EDITORIAL: A tentative 'yes' for housing plans

The new residential living plans seem to be on the right track to improving housing options for students. The renovations of the dormitories and the residential communities proposed for the next decade are exciting improvements to Penn's campus. The high rises have never been the most ideal place to live for upperclassmen. And if administrators want an additional 10 percent of upperclassmen to stay on campus, structural changes to the high rises are necessary. The extra computer laboratories, exercise facilities and common areas to be designed are amenities that students have demanded for years. Also, the construction of townhouses in Superblock and near the Graduate Towers will offer new housing options to undergraduate and graduate students alike. However, the renovations to the dormitories will span over 10 years and it is too early to determine if the new buildings will transform the campus. In their current design, the residential communities will provide students with a more personal living experience than what students find in the high rises now. And it will give upperclassmen and underclassmen more chances to interact. But detailed plans for the residential communities have yet to be completed. It is also uncertain what kind of academic programs will be designed for the 16 communities. While we are impressed with the new blueprint for residential living, we are hesitant to be as enthusiastic as administrators until more specific details are released. But it looks good so far. We hope to see the University continue developping these proposals.