Health schools bid for Castle

Every undergraduate group, from sororities to minorities, has expressed interest in occupying the vacated Castle. Now, graduate students want a piece of the action. Claiming isolation from campus life and the lack of a centrally-located residence, graduate students in the health sciences recently submitted a proposal to take up residence in the Castle next fall. The student governments of the Medical, Dental, Nursing and Veterinary schools put together the proposal and presented it to the Committee to Diversify Locust Walk early this month. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said that the Committee has not focused on any specific proposals regarding the Castle, but added that it has received a number of good proposals. Morrisson, who co-chairs the committee, said she will make a recommendation to President Sheldon Hackney on who should occupy the building by the end of February so that students may move in by next fall. Denise McAloose, a Graduate and Professional Student Assembly representative from the Veterinary School, announced the proposal at a GAPSA meeting two weeks ago, saying that the schools hope to use the space as a center for health school students to live in, to study in and to conduct seminars with undergraduates on health issues on campus. McAloose added that if the proposal is accepted, it will allow graduate students a much-needed presence on Locust Walk. Although graduate students make up more than half of the University's student population, they have frequently complained that there are few places on campus for them to interact and socialize. "Graduate students living in the Castle would be a means of promoting collaboration between the four schools," said Nursing School GAPSA representative Lisa D'Angelo. "We as professional schools are very isolated." GAPSA representative Andrew Miller said last night that GAPSA was pleased with that graduate students were becoming active in diversifying the Walk and that GAPSA passed a resolution endorsing the health schools' proposal. Committee Co-Chairperson David Pope said last week the building's location on campus has prompted interest from several groups, but the committee is discussing how to decide which group should be able to use it. "We are concerned not only with diversity along the Walk but also with diversity within a particular group," said Pope. He added that the health schools have a diverse student population. The Castle building has been vacant since May, when its former occupant, Psi Upsilon fraternity, was expelled for the January 1990 kidnapping of a Delta Psi brother. The committee met yesterday for the first time this semester. Committee member Erica Strohl said several members did not attend and the meeting never focused on specific issues. "We tried to decide on what our report is going to say, but we didn't get very far," Strohl said last night.

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