Administration seeks feedback on four-year college proposal

After deliberating for five months and outlining plans for a revamped residential college system in a 35-page report, the planning committee is now seeking feedback from students and faculty.

With that in mind, Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel and Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson, who co-chaired the Four-Year College Program Planning Committee, presented its plan and answered questions at USG and U-Council meetings over the past two days.

Malkiel said the plan for new residential college system is still in its preliminary stage.

"We have put together a blueprint, but we have also left much work yet to be done," she said at the U-Council meeting yesterday.

The report, which was released this weekend, explains the committee's intentions for expanding residential colleges to include upperclassmen — to create more interaction for underclassmen with juniors and seniors, graduate students and faculty and to provide upperclassmen with more options for residential life, including enhanced academic advising.

"By integrating four years of undergraduate students and graduate students, we can take much better advantage of the human resources of this educational community," Malkiel said.

Malkiel said the committee focused on ways to attract upperclassmen to living in the four-year dormitories and maintaining ties with their colleges.

"We cared enormously about creating more options than we already have, especially for juniors and seniors," she said.

The University will encourage upperclassmen who no longer live in the colleges to stay involved by attending activities, eating meals in the dining halls and participating in intramurals.

It also hopes that upperclassmen will continue relationships with deans and directors of studies.

Under the plan, rising juniors and seniors can draw into any of the three four-year colleges, with preference given to students already living in the college. Incoming freshmen will continue to be randomly assigned to a residential college where they must remain for two years.

U-Councilor Allison Arensman '04 expressed concern that the new upperclass housing option would further divide eating club members and independent students.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Dickerson responded: "We are hoping our plans will make it possible for students to be affiliated with a college and eating club of their choice."

She added that the committee intended to create options for upperclassmen.

"The independent student needs more substantive options than they currently have," she said.

Dining options will be reformed by eliminating check-in at dining halls, extending meal hours, making snacks available late at night and increasing opportunities for meal exchanges between colleges and clubs.

A student in the audience said race divisions might also occur because fewer minority students join eating clubs.

U-Councilor Amy Saltzman '05 asked if college council positions would be reserved for freshmen and sophomores despite the addition of upperclassmen to the dorms.

"Preserving access of freshmen and sophomores to leadership positions on college council is important," Malkiel said.

In addition, the role of graduate students will be enhanced, as graduate residents in addition to a director of residential life will replace the current graduate student position of assistant master and faculty position of senior fellow. Malkiel said graduate students will act as advisers but will have less responsibility than assistant masters do now.