February 20, 2014

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSIT Y OF PENNSYLVANIA

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Students left off new mental health task force Students and faculty critiqued the lack of student representation on the task force; administrators said it will solicit student opinion throughout its research process

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I really would encourage you to have students, especially students who have been taking this flag and marching with it for the last few months, on that task force.

— Toorjo Ghose, School of Social Policy & Practice professor

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Rather than funnel through a single student voice — a tremendous responsibility — I’m assuming the task force will want to hear from a variety of voices.

— Joann Mitchell, Vice chair of mental health task committee Yolanda Chen/News Photo Editor

Penn President Amy Gutmann, Provost Vincent Price and other top University officials discussed the recently created mental health task force at Wednesday afternoon’s University Council meeting. The task force will study mental health resources and culture on Penn’s campus.

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BY SARAH SMITH Senior Writer The lack of student representation on the University’s newly created mental health task force drew sharp reactions from faculty and students alike after its announcement Wednesday afternoon.

“We seem to be starting off on the wrong foot,” School of Social Policy & Practice professor Toorjo Ghose said at Wednesday’s University Council meeting in Houston Hall’s Bodek Lounge. “I really would encourage

U. Council votes for tobacco divestment

BY FOLA ONIFADE Staff Writer Members of the University Council voted in support of a proposal that Penn divest from tobacco companies on Wednesday night.

Fifty-one members of the Council, which focuses on educational objectives and matters that affect the university community, voted yes for divesting. Six — including the Provost Vincent Price, Vice President for the Department of Public Safety Maureen Rush and several Undergraduate Assembly members — voted no.

Council members, which include faculty, staff and students leaders, based their votes on a consensus from their respective constituencies. Two members, including President Amy Gutmann, who voiced her doubts about the proposal at last month’s Council meeting, chose to abstain.

Gutmann will advise the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees on results of the vote.

Trustees will then deliberate on how to proceed.

The vote followed Januar y ’s Council meeting, where a group of faculty presented an argument for Penn’s moral obligation to the divestment from tobacco companies. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee voted unanimously on Tuesday in support of the proposal.

At their meeting on Sunday, the Undergraduate Assembly also deSEE DIVESTMENT PAGE 5

you to have students, especially students who have been taking this flag and marching with it for the last few months, on that task force.”

He finished speaking to snaps from around the room.

Penn President Amy Gutmann and Provost Vincent Price announced the Task Force on Student Psychological Health and Welfare on Wednesday in response to stu-

dent suicides and a campus movement to address mental health. Co-chaired by former Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Rebecca Bushnell and Director of Education for the Department of Psychiatry Anthony Rostain, the task force has no student representatives. It expects to conclude its research at the end of 2014 and release a report in early 2015.

Penn Undergraduate Health Coalition

chair and College sophomore Julie Bittar is one of several students who has already started to work on improving mental health on campus.

“It completely defeats the purpose of connecting with your students,” Bittar, also an Undergraduate Assembly member, said.

“We need students involved.”

SEE TASK FORCE PAGE 6

‘Gangsta’-themed party sparks controversy

BY LAURA ANTHONY Deputy News Editor A mixer between Beta Theta Pi and Chi Omega over the weekend has sparked controversy on campus.

The party was an alleged “gangsta”themed, closed mixer for members at an off-campus house. College junior and Beta president Daniel Zuvia would not confirm the specifics of the theme but said it was a “joint decision” between both of the organizations.

Across the country, controversial ethnic themed parties have spurred allegations of insensitivity on campuses.

Responses have varied from chapters being closed to Greek organizations and individuals have issuing apologies.

At Penn, six members of minority student organizations - UMOJA, the Latin@ Coalition and the Lambda Alliance - voiced their concerns about ethnically themed parties in a guest column in The Daily Pennsylvanian earlier this week.

‘EAT REMARKABLY’

A petition was started by Ernest Owens, a College senior and former Daily Pennsylvanian board member, asking the University to “Investigate and look into the ... ‘Gangsta’ themed Mixer.” The petition currently has nearly 100 signatures.

“I’m really proud of Penn as a school, and it makes us look really bad with our relationship to the community,” College sophomore Klaudia Amenabar, who signed the petition, said.

Both groups issued statements re-

BY VICTORIA MOFFITT Staff Writer

Raquel Macgregor/Staff Photographer

SEE PARTY PAGE 8

‘Fostering’ knowledge about child welfare SP2’s specialization in Child Well-Being and Welfare will enroll 25 students this fall

Yesterday, the Penn Vegan Society hosted their “Eat Remarkably” event, where Philadelphia vegan restaurants gave out bite-sized samples of their best dishes in Houston Hall.

garding the event.

“Our chapter leadership is aware of this matter, and we are handling it privately and internally with our members,” Chi O president and Wharton junior Maria Guadagnino said in an email statement.

“This past weekend, an off-campus event took place in which members of our fraternity behaved in a manner that is not indicative of the values of

With nearly 400,000 children currently in foster care in the United States, graduates of a new specialization at the School of Social Policy & Practice will help meet the increased demand for child welfare workers.

The Child Well-Being and Welfare specialization at SP2, which will enroll its first class this fall, will train students in a yearlong program to work with children in foster care.

Applications for the program will be open until March 18.

“There is a tremendous need to train child welfare workers because the turnover rate is so huge in this field,” Johanna Greeson, a child welfare researcher and co-director of the specialization, said. “This is a

training opportunity for students, and [an opportunity] for Philadelphia and the whole country in terms of adding to the workforce.”

Greeson and co-director Antonio Garcia have been developing the specialization since October. The first students accepted into the program will take a course in the fall that addresses child protection on a clinical level and offers an overview of broader policies in child welfare.

Greeson and Garcia will co-teach the class.

“We’re giving the students a chance to see how direct practice interacts with policy and procedures in a child welfare setting,” Garcia said.

Greeson and Garcia hope to welcome 25 students to the program.

The co-directors applied for a federal grant that, if approved, will pay each student a stipend of $4,000 for their participation.

Students in the specialization will

SEE CHILD PAGE 7

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PAGE 2 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

Panelists tackle creating universal education At a panel discussion held by Amnesty International at Penn and the Penn Education Society last night, education specialists and human rights activists shared their ideas and experiences working to promote equal education among all. The Daily Pennsylvanian took a look at the obstacles and solutions that the panelists outlined.

What is the problem with education?

1) There are currently misconceptions about how much education can do for society.

“People mostly see education from a human capital perspective, thinking that education should fulfill the need of the society. This is a consequentialist view.“- Faizan Wajid, Amnesty International Representative

management 2) Behavioral in charter schools has its own problems.

“Education is usually thought to be the go-to solution for any kind of social problem. Education is always the one to blame. But we cannot expect the schools to solve all the problems. Many schools and teachers are doing great, but that’s not enough. There are other problems such as poverty.” - Graduate School of Education professor Sigal Ben-Porath

“When the kids move to charter schools, they are not allowed to express themselves properly. They are not allowed to move around or use materials freely.

There is very strict behavior control with rewards and punishment. Some people view them as [a] violation of human rights. I am more concerned with the fact that even though the students get to learn, they don’t get to develop skills such as [communicating] and [cooperating] with people.”- Ben-Porath

in underdeveloped 3) Children areas have little access to quality education.

So what can we do about it?

1)

Correct our misconceptions.

