class demonstrated in detail, but he added that it was difficult to follow the specific directions of his classmates. "That's really hard," he said. "I have ideas of how it should be played." According to Schlatter, students benefit from the dual mission of Actors from the London Stage, which is to teach and to perform. He added that the group's perspective on theater as a serious artistic discipline matches the outlook of the Theatre Arts Department. In addition to addressing classes throughout the week, Actors from the London Stage will give several readings and workshops open to the public. Roberts will read for the Philomathean Society Friday at 1 p.m., and Dale will read for the Irish Club Friday at 1:30 in the Benjamin Franklin Room in Houston Hall. The actors will also give a practical acting workshop for students in the Houston Hall Bowl Room Saturday at 1 p.m. A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed Thursday at 1 and 8 p.m. and Friday at 8 p.m. in the Zellerbach Theatre in Annenberg Center. Tickets are available at the Annenberg Ticket Office.
(11/11/91 10:00am)
When Fine Arts graduate student Bob Coates feels bad, he paints portraits of himself in a coffin. When he feels good, he paints himself with the sun rising behind him. Most of the over 30 self-portraits in the exhibit capture a fleeting moment or emotion in the artists' lives. "In my self-portraits I relay self-feeling all the time," Coates said, while pointing to a portrait of himself in a medieval martyr's robe. "At that time I was feeling martyred." College junior Anne Katzen said that her self portraits really captivate her feelings at the time she paints them. "There's something contemplative about paintings," she said. "When I paint, I show my emotion at that instant." "I paint on a whim. I do what I feel at the moment," College sophomore Adam King said. "I think it's the most sincere method, intellectualizing gets in the way of emotion." Other artists said they try to consciously stray away from reality to better convey their message. "I look at the emotion, not the person," said College junior Nadine Johnson. "When you deviate from reality, you gain in emotion. That's what I'm trying to do." Students at the show's opening said they found the portraits very interesting. "I really like the paintings," said College freshman Melanie Jay. "The artists are incredible. You really get a sense of how they view themselves." Three more shows will be featured at the gallery next semester. "Artists and Children" will pair an painter to a child from Philadelphia and exhibit their work. A series of drawings and studies leading up to a final work will be the theme of "Process and Product." The last show of the year will feature works by one artist as selected by the gallery. The exhibit was organized by College junior Jessica Winegar, director of the gallery, and College senior Evan Bernstein, curating director, and funded by the Social Planning and Events Committee. "Our primary goal is to provide space for any Penn person to show their work," Bernstein said. "From The Outside Looking In" will run for several weeks in the Houston Hall Bowl Room.
(11/11/91 10:00am)
Don't tell Phan Lam about the Oriental Studies Department. The chairperson of Students for Asian Affairs laughs when her program is compared, or equated, with student concerns about Oriental Studies. "A lot of the departments that we do have -- and if people point to the Oriental Studies Department -- they're great departments," said the College senior. "But many of the departments are of classical studies. [The Asian-American experience] is a unique experience." Lam and other students are frustrated that Asian Americans are not viewed as an American cultural group, but are seen as foreigners whose concerns should be lumped together with those of Asian nationals. Two years ago, students acting on this frustration formed SAA, a group dedicated to serving the distinct needs of Asians and Asian Americans at the University. With Asians and Asian Americans forming 18 percent of the University's student population, SAA is a new, serious voice working to be heard in an institution that says diversity is one of its primary concerns. Last year, the group lobbied successfully to institute a course on Asians in America, which is currently being taught on an temporary basis under the auspices of the American Civilization Department. This year, the struggle has continued as the group petitions to install the course permanently and add an Asian American literature class. Many California schools have majors in Asian American studies, and Brown and Harvard Universities both have courses in the subject. Lam said she thinks the University needs to keep up with that academic trend. · Jean Wu, a Bryn Mawr College professor who comes to the University once a week to teach the Asians in America course, said that the discipline of Asian American studies, like other ethnic studies, developed in the late 1960s in the wake of the civil rights movement. Minority scholars began to question the definition of an "American," contending that although the U.S. considers itself a melting pot, to blend into the society, one had to "melt" into the mold set by European immigrants, a mold that Asians could not fit because of their appearance. "No matter how long a person has been in this country, people still ask them, 'Where do you come from?' and, 'How did you learn to speak English so well?' " said Wu. Now, Asian American studies curricula around the country cover a wide range of historical and social science disciplines. The University of California at Los Angeles, for example, has an Asian American Studies specialization has courses relating the Asian American experience to law, women's studies, literature, and the media, as well as classes that are specific to one Asian ethnicity. But Wu said Asian Americans' experiences must be integrated into broader courses at different educational stages in order to form a complete picture of their contributions to American history. · Wu's classroom was in a controlled uproar toward the end of her three-hour class last Thursday afternoon as the students heatedly discussed