Council to hold meeting today

Questionable consultation practices, new boutiques in the Barnes & Noble superstore and a community relations panel will headline University Council's second meeting of the semester, to be held today in the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall. As Council members convene from 4 to 6 p.m. for their monthly public forum, they will digest a regular dose of status reports delivered by the chairpersons of five Council committees. Members will also participate in discussions with the Bookstore, Facilities and International Programs interim committees. A police and community relations panel -- consisting of four speakers and organized by Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Noah Bilenker -- is wedged between the reports and discussion segments on the agenda, according to Faculty Senate Chairperson Vivian Seltzer. Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush, University Chaplain William Gipson, United Minorities Council Chairperson Temitope Koledoye and Bilenker will give the speeches. Following the addresses, Council will hold a discussion session designed to improve the relationship between students and the police, Bilenker said. "I don't want this to be a riot or a bitch session," the College junior said. "But I also don't want it to be a dog-and-pony show for the police. I want this to be a productive session to try to get more of a neighborhood feel between the campus and the police officers." A-3 Assembly Chairperson Donna Arthur said she is "looking forward to" the Facilities Committee's report, adding that current outsourcing issues should contribute to an "interesting" discussion. The University is in the process of deciding whether to outsource dining services to the California-based Bon Appetit or the Philadelphia-based Aramark or to keep operations under University management. A decision should be announced next month, according to Marie Witt, director of support services for Penn's business services. Penn outsourced its facilities management to the Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. in December, a decision that shocked both staff and faculty. The company is scheduled to take the reins April 1. Facilities Committee and Regional Planning Department Chairperson Anthony Tomazinis noted that his committee will discuss the lack of input from the University community on major ventures such as outsourcing, the new Vagelos Laboratories and Sansom Common. "Everything in the past had been decided by executive committees," Tomazinis said. "Administrators program activities to meet executive decision-making requirements. "Planning is a consulting process," he added. "All points of view should be heard before a decision is made." Bookstore Committee Chairperson and English Professor Robert Regan will be requesting input as well. At today's meeting, his committee will announce a subcommittee that will ask students for suggestions for the boutiques which will be housed on the first floor of the new Barnes & Noble bookstore, which is scheduled to open this fall. The committee will also address recent complaints about the University's book pricing policy and computer service, Regan said.