University
Council Meeting Coverage
Last Wednesday,
at the first University Council meeting of the academic year, President
Judith Rodin appointed Dr. Janice Bellace, the Samuel A. Blank
Professor of Legal Studies, as the new moderator; Dr. Rodin thanked
Dr. Bellace for assuming this leadership role. Dr. Rodin reappointed
Archivist Mark Lloyd as the parliamentarian.
The President said
that she and Provost Robert Barchi are mindful of the increase
in crimes on and near campus recently. She then asked Chief Tom
Rambo to highlight some of the efforts that have been taken by
the Penn Police in light of the increase in robberies within the
past few weeks. He said the UPPD is working with the UA, GAPSA,
and the College Houses to distribute information about safety to
students. While there will be more officers saturating the area,
during the evening and early morning hours, from 7 p.m.-3 a.m.,
he urged the Penn community to utilize the resources such as Escort
Service and Penn Transit. Chief Rambo stressed that safety is a
shared responsibility and it is essential to use caution. Dr. Rodin
reiterated the importance of picking up the phone and asking for
a ride, "don't hesitate," she said, "we have the resources." Chief
Rambo said that he had met with the Division of Public Safety Advisory
Board earlier that day to determine the best ways to disseminate
information such as crime alerts.
Secretary of the
University Leslie Kruhly invited the Council members, and the entire
Penn community, to attend the Town Meetings sponsored by the Consultative
Committee September 30. She said that the committee wants input
from faculty, staff and students about what attributes the Committee
should look for in Penn's next president.
Dr.
Yvonne Patterson, chair of the Community Relations Committee,
gave their interim
report (Almanac September 23, 2003), noting that the committee
was one of the Council committees that will continue through this
semester before finalizing their work.
Dr. Dennis Culhane,
chair of the Pluralism Committee, presented that committee's year-end
report (Almanac September 16, 2003).
VPUL Valarie Swain-Cade
McCoullum added that the funding for the numerous resource
centers on campus has tripled in the past two and a half years
thanks to the president and provost being very supportive. She
said that there are many academic linkages with the schools; such
programs are sponsored by numerous organizations and groups, providing
rich interactions. She cited the Office of International Programs
which offers programs to increase interaction among international
students.
Chaplain William
Gipson said that this year is the fourth year that a Thanksgiving
dinner will be served in Bodek Lounge for those international students
who don't go home for the holiday.
Dr.
Lance Donaldson-Evans, chair of the Faculty Senate, explained that
the Council Bylaws (Almanac September
23, 2003) mandate
the "selection and ranking of focus issues for University Council
for the academic year." For those new to Council, he noted that
no topics or focus issues were raised at the final Council meeting
of the prior academic year. He offered the Steering Committee's
suggestion to concentrate attention on the issues that arise from
the interim and final committee reports throughout the year.
One
suggestion involved the challenges faced by international students
and scholars with
the increasingly complex requirements and restrictions. The International
Programs Committee could address these concerns in an interim report,
Dr. Donaldson-Evans suggested.