the "glass ceiling" that sociologists say prevents the advancement of women and minorities in American companies. All but one of the 25 students in the class were Asian, and as the professor called on them to address Asian success and failure in the business world, they drew emotionally on their own experiences. One student said she planned to take advantage of new hiring trends that target women and minorities, while another said she hoped hard work would be enough to make her successful. Wu moderated the discussion while students nodded their heads in agreement or shot their hands up to comment. After class, College sophomore Yin Lai said she enjoyed the forum the course provided for discussing Asian American concerns. "I love it when we all argue and scream about it," she said. "You'd think that you're all think alike, but then you come up with Asians who have completely different experiences from you." Lai apologized playfully to Regan Allen, the only Caucasian in the class, for the way the class laughed when she brought up Asians' success in medical fields. Allen said the course gave her the chance to experience to experience academia from the point of view of a minority. "For me, this class is the first time I've been a minority," said the College junior. "Sometimes I get really upset when the professor asks us to relate to something and I can't relate." · Wu's class was implemented as a result of student action, and similar requests from the SAA have fallen on fertile ground at the University. Am Civ Department Chairperson Murray Murphey said his department has not received authorization from School of Arts and Sciences Dean Rosemary Stevens to continue Wu's course next year, but he said the course was not expensive and would probably be continued. He added that his department made a proposal to Dean Hugo Sonnenschein two years ago to develop Asian American studies coursework, and although the proposal was rejected, Murphey still considers the topic important. "We believe that such a course is necessary, at a minimum," Murphey said. "I think there ought to be more than this." And English Department Undergraduate Chairperson Alice Kelley said her department began looking for ways to add a course in Asian American literature after College senior Jim Lee wrote her a letter about the problem. The letter was circulated through the department, and Kelley said several professors told her they already taught the works of Asian-American authors in their courses, while Peter Conn expressed interest in teaching a course on the subject. But none of the professors is an expert in the field, and according to Kelley, it will be difficult to attract qualified faculty in a discipline as young as Asian American studies. "I know how eager these students are, and I really hope we can move quickly," she said. "I hope they won't think we aren't caring if we can't find someone." The swelling demand for Asian American studies mirrors the growth of other ethnic studies at the University. In December, the faculty will vote on the creation of a Latin American studies minor, the culmination of three years of student activism for the cause. Similarly, Kelley said an increase in student demands for African-American literature courses several years ago outstripped the University's ability to find qualified faculty. "It's like a few years ago when we were looking for a senior African-Americanist," she said. "We had to woo like crazy and we lost." The University administration has also begun to respond to requests for Asian American studies coursework. Sonnenschein created a committee last May to advise the dean on how to integrate Asian American studies into the curriculum. The committee will report to Stevens by the end of the academic year.
(11/08/91 10:00am)
Early decision applications rose 14 percent this year, giving the University the second highest total ever. Admissions Dean Willis Stetson said yesterday early decision applications increased to 1401 from 1229, making this year's yield second only to 1988. Stetson added that although applications had to be postmarked by last Friday, the University may receive up to 25 more in the days to come. The number of minority applicants also increased. The number of black students applying early decision rose 9.5 percent to 42, and 266 Asian students applied, a 15.4 percent increase. Christoph Guttentag, director of planning for the Admissions Office, credited the rise to a wider awareness of the University's academic reputation and quality of student life. He said both publicity efforts by the University and word of mouth from current students helped spread this information. Guttentag added that although the University faces many difficulties, including crime, students who visit the campus are strongly attracted to it. According to Stetson, this year's applicant pool matched last year in quality indicators like class rank and standardized test scores. Stetson also said the number of applications from the northeast increased, especially from the mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. These states traditionally account for 40 percent of the University's population. Increases in early applications do not necessarily mean that overall applications will also rise. In the past, the correlation between regular and early applications has been weak. But Guttentag said he was pleased with the jump in applications. "I think it's a nice reflection on the institution," he said. "It makes me feel good that people are that enthusiastic about Penn. It makes me feel good personally, and it makes me feel good professionally." The increase in minority applications may be due to turnover in the position of director of minority recruitment. Clarence Grant, who replaced Pippa Porter Rex earlier this year, may have brought a fresh perspective to the job, according to Guttentag. Early decision applicants will be evaluated by mid-December. The University regularly accepts 30 to 40 percent of early applicants, rejects 10 to 20 percent, and defers 50 percent to be re-evaluated with the regular applicant pool in March. Students who are accepted early decision are obligated to enroll at the University.