“Education should stand as a right on its own.” - Wajid “Education is definitely part of the picture, but not all of it.” - Ben-Porath

2)

Explore innovative teaching concepts and methods.

“There are two important things in teaching. First, children should be taught to take responsibility for their own decisions. Second, there should be more opportunities for open-ended discussions and interactive learning. The students need to learn to value their own opinion and listen to others’.”

- Ben-Porath

Graphic by Joe Li and Vivian Lee

“In the village where I was born, a school was made up of a teacher, a chalkboard and a copied book. My brother had to walk five kilometers to school every day. He lost all of his books just before the middle school entrance exam when an earthquake happened. Yet he didn’t give up and wrote on trees and walls.

Now he is studying in a university in France.

Without education, he would have never achieved this.” - Amnesty International Science Leadership Academy student from Algeria Katia Hadjeb

3)

Get help from higher education institutions.

“Students from higher education institutions can help raise awareness among people and get them involved. They should be invited to use their knowledge and resources to support their local communities.” - Wajid “Penn is largely engaged in local school communities. Other partnerships should be structured like this, aiming to achieve [a] win-win to keep the partnership substantial and sustainable. We also need to investigate and respond to the actual needs of the partner. We need to work on equal footing.” - Ben-Porath

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THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 PAGE 3

Penn Law hosts panel debating solutions to the Syrian refugee crisis The event was part of Penn Law’s Public Interest Week

BY JESSICA WASHINGTON Contributing Writer The Syrian refugee crisis has left over two million homeless, stranded and scared.

Last night, the issue came to Penn.

The Penn Law Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project hosted a panel discussion titled “Syrian Refugees: Barriers to Finding Space,” at the Penn Law School as a part of Penn Law’s Public Interest Week.

The three guest speakers included Trudy Rubin, a foreign affairs columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Omar Al-Ghazzi, a doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication and Salam Al Kuntar, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology.

First, discussion moderator Thomas O’Boyle and Lecturer

in Law Fernando Chang-Muy asked the panelists what the top issues facing Syrian refugees are.

Rubin said that it is the Syrian government’s strategy to push people out of the country, adding that the increase in refugees is only going to continue.

[The government is] “deliberately creating a refugee problem,” she said.

Al Kuntar said that many are hesitant to leave Syria in the first place because they fear being trapped in refugee camps. Other panelists added that the neighboring countries often have trouble dealing with these new immigrant populations.

“When people do flee, the local countries cannot properly absorb them,” ChangMuy said.

Panelists agreed that the most important issue was the United Nations’ inability to properly provide aid, since the U.N. only funnels relief through sovereign nations.

“The U.N. needs to deal immediately with the situation,” Al Kantar said. “[Currently] aid is impossible to get to.”

The panelists had divergent positions on what other immediate action needs to be taken.

Rubin believed that the only way to stop the refugee flow is to stop the war, and in order to stop the war the U.N. needs to give rebel groups weapons.

Al-Ghazzi, however, believed that this would only sustain the conflict.

Despite varied opinions on a possible solution, all three panelists agreed that the conflict in Syria is of the utmost importance.

“The US needs to seriously prioritize this issue,” Al Kantar said.

An audience member asked the panel why the US should involve itself in the conflict when there are so many other pressing issues going on internally. The panel said that the US has a responsibility to the people in the Middle East.

“The US has a responsibil-

TWO MINUTES TO PITCH

ity because of the past trauma it has caused in the region,” Al-Ghazzi said.

Students who attended

echoed the panelists’ mentality.

“In this day and age of globalization, international

events affect everyone, especially issues of human rights,” College senior Rachel Durning said.

CREATIVE WRITING CONTESTS FOR PENN STUDENTS The Creative Writing Program is sponsoring the following contests this spring for Penn students. Contest winners will be selected by judges who have no affiliation with the university. The contests are open to students of any school.

Entries may be left in the designated box at the Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing (CPCW), 3808 Walnut St. Entries should bear: student's name, school, year, address, email address, and category of submission. Do not submit the same piece for more than one contest.

This year’s deadline: TUESDAY, MARCH 18, NOON POETRY: Submit two copies of up to 5 poems (5 page total). Undergraduate $400 first prize, Graduate prize $100.

FICTION ($400 first prize): Submit two copies of one short story only, maximum 7000 words (Undergraduate only) DRAMATIC WRITING ($400 first prize): Submit two copies of one script for stage, screen, television, or radio (Undergraduate or Graduate) REVIEW ($400 first prize) Submit two copies of one review of a current book, play, film, cd, art exhibition, or performance (Undergraduate only) LITERARY TRANSLATION ($400 first prize) Submit two copies of up to 3 pp. of verse or 5 pp. of prose translated into English from any language; include two copies of the original text and a brief note (75 words) about the work and author if not well-known (Undergraduate or Graduate) CREATIVE NONFICTION ($400 first prize) Submit two copies of one nonfiction piece only, maximum 7000 words (Undergraduate only) JOURNALISTIC WRITING ($600 prize) Submit two copies of one newspaper or magazine article, feature story, exposé or other piece of investigative journalism, maximum 7000 words work can already have been published (Undergraduate only) http://www.writing.upenn.edu/cw/prizes.html

Priyamvada Dalmia/Staff Photographer

Last night, teams gathered in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall to present their two minute startup pitches for The Weiss Tech House’s annual Elevator Pitch Competition. Finalists will win mentorship awards provided by sponsors and cash prizes.

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THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

PAGE 4 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Opinion The Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Pennsylvania

VOL. CXXX, NO. 23

In praise of PennApps

130th Year of Publication

EDITORIAL

L

TAYLOR CULLIVER, Executive Editor AMANDA SUAREZ, Managing Editor JENNIFER YU, Opinion Editor LOIS LEE, Director of Online Projects FIONA GLISSON, Campus News Editor HARRY COOPERMAN, City News Editor JODY FREINKEL, Assignments Editor WILLIAM MARBLE, Enterprise Editor GENESIS NUNEZ, Copy Editor MATT MANTICA, Copy Editor YOLANDA CHEN, News Photo Editor MICHELE OZER, Sports Photo Editor CONNIE KANG, Photo Manager

a st weekend, the Engineeri ng Q u ad played host to a striking sight: over 1,000 students f rom countries all over the world , gathered to gether for 48 straight hours, str uggling through a project that was time-consuming and difficult but had no guaranteed monetary payoff.

The amount of organization and planning required to pull of f Penn Apps ever y yea r is astound ing.

Not only is PennApps entirely student-run,

STEVEN TYDINGS, Senior Sports Editor RILEY STEELE, Sports Editor IAN WENIK, Sports Editor HAILEY EDELSTEIN, Creative Director ANALYN DELOS SANTOS, News Design Editor VIVIAN LEE, News Design Editor JENNY LU, Sports Design Editor JENNIFER KIM, Video Producer STEPHANIE PARK, Video Producer

GIANNI MASCIOLI, Business Manager CHANTAL GARCIA FISCHER, Credit Manager ERIC PARRISH, Marketing Manager

SELMA BELGHITI, Finance Manager KATHERINE CHANG, Advertising Manager

THIS ISSUE CASSIDY LIZ, Associate Copy Editor JEN KOPP, Associate Copy Editor AUGUSTA GREENBAUM Associate Copy Editor MONICA OSHER, Associate Copy Editor

PAOLA RUANO, Associate Copy Editor JIMMY LENGYEL, Associate Sports Editor SAM SHERMAN, Associate Photo Editor CLAIRE COHEN, Deputy News Editor

but t he or ga n i zer s a lso rei mbu r se t he travel costs of every pa r t icipat i ng tea m, some of which come from countries as far away as Singapore or Germany. Funding the entire event comes out to around $200,000, an incredible amount to raise considering that the University finances exactly zero percent of that.

