O
n Oct. 2, 25 students met in Griffith Hall to voice concerns about the Sept. 12 announcement that UCity would sell 15 campus properties. Carly Robinson ’26, PharmD ’28, vice‑president of the Student Senate, urged the university to hold the forum so students could discuss how the sale would affect campus life. Ross Radish, J.D., vice‑president of student life and dean of students, and Jill Dougherty Cleary ’00, Ed.D. ’23, vice‑president of administration and operations, presented details and answered questions.

    Radish referred to the properties as the “Loop Road Properties,” listing 4140 Woodland Ave., the Joseph W. England Library, Wilson Student Center, Goodman Hall, Alumni Hall, Science and Technology Center (STC), Athletic/Recreation Center, Glasser Hall, Woodland Hall, Integrated Professional Education Complex (IPEX), and Living and Learning Commons (LLC). The university will lease back IPEX, Woodland Hall and Glasser Hall, though lease terms remain undisclosed. No official closing date for the transfer to the Belmont Neighborhood Educational Alliance has been released.

    St. Joe’s will keep Griffith Hall, Kline Hall, the Pharmacology and Toxicology Center, McNeil Graduate Study and Research Center, and Whitecar Hall. Rosenberger Hall, across from Griffith Hall on Clark Park land, is city‑owned and leased by the university. Three buildings—Osol Hall, East Building, and 4238‑40 Chester Ave.—have already been sold, per a Sept. 5 Philadelphia Business Journal article cited by Kevin Gfeller, associate director of public relations.

    Students raised worries about housing, parking, safety, and program stability. Cleary confirmed the university plans to vacate the LLC by summer 2026. The LLC currently houses 70 students (St. Joe’s and ELS) and can accommodate 416, but no future housing is expected after 2026. Kevin Vu ’24, PharmD ’28, expressed frustration that dorms are being built on Hawk Hill while UCity buildings are sold, urging the university to offer Hawk Hill dorms for graduate students.

    Parking concerns were addressed: Breyer’s lot (between Goodman and the ARC) and the lot next to IPEX will remain open until the sale completes. Radish noted recent towing of vehicles without St. Joe’s permits, citing unauthorized use by non‑university members. The lot stays open for those with a St. Joe’s decal.

    Safety: the UCity Office of Public Safety and Security will continue patrolling the exterior of sold buildings, except Osol Hall. Radish and Cleary announced new amenities: high‑use exercise equipment moved from the ARC to Woodland Hall. Dining: Wilson Student Center, which housed the Wilson Dining Hall, closed after the 2024‑25 year. Cleary announced new vending machines, refrigeration, microwaves in IPEX, and a coffee café opening this semester in Woodland Hall.

    Billy Scott ’25, DPT ’27, and Drew Kramer ’26 emphasized the need for equal treatment across campuses and expressed concern that the sale could disrupt student life. Kramer warned that the many changes might make daily routines difficult.

    Robinson highlighted the forum’s value: face‑to‑face dialogue lets students and administrators hear each other directly, humanizing both sides and fostering understanding.

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