(11/06/91 10:00am)
PARIS isn't as friendly as it used to be. Instead, PARIS recommends that they speak to a human being. And administrators said getting students to seek human contact was what they had in mind when they implemented a new "flagging" system that temporarily bars students from registration for next semester. Robert Rescorla, chairperson of the Psychology Department, said he decided to put all psychology majors on hold until they consulted with an advisor as soon as he knew the technology was available to do so. "I found that many majors were simply not getting even minimal advice," said Rescorla. "On occasion the Psychology Department has tried to encourage students [to see an advisor], but we've never been able to do more than encourage them." The introduction of PARIS two years ago opened up the possibility of contacting students through the computer, a tool that interacts with users. In the past, administrators had to rely on sending letters with no immediate way of monitoring student response. This semester, over 1500 students will be turned away by the computer because of requirements established by the College of Arts and Sciences, Student Health Services and the Psychology Department. All the offices are requiring that students meet with advisors before they can register. Diane Frey, director of advising for the College, said she thinks the hold on registering is a good tool for bringing students into the advising office to discuss choosing a major. "I think most [students] have had advising, but they just haven't followed through with the paperwork," Frey said. "This is the only means of leverage that there really is." But the ease with which PARIS can be used to communicate with students means that it may bear the brunt of problems caused by deficiencies in other University procedures. For example, many departments, including History and English, restrict a large portion of their courses to majors in an attempt to encourage students to declare a major, but there are enough loopholes that non-majors often register for those classes. And the College's new policy, which requires juniors and seniors who have not declared a major to meet with an advisor before registering, has increased the burden on the College advising office at a time of year when that office is usually busy. In addition to helping freshmen and sophomores chart their courses of study, the advising office has signed several hundred release forms over the last two weeks enabling students to pre-register on PARIS, according to Frey. "We saw a lot of heavy traffic the last couple weeks," she said. "It's unending. We're just tremendously busy." Psychology major Debbie Abrams said that although she felt confident about her course of study, the meeting she had with an advisor yesterday was a good experience. "I didn't feel like I needed to go in to an advisor, but it's a good idea if you're just starting off," said the College senior.
(11/05/91 10:00am)
If you want a flu shot from Student Health, you had better hurry. Student Health Director MarJeanne Collins said only 74 more doses of the influenza vaccine are available to students who have not already signed up for them. "A lot of people have signed up already. We're trying to get more," she said. Each year Student Health orders 200 doses of the flu vaccine and Collins said she expects this will be an adequate amount. "It has been my experience that we have not given more than 200 shots in a single year," she said. Collins emphasized that although the $5 flu shots are "recommended," they are not essential for college students. The main people at risk to suffer complications from influenza are those over age 65 or those who have underlying immune disorders or cardiac problems. "Flu shots are available for those who feel they want them rather than just for those who need them," she said. But Collins also said that college students are at an increased risk of catching the flu because of "clustering at work and play." "I haven't had the chance to talk to Student Health, but I'll call to see if the program will be extended to students," said Emergency Department Administrator Sue Canning. Canning said that this will be the first year that HUP will be "actively marketing" flu vaccinations to the University community. HUP Occupational Health Services is organizing the new program which will offer $15 flu shots to faculty and employees. The shots will be administered from the walk-in clinic located on the ground floor of the Silverstein Building. Canning said that the clinic has ordered 1500 doses in response to a Centers for Disease Control prediction that this year's flu season will be worse than usual. "It's hard to predict demand [for the shots], but we are expecting a serious outbreak in the region," she said. Canning added that the CDC's annual prediction has been highly accurate in recent years and that the organization was also successful in predicting last year's measles epidemic. "We basically take direction from their predictions," she said. But Chief of the Infectious Diseases Section P.J. Brennan cautioned that the alarm may be premature. "It's somewhat unpredictable," said Brennan. "This wouldn't be the first time that [the CDC] had predicted a banner year and it really wasn't." Brennan said that although the risk of complications from influenza is minimal for college students, the danger of influenza should be taken seriously. "I think that anyone who wants to prevent catching the flu should get the vaccination," said Brennan. "I'm a real advocate of getting flu shots." Brennan said students should realize that a flu shot is only effective for six months because of the constantly-changing strains of the virus. As a result, this year's vaccine is different than last year's. According to Brennan, the flu vaccine is prepared in the spring based on the type of flu which is spreading in East Asia. The virus migrates to the West starting in December and the flu season can last until March.
