Penn terminates free summer housing for graduate RAs, sparking frustration

Penn’s graduate resident advisors are no longer eligible for free on-campus housing over the summer, a change that will require many to pay out of pocket or find alternative accommodations.

The Feb. 18 update — sent from College Houses and Academic Services and obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian — specified that RAs must vacate their current housing by May 19, leaving a four-day period before summer housing begins on May 23. Rates for summer housing have yet to be posted.

“All students — including undergraduate and graduate RAs — who want to remain on campus and require summer housing must submit a request through Penn Hospitality Services,” the email stated. “If eligible and approved, you will be charged at the published student room rates.”

A request for comment was left with CHAS.

In 2025, a suite with a private bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen cost $75 a night, or $525 a week. A private bedroom with a shared bathroom and living room was priced at $60 nightly and $420 a week.

Both room types required a five week minimum stay. Graduate RAs would now be expected to cover this fee. This academic year, the minimum housing rate rose from $12,640 in 2024-25 to $13,132 in 2025-26. It is unclear if summer rates will also increase.

On the same day the housing update was announced, CHAS hosted an event for National RA Appreciation Day at Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, providing food, smoothies, raffles, and access to the rock wall. 

Outside the building, members of United RAs at Penn protested the loss of their summer housing during the appreciation event. Two representatives held a sign reading, “I’d rather be housed than have a smoothie.”

According to a URAP spokesperson, many graduate RAs rely on summer housing as they complete research required for their Ph.D.

“As a union leader, I have personally spoken with GRAs that feel that they will need to couch surf and enter uncertain and quite possibly unsafe housing situations over the summer,” the spokesperson told the DP. “We just hope everyone shows solidarity with the RAs and the GRAs during this trying time, and we’re just going to work together to make sure that the people who do so much for our Penn community are respected.”

In December 2025, URAP launched a petition aiming to stop the University from eliminating certain graduate RA positions.

“For years, GRAs have been valued members of the Penn community. Penn’s administration has never articulated concerns about the performance or viability of GRAs,” the petition read. “Now, without any justification, the University has mentioned to some GRAs that their colleagues who perform research or instructional services will be categorically barred from contract renewal.”

The announcement of the end of free summer housing for graduate RAs comes days after Graduate Employees Together — University of Pennsylvania reached a tentative agreement with the University, ensuring higher compensation, increased protections for graduate workers, and narrowly avoiding a strike.

“Both undergrads and grads would indeed be charged for summer housing under the new policy, however GRAs have historically (10 years+) been given free housing and Penn is arbitrary revoking a benefit for GRAs at the exact same time as grad workers have unionized,” the URAP spokesperson wrote to the DP.

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