GAPSA surveys grad housing

The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly presented the results of a recent residential survey to the University last week and asked officials to look into improving graduate student housing on campus. The recommendations follow a recent three-month survey conducted by GAPSA members -- who have declared a goal this year of improving graduate student housing options -- which asked 301 graduate students to rate on-campus housing options. The recommendations suggest that the University either lower the price of apartments in Sansom Place East and Sansom Place West -- formerly known as the Graduate Towers -- on the 3600 block of Chestnut Street or renovate those facilities. In addition, GAPSA recommended that the University promote the security and location of those on-campus facilities. "What the survey made clear is what graduate students are looking for is a safe, close, quality place to live and the University is in a great position to provide that," said GAPSA Chairperson Doug Hagan, a second-year Wharton graduate student. University President Judith Rodin reacted positively to the GAPSA report and said the recommendations would be useful in developing plans to renovate graduate student housing. "We're very interested in what [GAPSA] found," Rodin said. "We have been planning for a major investment in [the] grad towers." The survey of graduate students found that only 62 percent of current on-campus residents would choose to live on campus again next year. By contrast, 95 percent of Center City residents said they would again choose to live downtown. The survey also asked graduate students to rank their reasons for living in their current residences and to rate their perceptions of on-campus housing. According to the survey, graduate students consider the security of an apartment, its location, proximity to school and cost as the four most important priorities. The students ranked social and shopping opportunities as lower considerations. The students surveyed said they did not consider price to be a benefit of on-campus housing. Many respondents felt the cost was excessive for the space provided. Hagan said that University officials were not surprised by this result and that they expressed an interest in improving graduate student satisfaction. "I don't think it's a matter of the University improving price -- it's a matter of improving the space itself," Hagan said. "I think people are willing to pay a fair price if they feel they're getting the right amount, type and quality of space that other places would provide."