At town hall, worries about a divided campus

The four-year residential college system is set to debut next fall, but if last night's town hall meeting in Frist Campus Center was any indication, students still have plenty of questions and concerns.

During the hour-long, poorly-attended meeting — which boasted an audience of about 15, with the occasional additions of passersby attracted by the free Taco Bell and soda — administrators and representatives from the USG fielded questions about how the approaching changes will affect campus life.

Students expressed concern over whether the colleges will divide upperclassmen who join an eating club from those who draw into a four-year residential college.

Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel noted that four-year colleges and eating clubs coexisted at the University in the late 1960s and early 1970s, though she admitted when further pressed that there was "very little interaction" between the clubs and colleges at the time. She added that the University wants to "make sure there's no divide among the upperclassmen" come next fall.

Repeating her oft-quoted stance, Malkiel said the four-year college system will "expand the range of options available for social life and dining" and allow students to enjoy campus life within a residential college.

The USG and Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students hosted the meeting, which took place outside Cafe Vivian. Executive Vice President Mark Burstein, USG president Alex Lenahan '07 and vice president Rob Biederman '08 also answered questions.

Biederman even posed a question of his own. "I have a concerned parent question," Biederman said. "If I had an 18-year-old daughter entering Whitman College — not that I do — would she potentially have to dorm next to four senior males?"

Malkiel replied with a laugh: "It's hard to believe that the species of senior male is more frightening than the species of sophomore male."

Though students expressed concern over whether economic constraints would force upperclassmen to choose the four-year colleges — which will feature a meal plan entirely covered by financial aid — over the eating clubs, Malkiel and Burstein were adamant that the University wanted students' choices not to be influenced by financial considerations.

There is about a $2,000 difference between the University's 95-meal-per-semester plan and eating club costs.

Malkiel, Burstein and Lenahan all said that the University is in communication with the clubs about the prospect of extending financial aid to cover the $2,000 gap. Also mentioned was the possibility of creating a joint membership between the clubs and colleges, one that would allow students to split their meals between the Street and dining halls.

"We're trying to level the playing field amongst options for students on financial aid," Malkiel said.

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Students also expressed concern over the potential interaction, or lack thereof, between the students from different years living in the same four-year college.

"From my experience and the experiences of my friends, there is very little interaction between even the freshmen and sophomores," one junior said. "I don't think there will be any interaction. When I go to the dining hall, I would prefer to not eat with the freshmen or the sophomores."

In response, Malkiel said, "I believe that when you put students in proximity, living in the same college and eating in the same dining hall and participating in residential college activities, they will definitely interact."