|
The Trustees charged the administration with strengthening the College's residential system to enhance interaction among students and between students and faculty and to develop a greater sense of community among its members. The Trustees also called for the College to begin planning for the construction of two new residence halls that would accommodate 500-600 undergraduate students.
The College has begun planning these new residence halls and has identified two sites: Tuck Drive and north of Maynard Street. The College has selected the architectural firm of Atkins, Olshin, Lawson-Bell, designers of the recently opened McCulloch Hall, for the Tuck Drive project and will select an architect for the Maynard Street project shortly. The residences will be primarily for students in their first and second years at Dartmouth, and will likely include lounges, a large community center, a kitchen and seminar rooms.
This past fall, Dartmouth opened its newest undergraduate residence, McCulloch Hall, which houses 80 students as part of the East Wheelock Cluster. This facility has not only received praise from its residents but has won an Excellence in Construction Award from the New Hampshire/Vermont Chapter of the Association of Building Contractors. McCulloch's ample common area spaces and smaller lounges on each floor invite and foster social interaction, casual discussions and formal programming.
This spring, the College celebrated the opening of the Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Studies (LALACS) academic affinity house. Students helped to plan the facility, which includes ample meeting and study spaces as well as room for preparing and sharing meals. Programming will include colloquia, dinners, and cultural and social events. The facility includes an apartment for a resident faculty member, visiting scholar or graduate student.
In the fall of 2000, the Office of Residential Life (ORL) hired four new Community Directors and will hire four additional directors in 2001-02. These full-time professionals, who live in student residences, serve as important resources for students and undergraduate advisors (UGAs). ORL also increased compensation for UGAs and has subsequently seen an increase in applications for these critical positions.
In response to strong student interest, the Office of Residential Life will provide more smoke-free and substance-free undergraduate housing on campus beginning in fall 2001.
|
