Letters to the editor

Local foods To the Editor:

I am writing to wholeheartedly agree with Alex Dubilet's assertion ("A cup of coffee," June 30, 2005) that local businesses bring character and substance to Penn's campus. Frequenting the Metropolitan Bakery on Walnut Street and choosing other local food options benefits more than just the customer's craving for "eclectic furniture and unique decorations on its walls." Choosing local food benefits the farmers who grow it, it cuts down on fuel used to haul our perfectly red strawberries from California. Local food is fresher, healthier and tastier.

And that is why Penn, the "proverbial 800-pound gorilla," in Dubilet's words, has decided to do something about it. As co-founder of FarmEcology, my role has been to advocate on behalf of the student body for local food options in the University dining system.

We've been enormously successful. In the spring we attracted a record 350 students, professors and neighborhood residents when we "took over" the Kings Court/English House dining hall and hosted a local food dinner. These dinners will be upcoming features of our continued efforts, with fall harvest dinner planned for late September.

All the milk served across Penn's campus is from local cows and is 100 percent hormone free. All whole eggs used on campus are locally grown.

And we're just as big fans of Metropolitan Bakery as Dubilet. Starting in the fall we'll be using Metropolitan Bakery bread in our FarmEcology local food kiosk in Houston Market.

Houston Market may lack the ambience of smaller cafes: the frayed couches and expensive artwork. But Penn is shifting gears and recognizing the benefits of going local. So pass along the message: we're serving fair-trade coffee with cream from local cows, fresh mozzarella cheese made in the Italian Market on 9th Street, locally grown basil, organic tomatoes and fresh bread from the Metropolitan Bakery. It'll be my treat.

Rachel Meyer

The author is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and co-founder of FarmEcology New provost To the Editor:

I feel that last week's story about new Penn provost Ronald Daniels ("New provost had share of critics at Toronto," 6/30/05) did not quote me accurately, the net effect of which was to grossly misrepresent my views.

The letter to which the story refers was directed at the University of Toronto Central Administration who were charged with conducting the inquiry into professor Reaume's comments in class. Our central aim was to insure that the University be vigilant in regard to Professor Reaume's academic freedom, which had already been compromised.

I am equally disappointed that the story focused so narrowly on this incident, since much of our comments explored Provost Daniel's manifest achievements as the Dean of the University of Toronto Law School -- especially his achievements in the area of legal philosophy, accomplishments that are well known to me as a legal philosopher and a regular visitor to the University of Toronto. The legal philosophy group at the University of Toronto is among the very best in the world. I would have thought that the University of Pennsylvania community would be excited to learn that the incoming provost has a long record of personal academic achievement and leadership.

Indeed, the University of Pennsylvania has been uniquely blessed in its recent history. Judith Rodin, with whom I worked when she was provost at Yale, may well have been the outstanding university president of the past 20 years. The current President, Amy Gutmann, is someone I have known for 20 years, and she is an individual of great academic accomplishment and personal integrity. Ron Daniels only adds to this illustrious recent history. I have no doubt that he will be an exceptional academic leader of the University.

Jules Coleman The author is a professor at Yale Law School

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