Breaking Sphinx News: Senior Honor Awards

You heard it here first!

Congratulations to the 5 Sphinges who won Senior Honor Awards!!

Althea K. Hottel Award: Catey Mark
Gaylord P. Harnwell Award: Kate Liberman
David R. Goddard Award: Caroline Gammill
R. Jean Brownlee Award: Alexis Ruby Howe

Spoon Award: Andrew Kaplan
Bowl Award: Zach Coopersmith
Cane Award: Stefon Burns
Spade Award: Ezra Billinkoff

~Sphinx Newsie

Sphinx News: April 25, 2007

Another day, another 4 front page stories in the Daily Pennsylvanian.

Guards lead charge for more sick days

Following complaints from guards about not receiving paid leave for illnesses, the University has decided to fund a program for AlliedBarton to provide guards working on campus with sick days.

"If the University can create this policy, they can do better," said Shakirah Simley, co-president of SLAP. "Penn has a lot of power and a lot of influence."

Safer Hey Day Secures Tradition

Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum credited the "diligent work of the classes of 2008 and 2007" for this year's turnaround.

She also commended the junior and senior class presidents - Wharton junior Puneet Singh and Wharton senior Andrew Kaplan, respectively - for being "scrupulously thoughtful about their planning" in fostering cooperation between classes.

In the end, Kaplan and Singh said they felt their efforts paid off.

"Our class and the community and the University were able to change the most historic tradition for the better," Singh said.

Borat Impersonator seeks a 'face' for UA

After being elected last week as the next Undergraduate Assembly chairman, College junior Jason Karsh sat down with The Daily Pennsylvanian to discuss life at the UA, goals for the year and girls with the new big man on campus.

Sarah Waxman makes Women's First-Team All Penn

• Ivy League-best 6.03 goals against average
• Helped take Quakers to No. 4 spot in nation

DP Cheers:

• To the Undergraduate Assembly, for bringing free newspapers, Ruckus, buses to the airport and other programs to campus, as well as for their support for sustainable practices.
• To the Social Planning and Events Committee, for choosing two bands that appealed widely to student taste and negotiating with the performers to make sure there were more tickets available.
• To the junior and senior classes, for acting responsibly on Hey Day and ensuring the survival of this tradition for future classes.

UA Releases end-of-year report

This summer, the University will begin to make small improvements to the low-rise college houses, the result of a UA proposal. In addition, Student Health Services will likely move to a new location in part because of talks with the UA.

This year, the UA brought improvements to student life in the form of Ruckus, the free music downloading service; free copies of The New York Times, USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News; and $3 buses to and from the airport during peak travel times, like school vacations.

"I was happy that we were able to balance focusing on long term major initiatives and delivering short term tangible results," said Wharton senior Brett Thalmann, the outgoing UA chairman.

W. Lax enters final test perfect in Ivies

Having clinched the Ivy title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament last Wednesday against Princeton, the women lacrosse team's 12-4 win over Brown on Sunday may have seemed like icing on the cake.

But the No. 3 Quakers (13-1, 7-0 Ivy) knew they still had a lot to play for.

By defeating the Bears (4-9, 1-4), Penn clinched its first outright Ivy title in program history and took one more step towards homefield advantage throughout the NCAAs.

After failing to capitalize on a number of scoring opportunities in the first half, Penn went into the break with only a 3-0 lead. That they even had a lead at all came thanks to strong play by goalkeeper Sarah Waxman and the Quakers defense.

The DP also got a shoutout in the Penn Parents Magazine:



~Sphinx Newsie

Keep the awards coming...

Click for larger picture:

Sphinx News - April 22, 2007

This week, it was all about winning championship titles, saving Penn traditions and coming together as a community to reflect on the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

After Sphinx witnessed a great victory over Princeton earlier in the week, the Women's Lacrosse team went on to complete a perfect season by beating Brown 12-4 on Saturday.

Sarah Waxman and Emily Szelest split time in goal, with Waxman picking up her 13^th win. Szelest, despite playing only 9:30, was outstanding, making three saves and allowing a goal in that span to preserve the game.

In other sports news, Penn Crew came third on Saturday at the Award Plaque at Lake Carnegie. Way to go Catie!

With the last day of classes came the 76-year tradition known as Hey Day and Sphinges were ready to see how their year-long efforts to change the culture of Hey Day would turn out:

Wharton senior and class president Andrew Kaplan said over 550 seniors have signed a pledge not to throw non-approved items - like eggs, ketchup and mustard - this afternoon at juniors walking down Locust Walk.

This activity, often labeled as hazing, has recently put the 76 year-old tradition in jeopardy.

