UA Guest Column | Setting priorities straight

Rome wasn't built in a day - we've all heard that one before. Well, Penn also wasn't built in a day and in fact, Penn is being built and rebuilt every day. Our University has come a long way since 1740. It has seen new buildings and new leadership and different policies and different priorities. While the Undergraduate Assembly (UA) wasn't active in 1740, we have spent this year trying hard to make up for some lost time. Most recently, we have aimed to do so with the UA's first ever survey of undergraduate-student priorities. We asked you to spare a few minutes to take the survey and better inform us as to what it is you expect the UA to do to enhance your life at Penn. In the name of transparency, here are some of the highest-ranked priorities:

- Cost of Tuition

- Financial Aid - Package and Services

- Career Services

- On-Campus Housing

- Dining - Residential and Retail

- Sustainability

Certainly not just byproducts of the global economic crisis, financial issues were the highest priority for those who completed the survey. In recent history, students have been largely detached from important decisions regarding tuition, financial aid and other University fiscal policies. We believe that students absolutely deserve a representative voice when it comes to discussions and decisions pertaining to something that affects each and every one of us - how much it costs to attend Penn and how our tuition dollars are spent.

While it may be a gradual process for students to be accepted as integral players who can provide input regarding Penn's financial decisions, the UA is committed to prioritizing the alleviation of many financial burdens of attending Penn. We pledge to accomplish this in several tangible ways (with our ears always open to others): 1. Continue to explore ways of mitigating the rising costs of textbooks. 2. Work to increase dining-dollar options on campus, so you don't have to spend cash every time you want to eat a meal. 3. Encourage the University to have the utmost transparency regarding its finances, especially given today's circumstances.

We are very proud to say that the UA has already made significant progress on several of the highly ranked priorities. Regarding sustainability, the UA now boasts a Sustainability, Safety, and Facilities Committee. The UA is currently working on implementing a bike-sharing program at Penn and continues on establishing more recycling efforts on campus. We also continue to operate shuttles to/from the airport during Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks. Still, more work can be done with regards to increasing recycling opportunities and diminishing food waste. Concerning dining issues, the UA helped to bring Jamba Juice, Einstein Bagels and Chipotle to campus. The UA has also pushed back the dining-hall hours of operation. We will continue to work on expanding dining-dollar options, as well as bettering the quality of food and service in the dining halls.

The results of the survey show that the preferred way to receive updates from the UA is through e-mail. We pledge to only e-mail you when there are several important updates that can be sent out at one time, when unique, enriching opportunities for undergraduates arise or if there is an urgent issue that needs to be brought to your attention.

With that, we hope that you'll read our updates and always remember that you can address the UA with any University and student-life concerns that you may have. Our doors are always open - you elected us to listen to and work for you.

So, because you care enough about Penn to fill out our survey of priorities, we now have a better idea of how to be as effective as possible. We hope this will be a cooperative partnership, one in which the UA can come to you looking for advice, and you can come to the UA with suggestions and feedback. No, Penn wasn't built in a day. But that doesn't mean that we should sit on our hands and simply shrug our shoulders at tangible problems we all face on campus. Thank you for providing us with the direction necessary to fulfill our mission.

Wilson Tong is a College senior and chairman of the UA. Zac Byer is a College junior and the UA's vice-chairman for external affairs.

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