Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson led an open discussion with students about the possibilities for a sixth residential college Tuesday evening, saying that of the six colleges, "there would probably be two or three four-year colleges."
Many students at the discussion said they supported such an opportunity for inter-class interaction, though they admitted the change could create additional problems.
"Would the RA's lose their significance . . . now that the underclassmen [in the sixth college] have a slew [of seniors] living with them?" president of the senior class Justin Browne '01 asked at the meeting.
Dickerson responded, "I think it would be a relief for the RA's."
This additional college — proposed a year ago as part of the Wythes Plan to expand the University student body by 500 students — has proven to be a volatile subject on campus.
Dickerson said she hoped to promote a dialogue between the students and the administration in order to gather a large amount of student feedback on the subject.
"Our goal is to talk about all these things as openly as possible," she said.
Though only approximately 25 students attended the meeting, the discussion brought up important issues relating to the introduction of a new residential college. These issues included meal plans, the future of the 'Street' and the location of the college.
Though Dickerson said the final location of the college has not yet been determined, she stipulated that two definite sites are currently under consideration for the college's home.
The more likely of the two, she said, was next to Dillon Gym and the tennis courts, but she also mentioned that the area "close to Forbes by the golf course" was also a possibility.
At this remark, several of the students present protested, saying it was too far away from the main campus.
One female student explained, "You want [the college] to be the center of activity."
Those present at the forum also discussed the impact the college would have on the eating clubs on Prospect Avenue. Dickerson emphasized that the administration wished to maintain the equilibrium of the campus community.
"There is an intentional desire to maintain the balance between the groups," she said. "The culture of the clubs can be influenced by the culture of the University . . . Our goal is not to have a deleterious effect on the clubs."
Another issue raised at the meeting was the structure of a meal plan at the sixth college. Dickerson said that she, Dining Services Director Stu Orefice and Vice President and Secretary Thomas Wright '62 met last week to discuss the issue.
Dickerson said Orefice had suggested the committee "should be moving toward improving the meals at [the residential colleges] instead." Dickerson also added that there is a possibility of installing another Mongolian grill in a residential college that could provide the space for it.
But no matter how the meal plan issue gets settled, Dickerson noted that "it would be far more flexible" than what is currently offered to students.
This flexibility in meal plans is important partly because the sixth college could be a four-year institution.
Dickerson also said the University plans to select seven to 10 graduate students who would live in the sixth college and interact with the undergraduates residing there. The possibility of having professors live in the college was discussed as well.
Though there are already many concerns students may have about the issue of the sixth college, Dickerson stressed that the college is still in the planning stage.
"At this point we have been talking much more about the broad concept," she said. "We've just begun."
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