So, as part of a campuswide effort to make sure Hey Day doesn't go anywhere, student government officials have been working tirelessly to promote a safer Hey Day.

Student leadership has done "a fabulous job collaborating for change," Vice Provost of University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said.

And the initial media reports on Hey Day were relatively positive with the Philly Inquirer going with the headline: Penn's Junior Day cleans up - a bit

It wasn't clean. It wasn't dry. And it certainly wasn't ketchup-free, as University of Pennsylvania officials and student government leaders had hoped.

But yesterday's raucous junior class procession through campus, known as "Hey Day," wasn't nearly as gooey as in years past.

Senior class president Andrew Kaplan, who helped devise and push the new rules, said he thought the vast majority had abided by them.

"It was very celebratory as opposed to a hazing atmosphere," he said.

On Thursday evening, Sphinx was out in force at the student-led Candlelight Vigil:

The candelight vigil, organized by 21 student groups, featured remarks by University President Amy Gutmann, Vice Provost of University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum and associate chaplain Charles Howard.

College senior Raffi Cohn, who was at the vigil, said the event played an important role in the healing process.

"I was amazed at how many students showed up," he said. "Everyone just feels helpless and it's really scary. But by so many people coming together, it kind of lets you know that you're not the only one who's thinking that."

In addition to the honorary Sphinges who spoke, Ezra, Mana and Brett all spoke to the huge crowd that had gathered on College Green. The DP, low-balled the attendance at 200, but anyone who was there knows that the number was closer to 800.

~Sphinx Newsie

2 Sick 2 Be Funny

The human body wasn't made to write witty diatribes about Penn's finest week in and week out. Under such pressure, it cracks and confines even the Sphinx Citer to a miserable, sniffling huddle on the couch. Thus, this week the Citings must speak for themselves -- and what a week (or so) it was!! Before we get going, a big shoutout to Stacie who was cited turning 21 and to Shak who had a birthday several weeks ago but was neglected by yours truly!

First off, most every Sphinge, every pre-frosh previewing Penn and their Moms (literally) were cited at the Darfur rally which was a "real success." It raised an incredible $1,820.50, with special thanks to Ezra. A hilarious, if somewhat surreal sight during the sit-in was the Darfur sitters, the Mask & Wig "protesters," the crazy man preaching against homosexuality in front of Van Pelt, and the frisbee team all trying to get out their message within a few yards of each other. True diversity if there ever was.

Off the Green and into our mailboxes, Andy Kaplan (with the help of Tammy no doubt) announced Senior Week, "to ensure that your final days at Penn are your best days at Penn." No word on just how far Andy will go to make sure each and every one of us truly have our best days, but Penn girls are waiting with baited breath. In other governmental affairs, Brett presided over his final UA meeting, next to Sarah Abroms and Jason Karsh. Numerous Sphinges were in attendance, doing the wave at times. They were cited eating much of the food and taking pictures which no one sent to the Sphinx Citer.

In sports, Sarah Waxman was cited winning the Women's Lacrosse Title in the Ivy League, 14-10 over Princeton. Srikant, Ryan, Mana, Caroline, and Jeff were in attendance. Catie V. was also rumored to be a big winner in rowing. According to Catie, "Penn crew has now separated itself from the bottom of the top to the top of the top." Catey, Jareau, and Mana were in attendance at the race.

Moving on to the obviously drunken elephant in the Quad: Spring Fling. Apparently Jeff did something inappropriate during at the Zetes petting zoo. The sheep are rumored to be sore, and say Jeff is "baaaaad." Catey Mark was cited pulling off an "unbelievable spring fling." There was a "killer turn-out" at the carnival after Jazzy's soiree which included a raging dance party. "Many a sphinge partook in the revelry including the always stylish Mr. Greenwald and the amazingly fun-loving Val Swain-Cade McColloum (also pictured busting a move!)."

Josh Head and Fraga were cited singing a killer duet at their last Mask
and Wig fling concert. Watson pulled off the event "with unparalleled class, singing a solo while working the blacks and whites AND looking delicious." Head and Fraga, in traditional form, got naked at the end of the concert. "Beware their beautiful bods."
Witnesses reported seeing Josh Head's head. Head and Fraga were also cited performing with celebrity host Dan Bakhedal of the Daily Show at SPEC and Mask and Wig's 9th Annual ComFest.

In real accomplishments, Jack Abraham won first place in the Wharton Venture Award Competition! He won $10,000 and will be starting up his tech firm in Philly this summer. He is hiring interns and has employees who are twice his age -- all this further confirmation that Jack is the sh*t and the rest is just flies. Elsewhere, Shak won her CORO fellowship which is a tremendous accomplishment after years of hard work. She was also successful in getting the "United States Cross Cultural Analysis Requirement" admitted into the College Curriculum. Congrats, Shak! See Sphinx News for more on this.

