(See below for correction.) Three student government groups have agreed to work together to revive the Penn Course Review, the students' guide to classes and professors that dissolved over the summer.
The Undergraduate Assembly, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and the Student Activities Council have set a tentative deadline of November for the Review to once again be available to students online -- in time for advance registration for spring semester classes.
The Penn Course Review, which began in 1959, became an online publication last year, providing only about one-quarter of its original content. In July 2003, after its leaders had graduated, the Web site came down when its domain name expired.
UA representative and College sophomore Mike Cohen presented the goals for the Review with UA Education Chairwoman and Wharton sophomore Cynthia Wong and SCUE member and College junior Erica Miao.
Cohen explained the UA's detailed plans to re-establish leadership and staff members for this organization. In addition to setting up a table for Monday's SAC-sponsored activities fair, the UA and SCUE plan on holding an information session on Oct. 8.
However, Cohen was careful to point out that the UA only intends to help this organization get back on its feet -- not take over its publication.
"We are hoping that after we help resurrect the Review," he said, "it will become its own entity again."
Representing SAC's opinion on this matter, UA Treasurer and College junior Jenn Choi elaborated on the funding of the Review.
"The Review has a current balance of $19,000 in sales revenue," she said. "We plan on using this money for the start-up costs, including advertising, web server space and meeting costs."
Although this proposal passed nearly unanimously, there was dissent from one UA representative, Engineering junior Sean Lambert.
Citing his personal experience with the Review during his freshman year, Lambert felt that part of the budget should include payment to the Review's staff.
"Being a staff member was a thankless job," he said. "I feel that any student who works on it should be compensated."
The UA also approved a proposal to expand PENNacle and PennQuest pre-orientation programs.
This proposal was a far more contested plan.
Passing by a vote of 15 in favor and 7 against, the proposal called for $50,000 in University funds -- including $10,000 of the UA budget -- to be spent on doubling PENNacle and PennQuest programming.
Dissenters of the proposal noted the difficulties with recruiting underrepresented minorities to these programs, as well as the belief that these programs create a divide between attending and non-attending freshmen.
In addition, College sophomore Wesley Nakamura has replaced former UA representative and College senior Tai McKinney, who is looking to further pursue an acting career.
Correction
This article noted that the Undergraduate Assembly approved a proposal to double PennQuest and PENNacle programming. Of the $50,000 called for in the proposal, none of the money will be from the UA budget.The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
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