Group forms college houses' public face

The Residential Advisory Board wants to fix up your college house. And whether the problem is a leaky sink or lack of intermural dodgeball, the group says it is ready to help.

The RAB has a long history at Penn, but only recently was the group revitalized.

"We're trying to get people involved in their college houses," RAB Chairwoman Kristine Eiman said.

The College sophomore added that the group is effective because the board is made up of "people who really care about where they live."

The goals of the group include organizing social activities that bring the houses together as well as addressing more minor concerns that arise in the housing system.

The board takes applications each fall and selects a few representatives from each college house to serve on the RAB, which meets every week during the academic year.

Right now, the group is implementing a more organized College House intramural sports program and a dodgeball tournament.

Eiman said that the group also keeps track of small, recurring problems that are reported by each representative, such as the card swiping station in the Stouffer entrance that residents once found difficult to use.

One criticism the group has faced is that "we might be trying to spread ourselves too thin," Eiman said. "Although I don't think so."

Troy Majnerick serves as a co-adviser and liaison for the group between the College Houses and Academic Services office and the board members.

His role provides "a good link between the students and the administration," he said, adding that he can immediately bring administration attention to issues reported by the RAB.

"It's not like we have to do proposals or write our referendums," Majnerick said, adding that the link is also maintained by co-adviser David Chambers, who works to fix student issues as part of Housing and Conference Services.

"The main purpose ... is to get students to communicate with each other and meet new people," Majnerick said.

He said the group is currently working hard to establish a central list online for all college house happenings and to provide an online discussion board that would be similar to Pennster -- the online discussion forum that incoming freshman could use last summer and fall through Penn's Web site.

The group also recently purchased wire push carts for all of the college houses so students can borrow a cart to go grocery shopping or do their laundry.

The RAB will place the carts inside each house after Spring Fling.

Hill College House RAB representative Chelsea Mintz said she has not received any e-mails from house residents about Hill concerns but that she tries to be aware of student issues. She said that Hill representatives regularly have meetings with House Dean Amy Pollock.

"We try the best within our means to get things done," the Nursing freshman said.

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