We wa nt t o com mend the organizers of PennApps for their hard work and determination in mak ing the event happen, semester after semester, and somehow manag-

ing to make it better each time.

It’s not just the orga nizers who ma ke the event the success that it is, but also the students who set aside their entire weekend to participate in the event . A f ter a l l, as Varun Sampath said, most apps built during Penn Apps are u lt i mately dest i ned for “the trash.” This year’s competition not only brought in college students, but also involved about 40 high schoolers and many more Ph.D. and graduate students.

At Penn, it’s easy to

find ourselves caught up in the endless list of things we know we “should” do — from homewor k f or t h at class you only took because it fulfilled a sector requirement, to 50 summer internship applications, to the research position you took on top of your work-study job — and push aside the things we actually love doing. Perhaps we could all learn a little from the coders who gathered this weekend and walked away sleep deprived, behind on classwork and probably as broke as they

Not a joke GUEST COLUMN BY ROB’N LAURELLI

A

s someone who’s grown up in an area of Philly that would be considered the “hood,” I’m frankly angry that the recent themed Beta Theta Pi/Chi Omega party was thrown. I, along with some of my friends, have been “born and raised” in areas of Philly where drugdealing and gang violence were a normal part of our surroundings. Some of us even have relatives who have died or been harmed by gang violence.

My cousin has been shot at three different times in his life. The last time he was shot, the bullet ended up lodging in

his body. Because of the way the bullet embedded itself, the doctors decided to leave the bullet inside of him because they were afraid of potentially killing him in an operation to remove it. He’s been talking recently about how the bullet is shifting in his body and hurting him, and the doctors aren’t sure about what to do now.

I’ve heard everyone talking about bullying and mental health lately surrounding this issue. I myself was bullied throughout my entire childhood, so I feel a lot of sensitivity toward issues of bullying. What people have failed to realize is that letting people know when

they’ve done something offensive, demanding an apology and asking people to do better at being culturally and socioeconomically sensitive is not bullying.

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mention of the kinds of mental effects this “gangsta” theme — and my peers’ dismissal of how seriously offensive this is — has had on my mental health. Or the mental health of

My identity as a person of color — and my experiences as a former member of a low-income neighborhood — is not something that can be easily taken off like a baseball cap and sweatpants and tacky chains worn at a frat party.”

And as someone who is currently struggling with mental illness, I can tell you that I haven’t been hearing any

people like me who have grown up in the hood. Or the mental health of people like me who have had relatives harmed or

killed by gang violence. Or the mental health of people like me who already feel like fish out of water when coming to an institution like Penn and then feel like they can’t voice their opinions or that their feelings can’t be respected when it comes to feeling mocked about their class or race or culture.

My life while living in Germantown is not something to be mocked. My cousin getting shot at various times in his life (though thankfully surviving) and still dealing with the mental and physical repercussions due to gang violence is not something to be trivialized. My identity as a person of color — and my experiences as a former member of a lowincome neighborhood — is not

something that can be easily taken off like a baseball cap and sweatpants and tacky chains worn at a frat party.

This is not funny. It’s not cute. It’s disrespectful for those of us who have lived in the hood and who have had relatives and friends killed or harmed by the “thug life” that some people in positions of privilege have written on their knuckles at a party.

There needs to be an apology from both organizations, and it needs to happen now.

ROB’N LAURELLI is a College sophomore from Philadelphia studying environmental science.

She is a member of Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention. Her email address is rlaur@sas.upenn. edu.

Fitting in, branching out

‘‘I

FROSH OFF THE BOAT | For internationals, socializing can be as foreign — and exhausting — as American football My attempts to fit in are further hindered by our commoditization of socializing.

have never watched American football.

Perhaps that is why I f ind it difficult to assert my opinion in heated dinner debates about birds and wild horses.

But sports are the least of my concerns when it comes to adjusting to a new culture. The transition from a Chinese, all-male Anglican Episcopal school to a large American institute is unusual to say the least — having arcane affinities definitely does not help either.

As a fledgling writer, I am not wide-read enough to talk extensively about literature (confession: I have not read any Dickens, and I hate Austen); as an aspiring tech entrepreneur, I am hardly informed enough about programming to hold the interest of my more tech-savvy friends; as an amateur musician, I upset most of my peers’

delicate constitutions with heavy metal music.

In a way, my feelings of inadequacy are of my own volition. In high school, it was my ulterior agenda to stand out from everyone else by insidiously dabbling in all fields. Play in a two-man band, tyrannize your debate team, run a philosophy society, join the archery and fencing teams, sing in the choir, and before you know it, you are a jack-of-all-trades (and consequently, a master of absolutely nothing).

You become a resume.

You have successfully stood out among your peers and been accepted into college — now it is time for the whole thing to repeat again.

My attempts to fit in are further hindered by our commoditization of socializing. It took me one whole semester to figure out networking events are not the most reliable of places to make lasting friend-

ships. Doing your best to feign interest when you are actually just waiting for your turn to speak is an exhausting undertaking.

For a self-diagnosed i nt r over t who now shares his room with another person and his hall with fifty others, constant interactions — from filling awkward silences in panel discussions to making small talk about my every acquaintance’s latest midterm — can be taxing.

That is why I can be seen commanding the attention of a dining table on some days and playing mute on others. But that is in no way an indication of any negative feelings, only a need for catching my breath. I still want to reach out to you, shamelessly advertise my column to you and be friends with you.

Maybe some day I will even watch American football with you.

—JASON

’’

‘‘U

I found myself reluctant to expose myself to unfamiliar aspects of my new cultural surrounding.

WILLIAM ZHANG & JASON CHOI

columnists collide WILLIAM ZHANG AND JASON CHOI are a Wharton freshman and a College freshman, respectively, from Hong Kong. They can be reached at willz@ wharton.upenn.edu and jason.choi.ht@gmail.com.

nlike Jason, I happen to be a big fan of football. It turns out, however, that I just happen to enjoy the wrong version of the sport.

Having grown up in a semi-western environment and attended an international school, I was under the impression that I was pretty “westernized” and would have no problem adjusting. As a result, I found myself caught off guard.

In reflection, even seemingly inconsequential and superficial differences, such as the fact that the word “football” is somewhat of a misnomer in the United States (it should really be called something along the lines of “hand-egg”), that Americans don’t study “maths” (a red squiggly line just appeared under the word as I write) or that the only affordable and edible Chinese food on campus comes from

food trucks (try Yue Kee), have a much greater psychological impact.

Through this underestimation, I can attest to the frustration brought on by this period of adaptation. Like Jason, I would sometimes find it difficult striking up conversations or connecting in social situations, and meeting another international would often mean an instant connection, with an unspoken understanding of each other’s plight. I can only imagine, then, how difficult it must be for those students who didn’t grow up with significant exposure to American culture or don’t speak English as a first language.

