Three committees to advise on dorms

In preparation for the first phases of the University's 10-year, $300 million renovation and construction plan for dormitories and dining facilities, Penn residential-living officials have appointed students, faculty and staff to three consultative committees. The eight- to 10-member committees -- representing, respectively, the Hamilton Village area, the four houses of the Quadrangle and Hill College House -- will meet periodically to discuss specific plans for the building construction and renovation project, now called the Housing and Dining Renewal Program, according to a press release issued yesterday. While the Hamilton Village and Hill House committees will meet after the new year, the Quad committee will have its first meeting this week, said Larry Moneta, associate vice president for campus services. Moneta also chairs the administrative Capital Projects Steering Committee, which will work directly with the architects and designers on the project. "Those [new] committees will really represent the community interests," Moneta said, explaining that the committees of students and faculty and staff members will discuss ideas his committee proposes. "We'll line up all the issues for discussion to present to the community committees, Moneta said. The committee for the Quad houses will meet first because renovations in the Quad, consisting of infrastructure improvements, are scheduled to begin next summer and progress over the following two summers. Moneta added that officials are in the process of creating a master plan for scheduling committee meetings and outlining their plans. Each of the three committees consists of two undergraduate students, a graduate associate, faculty masters, house deans and various college house officials. Additionally, David Brownlee, director of College Houses and Academic Services and Douglas Berger, director of housing and conference services, will sit on all three committees. Representatives from Trammell Crow Co., the outside firm that manages most campus buildings, will periodically meet with the three committees as project managers for the renovation. Ultimately, as the project enters further stages, subcommittees for the individual college houses will form to provide further feedback from the community. All committee meetings will be closed to the public, said Sue Smith, a spokesperson for the college house system.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.