WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Sexual violence policy changes revealed Use of forensic experts, rights of accused outlined in Penn’s policy amendments SOPHIA WITTE Senior Reporter
Penn’s new amendments to its sexual violence policy released on Tuesday put more emphasis on
outlining the rights and procedures for students. The new procedures will take effect starting Feb. 1. The key amendment to the Disciplinary Charter is the creation of the Office of the Sexual Violence Investigative Officer, who will manage all complaints against a University student alleged to have violated the Sexual Violence Policy. Penn
announced yesterday that Christopher Mallios will serve as the University’s first Sexual Violence Investigative Officer. “Overall, the new policy focuses on balancing the rights of the complainant [the accuser] with the rights of the respondent to ensure that both parties are protected,” Mallios said. “Instead of just a campus hearing, the new
system is really a thoughtful, deliberative process that uses interviews and evidence to come to a fair resolution.” The new policy also emphasizes an increased coordination between Penn and the legal system, as University students have the option to file a report with the District Attorney or with the SEE SEXUAL VIOLENCE PAGE 2
ANATOMY OF A PENN SNOWSTORM A look at who is affected even before a snowflake hits the ground JACK CAHN Staff Reporter
tractor with a broom
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Estimateadt th there are
Flush-faced teenagers scramble for warmth in oversized coats covered with white snow. Freshmen leave their dorms at midnight to play, build snowmen and experience their first winter at Penn, with some participating in window-shattering snowball fights. Meanwhile, upperclassmen find themselves “cuffing,” or ditching this campus’ hookup culture for winter relationships in order to avoid being alone in the cold. It’s snowstorm season once again and that means some Penn students are rejoicing while others are realizing they need better coats. Students are thinking about their new classes, rushing fraternities and sororities,
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PHOTO BY ISABELLA CUAN/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Penn comedy groups reflect on jokes following ‘Charlie Hebdo’ STEPHANIE BARRON Staff Reporter
The Jan. 7 attacks by Muslim extremists on the satirical Parisian magazine “Charlie Hebdo” triggered discourse around the world about free speech, comedy and their consequences. Two masked gunmen, later identified as belonging to al Qaeda’s Yemen branch, responded to the magazine’s release of an issue depicting the prophet Muhammad on the cover by breaking into the offices and shooting numerous staff members. In light of this event, members of Penn comedy groups shared their perspective and methods on striking a balance between comedy and contention. “There are certain ways you can talk about certain groups,” said Rosa Escandon, College senior and head writer for Bloomers — an all-female comedy group on campus. “I like to think that all jokes are okay as long as it’s making the joke about society rather than about the victim of society.” Bloomers members said that they make great efforts to avoid making fun of one particular group excessively in order to preserve the entertainment value of their show. Bloomers Director and College senior Olivia Route said that the group cannot rely on targeting specific groups in its jokes because “the more niche we get, the more of an audience we risk losing.” In terms of religion, though, the group admits that it is often difficult to preserve the comedic value of their material without offending someone. Escandon — a 34th Street Lowbrow
ONLINE
FRES employees on the Urban Park Staff, responsible for handling all outside areas of campus
There are more than
Comedy and Consequence
SEE SNOW PAGE 3
million lbs of snow of January
THEDP.COM Photo gallery of snow on campus GRAPHICS BY KATE JEON/NEWS DESIGN EDITOR
Swapping spring semester for the spotlight Student pursues professional dancing career BOOKYUNG JO Staff Reporter
Wearing suits every day and flocking to Huntsman Hall for OCR information sessions are not the only ways Wharton students chase their dreams. Nick Silverio, a Wharton sophomore, is pursuing his dance career while taking a short break from Penn. Starting November 2014, Silverio toured 15 different cities — mainly in the Midwest and the West Coast — as part of the national tour of “Elf.” “Elf” is a Broadway musical based on the Will Ferrell movie with the same title, about an elf who finds out that he is actually a human and goes to New York to find his father. Silverio’s role was called “M6,” which included many different parts such as an elf, a security guard, a worker and a businessman. “A lot of people think I was
COURTESY OF NICK SILVERIO
Wharton sophomore Nick Silverio toured the country as a cast member in Broadway musical “Elf” last semester.
an elf for two hours, but I was an elf for about ten minutes,” he said. Although Silverio said he loves Penn and the Wharton
LIVING ON AN EMPTY CAMPUS PAGE 2
SEE COMEDY PAGE 3
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School, in the second semester of his freshman year, he said he really felt like dancing — just dancing. In June 2014, Silverio was chosen for
the eleventh season of the reality show “So You Think You Can Dance.” The next thing he knew, he auditioned for Clear Talent Group, a talent agency
Gender inequality can only be ended by universal participation of the genders.”
in New York, and signed his contract. “Most of the casts [of SEE NICK PAGE 5
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