If underestimating the impact of cultural shock was my first mistake, my second was definitely the way I handled it. I suppose it is only human nature to seek a source of comfort and familiarity when thrust into a position of vulnerability, and as a result, I found myself

YOUR VOICE

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’’

mainly in a closed social circle of Hong-Kongers.

Culture is undoubtedly an important driving factor behind the formation of social cliques, but I found myself reluctant to expose myself to unfamiliar aspects of my new cultural surrounding.

This is a phenomenon I have noticed among many of my other international counterparts, where the chatter of Chinese or Korean is all too often overheard in groups and clusters.

Since reflecting on this problem, I have been making a conscious attempt to venture outside of my comfort zone, to explore Philadelphia when time permits and make conversation and hang with individuals I might otherwise not dare to. And hey, now that I think about it, if I’ve flown over 12,000 kilometers (yes, kilometers) to the other side of the world to study, it would be a wasted opportunity not to.

—WILLIAM

The DP wants to ensure that all content is accurate and to be transparent about any inaccuracies. If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of any content in the print or online editions, please email corrections@thedp.com.

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THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

One social network your mother won’t join

Campus debates divestment DIVESTMENT from page 1 bated whether Penn should divest from its investments in tobacco companies.

Faculty members in favor of divestment have argued that tobacco companies’ marketing and business strategies are a moral evil.

While the prevalence of smoking has decreased in the United States, there is an increase in targeted marketing towards the developing world, philosophy professor Michael Weisberg argued in January’s meeting. “Tobacco companies] are attacking the politicians from these nations ... who pass laws prohibiting advertising against smoking,” Charles O’Brien, a professor of psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine, said at Wednesday’s University Council meeting.

Wednesday’s open forum council meeting further emphasized the complexity of the divestiture issue. Susan

Courtesy of Blend Systems Inc

Evan Rosenbaum (left), Akash Nigam and Matt Geiger, and have created Blend, a social network exclusively for college students. Geiger and Nigam are both unafilliated with the University, and Rosenbaum is a Wharton senior.

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Sorenson, a professor in the School of Social Policy & Practice, brought last month’s broader argument for divestment home to Philadelphia.

Of the 10 largest cities in the United States, Philadelphia reports the lowest decrease in the smoking rate, Sorenson said. She suggested that the poverty levels and high percentage of blacks in the city were attractive factors to tobacco companies.

Sorenson reiterated the call for the University to reconsider its relationship with the tobacco industry. “We have a vested interest in Philadelphia and a public stated commitment to improve conditions in Philadelphia,” she said. “Our vested interests should include divestment.”

Others cautioned about the actual costs of constraining the University investment portfolio. The issue lies between the fiduciary responsibility of the Trustees to its donors in maximizing longterm returns and upholding Penn’s moral and social obligations as a global citizen.

“People who have given to the University have done it on the understanding that our investment will not be used to dissociate the University

from all those companies that we rightly think are doing good or bad,” Gutmann said at January’s University Council meeting.

UA speaker and College junior Joshua Chilcote voted against the proposal because he thought it could harm the University’s investment portfolio.

“One of the concerns that they never answered was the idea that once you start divesting and critiquing the portfolio it becomes harder to hire the best people to run the portfolio,” he said. “We have bigger priorities such as expanding financial aid, hiring faculty and expanding courses.”

Some also argued in January that divestment from the tobacco industry might not have the same meaningful effect as Harvard and Stanford Universities’ divestment in the 1990s.

SP2 professor Toorjo Ghose suggested that Penn look to make its mark in an international movement against tobacco companies. “This is the moment when we can really take a leadership position in the second round of social movement around this,” Ghose said.

ue

e ag r ng i e se ip. he to yt tr rsh s tho e b e c e . d r a a en ed nd cess ize nn resid tivat for le ogn ral, a y o e r P p all o u ec y at qu he cit ard r , cult s in be m e t s a e e t d s a cap e Aw ocial ses in e an nd ou du s u e a high g m e H rgra t r o d g a 4 d o e H e e v p a nowl ties f ege nd moti rde e, C’1 oll o u o C l f l i f l e n g e y, ev dK tun ir Co has a Zuho “Th ablin acult yd ate ppor r b n f e n he g e e o s sti te d t Hous ed ther e e n n I c s m a Kri a e e s d s e p ” e h . n s est ts, an Dea " to t selve olleg unity th n C m up em wi use de er com esi e Ho pped ng th touff r e i e h g w S t t lo "s lle at to orm fel Co ck ave ansf es th a al h b r u c ho t, t nn en ed e a nts w men xperi ribut h Th t de ric ee on stu l en r th ave c a o f u h ect teful d to ell a t e r r n g i no so ho m Ia niq

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If you have ever felt reluctant to accept your parents’ friend requests on Facebook, Blend might be another place for you.

Blend — founded by Wharton senior Evan Rosenbaum, Matt Geiger and Akash Nigam — is a social networking app exclusively for college students. It allows users to share photos on common college themes, earning presents from the participating brands. “ S h a r e ,” “ S n a p ” a n d “Score” are the three words that characterize its main feature. Users share photos that match daily themes and get “snaps” from the others, which are similar to likes on Facebook. The snaps accumulate in the user’s wallet in the app and can later be used to redeem presents from the advertisers.

Blend currently partners with roughly a hundred different brands, like Uber — a transportation company — and Verizon Wireless.

“Social networking services were getting stale with not much color or personality,” Geiger said, mentioning the app is intended to be more visually exciting than existing social networks.

Ble nd u s e s “ p a r a l l a x scrolling” — a feature implemented in every image where multiple layers scroll

at different speeds — in an effort to be dynamic. The founders called this feature a “high-level perspective,” since users can see layers related to each picture, including people’s profiles.

In addition to sharing pictures and collecting snaps, Blend is going to add interactive features including commenting and tagging friends in the photo. It will also release a new camera feature with a “radical level of transparency.” The specifics are yet to be released.

The app also uses student photos to showcase advertised products a nd thus “make advertising cool,” Rosenbaum said. “We will never accept [an advertiser’s] manufactured photo.”

The founders also decided to make Blend a mobileonly application as it would be much easier to interact through cell phones. “You’re not going to walk down Locust Walk with your laptop,” Rosenbaum said.

Blend is currently at the “growth stage of the company,” Geiger said, as it will open an office in San Francisco and increase the number of staff from six to 16 in the next six months.

They did not disclose the exact number of users, but said the number of users recently “exploded” in the Philadelphia area after sponsoring PennApps hackathon last weekend.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 PAGE 5

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THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

Chaplain’s office moves to Houston It is unclear what will fill the space of the former Chaplain’s Office

BY MELISSA LAWFORD Staff Writer Spiritual support, interfaith worship and religious

activities are about to occupy a larger, more central space at Penn.

The Office of the Chaplain and the Religious Activities Commons - a space used by religious communities for worshiping and studying - will be moving to Houston Hall, Room 240, this summer. It will

take over the former space of the Cultural Center, which has moved to the Arts, Research and Cultural House.

The RAC is currently located in the Graduate Student Center on 36th and Locust Walk, while the Office of the Chaplain is further west on Locust. The move will bring

interfaith groups together into one space and bring the chaplaincy “right into the heart of student activity,” University Chaplain Chaz Howard said in an interview with the Daily Pennsylvanian.

