Housing and Transportation
About Us
The Housing and Transportation Committee was created to collect information, raise awareness, and find solutions to housing and commuting issues that affect the Stanford postdoctoral community.
Why It Matters?
Housing is typically the largest portion of a Stanford postdoc’s budget. It is important to assess major housing issues, identify inequalities, and find solutions that improve the quality of life of postdocs.
Commuting is a well-known issue in the Bay Area. Commuting issues are strongly coupled to housing situations, particularly since a number of postdocs choose to live further from campus to find more affordable housing or because they feel belonging in a community a commute away from campus.
Ideally, our salaries would allow us to pursue our postdoctoral careers without unique housing & transportation burdens. In lieu of this direct solution, our committee works with Stanford offices and departments to find cost-efficient opportunities to alleviate our most pressing needs in these areas.
Transit pass programs for Postdocs
Thanks to the work of this committee and other groups at Stanford, the GoPass Pilot program started in 2014, and is now a permanent benefit for postdocs! Caltrain has proved a necessary and well-used resource for postdocs, but as postdocs live throughout the Bay Area, many have additional transportation needs. To help fill this gap, our advocacy recently secured eligibility for postdocs in two other transit pass programs at Stanford: the AC Transit EasyPass and the VTA SmartPass! Please visit Stanford Transportation for more information on these pass programs, and their announcement.
What are We Working on?
- Programs to assist with moving to and starting at Stanford, such as optimizing the postdoc transitional housing pilot program, working towards security deposit assistance, etc.
- Advocating for affordable and convenient housing for postdocs
- Inclusion of postdocs in existing Stanford free & discounted transportation programs
- Inclusion of postdocs in existing Stanford Faculty Staff Housing programs
SURPAS Housing and Transportation Committee
Chair
Open position
