Letters to the Editor

To the Editor: Although the police investigation of the Campus Copy Center incident is complete, the matter is far from over. The letter that Gregory Seaton sent out over e-mail was entitled "To Boe or not to Boe" for a reason. Seaton obviously regards a Penn professor as complicitous with the physical altercation that took place on that day at Campus Copy. I am deeply disturbed by the fact that Professor Boe's involvement (or lack thereof) has been all but erased from the discussion around this incident. It is abhorrent that an upstanding member of the Penn community did not feel moved to defuse the situation, especially when he was the only one who could have done so. It is not important that Boe, a professor of education, may not have recognized one of the doctoral students in GSE or even that he knew or didn't know that he was being served out of turn. What is important, however, is that he stood silently by and watched an already unpleasant situation escalate to one of inexcusable ugliness and violence. If Boe has any integrity at all, I think he should issue a public apology to Seaton for jumping him in line, for standing by silently after it was brought to his attention that he was being served out of turn and for standing by silently while Seaton and the Campus Copy employees engaged in a physical altercation.

Raymond Gunn Second-year Education doctoral student

To the Editor: I am writing to advocate the opening of the Rotunda asÿa community hub for West Philadelphia residents, Penn students and Penn faculty. As a previous member of The Foundation, I have witnessed how the group brings together diverse groups -- Penn students and West Philadelphia residents -- to partake in, listen and hear inspiring music for the people. The University has the opportunity to give the Rotunda to a group of students, artists and West Philadelphia residents who are dedicated to collaborating together through the arts for change. This building could be a sign of Penn's cooperation with the West Philadelphia neighborhood and dedication to student-initiated change.

Noga Newberg College '02

To the Editor: The Foundation programming at the Rotunda is one of the most important vehicles for positive community interaction in the area. Penn's patronage has brought something priceless to the 40th Street corridor -- a sense of community. While other projects have come and gone around it, The Foundation has consistently put on weekly free events showcasing talent from the Philadelphia area. It has been an oasis in the sometimes barren cultural landscape of Penn. It has brought joy and new relationships to many people, from all walks of life. The University has a unique opportunity when it comes to the Rotunda. It can work with students and neighbors to build a true Foundation Community Arts Center, a home for the arts and a safe haven for self-expression. The center will fit perfectly into the 40th Street landscape -- enhancing the attractiveness of the area for retail visitors; and providing educational and cultural opportunities that can be tied into the nearby Penn-assisted school. Now is the time to take advantage of this unique opportunity. The creation of this kind of center could put the University on the national map as a bold and innovative supporter of community-based arts. Here's to hoping they realize what they have on their hands.

Andrew Zitcer Office of Student Life

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