The move has come about after Programs in Religion, Interfaith, and Spirituality Matters - Penn’s interfaith organization representing approximately 50 religious groups - brought the issue forward to the University Council and Penn administrators.

The change will provide “a great opportunity to take a step closer to students in our effort to journey with them on the most beautiful and most difficult moments in life,” Howard said in a press release. The more central positioning of the offices will enable them “to increase outreach and connect with students for counseling and support,” he explained.

College and Wharton junior Neel Koyawala, co-president

All options on the table for task force TASK FORCE from page 1 A Jan. 26 UA email told undergraduates to reach out to Bittar and College junior and PUHC member Elana Stern with thoughts about the state of mental health at Penn. Within 24 hours, Bittar said, she and Stern were poring over about 300 emails from students. They used the emails, which detailed personal stories about mental health at Penn and recommendations, to guide their initiatives.

“They’ll get the same stuff back if they talk to students,” Bittar said. “It makes everything we worked for useless.”

UMOJA political chair and Wharton junior Nikki Hardison worried that the reality of student life and campus culture would get lost in the task force without any student representation. The 5B, Penn’s five main cultural coalitions, had a meeting Wednesday night with Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, Hardison said, and brought up the issue.

“It was a great conversation,” Hardison said. “She said it was something she’d bring to

Yolanda Chen/News Photo Editor

The Office of the Chaplain will assume the former space of the Cultural Center in Houston Hall, which has now moved into the Arts, Research and Cultural House. of the Hindu Students Council, is excited about the new space as he expects it will bring more interfaith collaboration. Penn’s facilitation of the move “says a lot for the University,” he added.

“It’s our goal to connect,” said Nursing senior Elizabeth Harbuck, Latter-Day Saints Student Association president. She outlined how the new space will have a “centralizing” effect on Penn’s religious groups.

Col lege f resh ma n Sa m Murray, director of the Baha’i meditation group, outlined how having a more accessible space will make Penn’s religious groups “way more cohesive.” He hopes RAC and the Chaplain’s Office will become more visible to non-religious students in this more central space.

Administrators have not yet decided what organization will move into the former Chaplain’s Office.

Gutmann and her staff. We’ll see where it goes.”

Swain- Cade McCoullum declined to comment for this article, as the task force has not yet met.

Bittar, for her part, promised to lobby administrators to get a student presence on the task force.

Administrators said the task force would solicit student input throughout its research.

“I have every confidence that students will be engaged by task force members, who bring specific expertise and have oversight in this area, and that students will have numerous opportunities to provide their insights and ideas,” Price said in an emailed statement.

“Rather than funnel through a single student voice — a tremendous responsibility — I’m assuming the task force will want to hear from a variety of student voices,” Vice President for Institutional Affairs Joann Mitchell, the task force vice chair, said.

The task force will lay everything, including possibly increasing resources, on the table, Mitchell added. It will likely examine resources including Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Service and the Chaplain’s Office. As the task force hasn’t yet met, it has not set a timeline for its next steps.

Ghose, the SP2 professor, also critiqued the task force be-

ing too bureaucratic and for excluding social workers and SP2 professors who have dedicated their careers to researching issues of mental health.

“It makes me question what this task force is supposed to be doing,” he said in an interview Wednesday night. “We have some great experts, which is wonderful, but we’re not covering all the resources we have at Penn, which means we’re shortchanging the issue.”

Despite the criticism, many agree that the formation of the task force is a positive step by the administration.

“I think it’s definitely something that we as student leaders and as the student body have been looking for in terms of seeing how the administration was going to respond,” Hardison said.

Students also hoped to see tangible changes before the expected report release in 2015.

“In terms of things like structure and function, in terms of resource allocated to CAPS, things have to change before this task force,” Stern said.

CAPS took a step toward those changes on Jan. 28, when it announced that it would expand hours and hire three additional staff members, a move many considered a step in the right direction to address complaints of inaccessibility and long wait times.

Staff writer Fola Onifade contributed reporting.

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THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 PAGE 7

Competition seeking unique ‘Impressions of Philadelphia’

BY MEGHAN MILLER Contributing Writer Attention a ll photog raphers!

This week, Penn Medicine in tandem with The Center for Emerging Visual Artists launched “Impressions of Philadelphia,” a competition for photographers to submit images of the city. Winning images w ill be d isplayed in the new Pavilion for Advanced Care at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

Scheduled to open in January 2015, PAC will feature the work of 25 different artists whose photographs are

Program to teach foster care challenges CHILD from page 1 select a field placement -­ an internship beyond Penn’s campus where they will work for three days each week. Some students will work at the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, while others will be stationed at agencies that provide foster care services. Some may be working in school settings as well.

“I’ve a lways wa nted to work with children,” said Erin O’Donnell, a student who applied to the specialization. “My motto is ‘speak for people who can’t speak for themselves.’ I feel that with children, there’s a big push for that.”

Andrew Fussner, a lecturer at SP2, also helped develop the specialization with a focus on mental health in children and adolescents. The therapy component of child welfare is particularly appealing to

deemed best.

Submissions must capture the “landscapes and architectural elements that represent the meaning of the community and patients’ images of home,” assistant executive director of Penn Presbyterian and PAC project executive Alyson Cole said.

According to Cole, interior design company EwingCole was hired for the project. The team suggested decorating the facility with photographs of the city. Cole and her associates liked the idea because the photographs will represent the area they serve.

“We’re not looking for icon-

ic places,” Cole said, “But those things that really make the city unique - if you’re from Philadelphia you you’d say, ‘Oh, I’ve seen that!’”

Photographs will be evaluated in two rounds of judging, according to a recent press release. Image quality is paramount since the selected photographs will be on 19x19 foot displays in different locations around the PAC building. Entries must be submitted online by May 15.

Cole highly encourages submissions from visitors, Philadelphia residents, students of the Penn community and professional photographers.

O’Donnell.

“I would love to start out in a children’s hospital trauma unit ... where children have been through something, and I can be that first person who’s there for them,” O’Donnell said.

Greeson and Garcia plan to focus more on the challenges faced by children in foster care - specifically, children separated from their parents by the Department of Human Services - and social workers’ ability to determine when mental health services are necessary.

“We’re trying to facilitate reunification - to get the kids back home eventually,” Garcia said.

“The goal [of the specialization] is to provide students with the assessment skills and the tools to determine when a return home is warranted or when to think about alternative viable options for the long-term.”

Next year, Garcia and Greeson plan to invite faculty from across Penn’s campus to give their students different perspectives on child welfare services.

“Other fields like medicine, law, education and psychology are all involved in child welfare work too,” Greeson said. “Every-

one has a different perspective and addresses a different part of the puzzle.”

Applicants are hopeful that their experience in the specialization will teach them more about the broader scope of child welfare policies - what is considered the “macro” approach in social work.

“I have a strong interest in working with children in the mental health field in the future,” Marigny Shapiro-Shellaby, another student applicant, said. “This looked like an opportunity to learn more about children - not only mental health but policy surrounding child welfare, which I don’t know much about.”

She said this opportunity could “open up [her] eyes” about how she can “benefit youth in more ways than just in a clinical, therapy sense.”

O’Donnell said that this program will help children who aren’t always given the help that they need.

“Through this specialization we’re going to be given the skills to help children the way they need to be helped,” O’Donnell said.

