As student opinion on the subject begins to waver, University administrators continue to discuss the possibility of a change in Penn's ID policy.
Earlier this week, Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush proposed a change in policy that would ask students to voluntarily wear their PennCards 24 hours a day. Currently, the IDs are needed between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to enter most University buildings.
Although Rush would not comment on the specifics of the plan, University President Judith Rodin said this is not the first time that such an idea has surfaced on campus.
"This is an idea that was circulated first a couple of years ago," Rodin said. "I think there has been a misperception that this is a plan that would move from not doing it at all to making it a uniform requirement for everyone. That's simply not true."
A committee has been formed to research and discuss the potential policy change. While the exact members of the committee have not yet been disclosed, the committee will include one representative from the Undergraduate Assembly and will report back to Rush with its findings.
The Undergraduate Assembly could select its representative for the committee as early as this Sunday.
UA West Philadelphia Committee President Matt Lattman said he believes that students may have jumped the gun before learning the details of the policy.
"I think that the reactions are based on a policy that doesn't necessarily exist," the Engineering sophomore said. "On a whole, the student body is reacting to the feeling that it will be mandatory."
Over the past week, many members of the student body have reacted negatively to the proposed change, calling it unnecessary and inconvenient.
Lattman said that the UA, which declined to issue a formal statement at last Sunday's meeting, has not come to a consensus on the subject yet. He said he needs to see more data on the effect of ID cards on crime before making up his mind.
"We're waiting for a lot of evidence to come in," Lattman said. "I would like to see where we stand when the deans and other administrators have their input."
There has also been concern that the University would not be able to enforce a voluntary policy.
UA West Philadelphia Committee Vice President Jamie Berg said she believes the policy would be more effective from a theoretical standpoint.
Berg said that although she was at first annoyed by the proposal, she has since changed her mind.
"I'm really torn," the College sophomore said. "A lot of things about it make sense. A lot of things about it don't and are really inconvenient."
Rodin said that she anticipates the discussion will be deliberately broad in order to gain input from as many people as possible.
She added that some departments and schools will be more in favor of a policy change than others.
"We will have a number of buildings that want to institute it, like graduate education and some other buildings or departments, because it will make them feel safer," Rodin said. "I think that we will therefore have a natural experiment of its utility."
Rodin said that despite the perception of some students, she has not yet made up her mind on the issue.
"Whether it is useful for the entire community to do so is something that I am absolutely agnostic about," she said. "I need to be persuaded of its utility."
