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COUNCIL
2002-03
Year-End Report of Committee on The
Committee on Quality of Student Life is charged with examining
issues concerning student life and was given four specific
charges this academic year: 1.
Investigate mechanisms by which how effective oversight of
fraternities
and sororities can be strengthened, particularly with regard
to non-judicial oversight. 2.
Examine "self-segregation" within
fraternity and sorority memberships. 3.
Continue to evaluate the progress of Penn's College House System
in
its effort to integrate academic and student life programs
and services. Report
findings to Council and make recommendations as to how the
initiative can be strengthened. 4.
Investigate whether there is de facto housing discrimination
in off-campus
student housing, particularly against male students and married
couples with children. Due
to the new training that was begun for committee members, the
Committee did not meet until November. Nevertheless, the Committee was able to meet six times and
address three of its four specific charges, as summarized below. 1 + 2.Fraternities and Sororities The
Committee is pleased to report successful closure on the issue
of oversight of fraternities and sororities, which has been
on its agenda and a significant part of its work for three
years. During the fall semester, the Committee finalized recommended
changes in the structure and function of the Fraternity and
Sorority Advisory Board (FSAB). On
January 29, 2002, the changes--which were enthusiastically
endorsed by Dr. Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum and the Office
of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs (OFSA)--were approved by
the University Council. The FSAB will now be chaired by a faculty member and the number
of faculty members on this committee will increase by one to
three faculty members. In
addition, the FSAB will now audit each fraternity and sorority
chapter at least annually to review its compliance with Penn's Agenda
for Excellence and assign specific goals for improvement. The FSAB will still continue to meet
with any chapter that has violated University policies and
will monitor implementation of all probationary agreements. Through these changes to the FSAB, both charges one and two
of the Quality of Student Life Committee have been and will
continue to be addressed on a regular basis. 3.College Houses The
Committee felt it did not have enough time to properly address
the rich and complex issue of how the College Houses are integrating
academic and social life. Rather
than do an inadequate job, it decided that this issue should
be carried over and made a part of the charge for next year's
Committee. 4.Off-Campus
Housing The
Committee also addressed the issue of student housing. Over
the course of multiple meetings, several issues were unearthed;
however many of these issues were already being addressed by
the Administration in other venues. The Committee met with Miki Farcus from
the Office of Off-Campus Housing on two occasions. Based on Miki's presentation, the Committee did not feel there
was evidence of housing discrimination. Rather, the issue was
one of economic means. Students
with more economic means have far greater choice of living
situations and for in particular the graduate student who is
married with children, may only have limited economic means
and therefore has difficulty in procuring housing that they
can afford and that meets their families needs. The
issue of housing is multi-faceted and is a University-wide
issue. Therefore,
the Committee invited Vice President for Facilities and Real
Estate Services, Omar Blaik, to visit with it and discuss various
housing concerns. In a wide-ranging and very interesting
presentation of the University's residential aspirations, possibilities
and plans, Mr. Blaik revealed that there is much happening
on the housing front at Penn. Numerous
initiatives under exploration or underway give promise of significant
improvements in the housing situation in the relatively near
term. However, considerations of confidentiality and "market
effects" preclude going into the specifics at this time. Mr. Blaik indicated that, because of
the University planners' desire to have regular input as to
students' needs, concerns and ideas, it would be advisable
to have ongoing communication between his office and the QSL
Committee, a suggestion the Committee welcomed. 5.Smoking
in University Residences Although
not a part of its planned agenda, the issue of Penn's student
housing becoming smoke-free was brought up at the last Committee
meeting of the semester. The
Committee is in support of making on-campus housing smoke-free
but recognizes that implementing such a change--which many
of our peer institutions have accomplished successfully by
administrative fiat--may call for a more consultative process
at Penn. The Committee
did not have an opportunity to get involved in the smoking
issue this year but thinks it is an important area for the
Committee to address next year. Recommendations The
Committee on the Quality of Student Life makes the following
recommendations for consolidation of its accomplishments this
year and continuation of its work in the upcoming year: 1. The
University Council should ensure that the recommended changes
to the structure and function of the Fraternity and Sorority
Advisory Board are implemented promptly. 2. Since
the issue of housing is multi-faceted, the QSL Committee recommends
that a regular channel of communication be opened with the
office of the Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate
Services. Mr.
Blaik or his designee should meet with the QSL Committee at
least once each semester next academic year so that the Committee
can serve as a resource as the administration moves forward
with housing plans. 3. The
agenda item regarding the College House system should be added
to the charges for this Committee for the 2003-2004 academic
year. 4. Steps
toward making the University residences fully smoke-free should
be supported and encouraged. We
recommend that next year's QSL Committee take up this issue
and focus, particularly, on how the desired change can best
be accomplished. --Diane
L. Spatz, Chair 2002-2003
Quality of Student Life Committee
Chair: Diane
Spatz (nursing); Faculty: Helen C. Davies (microbio/med), Almanac, Vol. 49, No. 30, April 22, 2003 |
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