The renovation and development of Penn's campus was the overarching topic at yesterday's Undergraduate Assembly meeting, the time of which was moved up to 1:30 p.m. from the usual 9 p.m. due to the Super Bowl. Attendance was not mandatory for UA members due to the changed time, leading to a significantly shorter meeting than usual.
Some major issues addressed yesterday include:
n In response to students' desire for increased accessibility to SEPTA tokens, one new SEPTA machine has been placed in the Moravian Cafe Food Court at 3401 Walnut Street. The UA is working to create an ad-hoc committee to address the issue of SEPTA tokens further.
n Facilities member and Wharton junior Liz Lee announced an upcoming project that would create maps of Huntsman Hall and signs in the building's elevators designating at which floors each elevator stops.
n Members unanimously passed a proposal calling for greater student input in the University's PennConnects project, a long-term plan for expansion and construction on campus announced in 2006. Initial student opportunity for input was strong and included a campus-wide survey that was distributed in late 2005 to wide response from both the undergraduate and graduate student body.
However, communication between students and University planning committees has been limited since then and has recently been on the decline despite several projects slated to begin construction soon, including a new College House on Hill Field and a park at Palestra Green.
The proposal aims to ensure that students are offered the chance to actively contribute and respond to "all crucial stages" of renovation and development projects on campus. It will request regular updates from the administration on development projects at various stages, will support University efforts to garner feedback from students and will allow for undergraduate students to meet with third party developers working on Penn's campus
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