Let's talk about the future

Penn had been eyeing the postal lands for well over a decade when it finally closed the $50.6-million deal with the United States Postal Service in March 2004. President Gutmann's Campus Development Planning Committee, however, is expected to issue recommendations for use of the space by next June.

The purchase will add 24 acres of waterfront land to Penn's campus in the spring of 2007, leaving about 45 total acres on the eastern side for potential development. That is roughly equivalent in size to the space between Spruce and Walnut from 34th Street to 38th Street.

Three undergraduate students are responsible for gathering information on the needs and desires of the undergraduate population to report back to the Campus Development Committee.

According to Wharton senior Cynthia Wong, who serves as the Undergraduate Assembly's representative on the body, "the administration is taking student needs seriously. ... They keep asking us to do more outreach."

Thus far, the three students have conducted roughly 75 interviews with student leaders and intend to craft a schoolwide survey.

I have a hunch that such a broad survey will only reveal what everyone already knows.

Performing-arts groups want rehearsal space. Student-government leaders want an improved, multipurpose student hub. Intramural sports teams want more playing fields. Students who volunteer in West Philadelphia want to ensure there will be assets available for the local community.

A survey may be necessary for statistics to support these intuitive assumptions, but efforts need to go much further in order to truly engage the student body and build a creative consensus about the possibilities for the new lands.

This shouldn't be mere data-gathering. It needs to be an evolving, campuswide discussion.

There was a town hall meeting last Monday from 4 to 6 p.m. for all interested faculty, students and staff to receive an update and share their thoughts on the future development.

The turnout of undergraduates was meager at best.

There is another town hall meeting today at the same time in Bodek Lounge. I highly encourage you to go, but I'll bet that there will yet again be a low turnout of undergraduates (and not just because the organizers foolishly scheduled it at the same time as the first one).

However, I don't blame student apathy. I blame the town hall format.

A verbal presentation with a question-and-answer period simply does not appeal to most students. This shouldn't come as a surprise -- such presentations are inflexible, impersonal and time-consuming.

The Campus Development Committee would best build awareness and encourage dialogue if it made the relevant information publicly available through an updated Web site. Many students would much rather explore the information and visual maps on their own, rather than listen to someone explain such materials at a predetermined time.

The committee has been in existence since last spring; it is a shame that no central Web site has yet been created to disseminate public information.

An electronic platform also has the capability to foster feedback and ongoing conversation. Students are accustomed to using online tools in their academic work, and such a system would allow for public questions and comments 24 hours a day, rather than solely in a 60-minute window. A Web-based system of discussion would encourage students to engage one another and consider others' views while crafting their own. This process is crucial in coming to thoughtful conclusions -- student opinion should not be defined merely by the majority of individuals' knee-jerk reactions.

When it comes to specific topics of significant disagreement -- such as housing east of 34th Street -- there should be public forums. Such face-to-face discussion is clearly important in reaching a consensus. Public forums will only be successful, however, if they are conversations concerning a single topic about which undergraduates are already educated and opinionated.

Undergraduates will only participate fully in this process if they feel informed and empowered to be involved. Simple efforts go a long way. Arrange for interested students to go on walking tours of the postal lands once or twice a month. Provide minutes of committee meetings, and keep public information up to date. Don't be afraid to be honest about the University's limitations.

If the administration truly cares about student involvement and feedback, then these efforts shouldn't be too much too ask. If given the proper vehicle, undergraduates will fully take advantage of this incredible opportunity to shape the future of Penn.

Shannon Jensen is a senior real estate, business and public policy and urban studies major from Annapolis, Md. Above Board appears on Mondays.

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