“A Penn entity makes just as much sense to the average Joe as anybody else's entity, to organize large-scale, productive meetings.”
Tony, these people on the un-moderated list sure know how to fling it. You were so ivy league to point to these deep core concepts published transparently by the Penn intellectuals on their web site. How could anyone doubt this brilliant civic engagement literature: Metaphors of community http://www.gse.upenn.edu/ppce/coreconcepts.php#metaphorsofcommunity#metaphorsofcommunity Metaphors of engagement http://www.gse.upenn.edu/ppce/coreconcepts.php#metaphorsofengagement#metaphorsofengagement Key concepts for engaging people http://www.gse.upenn.edu/ppce/coreconcepts.php#keyfactors#keyfactors Naming and framing problems http://www.gse.upenn.edu/ppce/coreconcepts.php#namingandframingproblems#namingandframingproblems Civic deliberation and civic capacity http://www.gse.upenn.edu/ppce/coreconcepts.php#civicdeliberation#civicdeliberation -----Original Message----- >From: Anthony West <anthony_w...@earthlink.net> >Sent: Jan 28, 2009 8:48 PM >To: UnivCity Listserv <univcity@list.purple.com> >Subject: Re: [UC] Libraries and tactics that are doomed to failure > >It's reasonable to be skeptical about a Penn-based attempt to facilitate >a meeting over a conflict between some of its neighbors and itself. > >That's not the situation before us in this case. The City budget gap >affects all Philadelphians, not just the 3% who live in University City. >The budget is to Campus Inn as a watermelon is to a walnut. A Penn >entity makes just as much sense to the average Joe as anybody else's >entity, to organize large-scale, productive meetings. The work a Penn >team did on the waterfront a year or two ago drew high marks from all >the communities involved, and they had plenty of hot issues. > >Penn doesn't have to ignore its own good while acting for the good of >others. All of us do the same thing; it's called "making a living." > >For anyone who is "concerned about Penn's involvement with the ... >budget crisis, and what they expect to get ... in return," the obvious >first step is to ask the Project for Civic Engagement, whose director is >Dr. Harris Sokoloff. Its website is www.gse.upenn.edu/ppce/. While Penn >could be giving it away, most academic projects are done for contracts >-- and lots of government contracts -- in which money changes hands. >That's what they get in return. Also they get a good reputation, which >helps them somewhere down the line, they hope. > >Plus, it's possible some people at Penn, like some people on this list, >see their city in a real bind and wish to pitch in something useful >toward that problem. > >Will its public meetings accomplish anything in the end? That seems like >a more reasonable suspicion. Wharton has been flinging buckets of >high-financial brains into Wall Street for a generation, and look where >that's gotten us. On the other hand, nobody else knows what to do >either. So excluding Penn from any role in its city's fate seems odd, to >say the least. > >-- Tony West > > >KAREN ALLEN wrote: >> Ray, >> In reaction to that other response your post received, I too am >> concerned with Penn's involvement with the City's budget crisis, and >> with what they expect to get out of the city in return for their >> involvement. Penn is not just some benign entity who is >> unselfishly lending its expertise to the greater good. Of course >> that's what they and their apologists want everyone to think: "Trust >> us! This is all for your own good". >> >> Ask the folks down on Woodland Terrace whether they trust Penn. Ask >> those who attended the Philadelphia City Planning and Historical >> Commission hearings and witnessed those charades. Ask those attendees >> who witnessed Chris O'Donnell "out" a new-to-the-neighborhood real >> estate agent who testified in support of Campus Inn, but who somehow >> failed to mention that "coincidentally" he (the agent) got a big condo >> deal from Penn (not that one had anything to do with the other!!!). >> Ask the folks from Spruce Hill Civic Association who quit that >> organization in disgust after the Campus Inn debacle exposed how and >> for whom that organization actually functions. >> >> Trust Penn and in 20 years, 48th and Spruce will look like 38th and >> Spruce does today. > > >---- >You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the >list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see ><http://www.purple.com/list.html>. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