In other society notes, 5 Sphinges were ciited at Oracle initiation: Shirley Liang, Jun Li, Puneet Singh, Samir Sheth and Samir Malik. The 5 Sphinges were found acting like "sock-em-bop-em gophers with the button, acting out animals on the compass, drinking incessant amounts of maple syrup, and tying red and yellow ribbons around trees on Locust Walk Wednesday night." It should be noted that the Sphinges "took the whole event very lightly, as it was a walk in the park compared to the Sphinx Arts & Crafts night."

Finally, Ryan and Catey went out to a BYO dinner with some friends to commemorate the olden days. As usual, they confessed their freshman love to one another and vowed to cuddle again one day. Ryan also completed his proposal for a Glee Club endowment with the University and received approvals from the powers that be. He will be leading the kickoff of a $150,000 capital campaign for the Club, commencing with an Alumni Club gala and concert on Alumni Day. He is quite proud to not yet be a "has-been," contrary to whatever 34th St. has to say about Sphinges.

In this week's doghouse section, Healey was cited attempting to sabotage Sphinx Happy Hour by inviting everyone to his Sitar concert. While Caroline, Jeff, Ryan, Mana, Brett, Ezra, and Jack, hated him for this malfeasance, rumor has that Healey plucks a mean string.

That's all, folks! Cough-sniffle-cough. See Sphinx News for more details on these citings!

-Sphinx Citer

Sphinx News - April 19, 2007

From the front pages of the DP:

Jason Karsh elected UA chairman

After five hours of debate and difficult questions last night, the Undergraduate Assembly elected its executive board for the 2007-2008 school year.

The race was one of the more contested in recent history, with 10 people running for five positions. The high level of competition stands in stark contrast to last year's election, which included only one contested race for all five positions.

And though Karsh managed to beat out College junior Sarah Abroms, Karsh will have big shoes to fill.

The UA passed over 40 proposals during Wharton senior Brett Thalmann's term as chairman and brought the students Ruckus, the free music downloading service, and free copies of The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and USA Today.

But Karsh has an agenda full of plans for the fall, when he will officially begin his term.

As Thalmann prepares to hand over the reigns to Karsh, he isn't worried about his successors.

"I'm really impressed with the new board," he said. "I hope they can achieve some of their ambitious goals to reach out to students directly."

The United States Cross-Cultural requirement was approved unanimously by SAS faculty

"It was a very long process, but I'm thrilled" with the outcome, said College senior Shakirah Simley, the former chairwoman of the Undergraduate Minorities Council and a member of the task force.

Student Health to relocate, double in size

If the University administration has its way, the Student Health Services offices will be moving to a new home on 3535 Market St.

The UA, too, has been involved in the move and has been discussing the issue with the administration since the fall of 2005.

The undergraduate body's main concerns have been increased privacy, size, the development of a well-lit, comforting environment and a common entrance for all of the offices, UA Chairman and Wharton senior Brett Thalmann said.

"The need is urgent enough that this move and this change is extremely timely and should happen as soon as possible," he said.

In the meantime, the UA will work on improving Student Health hours, creating a possible transit service to the offices and increasing security, among other things, Thalmann added.

W. Lax Wins Ivy League Title!

Playing against its archrival, the women's lacrosse team won at least a share of its first Ivy League Championship since 1982, beating the No. 15 Tigers 14-10 during Senior Night at Franklin Field. The Quakers can win the league outright with a victory over Brown on Saturday.

The win, the first over the Tigers (6-5, 2-2) in 14 years, gave the No. 3 Quakers (12-1, 6-0) their first NCAA tournament bid since 1984. They would hold the tiebreaker over second-place Yale.

~Sphinx Newsie

Sphinx in the News

In addition to being spotted around campus, Sphinges have been really busy doing what they do best: getting things done. Unsurprisingly, Sphinges have been all over the news recently both on and off campus.

Our very own Sarah Waxman has been "solid in goal this season for the Quakers, allowing only 55 goals in ten games and starting every contest." And the DP just named the Women's Lax (that means Lacrosse) team "Overnight celebrities" after 16 years of Dartmouth's dominance over the weekend.

Sphinx was also out in force for a 36-hour sit-in for Darfur this week. According to the DP:

With more than 3.5 million people in the Darfur region of Sudan are completely reliant on international aid for survival, student leaders say they've felt compelled to help out.

"We feel really invested in educating the Penn community about this issue," said College senior Ezra Billinkoff, who was involved in organizing the event, a result of only two weeks worth of planning.

