Open U. Council meeting solicits student feedback

Students are rarely able to let top University officials know what is on their minds.

Last night, the University Council gave the Penn community such a chance at a town hall meeting in Bodek Lounge.

"It's a great opportunity for undergraduates to see the administration and faculty" discuss relevant issues, College sophomore David Diesenhouse said.

However, only two issues -- graduate student unionization and co-ed housing -- were brought before the council. In order to make a presentation, groups had to sign up.

Usually, students have to request permission from the council secretary and then receive clearance from the Steering Committee to be on the meeting agenda. Yet for the town hall, this second step was not necessary.

Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania member Joanna Kempner took the chance to speak in front of officials to list many of the group's grievances with Penn.

"I'm deeply disappointed by the Penn administration's refusal to recognize our union," she said. She called University opposition to unionization "exploitation of weak labor law."

Council members responded by voting to devote extra time to debating the matter.

A lack of resolution promises "more disruption on campus," Graduate and Professional Student Assembly First Vice Chairman and University Council member Michael Janson said. He added that both the administration and GET-UP had good points, and that it was essential for them to negotiate the issue.

Co-ed housing became a hot topic of debate on campus when the Undergraduate Assembly recently passed a resolution favoring a change in dormitory policies. College sophomore Bradley Breuer was at the meeting to make his case for such a change before the council.

"The undergraduate housing policy is seriously flawed," Breuer said. "It is homophobic and heterosexist.... It forbids me from living with who I feel comfortable with."

Breuer added that the lack of co-ed housing was a strike at the University's spirit of nondiscrimination.

Council members did not offer definite opinions and said that an advisory committee would be investigating the issue.

The meeting proceeded onto usual business, with Council committee representatives presenting reports on a variety of issues. These included recreation programs and study spaces on campus.

Also under discussion, food truck closing hours sparked debate among Council members.

The University has recently begun to enforce 6 p.m. closing hours on all trucks in the Fresh Air Food Plazas. These areas include 37th and Walnut streets, 33rd and South streets, 34th and Spruce streets, 34th and Walnut streets and 40th Street.

Levy therefore proposed a resolution "to continue the status quo [that was in place last year] of relaxing enforcement... of food truck operations in Pottruck," which passed unanimously.

While Levy said he would have liked more undergraduate groups to have turned up to the meeting, he still had a positive view of the town hall format.

"In terms of discussion of student interests... this is one of the best Council meetings I've been to," he said.

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