Penn’s resource centers can’t wait to help you. Here are services and programs geared towards staff and faculty.

African-American Resource Center
Services: The AARC’s mission is improving the quality of life for African-Americans at Penn. Anyone on campus—faculty, staff, and students—can come to the AARC for counseling and mediation support, whether it’s for workplace or personal matters. Director Jeanne Arnold said, “We help them assess what the problem is and work out a solution.” These might include coaching a person on how to handle the situation themselves or having a trained mediator go on site with the supervisor’s permission. Trouble on the home front? AARC’s trained counselors can help you iron out problems you’re having with kids and/or marriage.
Workshops: Workshops cover topics like financial security, the growing number of black children without permanent families and the implications of black students attending public vs. charter schools in the city.
Contact Info: Visit: 3537 Locust Walk, Suite 200; e-mail: aarc@pobox.upenn.edu; Web site: www.upenn.edu/aarc/staff.html; phone: 215-898-0104.

Albert M. Greenfield Intercultural Center
Services : Reserve a room at GIC for your educational, cultural or social programs. Or check out a video from GIC’s extensive library, which has more than 200 VHS videotapes that range from documentaries like “Ethnic Notions” to feature films like “The Color Purple.” You can also arrange for a GIC staff member to speak to your group on issues like homophobia, race relations and religion.
Workshops: The GIC offers more than 40 workshops a year. Their lecture series has featured such notables as Coretta Scott King and Michael Eric Dyson, who this year joined the Penn faculty.
Contact Info: Visit: 3708 Chestnut Street; e-mail: gic@pobox.upenn.edu; Web site: dolphin.upenn.edu/~gic; phone: 215-898-3357.

La Casa Latina
Services: LCL has a Penn Latino Association for non-students. Their Spanish conversation hour, which runs on Thursday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., is open to everyone on campus.
Contact Info: Visit: 3601 Locust Walk; Web site: dolphin.upenn.edu /~lacasa/index.html; phone: 215-746-6043.

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center
Services: The LGBTC supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, staff, alumni and faculty. If you feel you’ve faced discrimination, you can turn to the LGBTC for options counseling and advocacy services. In the past, the group has successfully fought for domestic partner benefits for Penn faculty and staff.
The LGBTC library, which houses more than 800 books, videos and periodicals, is open to faculty and staff. LGBTC also publishes “OUTlines”, a Penn community newsletter, and “queer-E”, a weekly electronic bulletin. Programs sponsored by the LGBTC include Out in the Workplace, National Coming Out Days and periodic LGBTC Staff and Faculty Association events.
Workshops: The center provides educational workshops using videotapes, discussions, structured experiences and other teaching strategies.
Contact Info: Visit: a new location at 3907 Spruce Street; e-mail: center@pobox.upenn.edu; Web site: dolphin.upenn.edu/~center; phone: 215-898-5044.

Pan-Asian American Community House
Services: The center is open to all members of Penn and its surrounding community who are interested in issues relevant to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Visitors may browse through the library of Asian-American studies books and videos and chat with staff about upcoming talks and programs. PAACH, in conjunction with the Asian American Studies Program (ASAM), coordinates the ASAM Colloquium Series, which features a monthly presentation on academic research focusing on Asian Americans and/or the Asian diaspora in various international contexts.
Contact Info: Visit: 3601 Locust Walk; Web site: dolphin.upenn.edu /~paach; phone: 215-746-6046.

Penn Women’s Center
Services: The center’s staff of professional counselors offers advising, crisis intervention, rape crisis counseling, case management, advocacy and referral services. Educational programs address women’s perspectives on campus as well as general public issues.
Workshops: Seminar topics have included human sexuality, sexual harassment and gender bias, educational equity and leadership training in a diverse world.
Contact Info: Visit: 3643 Locust Walk; Web site: www.upenn.edu/osl/pwc.html; phone: 215-898-8611.

—T.T.