(11/01/91 10:00am)
The number of students blocked from registering for classes due to their failure to comply with administrative requirements has been halved, due to the efforts of College of Arts and Sciences and Student Health officials. 1645 students are currently temporarily blocked from registering, down almost half from last week's 3000 students risking of exclusion from PARIS. The reduced number of ineligible students is largely due to active publicity campaigns and the threat of obstructed registration, officials said. But they added that they have clarified their policies, which now allow ineligible students to register for spring classes through PARIS Monday by merely speaking to advisors in the appropriate office. College Dean Norman Adler said a letter sent to juniors and seniors created the mistaken impression that they would have to complete the declaration of a major before they would be allowed to register. "I apologize for the letter," Adler said. "It may not have been warm enough. All we want is for students to come in and talk to somebody." 550 College juniors and seniors will be unable to register on PARIS because they have not yet declared a major, 95 students will be barred because they have not turned in their immunization history to Student Health, and 1000 will be barred because they do not have an approved insurance plan. Student Health has sent letters to students who were not signed up for an appropriate insurance plan, but Student Health Director MarJeanne Collins said many students did not realize that their plans from last year would not automatically apply this year. "It might be that someone for whatever reason did not get the mailing," she said. "We have tried to work with the individual departments. They are usually the ones that can best reach their students." The insurance problem was intensified by the University's rejection of an insurance plan for which many foreign students had registered. The plan was deemed unacceptable because it did not offer coverage equivalent to the University's insurance plan. As a result, some foreign students were told this fall that they had to sign up for a $930 plan instead of a $360 plan, a cost which many had not anticipated. Some students did respond to administrators' prompting. Immunization coordinator Vernell Edwards said the number of students who had not turned in their forms dropped from 200 to 95 in response to a letter students received the same day an article ran in The Daily Pennsylvanian. "I was overwhelmed for three consecutive days with phone calls and students coming in and dropping off their forms," Edwards said. And Collins said the Student Health office hired three extra staff members to help students who she expects to respond during the pre-registration period. "The problem is there are a thousand people out there, and we won't be able to deal with them all on the last day," she said.
(10/31/91 10:00am)
If you want to get an A, don't point out that he chews with his mouth open. And during next week's Take a Professor to Lunch Week, don't play with your food -- it's rude. For the ninth year in a row, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education is sponsoring Take a Professor to Lunch Week next week, giving students and professors an opportunity to get to know each other. "This is really a way to see professors as human beings outside the classroom and to learn more about who they are as individuals," said SCUE member Jackie Einstein, who is co-organizing the event. According to SCUE Chairperson David Kauffman, about 500 students do lunch with their teachers through the program each year, noting that certain professors are taken out for lunch several times during the week. SCUE's program provides an incentive for students to meet with their professors outside of class, but Einstein stressed that next week should be only the beginning. "I wish students would take advantage of the opportunity to get to know their professors more during the semester," she said. "This is only supposed to be a model, not something you wait for." Some professors said yesterday the culinary brown-nosing breaks down the barriers between teachers and students. "It provides an opportunity for professors and students to get to know each other on a personal level," Civil Systems Professor John Keenan said. "It reminds you that every person is an individual and has their own story and that's an important thing to know." Keenan said students take him out to lunch about once a year. And Physics Professor Alfred Mann, who has never been treated to lunch through SCUE's program, said "anything that helps to provide informal relationships . . . between students and faculty is a good idea." Some students said the program is a good way to let good teachers know they are appreciated. "There's one professor that I'd really like to take," Wharton freshman Peter Ehrich said yesterday. "She's really competent . . . Because I took her class I'm going to switch my concentration."
(10/30/91 10:00am)
The Nursing and Engineering Schools, which have not sent many students abroad in the past, are planning new foreign study programs at universities around the globe. "We're trying to encourage Engineering students to study abroad," said John Keenan, associate dean of Engineering. This summer the Engineering School will sponsor four internships at the University of Tokyo, the University of Complutense in Spain; the Universite de Technologie de Compiegne in France; and universities in Israel, according to Keenan. According to Keenan, the students will likely be assigned a project in a research lab. Independent study credit for the six to 10 week programs may be assigned on an individual basis. The program at Compiegne will cater to first year students. Keenan hopes that the summer internship in Compiegne will encourage students to also spend their junior year there. The other three programs are intended for juniors, although Keenan said the internships are not closed to sophomores. The internship in Israel will be partially funded through a donation to the school. The other three interns will not receive any financial support. The Engineering School currently has formal study abroad programs in Compiegne, Edinburgh, and two colleges in London, England. Keenan would like to add several more. "Our hope is that these internships would be the first step," Keenan said. The Nursing School plans to utilize the existing programs in Lyon, France, and Leuven, Belgium, according to Mary Naylor, associate dean of Nursing. Nursing students at Lyon will do independent study in nursing and health care in addition to the classes in French language and culture. The University now has a summer program in Leuven and is planning a semester-long one. The Nursing School will also add an independent study to the summer program. Naylor would also like to start an exchange in England, although no plans have been made yet. Nursing students can fulfill nursing requirements at Hebrew University and Edinburgh.
