House plan interests Fac. Senate members

Responses among Faculty Senate Executive Committee members to a report on the future of residential living at the University range from "highly interested to enthusiastic," SEC Chairperson David Hildebrand said. "This is the first time that people have gotten away from the buildings, buildings, buildings kind of comments and looked at the infrastructure of [college house systems]," he said. The report, drafted by Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson, asks the University community to examine ways in which the current residential college system could be expanded to include all undergraduates. Morrisson presented the report, which suggests constructing six new residential college buildings to house upperclass undergraduates and graduate students, to the SEC yesterday. But Hildebrand, a statistics professor, said the discussion focused more on the programatic value of the residential college system rather than the construction of new facilities. Hildebrand added that he was especially interested in the "virtual college" concept, which will be implemented before the construction of the houses begins, according to Morrisson's report. Under such a system, groups of students frequently interact with faculty and graduate students, participate in group academic and social programs and eat together in designated dining facilities. They do not necessarily live together. Hildebrand also added he thought many faculty would want to participate in the new residential program. SEC member Roger Allen said that he was strongly in favor of the proposal, but that the University should move carefully. "As a graduate of Oxford University I am firmly of the opinion that something along these lines is what the University ought to be doing," said Allen, an Arabic and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies professor. Allen said that a change the Univeristy's "culture" would be necessary for the program to be successful. "If we can develop here a sort of culture, an understanding -- what they're calling a virtual college -- this would be good," he said. "Smaller groups that eat together, talk together and party together helps make the University seem like a smaller, more intimate community." Allen agreed with Hildebrand that "a sizeable percentage" of the faculty would want to participate in the residential college programs. But Allen said that he would urge the University to use caution in moving forward with any plan that might alter housing patterns in West Philadelphia. "I don't think that the University should enter into any long-term plan of this nature without considering the impact it might have on West Philly," Allen said. "The University has to negotiate with community leaders before we decide to do something with a significant impact on our neighboring community. Diplomacy and communication are essential." Allen said that the University might consider offering special mortgages to encourage more faculty to move into the West Philadelphia area. Morrisson's report makes the same suggestion. Faculty Senate Chairperson-elect Gerald Porter, a mathematics professor, said that he liked the report and that the Faculty Senate will examine the report's suggestions in greater detail in the future. "I think that we need clarification of a whole bunch of issues, all of which are good things to think about," Porter said. "I think it's [the Faculty Senate's] responsibility to see that the educational aspects of the plan are apropriately addressed."