Staff Editorial: A misguided proposal

For Penn students, living off campus brings along an increased set of responsibilities. Sending out checks each month for rent, utilities and Internet service is a burden that is largely unknown to students living in college houses. But in moving off campus and leaving the college house system behind, students are consciously making the decision to take on increased responsibilities. They understand that they are trading the watchful eye of a resident adviser for the increased independence and privacy that off-campus houses can provide. It is with that in mind that we must question the Undergraduate Assembly's Block Project. The proposal, which is slated to go into a trial run this fall, would provide prominent streets of undergraduates with "block captains," modified off-campus RAs. The goal of the project -- building communities for students living off campus and offering them more University amenities -- is admirable. And there may be a small group of off-campus residents to whom this project appeals. But for the bulk of students living in apartments and townhouses, the project seems to be misguided and aimed at the wrong audience. As it exists, the college house system can be beneficial to freshmen and new students on campus. It helps them find a group of people who share their interests, and it provides them with a community through which they can adapt to their new environment. The increasingly heated competition for freshmen to get housing in the Quad is evidence of the program's importance. However, rare is the case when students move off campus without a clear sense of what they are getting into. The majority of students living in West Philadelphia housing are doing so with a group of their closest friends. Many have moved off campus specifically to get away from the forced community that college houses provide. So while the idea of creating block-wide communities is a creative one, we feel that it will meet with resistance from off-campus residents. For many students, the last thing they want is more e-mails pressuring them into attending functions just to appease their "block captains." For those students who want a tight-knit community that goes beyond their houses, maybe off-campus living isn't the way to go. And for the majority of off-campus residents, let them enjoy their newfound independence and privacy. After all, it's their choice.

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