Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to questions asked frequently by guests at the Graduate Student Center.

General Questions about the Grad Center

What are the Graduate Student Center's hours?
Academic Year Hours::
Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Friday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Saturday and Sunday: 12 noon to 6:00 PM

Summer Hours:
Monday through Thursday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Saturday and Sunday closed

Check http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/general/aboutus.htm#hours for specific holiday hours.

Why do I need my Penncard to enter the Grad Center?
The Grad Center requires that you swipe your Penncard to enter the building. In the past, we have had several incidents of non-Penn people accessing the Grad Center and causing problems. To provide Penn students and our staff with a higher level of security, the main door to the Grad Center is now only accessible with your Penncard.

Why doesn't my Penncard open the Grad Center main door?
If your Penncard is not opening the door, please check to make sure that the stripe is facing to the right when passed through the reader. Also, please carefully check the expiration date on your Penncard. If it is expired, you will need to go to the Penncard Center in the Franklin Building (36th and Walnut) to get a new Penncard.

How can I find out what's going on at the Center?
There are several ways to learn about what's happening. Sign up for the Grad Center listserv by visiting http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/general/listserve.htm, following the directions, and you'll receive weekly updates. Or go to the Center's website at http://www.gsc.upenn.edu to see our calendar. Or check out the bulletin board in the Center.

I want to help out at the Center. How can I get involved?
We have both paid and volunteer positions at the Center. Fellows are paid to staff the Center and plan programs. We hire Fellows at the end of each semester to work the following semester. Go to http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/general/aboutus.htm to fill out an application. We also have a volunteer Advisory Board to advise the staff and fellows about policy and programs. You can read about the Advisory board by going to http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/general/advisory.htm.

I'm trying to study but the place is so noisy! Why can't we just have quiet space here?
The Graduate Student Center's third floor rooms are dedicated to casual study and meeting space. If it's too noisy in the Common Room, you can head up to the third. In addition, the University provides fifteen libraries on campus for quiet study and research. So if you need quiet space and the third floor is full, you can always head to a University library.

Can I bring my undergraduate students/friend/spouse/child/dog in the Grad Center?
Graduate and professional students are allowed to bring guests of all ages and species into the Grad Center. We ask that you accompany your guests at all times, and that you supervise guests who require supervision. We also require that fur-bearing guests are housebroken, nonaggressive, and stay off the upholstery (so allergy sufferers don't suffer more). For that matter, non-fur-bearing guests should also be housebroken and nonaggressive.

What's with all of this construction going on at the Grad Center?
We are always working to improve the Graduate Student Center for our patrons. At any point in time, there's usually a small renovation project going on, but we try to minimize the negative impact on our patrons by scheduling noisy work at down times.

Questions about Grad Center services

How do I get hot water from the water cooler?
The hot water dispenser is child proof. You need to push in the button in the back of the red tab while simultaneously pushing the tab down. Try it, it really works.

Can I print from the computer lab?
Yes. However, you need to have PennCash on your PennCard to pay for printing. Go to http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/services/printing.htm for more information.

Can I hook up my lap top to a port in the front of the Common Room and access the Internet?
Yes, the ports are activated. If you need a cable, please give your graduate student ID to the staff person at the reception desk and he/she will provide you with the cable.

Are there wireless capabilities at the Grad Center?
Yes, the Grad Center Wireless Network gives you high speed, ethernet access to the Internet from your own laptop, notebook computer or IPAQ Pocket PC without the need for a network cable or a wall jack. All you need is a wireless PC card and you have instant access to email and the Internet. Please see http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/general/wireless.htm for more information.

How come I can't log on to the computers in the Grad Center computer lab?
You're probably a Wharton student. Wharton assigns Wharton IDs and passwords to its students. These are not the same as PennKey and passwords. You need a PennKey and password to get onto any non-Wharton computer, such as those in the Grad Center. Please go to http://www.upenn.edu/computing/pennkey/ to get info on how to obtain a PennKey and password. Once you have your PennKey and password, you'll be able to log on with no problems.

