Report suggests how to improve W. Phila.

University faculty and staff who live in West Philadelphia submitted a 23-page report to top University officials outlining ways to improve University-community relations. The report, titled "Priorities for Neighborhood Revitalization: Goals for the Year 2000," calls on the University to require both the new president and provost to live on or near campus as a condition of taking the posts. It also advocates major changes in the University's approach to public safety. The report was compiled and written by the Penn Faculty and Staff for Neighborhood Issues, a group that last year asked former President Sheldon Hackney to "make community relations one of [his] legacies to Penn." They handed him a petition with 500 signatures. Associate Legal Studies Professor Richard Shell, chairperson of the group's Public Safety Committee, said the purpose of the document is to reaffirm the importance of the link between the University and the surrounding area and to encourage faculty and staff to reside here. "We're all looking for a model of 'One University,' where faculty, staff and students will have a chance to connect with each other outside the classroom," Shell said. The organization, Penn Faculty and Staff for Neighborhood Issues, is without precedent at other schools, Shell said. "One of the focuses that we've had is to study other urban universities, and we haven't run into another university that has this much of an organized constituency," he said. Members of the group recommend a residence requirement for the University's leaders, enhanced public education in University City, increased staffing and coverage by University Police and increased presence of University faculty and staff area residents on University committees. Shell advocates an expansion of the informal University-patrolled security zone to include a broader area where University faculty and staff reside. Other recommendations within the report include more University Police officers on patrol, new Escort Service policies and a comprehensive lighting survey of the area. "Public safety is a very important issue to us," Shell said. "Nobody knows better than we do the importance of Penn police. That's why we want to expand the public safety program." The expansion of the routes, according to the document, would extend beyond 43rd Street. "Often, students have a perception that no faculty or staff live beyond the west part of campus," Shell said. "It's sort of like the end of the world." But according to the document, over 4,000 University-affiliated people reside in West Philadelphia neighborhoods. Interim President Claire Fagin said she has not yet looked at the proposal closely, but she believes University officials ought to have a stronger connection to campus. "By and large, if you don't have any competing priorities, living on campus is a wise idea," she said. "I would not want to be living far from campus. I think living on campus is crucial for the president."