Students rushing to class may find it just a little less arduous to navigate Locust Walk, if the Undergraduate Assembly has its way.
At last Sunday's meeting, the UA passed a proposal - spearheaded by Nursing junior Alexandra Kotsovos - to urge the University to start fixing the many problems that they believe plague Locust Walk.
The proposal cited flooding in front of 1920 Commons as one of the biggest issues, noting that it "inconveniences . those handicapped."
Kotsovos said that of the $18 million allocated for facilities repairs, the share for repairs to University "infrastructure" - including Locust Walk - had actually increased from 11 to 17 percent, but tangible results may be far in the future.
Facilities official "Andrew Zitcer said repairs aren't going to be done next week, or even next year," Kotsovos said. "There's simply not enough money, but flooding will be taken care of first."
The UA also hopes eateries Jamba Juice and Susanna Foo will make appearances on campus next spring.
According to UA member and College sophomore Bing Chen, these are among the dining options the body has suggested to University officials.
Jamba Juice, best known for its fruit smoothies - featuring such colorful names as Matcha Green Tea Blast and Protein Berry Pizzazz - is a restaurant Chen cited as being highly popular among students.
Susanna Foo- - who calls herself "North America's Finest Asian Chef"- is the owner of Susanna Foo's Chinese Cuisine in Philadelphia. Foo is known for her fusion of French and Chinese food.
Chen hopes to perhaps bring a Foo franchise to campus.
Chen said that nothing is certain at this point, but that in meetings with representatives from Aramark - which provides most on-campus dining options - he learned that if negotiations and contracts go well, one of these establishments could open at Penn as early as spring break.
Chen declined to speak more on the issue, saying that since everything was "merely in a planning stage" he didn't want to interfere with any negotiations that might occur.
The UA is eager to work to bring more retail dining choices to campus, members say, because students would rather eat at a chain restaurant than at a dining hall.
