As flu season approaches, members of the Undergraduate Student Government are turning their attention to Ritenour Building.

Mike Ross (senior-management science and information systems), a member of the executive branch of USG, recently met with Dr. Margaret Spear, director of University Health Services, which is housed in Ritenour, to discuss building expansion. He said that while this is an administrative issue, Ritenour expansion would benefit students and is something USG could encourage. Ross said that for the level of care UHS provides, students should view it more positively.

"We can promote student awareness and the need to be expanded," Ross said. "The biggest thing we can do is put heat on the administration."

Spear said Ritenour has never been on the university's five-year plan of building projects but was optimistic about it being expanded in the future.

"I am hopeful that it will be on the next five-year plan," Spear said.

The original building was built in 1929 and was expanded in 1953. Two wings were later added on, and Spear said it has been renovated every year for the last 10 years.

Student trustee Geoff Grivner said the Board of Trustees does not approve the five-year plan but does approve individual building projects. He said expanding Ritenour should be a concern for the university, because space for health services on campus is insufficient.

He would not speculate why Ritenour has not been given a higher priority over other projects.

"Ritenour definitely and gravely needs to be improved," Grivner said.

Paul Ruskin, spokesman for the Office of the Physical Plant, said Ritenour has been mentioned recently but it is not on the short list for expansion. He added that OPP has studied how to improve the building.

"At the moment, Ritenour Health Center is not in the active file," Ruskin said. "That doesn't mean it couldn't change."

Town Sen. Rob Michaels is turning his focus to getting patient parking behind Ritenour. The closest place students can legally park currently is at the HUB Parking Deck across the street. The Loop stop at the corner of Shortlidge and Pollock roads also exists as a travel option.

Michaels said he became interested in this issue after he sought treatment at Ritenour and returned to find that several cars had been ticketed, which he assumed belonged to patients.

"This is another example of the university disregarding the needs of students," Michaels said.

He said he heard of a plan to eliminate cars on campus, which he called unrealistic. Doug Holmes, transportation facilities coordinator, said the university is moving toward making Penn State more pedestrian-friendly by restricting car access in central campus. He questioned the need for added parking at Ritenour.

"Ritenour is very definitely in the core of campus," Holmes said. "I'm not sure it's desirable."

Spear said that if Ritenour were to be expanded and remain in its current location, it would be difficult to provide parking adjacent to the building. However, if Ritenour were to be relocated on the outskirts of campus, it would be more feasible to have patient parking next to the building, she added. It would become a matter of deciding whether location or parking is more important.

"It's unusual for it to be a problem for parking to be across the street," Spear said.

Michaels said he is working with some other senators on the issue and is hoping to put legislation in front of senate as soon as possible. He would like to see a parking booth set up that would allow patients to get passes validated.

Holmes said there are presently spaces available for urgent care patients, which are controlled by the clinic as well as for those with handicapped permits. He said that combined with the HUB Parking Deck, access to the building is reasonable.

Holmes said the push for parking reminded him of what he called "the Kmart syndrome."

"Everybody wants to park 10 steps away from the door for free, and that's not possible," he said.