EDITORIAL: It's Psychology's time and place

Administrators should move forward on planning a new Psychology facility on the northeast corner of campus. But in planning a Psychology building on the proposed site, administrators should not forget about the Graduate School of Fine Arts -- which planned on having a new facility completed on that site within the year. We think the site is well-suited to the needs of the Psychology Department. The buildings in that area of campus are few, surrounded by parking lots, and can provide administrators with the option to expand the facilities if needed. If the department is situated on Locust Walk as it has asked in the past, there would be no room for expansion without knocking down another building. Several administrators said a decision on where to put a new Psychology facility could not be made until the department decided if it should split into two or stay together. Now that the department has chosen to keep its divisions together, the University should move quickly to build on this new site. Psychology has spent several years trying to obtain space for better facilities. The department vied for the current Book Store site last semester before it was given to the Wharton School for use. And in 1993, the School of Arts and Sciences said in its strategic plan that Psychology would have a new building in the center of campus as part of an "SAS Precinct." But this version of SAS's strategic plan did not come to fruition. Not only should the site be used for a new Psychology facility but the Graduate School of Fine Arts should also have part of the large site for its use since GSFA's new building -- the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church -- was close to completion before burning down. The GSFA already has funding allocated for a facility and administrators should address their space needs on this site as well. Administrators find themselves in a situation where they can adequately provide new facilities to two parts of the University in one site. Penn's Psychology Department is one of the tops in the nation. And in an era where departmental space is at a premium, why don't administrators give Psychology the kind of top-notch facility it deserves?