(10/29/91 10:00am)
In the mid 1980s, lesbian and gay graduate students at the University decided they wanted a group to represent their needs. "The graduate students at the University were at a different point in their lives [than undergraduates]," said Brian Crane, one of the four co-chairpersons of the Lesbian and Gay Graduate and Professional Student Association. "Graduate students wanted a separate space. [It was] by no means a hostile separation." So in 1986, several lesbian and gay graduate students got together and formed LG-GAPSA. · For over half a decade, LG-GAPSA has served not only as a social, academic, and sometimes political organization, but simply a place where lesbian and gay students of the University's 12 graduate schools can get to know each other. "[LG-GAPSA] allows people to get together and find out, 'There are other people like me,' " first-year Psychology graduate student Peter Marvit said last week. "People who have been involved in LG-GAPSA [represent] a broad cross-section of the University," added American Civilization doctoral student Crane. "LG-GAPSA] is probably the most widespread in terms of where its members come from." And many LG-GAPSA members said that they were drawn to the organization because of the sense of community it provides. "We provide a forum for people to interact with each other at a social and academic level," Jeff Abrahamson, a December 1990 graduate of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, said last week. Abrahamson added that while members of groups such as the Black Graduate and Professional Student Assembly "pretty much know each other on sight," lesbian and gay students do not have that luxury. "[LG-GAPSA] provides a way to know who the other gay and lesbian students are," he said. While LG-GAPSA is not directly associated with the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, it has had a voting seat on GAPSA for almost five years. GAPSA added LG-GAPSA's voting seat because GAPSA members felt that the organization represented a certain contsituency that was not previously well-represented in the assembly, according to GAPSA Chairperson Michael Goldstein. And LG-GAPSA is funded by GAPSA's Graduate Inter-School Activities Council, the graduate counterpart of the undergraduate Student Activities Council. This year, GISAC has given LG-GAPSA $1800 with which to run its activities. "[They] really do more for the students that participate in them, sometimes than the school governments [do]," Elizabeth Hunt, GAPSA's vice chair for GISAC, said last week. The staple events on LG-GAPSA's calendar of activities are the socials that take place on the first Friday of every month in the Penniman Library in Bennett Hall. LG-GAPSA members said as many as 150 students come to these events each month. Many members said they participate in LG-GAPSA primarily because of the social opportunities it provides. "The people are really friendly and nice," said a woman in the Graduate School of Education, who did not want her name used. "[At socials] people go up to strangers and say hello. I haven't really found that the to be the overall response in terms of Penn." "I like the people," added Marvitt. "[They are] from all walks of life." But LG-GAPSA sponsors other activities aside from the monthly socials. In the past, the organization has sponsored several film series, a talent show to raise money for a local gay charity, and many lectures on issues of interest to members of the lesbian and gay community. And while LG-GAPSA members said the group is not always politically active, the association has been at the forefront of the call for the removal of the Reserve Officer Training Corps from campus. Co-Chairperson James Colgate said that the slow rate at which President Sheldon Hackney is going about solving this issue is of particular concern to the lesbian and gay community. "We want [Hackney] to comply with his own anti-discrimination policy," he said. While most members agree that the group is loosely organized, their principle concern is that LG--GAPSA's goals are achieved. "[LG-GAPSA] operates on consensus rather than as a formalized board," Crane said, adding that the organization of the group is "a little on the loose side." The group tries to have two co-chairpersons each year -- a man and a woman -- a treasurer, and a social coordinator. Beyond that, positions are "broken down on a task basis." "We're loosely organized because we're all graduate students," Colgate said. "Undergraduates seem to have more time." And while most members are unsure as to whether or not LG-GAPSA even has a constitution, it is apparent that this, too, is unimportant. One criticism that lesbian and bisexual women have made of the organization is that only a small percentage of those involved in the group are women. Although LG-GAPSA is designed for both men and women, the group is about 90 percent male, according to History graduate student Abby Schrader, one of the founding members of Penn's Eagerly Awaited Radical Ladies. PEARL expanded and decided to split off from LG-GAPSA, a split which Schrader described as "amicable." Schrader said that she used to regularly attend LG-GAPSA's socials but "the problem was that [only] five women would show up." She added that all the women would leave the socials early and go somewhere for dinner and rent a movie because they felt more comfortable on their own. In the future, Colgate said that LG-GAPSA is considering changing their name to include bisexuals because a significant section of the population is bisexual. And while the name LGB-GAPSA has been proposed, many students feel that the organization would be better served if the name was shorter, not longer. But while members have yet to agree on a name -- proposals include Sexual Minority Union of Graduates and Graduate Alliance of Sexual Minorities -- they do agree that a name change is important. "[It's] a wonderful idea to have the name represent all the people in our organization," Graduate School of Fine Arts student Colgate said. "I like the idea of something short, sweet . . . and all-inclusive," Marvitt said.