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PAGE 8 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

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Other campuses see similar debate PARTY from page 1 Beta Theta Pi,” Zuvia said in an email statement.

“We are deeply sorry for our actions as they were insensitive and inappropriate. This was an unfortunate lapse in judgment, and we take full responsibility,” he said. “We are working with the University and our national organization to address the situation and make amends to the Penn community.”

It is difficult to ascertain the frequency of such parties on campus. Amenabar said she has heard of similar parties happening, but no specific instances. College senior Luis Vargas wrote a column about a “Cinco de Febrero” party that was also scheduled for this past weekend.

Zuvia declined to comment on whether culturally themed parties are generally common on campus.

Going forward, both Owens and Amenabar hope for cultural sensitivity or diversity training and policy changes. “Dialogue is important, but dialogue is not the only measure that should be taken at this point to address this issue,” Owens said.

While Director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Scott Reikofski did not respond when asked if policy changes were in the works, Reikofski said in an email that OFSL works with Greek chapters regarding “responsible event planning and behavior” and that all members are made aware of Penn’s party registration system.

“In the event that Greek members or chapters are alleged to have held unregistered parties or committed other violations, the allegations are addressed by student judicial boards,” Reikofski said.

Reikofski said that chapters can also decide to take internal action and will work with their national organization to manage the situation.

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THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

Similar controversies at other universities After a Bloods and Crips-themed party caused outrage at Dartmouth College, the college changed its policy regarding the adjudication violations of community principals involving cultural insensitivity this month, the Darthmouth reported.

Chi Omega closed its chapter at Penn State this month after a photo of members of Chi Omega dressed in ponchos and sombreros and holding signs, one of which read, “Will mow lawn for weed + beer" surfaced, the Collegian reported.

Last April, women's interest blog Jezebel published photos of the Indiana University chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority at a 'homeless-themed' party. The women held cardboard signs, one of which read "Why lie it's for booze."

In September, Zeta Tau Alpha and Delta Delta Delta apologized for holding a Mexican-theme sorority party at the University of Texas, where students sported ponchos, sombreros, fake mustaches and shirts which said "illegal" or "border patrol," the Daily Texan reported. Alpha Tau Omega apologized for planning a similar event.

Students in the Kappa Alpha chapter at RandolphMacon College held a "USA versus Mexico" party last November where students dressed like "illegal immigrants" and "border control agents." The college released a statement saying that students involved would be disciplined.

After Phi Sigma Kappa at California Polytechnic State University held a 'Colonial Bros and Nava-Hos' party last November, University President Jeffrey Armstrong denounced the party and announced a university-sponsored forum to address issues related to the party in an email, the Tribune reported.

In November, two while female students at Lee University in Tennessee apologized for wearing blackface and offensive shirts at a rap-themed desert party held by Theta Delta Kappa, the Lee Clarion reported.

Zuvia added that OFSL does have policies in place to regulate things like party themes, and the fraternity is working with the office to resolve this issue.

Similar controversies have arisen on other college campuses.

Two weeks ago, a fraternity at Duke University was suspended for throwing a party based on racial stereotypes of Asians. In January, a fraternity at Arizona State University was suspended after hosting a party for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, at which attendees wore basketball jerseys and drank from watermelon

cups.

In some cases, colleges and universities have modified their policies in response to such controversies. Last week, Dartmouth College changed their policies about how Greek organizations handle complaints after a fraternity and sorority held a “Blood and Crips”-themed party last July, according to an article in The Dartmouth.

“There are a lot of people trying to make this about the Penn students, but it’s a much bigger issue than that,” Amenabar said.

Staff writer Melissa Lawford contributed reporting.

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THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 PAGE 9

THE BUZZ: MANO-A-MANO

Where will Penn women’s hoops finish in the Ivy race?

BY IAN WENIK AND JIMMY LENGYEL From The Daily Pennsylvanian’s sports blog, THE BUZZ With the Ivy season heating up for women’s hoops, the Quakers are currently in an interesting position, sitting a half-game behind first place Harvard and tied with second place Princeton. Where will the Red and Blue sit when the conference season is all said and done? Sports Editor Ian Wenik and Associate Sports Editor Jimmy Lengyel debate: Sports Editor Ian Wenik: You know what? I’m going to do the crazy thing and say that Penn takes a share of the whole thing, albeit not in a manner you’d expect. My prediction for the Quakers this season is that they win out, save for the final game at Jadwin Gym against the Tigers.

And that’s why I think they’re going to get some help to win it all. I see Princeton falling to Harvard. What does that

IW: But at the same time, Also, though I’m not comJL: Well, I hate to cop out I think the one thing that is mean? It means an unexpected three-way playoff. And on a Princeton has a pretty solid pletely discounting the pos- and use an old adage, but “that working against Princeton is neutral floor, I would gamble on maestro of its own right in sibility of a Penn victory on the was then, this is now.” Since the Quakers’ hunger. They have Alyssa Baron staying hot and coach Courtney Banghart. Ev- road, keep in mind what hap- that game, Stipanovich and a certain swagger on court, a finding a way to get the Quak- ery offseason, it seems as if pened when the Tigers came Baron have both received Ivy determination that only teams ers at least into the Women’s her name is bandied about for to the Palestra this year. Princ- League honors. The Quak- that haven’t made it to the big some major program or an- eton won that game, 84-53, and ers have really solidified and dance can manage. Princeton NIT. Associate Sports Editor other — and with good reason. looked dominant defensively. figured out a way to organi- is a winning program and exJimmy Lengyel: Tsk, tsk Ian. She’s taken a program that had It’s almost inconceivable to cally change their game plans pects to win, which is why I Ye of little faith for the Quak- never made the NCAA tourna- imagine Stipanovich being held around their opponents. Take think McLaughlin and his staff ers. I’m doing the crazier thing ment before her arrival and has scoreless from the field, but their second-half adjustments will demolish the Tigers’ game and calling that Penn wins out guided it to four March appear- that’s what the Tigers managed against Columbia and Yale, for plan and drop the hammer all to accomplish that evening. example. over Jadwin Gym. totally. In fact, I’m going to go ances in the last four years. as far to say that not only do the Quakers beat Princeton on the road, but they do it in dominating fashion.

Everyone thinks I’m a lunatic, but here’s the reality of it all: The Quakers are stacked and have all the momentum heading forward. Freshman center Sydney Stipanovich is a force inside blocking shots, Baron is heating up at the right time, and this team has the confidence of the world on Co-pays may be applied • Now accepting Bravo Health their side thanks to the final act of an incredible program turnaround headed by maestro PRICES FOR PRADA SPECIAL PENN STUDENTS Lens Options per pair coach Mike McLaughlin.

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Both have been dominant in and out of Ivies M. SWIMMING from page 12 whereas this year we go out there expecting to do well.”

With the Ivy championship meet fast approaching, the men of the Penn diving team are looking to take a swing at some of the big names that sit atop the Ancient Eight. The Quakers will undoubtedly be helped by the return of Magliulo, who has been training in

order to get healthy for the final meet of the season.

“The pressure of the Iv y c h a mp ion sh ip s i s hu ge ,” Hartje said. “It’s one thing to compete at the state level in high school, but this level of competition is just a whole different animal. Even though it’s still just a pool and a diving board, there is something about t he meet t hat just changes everything.”

