BRIEF: Escort gets input at GAPSA meeting

Assistant Director of Transportation and Parking Steve Carey and Assistant Director of Support Services Jill Maser said the discussion with the graduate students is one of many focus groups that Escort's process management team is conducting this semester. But both students and administrators seemed defensive during the 10-minute questioning period. Carey's questions were quick and abrupt, and students, given a short time to fill out a survey, said they felt they needed more time to give honest opinions. And although Carey and Maser said they wanted to hear student opinions, GAPSA Chairperson Michael Goldstein was reluctant to allow graduate students to comment because of time restrictions. GAPSA members also discussed a proposal to alter the length of time a graduate student is allowed to take out a book from Van Pelt Library. Presently, graduate students may hold library books for up to eight weeks. The new system would standardize the due dates so all books would be due on the same day each semester. Under the new system, graduate students would no longer have to fill out renewal forms constantly, but missing the due dates would result in high fines. GAPSA members also unanimously passed a resolution calling for fair rent for graduate students in University housing. The resolution says that the current housing situation "creates an inequitable and costly situation for most graduate students living in University housing." Graduate students pay rent on a monthly basis because many graduate schools begin and end at different times. -- Shelley Tabor

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