Penn's top governing body debated the fate of freshman housing and the rights of graduate students with families yesterday at its annual winter meeting.
The University Board of Trustees, the group of 55 Penn alumni and prominent professionals who wield ultimate decision-making power over the University, began a two-day series of conferences yesterday at the Inn at Penn.
The Student Life Committee, headed by Trustee Alan Hassenfeld, debated the idea of limiting some of Penn's dorms to freshmen.
The topic was recently raised by an Undergraduate Assembly Steering subcommittee, which urged the provost and top college house administrators earlier this month to adopt housing with a greater emphasis on freshmen. Committee members presented data from survey in which two-thirds of respondents indicated support for dorm space geared toward freshmen.
Faculty Director of College Houses and Academic Services Phil Nichols told trustees that student housing issues are difficult to deal with. Students typically live in the same college house for only one year before moving to a different college house or off campus.
"There is a lot of complexity here, and we want to do it right," Provost Ron Daniels said, vowing that a decision on the issue will be made in time to apply to the Class of 2011.
Nichols added that concentrating freshmen in certain houses reduces space for sophomores, the group he called the least served by the current College House system.
Hassenfeld said that the University "must be aware and sensitive to sophomores" in any decision made regarding freshman housing.
Ideally, UA Chairwoman and College senior Rachel Fersh said, the University would accommodate the desires of all students by increasing available living space.
"The best College House system would have more college houses in it," she said.
Also at the meeting, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Chairwoman Lela Jacobsohn spoke in favor of the "Family Friendly" Policy Initiative, intended to increase options for graduate students with families.
According to Jacobsohn, barriers for these students include a lack of diaper-changing stations in campus restrooms and the fact that students with children are ineligible for University housing.
Deputy Provost Janice Bellace agreed with the need for more options, citing research that suggests having a baby while writing a graduate dissertation is a feasible option, assuming proper support is in place.
Bellace also described a suggestion to give pregnant students eight weeks -- or possibly even a full semester -- of leave before that person resumes her studies.
Trustees on the committee acknowledged that Penn should focus more on its graduate population.
"We have to spend more time recognizing the 50 percent of our community" who are graduate students, Hassenfeld said.
Winter meeting - The Stated Meeting of the trustees will take place today - Yesterday, the trustees discussed topics from concentrating more freshmen in dorms like the Quad and Hill to crime to the University's expansion eastward - The trustees will next convene in June
