Sage Hill Graduate Housing Update

First of all, welcome back for a new academic year... although I'm sure most of you never left!

The GSC is going to be very busy this year with a number events aimed at keeping graduate students informed. In fact, we have already hosted one informational session on our student health insurance. Representatives from Chickering/Aetna Student Health Insurance and Dr. Huey of student health took to the time to give a brief overview of the plan and its evolution over the years to those in attendance before taking numerous questions. Overall, it was a very successful event and we hope to host another of these sessions in the Spring. Keep an eye out for more sessions like this one throughout the year!

We held our first general body meeting on Sept. 11th, at noon in the DUC as usual, and were fortunate to have a guest speaker. Mr. David Hanson, Associate Vice President for Administration and Special Assistant, was present to update us on the progress of the Sage Hill Graduate Housing Complex and to answer questions. Here is a brief summary:
Emory University has leased the land at Sage Hill to a private developer, Campus Apartments Inc. (http://www.campusapts.com/findanapartment.htm), who is building and will manage the complex. Slated to open August 1st, 2009, the complex will have 401 beds in a combination of 1,2, and 3 bedroom, fully furnished apartments. The rates will be set early in 2009 and at that time the GSC hopes to host another town hall with representatives from the Office of the Executive President for Finance and Administration and Campus Apartments. When the complex opens, graduate students will link to the leasing site from Emory's Housing site (http://www.emory.edu/HOUSING/GRAD/sagehill.html). However, leases (of a still undetermined length) will be given on a first come, first served basis. The facility will be served by free Cliff Shuttles, but the schedules have yet to be finalized. Emory has also committed to improve sidewalks from the property to Sage Hill (Kroger) and from Sage Hill along Clifton Rd. to the main campus. More information will be available as the delivery date draws closer and I encourage you to check back with our site (and our meetings) for more information on this and other projects related to graduate students.