However, if the Red and Blue continue to perform the way they have all season, then there really is no limit to what they can do at the championship meet.

After all, Harjte is right: It’s just a pool and a diving board.

DP File Photo

Senior diver Will Hartje has never let the size of Penn’s program deter him. Hartje took first place in both events against LaSalle on senior day and placed well in the Ivies.

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PAGE 10 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

Penn has already filled Class of ’18

Friedman puts in the extra effort

M. HOOPS from page 12

FRIEDMAN from page 12

schools, including Harvard, Princeton and Yale.

Penn has f illed up its Class of 2018 already with two forwards — Mike Auger and Ryan Singer — teaming up with small forward Sam Jones and guard Antonio Woods to form a versatile group for next year’s freshman class.

Go to thedp.com/sports for an exclusive interview with Singer.

Yet despite sitting behind wrestlers like Caleb Richardson and Ken Bade, Friedman puts in hours of extra work, even when he can’t make practice due to academic conflicts. “[Friedman’s] one of those kids where, if Caleb needs to work out at seven in the morning, Eric will come, or 10 at night, Eric will come,� coach Rob Eiter said. “He’s a good team player that way.�

That attitude has allowed Friedman and Eiter to build up a special kind of trust — Friedman isn’t the type to goof off when authoritative eyes aren’t looking. “I don’t have to question whether he’s getting those workouts in,� Eiter said. “Because I know he is.�

Grappling on his own free time with Richardson, Bade and Jeff Canfora, Friedman is readying himself for his big opportunity, even if he still has plenty of work left to do. “They take me down a lot,�

Friedman laughed.

He’ll keep on getting back up.

thedp.com/ sports

Courtesy of Penn Athletics

Though he only has an all time 2-6 record in matches, sophomore Eric Friedman has proven himself to be an invaluable part of the Penn wrestling roster, coming in to practice at odd hours due to conflicts with his academic schedule and sparring with the wrestlers ahead of him on the depth chart.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 PAGE 11

From four doors down, a friendship was forged W. FENCING | Zhao and Wang became friends through their immigration and fencing

BY DANIEL RICH Staff Writer It ’s not of t en t h at h ig h school teammates compete for the same team in college.

But Wendy Zhao and Luona Wang, two members of the Penn women’s fencing team, are doing just that.

Before com i ng to Pen n, the duo crafted a friendship at Vestavia High School in Birmingham, Ala., that has lasted for many years. Both Zhao, a senior, and Wang, a junior, moved from China to

Thomas has made major contribution WRESTLING from page 12 it either divides the team or brings the team closer, and we went through both stages.

At the end of the day, as I told the team, we [didn’t] have a choice — we [had] to come together.”

T he Q u a k e r s ’ c a pt a i n s have been instrumental in getting a young team where it needs to be after a spate of early trouble.

On a squad that witnessed considerable turnover, Lenzi and Casey Kent — who was named captain af ter Cobb decided not to compete — have been the two strongest constants.

L enzi a nd Kent a re t he only wrestlers on this year’s squad that grappled in all 13 duals last season. This

Birmingham at a young age.

Amazingly, the pair ended up living just four houses away from one another.

It was always clear that Wang was born to be a fencer.

“My parents were national coaches in China,” Wang said. “My mom finished seventh in the Olympics in ’88, which was in Seoul, and my dad was a two-time Olympic referee.

“As a kid I felt a little bit like, ‘You know, I’ll at least give it a try,’ I was able to give it a try, so I picked it up.”

It was through Wang that Zhao first gained interest in the sport.

“I moved f rom Chi na to Vestavia when I was 10, so Luona was one of the f irst f r iends I had ,” Zhao sa id.

“I didn’t speak English, but she did. We became friends, and that’s how it really got started.”

“I met Wendy, and we became really good friends ... I told her, ‘Hey, come try it out with me,’” Wang added.

I n 19 9 8 , Wa ng’s pa rents st ar ted the Bir mingham Fencing Club, now located in Vestavia, which they have ow ned and operated. They ser ved as coaches for both Wang and Zhao as they grew up.

After training and competing together throughout middle school and high school, the two teammates both decided to attend Penn. “[ Penn coach A ndy] Ma, he’s prett y wel l-k now n i n the fencing community ... we

season, Kent has a l ready matched his dual win total from last season of 10, and L en zi has done t he sa me with respect to victories over EIWA opponents (7).

W h i le Kent ser ves as a model of consistency, Lenzi, the elder captain, uses his strong voice to make an impact.

“Casey ’s been our most consistent per for mer, and that’s one of the things you look for in a captain,” Eiter said. “He’s a little bit more on the quiet side.”

According to Eiter, “Lenzi is more outspoken, very vocal, and ver y in tune w ith the team.”

The balance Penn’s leaders have been able to maintain has been cr itical, but it is more than the captains that have carried the team to where it is now.

Junior Lorenzo Thomas, who wrestles at 184-pounds and leads the Red and Blue with 20 wins, has taken on a more active leadership role.

“Lorenzo without a doubt

le ad s by ex a mple,” L en zi said. “A nd given his track record, he has the most credibility doing so. For a while he was leading by example, but now he’s starting to vocalize and motivate with words.”

For this young R ed and Blue squad, w restlers like T hom a s , L en z i a nd K ent serve a crucial role of setting a strong example for Penn’s potential-filled youth.

Eiter ultimately recognizes the number of obstacles this team has been forced to deal with and believes the challenges will make the future more fruitful.

“At the end of the day, this is going to be great for the morale of the team because we’ve made it through a lot together,” Eiter said. “We’re gonna be successf ul come the end of the year, and it’s gon na ma ke t hat success that much greater because there’s so many obstacles we’ve faced this year.

“And that comes down to not only our captains, but also our team as a whole.”

knew first of all that he was a really good coach for both Luona and me,” Zhao said. “We knew that we would get a lot of support here on the team.”

Because she came to Penn a year before Wang, Zhao is still unsure exactly how she also decided to attend the university and join her childhood friend and teammate.

“I think it just happened by chance, but I’m glad I came because she’s been rea lly helpful to me, especially during my first year while I was adjusting,” Wang said. “It’s really nice to have someone on the team who I’ve grown up with who I can always talk

to about things.

“It’s really easy to coach each other on the strip bec ause we’ ve been fenci ng for so long, so we know what each other likes to do.”

In add ition to their succ e sse s at Pen n , Z h ao r e ceived the Philadelphia Inquirer Women’s Academic A ll-A rea Per for mer of the Year last season, while Wang was national r unner-up in women’s f oi l i n 2 011-2 01 2 and has earned All-America honors her first two seasons with the Quakers.

The two also enjoy returni ng t o t hei r old st ompi ng grounds and giving back to

up and coming fencers in Alabama.

“We go back during break ... we help coach the kids at home who are still in high school and middle school,” Zhao said. “We always keep in touch with them.

“We’re here, but then we go back and kind of give back what we learn here. It’s a really good process.”

E ven t houg h t he oppor tunity in front of Zhao and Wang is a rare one, the duo has certainly made the most of their time at Penn to continue their friendship and follow their passion for fencing along the way.

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Keep friends close, but your enemies closer M. SWIMMING | Despite the small stature of Penn’s diving program, Hartje and Stein stand taller than most

points that are available in the meets’ two diving events.