Student groups involved in the effort include Hillel, Sphinx Senior Society, Alliance and Understanding, STAND, Tzedek and the Darfur Action Planning Committee.

The Undergraduate Assembly also made the DP after passing a proposal on improving Penn's Student Health Service and a proposal on climate change that was co-sponsored by Ivy Council.

In other UA news, Brett Thalmann was could be seen posing a question at the last University Council meeting. The meeting featured some administrative updates and a presentation by Kevin Rurak on behalf of the Lambda Alliance regarding the issue of whether Penn's policy on blood donations is discriminatory.

Shawn Safvi had a great column in the DP's joke issue and campus was so relieved to finally hear the truth from the DP leadership:

You accuse us of deliberately targeting you or simply ignoring what you do. I tell you that's not true to your face, but I'm lying. The DP really doesn't care, and the news editors usually delete your e-mails once they realize it's you.

It's not that they don't like you … well, it kind of is, but that's not the point. The DP just doesn't cover boring events, and let's be honest, watching you "appreciate your heritage" doesn't make the cut

Shakirah was also quoted supporting the UMC's recent actions to campus events:

"I think they did a great job," said College senior Shakirah Simley, 2006's UMC chairwoman.

"Their energy is on how they can enact structural change, which I think is more important, useful and constructive. I think this incident is just a platform to talk about what's going on in the greater context," she said.

And in local, national and international news:

"Marshmallow Compromise Saves Penn Ritual"

If you've been living under a rock, the Penn tradition being referenced is Hey Day. Both Puneet Singh and Brett Thalmann were quoted in this AP story:

"I really enjoyed it," said senior Brett Thalmann, who participated in the festivities last year despite having things thrown at him. "I think it's one of Penn's great traditions."

Junior class president Puneet Singh agreed it was "a great resolution."

Thalmann said Hey Day does. It's one of only a handful of times Penn students get together with their entire class, he said.

"It's a really powerful feeling," said Thalmann, a student government leader who worked on the compromise. "The focus on the negative aspects definitely has been more recent and really is a minor part of the day."

The story was picked up by over 43 news outlets including the Washington Post, Philly Inquirer, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times, LA Times, Forbes, Guardian Unlimited UK, and the Kalamazoo Gazette.

That's all for now, but I'm sure I'll be back soon to mention even more Sphinges in the news.

~SN

3a.m. Hypothermia was Your Final Task

Veteran Sphinges know that Citings come but once a week (or less). However, it isn't every week that 22 new, wonderful members of a family fall into your lap – so enjoy a special Arts & Crafts edition of Sphinx Citings!

In short, EVERYONE was cited welcoming and herding our candidates through the third round. Though the candidates were horribly insolent and incapable of even the most basic tasks – thus necessitating copious amounts of bad juice – they were somehow able to cover the campus in an impressive display of "Sphinx" chalkings.

(Unfortunately, a trashy neighborhood gang of a name not worth mentioning took it upon themselves to deface many of these Picassos. Sphinges took solace in the words of a familiar chant which very clearly points out that such elements are "losers," clearly the worst possible existence out of "dorks, geeks, and snorks." They also demonstrated an enviable amount of grace and respect, taking care never to write over the chalkings of other groups which may have been around campus that evening.)

It didn't say "Puck."

In the end, 22 of 22 third round candidates were asked to join the society - an impressive achievement considering how all of Ezra's candidates were eliminated in the fall for general ineptness (or so the candidates of Ezra's group were told). A little part of each Sphinge was sad to say goodbye to the old group as they knew it, but a much bigger part was ecstatically excited to see what their amazing new counterparts would do for the group and for the University.

After gathering sleep and recovering from Mad4 Happy Hour on Tuesday, the Sphinges all signed up for at least one shift for Sphinx's Darfur Sit-In from Wednesday to Thursday. They logged in to spreadsheets.google.com with the login "36hours.fordarfur" and used the password "savedarfur" They were excited to attend their shifts, rain or shine, and demonstrate Sphinx's commitment to the school and to greater social causes. They also looked forward to upcoming information about other Sphinx events, including the spring banquet and Healey's meet & greet dinners.

See y'all real soon,
-Sphinx Citer

Congratulations to the following new Sphinges:
Sarah Waxman, Jason Karsh, Rob Medina, Laura Paine, Jon Weiner, Shirley Liang, Alex Hirsch, Gina Owino, Samir Sheth, Jun Li, Nick Watson, Samir Malik, Austin Peña, Sarah Abroms, Jack Abraham, Kevin Rurak, Jazzy Fournier, Max Cancre, Puneet Singh, Shawn Safvi, David Helfeinbein, Stacie Smith