(10/24/91 9:00am)
As an economics student, I am about to commit a treasonous act. I am going to defend inflation. Inflation is my pal. A little inflation will pay for my car. A little more may help reduce my friend's education debt. Why? Because unexpected inflation is the friend of all debtors. Inflation makes my parents' mortgage payments of $500 a month on a four-bedroom house -- a small fortune in 1972 -- seem dirt cheap today. And who reading this newspaper (with the possible exception of a few exceedingly conservative professors) isn't neck deep in debt. Inflation (for those who avoided Econ 2) is simply the devaluation of money. Nothing fancy, just that a dollar buys less every year. The dollar has been decreasing in value since George Washington was president. On the surface, inflation seems bad. What now costs $100 to buy will cost $105 next year. And on the surface, inflation is bad. But that is true only if salaries don't increase at the same rate. For example, if Mom and Dad increase your allowance by five percent as well, the five percent inflation becomes harmless. Likewise, if Andersen Consulting raises your salary by five percent, the whole situation is a wash. You will still be able to buy the same amount of Rolling Rock. So why do I care? And why should you? Because many of us will soon be deep in debt thanks to the loans we've taken out to finance our Ivy League educations. Inflation presents an easy way out. Allow me to offer an example of how. I will soon be buying a car from Lee Iacocca. Lee says that I can buy his $12,000 Eagle sports car by taking out a loan at 6.9 percent interest over five years. That means I will have to pay Lee about $276 each month until the end of the payback term. I can barely afford that after paying for insurance. Now suppose we elect Tom Harkin president of the United States. And Tom starts cranking up the government printing presses to pay for all of Reagan's left-over debt and his New Deal-style programs. Inflation soars to 10 percent. I still have to pay Lee $276 each month. But, after five years of inflation that $276 is worth only $163 in today's money. If my salary just keeps up with inflation, I make a killing. My friend with a wagon load of college loans presents a more dramatic example of the virtues of inflation. At an interest rate of 12 percent, her $50,000 worth of loans can be paid off in (just?) ten years with payments of $717.35 each month. That's a whole lot of money for someone just out of school. But if inflation jumps up to 10 percent, after 10 years her payments will seem like only $250 in today's money. That little bit of inflation makes a big difference. The moral of the story is that loans are paid off the same amount each month in nominal, or current dollars, despite how much that money has devalued. The farmers back in my home state, Nebraska, understood this long before Milton Friedman became famous. Farmers have historically had huge debts on their land. The turn of the century Populist political platform advocated soft money (i.e. high inflation). They hoped that inflation would decrease the value of their farm loans, making them easier to pay off. Still skeptical? Not surprising, politicians teach everyone to fear inflation. These groups are not the innocent sufferers they appear to be, however. Many people we may, at first, place in the fixed-income group, such as those on Social Security, have cost of living adjustments included in their payments. As for savers -- if there are any around -- they could find creative ways, like Junk Bonds, to adapt (and anyway, stock market investments will probably keep up with inflation). But I don't care a whole lot about lenders. I'm a borrower. I have no objection if inflation redistributes some income from Mellon Bank to me. So as a student deep in debt, I would tell Washington to crank up the inflation. Wages will adjust, but loan payments will remain the same. Today's students can become like yesterday's populists. Paradoxically, inflation can become our ally in the battle against increasing educational costs. Some might claim that I over-simplify the economics by ignoring the reality of interest rates adjusting to expected inflation (over 10 years? I could refinance), but from where I sit inflation looks pretty good. Maybe I will see things differently when I am rich Republican, but for now I can use all the help I can get. Josh Engel is a senior Economics major from Omaha, Nebraska.
