THE Colby's Dorm Crisis Pugh Center Banner Removal Shrouded in Mystery
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THE PublishedC by the OLBYStudents of Colby College since 1877 October 12, 2017 Volume CXXXX, No.E 4 CHO Waterville, Maine New off campus housing policy raises debate Colby’s BY GRANT ALENSON News Reporter dorm In an email sent to students and faculty on Sunday, the Col- crisis lege announced that all student housing, beginning in the 2018- BY JAMIE SCHWARTZ 19 academic year all student Staff Writer housing, , would be owned and controlled by the College. “Why is my child in a room The notice, sent by Kar- that is simply too small for lene Burrell-McRae ’94, the three people?” “How is it fair Dean of the College, said that if my child can’t comfortably students “shared the need to study in his room without be- strengthen the residential ex- ing a foot away from his sleep- perience of students to provide ing roommate at night?” “Why a richer diversity of high qual- are we paying the same amount ity housing options, especially for housing as other students apartments that allow for more whose living situations aren’t independent living.” compromised?” These are just “It isn’t a change… having all a few of the questions that students live in [college] resi- concerned and angry parents dence has always been the as- of first-years had on Move-In piration and the goal, and it has Day 2017, and were referring always been part of the policy,” to an issue that has become all Burrell-McRae said in an inter- Courtesy of Caroline Wilson too clear: there is a severe and view with the Echo. Carroll Street’s Colby Castles are among the most popular off campus housing options for older students. growing issue with overcrowd- That may be the case, but for ing dorm rooms and residence many years, students have rou- ties in 1984, some underground Some students were un- for the Colby dormitory under actually are going to fill it be- halls on campus that continues tinely lived off campus in pri- fraternities moved off campus happy about the decision, but construction on Main Street cause there are enough students to be ignored. vately owned and have con- skeptical as to what the end in downtown Waterville. The that have reached out with an Due to a number of factors, housing. Often, tinued to hold goal of the policy change was. dorm is sched- interest to live such as notable student body students on social gather- Nellie LaValle ’18 told the Echo uled to house there so I’m growth and Grossman’s trans- the same team “Having a ings. A grow- that she thought “the policy students begin- not concerned formation into DavisCon- have lived to- dorm down- ing number of change is pretty misguided, I ning in the fall about that,” nects, this is the second year gether – there students feel as have loved living off campus.” of 2018. The building Burrell-McRae in which a greater number of have historical- town is a though some of She went on to say that living There has itself will also told the Echo. first-year students than ever ly been hockey great idea these off cam- off campus is “much cheaper been consid- The dorm, an before reside in triples, some houses, lacrosse pus houses have and so much more relaxing. I erable specu- house two expense to the of whom have been crammed houses, etc., in but it still functioned sim- have loved not having to deal lation on cam- College of $25.5 into what used to be freshman Waterville – as ilar to fraternity with super loud neighbors and pus that the quiet study million dollars, doubles. Realistically, squeez- have groups really does houses: throw- really thin walls, plus just not school would areas, a read- is expected to ing three bodies, three furni- of friends. The not immerse ing parties with living in the institutional set- have trouble be 100,000 sq ture sets, and three different Student Hand- a large number ting of a dormitory. I also think filling the 200 ng room, two ft. and house personalities and lifestyles into book acknowl- students in of students in- it is beneficial to students to live student beds in social loung- not only 200 a room that is designed for two edges that some Waterville.” vited. When in a place where they do have to the downtown students, but people is neither an adequate students “will be asked if there is take some responsibility, doing dorm – why es, as well also eight fac- use of space, nor is it condu- given permis- any issue with day to day stuff like paying bills, would anyone ulty and staff cive to creating the type of sion to reside off Nellie LaValle ’18 off campustaking out the trash, cooking want to live as a fitness members. Ac- freshman year relationships on campus” when Colby Student housing that the for yourself, etc. Having a dorm in the stark space on the cording to Vice which Colby prides itself. the College’s change in pol- downtown is a great idea but downtown of President of To clarify, Campus Life does enrollment ex- icy is trying to it still really does not immerse a failed former ground floor. Planning Bri- not call these freshman rooms ceeds its capacity to house all its address, Burrell-McRae stated students in Waterville.” How- mill town when an Clark, the “forced” triples, like many stu- students. But, in fact, off-cam- that “I don’t think you build a ever, she closed by saying that they could live rooms will fea- dents do, but instead say ei- pus student housing has existed residence hall for 200 students the only positive thing she saw on the beauti- ture four or six ther “lofted” triples or “flex” regardless of the size of the stu- motivated by what students may about the policy change is the ful Colby campus? – and that single bedrooms with full sized rooms. Fen Bowen, who is the dent body. Students have been or may not do in off-campus potential to reduce the role that eliminating the option of living beds, a full kitchen with a dish- Program Coordinator for Res- able to simply not apply for on housing, that’s not what informs off campus houses may play in in private housing off campus washer, refrigerator, stove, as idential Living and Education, campus housing, sign a lease, a decision like this when you’re the Colby social scene. could help the school fill the well as granite countertops. The elaborated on this difference. and receive approval from Cam- thinking of a structure that you The timing of the announce- downtown dorm. Not the case, rooms will also be air “We have ‘flex’ rooms that can pus Life. Although the College hope will be there in perpetuity, ment also closely coincides said Burrell-McRae. be either triples or doubles,” got rid of fraternities and sorori- or at least for the next 100 years.” with the topping-off ceremony “I’m pretty confident that we Housing pg.2 he said. “’Forced’ triples would only have the three beds, and not everyone would get every piece of furniture.” When asked if Campus Life receives many Pugh Center Banner Removal Shrouded in Mystery complaints about these rooms, Bowen said, “I personally hav- BY WILL WALKEY, comment. The Echo sat down al. Among the explanations among all the clubs in the assurance of a returned en’t heard that the spaces have CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, & with Vasiki Konneh ’20 to dis- were parental complaints, the Pugh center had been dis- banner following orientation caused any problems.” ADDIE BULLOCK , cuss the banner removal and negative tone, threatening cussed, but not scheduled continue to stifle those pas- Roberts Row Area Resident ASSOCIATE EDITOR is personal involvement. language due to consistent or carried out. The WOCA sionate about this message Director Meredith Keenan ’18 When the banner was ini- use of the word “no,” and the and Femalliance declined to coming across. The notion agreed. She said, “The CAs For the past two years, a tially removed, Konneh, an notion that a statement such comment on this issue. of taking the banner down I oversee haven’t come for- large banner has hung over active member of the Pugh as “no islamophobes” suggest Still, students inside and just for orientation, too, ward to me with any problems the Joseph Family Spa, with Center’s sub-committee, im- that there are, in fact, islam- outside the Pugh center are adds questions. concerning those rooms. The statements “NO RACISTS, mediately took offense to the ophobes present on campus. left speculating what hap- Nonetheless, Konneh hardest time tends to be the NO HOMOPHOBES, NO removal and e-mailed College When the Echo reached out pened to the banner and wants action, and for com- beginning of the school year RAPISTS, NO AGEISTS” President David A. Greene to the Office of Campus Life, what a potential replace- placency regarding the issue when people are learning to (among other statements) demanding an explanation. we were told that the banner ment would be. The Echo to end. “I want the original live in shared spaces in gener- for the entire campus to see According to Konneh, Greene had just been removed for ori- interviewed a wide array banner to be put back up, al.” She added that these stu- in the hub of student life. It responded quickly, claiming entation and that it would be of students, none of whom and then we can talk about dents have options to make the was generally well received, a he was unaware of the situa- put back up again.