Can I use the phone at the reception desk?
We need to keep our phone free for incoming calls to the Center. If you need to reach another office at Penn, you can use one of the two campus phones located in the foyer.

Is there a microwave in the Center that I can use?
Yes, it is on the back bar in the Common Room. Please wipe it out after each usage.

Can I post flyers on the bulletin board?
The bulletin board is divided into segments for RAC, Grad Center, GAPSA, GSAC, and General. Outsiders can post their flyers in the General area only. We have thumbtacks available on the board. Please do not use staples or the flathead thumbtacks as they are a pain in the @ss to remove.

What's the phone number for…? Where is…?
The University of Pennsylvania provides many resources for finding the phone numbers and addresses for places and people at Penn. If you need help, please refer to the directory on Penn's website http://www.upenn.edu/directories, the Penn phone book, and/or call Penn's operator at 215.898.5000 or '0' from any campus phone. The Grad Center also publishes a Resource Guide for Graduate and Professional Students, which is available online. Finally, the Penn Portal has a GradStudent tab that bundles much of the information and resources needed by graduate students. Go to the Penn Portal, log in using your PennKey, and subscribe to the Grad Student tab.

Questions about the Grad Center space

Is the Center handicap accessible?
Yes, our side entrance leads directly into the elevator lobby for easy access to all of the Center's floors.

How many people can the Center accommodate?
The first floor Common Room can accommodate up to 150. However, because we always strive to keep the Center available to student users at all times, we never reserve the entire Common Room for any group. Instead, groups can reserve a one-half of the Common Room during public hours. The conference room on the second floor is a quiet meeting space that can hold up to 20. The rooms on the third floor can hold anywhere from 6 to 40. If you're interested in reserving space at the Grad Center, please fill out a reservation form.

What AV capabilities are available?
The Common Room's back area has a stationary A/V system which includes a CD player and a large screen hooked up to a DVD player, VHS player, cable TV, and a resident computer. The computer is equipped with Power Point, Word, and Internet access. Speakers should bring Web presentations on disk or email their presentation 24 hours in advance to gsc@pobox.upenn.edu. In addition, there is a portable screen, LCD projector and laptop available on the third floor for presentations.

Questions about reserving the Grad Center space

Can I reserve space in the Grad Center?
The Grad Center space can be reserved only by graduate student groups and University offices needing space for graduate student programs. Read more about our reservation policies and fill out the reservation form at http://www.gsc.upenn.edu/services/facilities.htm.

Is there a cost for reserving space at the Center?
There is no rental fee for space at the Center during our normal business hours. However, we do require a refundable $50 cancellation fee/security deposit to reserve the Common Room and a $25 fee to reserve spaces on the second and third floors. If you want to reserve the space after normal business hours, the charge is $40/hour, with a $120 housekeeping fee for Friday and Saturday evening events.

Why do I have to pay a deposit to reserve space?
We require a deposit for two reasons: (1) We want to prevent groups from reserving space for free then not using it, which shuts out other groups who may have legitimately used the space; and (2) we want to protect the space from damage.

How do I pay the deposit?
You can provide a deposit with a budget number, check (made to Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania) or money order. We never touch the money before your event. If you cancel your event with more than 24 hours notice or if your hold your event and do not damage the Center's property, then we return your check and charge nothing to your budget.

What AV capabilities are available?
The Common Room's back area has a stationary A/V system which includes a CD player and a large screen hooked up to a DVD player, VHS player, cable TV, and a resident computer. The computer is equipped with Power Point, Word, and Internet access. Speakers should bring Web presentations on disk or email their presentation 24 hours in advance to gsc@pobox.upenn.edu. In addition, there is a portable screen, LCD projector and laptop available on the third floor for presentations.