As the University moves forward with eastward expansion, officials need to realize that the best plans for urban housing aren't always the best policies for the University.
Leasing land to outside developers to build off-campus housing complexes - like Radian - increases the tremendous diversity of housing options that Penn students enjoy. But it does absolutely nothing to expand or strengthen the existing College House system.
And as the University well knows, maintaining an on-campus college-house community takes serious investment. Over the past decade, Penn officials have emphasized their dedication to creating such an atmosphere and have followed up with efforts to bring students together with college-house events and residential programs.
But when nearly 40 percent of a student body resides off-campus, it's very hard to maintain a college-house community. And with the recent construction of more off-campus housing units, Penn seems to have forgotten its original goal.
Penn students lack any real loyalty to their College House. Granted, it's hard to when the names change every few years, but there would certainly be value in developing a true college-house system. A system where the houses were more than just a place to live for a year. More upperclassmen would choose to live on-campus and that would do a lot to tighten the fabric of the Penn community.
Luckily, PennConnects seems to offer a path for the University to get back on track. With a 300-bed College House and dining facility planned for Hill Field, University officials have a chance to transform the area into a Quad-like atmosphere. Connecting Hill College House with the new facility through shared college-house programming and activities will provide a much-needed boost to the University's less-than-vibrant college-house system.
And when similar opportunities arise elsewhere on campus, officials shouldn't hesitate to use the space to provide more on-campus housing or reinforce existing college-house communities. Only then will Penn finally accomplish the elusive goal of turning College Houses into homes.
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