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

Over Commencement weekend, the Board of Trustees will conduct a final vote on whether the facility should move for the 2008-2009 academic year.

The potential new home, a large office building already occupied by other medical offices, will give the center the entire first floor of the building - twice as much space as the current Student Health facilities, SHS officials say.

"Finding a new place for Student Health has been a priority of the University for quite some time," Associate Vice Provost Max King said.

Student Health, which offers a wide range of clinical and medical services for Penn students, has been in its current location across from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for 18 years.

The Market Street building would feature a design more conducive to a medical setting, featuring "much less confusing" offices, said SHS Director Evelyn Wiener.

She added that the proposed location would boost the number of appointments SHS can handle and "be much more respectful of privacy and confidentiality," a concern that many students have voiced.

The Office of the Vice Provost for University Life has worked in conjunction with the Student Health Advisory Board, the Undergraduate Assembly and the Graduate and Professional Student Association to recommend a new location.

Representatives from SHAB, a group of students that addresses student health concerns, generally sees the move as "a step in the right direction," though there are some reservations, SHAB Chairman and first year School of Medicine student Elliott Kozin said.

"The main pro is that it's twice as large as the current space," Kozin said. "I guess the main negative is the difference in where it's located on campus. Now it's on 35th and Market, as opposed to near the University hospital."

SHAB officials will work on soliciting feedback from students to make sure the new office is designed with student concerns in mind.

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.

- Staff Writer Rebecca Kaplan contributed reporting to this article.

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