Senior Will Hartje and freshman Jack Stein are two of three individuals in the Penn men’s diving program, and fortunately for the Quakers, these two have risen to the challenge admirably.

While other programs generally compete with three divers, Penn has made do with just two Florida natives ever since its third diver, sophomore Peter Magliulo, got injured over winter break.

Hartje and Stein have been impressive all year and have given the Quakers an early edge in several

BY SAM ALTLAND Staff Writer Swim meets are known for being close affairs. Individual events are often contested by tenths of a second, and the meets themselves often come down to just a few points.

However, on a team that is over 30 members strong, only two Quakers have been getting a crack at the 38

meets.

“Even though we are small in comparison to other programs, we still have great opportunities to really have an effect on the outcome of any meet,” Hartje said. “We are kind of like the kickers on the football team, just as influential to the score, but few in number.”

Against the best that the Iv y League can throw at them, both Stein and Hartje still put in quality performances.

In the meet against Harvard, Stein took first in the one-meter dive, while Hartje took fourth in the three-meter event. Outside of Ivy competition,

these two have also been dominant.

On Senior Day against La Salle, Hartje took the top spot for Penn in both events and was first overall in the three-meter dive.

In addition to the bond formed by being part of a small, specialized group of athletes, Hartje and Stein share another common denominator: They competed against each other in high school.

“I guess it just goes to show you have to keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Hartje said of his past competions with Stein. “But in all seriousness, having Jack here to push me has been really important

Quakers bond around unexpected leaders

to me getting the most out of every practice and every dive.”

In addition to pushing his diving partner, Stein has proven to be a catalyst for the diving team’s remarkable turnaround. Last year, Penn failed to win an individual diving event all season. This year, the Quakers have barely gone a meet where they didn’t win at least one individual event, all thanks to Stein’s efforts.

“It’s a great feeling being a position where we expect to do well.” Hartje said. “A year ago we were just focused on not giving up too many points,

SEE M. SWIMMING PAGE 9

Penn’s Friedman faces tough schedule WRESTLING | Sophomore struggled at first to balance pre-med life and wrestling

BY IAN WENIK Sports Editor

Luke Chen/Senior Staff Photographer

With captain C.J. Cobb ruled out for the season due to injury, Penn wrestling needed someone to step up in his absence. Enter sophomore Casey Kent. A quiet and reserved leader, Kent has helped the young Quakers roster band together while also excelling on the mat. Kent’s 10-2 record in dual meets is the best on the team.

WRESTLING | Despite the losses of C.J. Cobb and Canaan Bethea, new wrestlers have stepped up

BY SEAMUS POWERS Staff Writer If you look at this season’s Penn wrestling poster, and then take a glance at the squad’s current lineup, it would be difficult not to

recognize the disparity.

Senior captain A ndrew Lenzi is the only wrestler on the poster — which also features senior Canaan Bethea, junior C.J. Cobb and junior Steve Robertson — who has wrestled in more than three duals this season.

Bethea and Cobb, both at the top of the team ranks in wins last season, have not wrestled a match this year.

It has been a season filled with

adjustments, surprises and obstacles for Penn. With everything that has been thrown at them these past three months, the Quakers could have easily fallen apart.

But they have repeatedly re fused to let their circumstances get the best of them.

“We’ve had some trying times this year,” coach Rob Eiter said.

“A nd the team is still plugging away and moving forward.”

The biggest hurdle for the Quak-

ers has been the absence of Cobb, who was named a captain prior to the season. Cobb faced early injury concerns and decided not to compete over winter break. “ That scena r io was ha rd for the team to take,” Eiter said. “We haven’t had situations like we’ve been through this year in years past.

“When things like that happen,

SEE WRESTLING PAGE 11

M. HOOPS WEBPAGE

Penn offers spot to HS junior guard Isaiah Still

BY STEVEN TYDINGS

From The Daily Pennsylvanian’s men’s hoops webpage It is never too early to start looking ahead.

Penn basketball already has four commitments for the Class of 2018, but coach Jerome Allen and his staff are also working on the Class of 2019, offering a place to guard Isaiah Still of Union Catholic (N.J.).

Still, a high school junior, is a 6-foot-4 guard that often functions as a slasher, getting to the basket well. According to The Recruit Scoop, his three-point shooting has improved, but Still is more of a wing than a shooting guard.

On Sunday in front of Penn coaches, Still scored 27 points in

a Union Catholic victory — including 18 points in the second half — as his squad beat Marist high school, 75-57.

However, the Quakers are not the only team recruiting Still — as Lehigh coach Brett Reed also attended Sunday’s game. Still has received offers from Lehigh, Iona, Harvard and Siena as well as Penn, and has gotten strong interest from Quinnipiac and Monmouth.

The Red and Blue have also shown interest in other high school juniors, namely St. Andrews (Del.) guard Myles Stephens. Stephens, who is also 6-foot-4 and plays the wing, visited Penn on June 26 and has received interest from other Ivy League

Sports Desk (215) 898-6585 ext. 147

SEE M. HOOPS PAGE 10

Andrew Dierkes/Senior Staff Photographer

Coach Jerome Allen and his staff have shown interesting in Union Catholic high school guard Isaiah Still. The Quakers have four commits in their Class of 2018 and Still would be part of the Class of 2019.

Visit us online at theDP.com/sports

Eric Friedman is just like you.

He trudges across campus to get to the Engineering Quad.

He complains about orgo.

He goes on 10-mile runs every other day and lifts weights at 7:30 a.m., hours before normal practice time.

OK, maybe he isn’t just like you.

But then again, not even Penn wrestling’s own roster can boast too many stories quite like Friedman’s, even if the sophomore pre-med student hasn’t been able to log much mat time this year for the Quakers.

The struggle isn’t new for Friedman, who has been constantly searching for the perfect balance between the two equally strong pulls of varsity wrestling and intense academics since he first stepped onto campus.

“You have to be ready to step up to the plate in wrestling and you have to be ready to step up to the plate in academics,” Friedman said. “If you falter in one, it’s hard to not let that affect both areas.”

And at first, Friedman stumbled under the adjustment. In the Hutchinson Gymnasium wrestling room, the former four-time Maryland high school state champion went from a bona-fide star to just another freshman trying to make a name for himself as he moved up a weightclass from 126 to 133 pounds.

Under self-imposed pressure to make weight and simultaneously manage his course load, Friedman’s grades slipped — until he decided he wasn’t going to take it anymore.

“When I came in, I was very intimidated by Penn academics,” Friedman said. “Having some friends freshman year, at the end, when I really was struggling, and seeing that they could do it — I started to realize that maybe I could do it.

“And then I put in the time — I started studying in quieter locations. And as soon as I believed I could do well in school, I started doing well in school.”

Friedman gives credit not only to his tight-knit group of teammates and his coaches for his turnaround, but also to a far more common source of support for Penn students: his freshman hall.

“You can look at some of what they’re doing academically, and it motivates you,” Friedman said of his hallmates. “[Friedman]’s really hard working when it comes to school, he’s a very driven guy,” said Engineering sophomore Kevin Procopio, a freshman hallmate of Friedman’s. “And it’s great that he’s very passionate about the things he does — very passionate about wrestling, very passionate about school.”

With his mind refocused and his academics in order, Friedman now finds himself occupying a depth role for the Quakers this season after picking up two match victories in his freshman campaign.

SEE FRIEDMAN PAGE 10

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