EDITORIAL: Looking to the future

The 'Draft Residential Study'The 'Draft Residential Study'has intriguing options, butThe 'Draft Residential Study'has intriguing options, butconstructing new residencesThe 'Draft Residential Study'has intriguing options, butconstructing new residencesis not the way to go.The 'Draft Residential Study'has intriguing options, butconstructing new residencesis not the way to go.____________________________ Its developers describe the study as only a draft, one of a number of drafts with still-tentative. But University President Judith Rodin has been soliciting feedback from students about the proposals, a process that will continue over the summer and into the coming fall. We'd like to add our voice to the ongoing discussion. First, a quick review of the proposals. Model 1 preserves the status quo, using available funds for deferred maintenance of the Quadrangle and high rises. Model 2 includes the construction of a "bookstore-inn" and a dining hall connected to the graduate towers, converted to undergraduate housing after the addition of 340 new rooms. To compensate, both High Rise and Low Rise North would become graduate domains. Model 3 would see the conversion of Superblock into graduate and faculty housing. The latter two models have us most concerned. While students' needs change over time, and residences must include the amenities students desire if the University wants them to live on campus in greater numbers, we question the wisdom of adding more space to dorms like the grad towers, currently not even half full. Part of Penn's attraction for graduate students is its urban location, and it's doubtful many would move to Superblock. Finally, we question the timeliness of the proposals advanced in the draft, in light of the recent cancellation of two of the 'virtual college' pilot projects, Civic House and the Center for Advanced Undergraduate Study and Exploration. Students are clearly not ready for radical change in residential options. And without student support or enthusiasm, a college house system won't work here. Penn's future is inexorably tied to the health of the West Philadelphia community surrounding campus. Although "town-and-gown" tensions have surfaced numerous times over the years, dialogue and cooperation between the two camps is presently quite strong -- primarily because so many students, faculty and staff members live in and care about the area west of 40th Street. Moving many of these people into new residential colleges might foster the "intellectual community" so many say they are seeking at Penn, but it would destroy the community that already exists and is struggling to improve itself just beyond the boundaries of campus.