Chodorow bids fond farewell at University Council session

University Council members bid farewell yesterday to Provost Stanley Chodorow, who delivered a "State of the University Address" at his last Council meeting before his resignation takes effect at the end of the semester. Chodorow told the Council that he will leave the University with "some regrets," but said his experience at Council meetings has been "instructive, uplifting and always interesting." In his address, Chodorow praised the recently announced plan to reorganize campus residences into 12 college houses. "We want to create a diverse, varied and rich living experience," he said. "The residential system will provide greater variety, preserve choice and a framework for physical renovations of all facilities." After Chodorow spoke, Executive Vice President John Fry announced that Trammell Crow Co. will take over management of all on- and off-campus buildings April 1, not March 1 as originally scheduled. Only five of the 160 staff members affected by the outsourcing of the facilities management department did not interview for jobs with Trammell Crow, Fry said. He added that staff members will know by December 6 if they will receive a job offer from Trammell Crow. Fry also updated Council members on the status of the Cornyn Fasano dining services study, explaining that the consulting firm's final recommendations will not be available until next semester. The group, which over the last year has been evaluating the state of dining at Penn, will make recommendations about ways to improve the University's $40 million campus food services and its dining facilities. University President Judith Rodin announced the structure of a committee that will examine the process for decision-making across the University. Creating the committee was recommended at a special Council meeting earlier this semester, after various campus groups complained that administrators failed to adequately consult the University community. The Council Steering constituency groups -- the Undergraduate, Graduate and Professional Student, Penn Professional Staff and A-3 assemblies -- will appoint representatives to the committee. Additionally, two administrators and three faculty members will sit on the committee. Each of these assemblies issued status reports to the Council at yesterday's meeting. And five Council committees -- Library, Student Affairs, Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics, Communications and Safety and Security -- issued reports concerning their work during the 1996-97 year. Safety and Security Committee Chairperson Sean Kennedy explained that the group will be examining issues of education, crime statistics and bicycle safety. The committee concluded that the University's manner of reporting crime statistics is "reasonably comprehensive," despite federal and state investigations into Penn's definition of what constitutes on-campus crime.

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