(10/24/91 9:00am)
PARIS may become off-limits to more than 3000 students next week. Because of tomorrow's administrative deadlines set up by Student Health and the College of Arts and Sciences, students will be barred from advanced registration if they do not turn in health insurance forms, declare their major or provide a record of immunizations. Although administrators said students have been responding to these separate requirements throughout the semester, there is still a large pool of students whom the administration is targeting for compliance: · Kent Peterman, an executive assistant to College Dean Norman Adler, said approximately 800 upperclassmen had not declared majors at the end of last year. · Immunization Coordinator Vernell Edwards said 200 new students have not completed the appropriate paperwork. · Student Health Director MarJeanne Collins said the number of students without insurance is a significant number, but is "under 3000." Student Health and the College Office have been working to reduce those numbers by sending letters to students who have not complied with requirements. Administrators said they will not know until tomorrow's deadline how many students will actually be barred. When students restricted from registration call PARIS for pre-registration beginning November 4, they will be told to contact their division offices. "I don't know that it would have been possible before PARIS," she said. Immunization's Edwards said he barred 200 students from pre-registration two years ago, and last year, when he did not use that technique, students complied more slowly than they had with the restriction. He added that his main goal is to get students who are not in compliance to contact him, even if they cannot fill out the forms right away. "Once I talk to the students, I do remove the block because they have to register," he said. "The good thing it does for me is to contact the students personally to find out what's going on." According to Collins, this is the first year Student Health has used restricted registration to deal with insurance problems, although they set a deadline in September which was not enforced. The earlier deadline drew protests from foreign students, many of whom had signed up for a $360 insurance plan which the University said was unacceptable and who then had to sign up for a $930 plan. Many juniors and seniors in the College said they are unhappy with the deadline placed on them to declare a major, but administrators and student leaders said the restriction is a good tool for helping students plan their academic programs. Peterman said earlier this week that students should map their academic courses before junior year. "We believe it takes considerable planning and thought to plan a major," he said. Waivers are available for students who cannot declare a major now or who are unable to buy insurance.
(10/24/91 9:00am)
Greeting over 20 students with a warm "Buenas Noches," College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Dean Olga Rubio began a forum on the concerns of Latino students at the University last night at the Greenfield Intercultural Center. Students at the 90-minute forum, sponsored by El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, La Associacion Cultural de Estudiantes Latino Americanos and La Esquina Latina, discussed the difficulties in assimilating to the University and how Latino groups help them adapt. ACELA President Pam Urueta began the forum by saying that not only are there few Latino students at the University but they come from predominantly Latino neighborhoods. Consequently, she said, many Latino students experience a culture shock when they first arrive here. Rubio said that this culture shock leads to isolation of Latino students during their first year at University. Most of the students at the forum said that they encounter academic isolation as well. They said that they are disatisfied with the low number of Latino faculty members. Many added that they already have chosen to pursue the yet-to-be-approved Latin American Studies minor and they hope to participate in the University's new exchange program to Mexico. The students' greatest complaint was that there is not enough Latino students on campus. Only three percent of the student body is Latino, according to Rubio. "I met a lot of Latinos when I stayed here for a visit, but they always joked you can count how many Latinos are here," said College sophmore Evelyn Lafontaine. Discussion then shifted to the importance of the Latino groups in helping students overcome their feelings of isolation. MEChA President Liz Cedillo said that the groups help students deal with the social and academic tensions that arise from a "generally white college." "I felt very different being from a very low economic background," said former ACELA President Carmen Maldanado. "For me [the Latino groups were] my connection, my life line." Urueta added that those not in the groups are missing out on something. "People are missing something by not coming here just as we are missing out by not going out the way they do," Urueta said. But, Rubio added that many misinterupt the organizations' philosophy as radical and separatist. Most of the students said they felt that the main goal of their organizations was to unite the Latino population and then go from there. "People are finally starting to realize to what their goals are," said Wharton sophomore Jim Padilla. "People are starting to make progress and their goals come true."
(10/24/91 9:00am)
For young, ambitious film directors, making movies is the fun part. Getting people to watch them is the hard part. The films to be shown at the annual festival have all been written, produced, and directed by University students. In addition, the premiere of three student films never before shown in public will be screened at the event. College senior Cort Fey, one of the Foundation's board members, said that the Festival will provide an invaluable opportunity for directors to see how their film holds up with an objective, impartial audience. "It's very important for a filmmaker to be with the audience when they experience the film," Fey said. "When you get really close to a film, you don't really see the problems that an objective audience might see in it." Fey added that the audience will also benefit from having the directors present at screenings to answer questions afterwards. "It will hopefully give students insight into the movie-making process by being able to discuss the various choices the directors made with the actual director," Fey said. College senior Alon Kaplan, another of the Foundation's board members, said that the audience will be able to learn things from the student films that they would never glean from seeing a million-dollar movie in a local theatre. "If you go to a Hollywood film, there's no way to learn anything constructive from it," Kaplan said. "But going to a student film, you really learn what can be done within the medium." Fey said that the Festival was designed to get interested students involved in the Foundation's future projects which include the filming of a 20-minute film entitled "Scooby Doo: The Case of the Irate Thespian." Kaplan said he hopes that student film festivals will be held more frequently on campus and will include films from nearby schools such as Temple University, Drexel University, and Rutgers University. He said that the Foundation ultimately hopes to organize an Ivy League Film Festival showcasing student films written, directed, and produced by students in Ivy League schools. Kaplan said he hopes that students will not be discouraged from coming to a film "festival," thinking that all the films shown will be esoteric and "artsy." "Some of the student films are really funny and really entertaining," Kaplan said. "Students shouldn't worry that the all the films will be too deep." The festival begins at 7 p.m. on Sunday in McClelland Hall in the Quadrangle. Admission is free but donations to the Foundation will be encouraged.
(10/18/91 9:00am)
Three University students were robbed at gunpoint Saturday night in two separate incidents occurring within an hour, University Police said. In addition, University Police responded to two other robberies, a simple assault, a report of a man brandishing a gun, and several burglaries over the weekend. A male student reported being robbed at gunpoint by two men riding bikes on the 4200 block of Walnut Street at 10:37 p.m. Saturday, according to University Police Lieutenant Susan Holmes. The attacker struck the student on the left side of his head with the gun, but did not steal anything, Holmes said. University Police responded to a second gunpoint robbery of two students on the corner of 36th and Sansom streets just an hour after the first incident. The male and female University students were robbed of $24 by a teenage male riding a bike at 11:38 p.m Saturday, Holmes said. The attacker, who was 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighed about 150 pounds, was last seen riding on a dirtbike and wearing a green shirt, blue jeans, and a coral necklace as he headed west on Sansom. University Police also responded to a report of a man brandishing a gun on the corner of 40th and Locust streets at 11:36 p.m Saturday, according to Holmes. The man, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, was last seen heading west on Locust Street. University Police stopped a man fitting the description later that night, but because the man had no outstanding warrants, he was released. In a separate incident, University Police received a report of a strongarm robbery of a University student at 11:32 p.m. Friday on 41st Street between Walnut and Spruce streets. A male student was robbed of his Trek Mountain bike when a man approached and threatened him. The man was about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, had a thin build and short hair and was wearing a long grey jacket. He was last seen heading north on 41st Street towards Chestnut Street. In a separate incident, two male University students were robbed by two male attackers in a University parking lot on the corner of 38th and Walnut streets Friday night, according to Holmes. Two suspects approached and demanded money from the two students at 12:39 a.m. Saturday. When the students resisted, the men attacked them. Both students refused medical treatment. The attackers fled, and University Police recovered a golf club at the scene. It is unclear whether the attackers used the club against the students. In other incidents over the weekend: · University Police responded to a report of a simple assault in High Rise East at 5:16 a.m. yesterday, according to Holmes. A female student reported that her boyfriend assaulted her, but later refused to press charges when University Police arrived. · Holmes said University Police who responded to a burglary in a room in the Quadrangle at 1:40 a.m. Sunday morning. The room was ransacked and a note including sexual references was left. It is unknown whether anything was stolen. · University Police also responded to a report of disorderly conduct, broadcast on the Philadelphia Police radio, at the corner of 38th and Chestnut streets at 1:49 a.m yesterday. Philadelphia Police arrested one man and University Police helped control the crowd, according to Holmes. · In a separate incident, University Police responded to a report of a burglary at 7:44 p.m. Friday at 212 south 41st street. A rear window was opened, and clothing was taken, Holmes said. · University Police also responded to a report of a burglary of a man's Trek Mountain bike was stolen at 229 south 41st Street at 9:58 a.m. Friday. · A Ford Mustang was stolen from a University parking lot at 32nd and Walnut streets at about 6:00 p.m Friday. · In addition, a second car was stolen from a University Parking Lot on the north side of Franklin Field at 10:27 p.m. Saturday, Holmes said.
