As the stone walls of Whitman College rise from land once used for tennis courts, some of its future residents are already lined up.
The day after Dean's Date last month, 106 members of the Class of 2010 found out that they had been selected to live in the new four-year residential college, which will open its doors this fall. They were randomly chosen from among the 282 freshmen who applied to transfer to Whitman from Butler or Mathey.
Sixty students were selected from Butler and another 40 were selected from Mathey, the two colleges that will expand to become four-year colleges after Whitman opens, Angela Hodgeman, the undergraduate housing manager, said in an e-mail. The Housing Office also plans to accept 200 juniors and seniors to become Whitman residents next year.
"It's a brand new building, and it looks more gothic on the outside," Katie Rodriguez '10 said, explaining why she applied to move from Butler to Whitman. "I wanted the chance to be the first resident of a building that will be around for a while."
Applications for Whitman were due on Jan. 12, and draw groups were limited to eight students each. Accepted students will pick rooms during residential college room draw. Draw times will be posted on March 23.
Many freshmen said they were attracted to the prospect of living in a new building, especially coming from older, unrenovated dorms in Butler. Others said they value the social continuity that a four-year college like Whitman can provide, since residents will not be forced to uproot after two years.
"I wanted to be in a four-year college, so when I'm a junior and senior I can still be in the same college," Sheena Knights '10 said.
Underclassmen will also benefit from living in close proximity to juniors and seniors. Knights said she thinks that upperclassmen will be resources for freshmen and sophomores to "go to for advice and get help with homework."
At this point, however, it is unclear how many juniors and seniors are interested in Whitman. Hodgeman said that the housing office cannot judge juniors' and seniors' interest in the residential college system "until we receive the applications."
Though the rumored quality of Whitman rooms has proven attractive to many current sophomores and juniors, other concerns may limit demand for the dorm. Some members of the classes of 2008 and 2009 said Whitman's location might be of concern to them.
"I would consider signing into Whitman, mainly because of the room quality," Lara Klainerman '08 said. "I'd prefer a more central location on campus, though."
Certain changes in residential college dining next year may make it easier for upperclassmen to live in a four-year residential college and be a member of an eating club at the same time. Specifically, Dining Services has introduced a minimal plan of 95 meals per semester, as well as a shared plan that will allow upperclassmen who are members of clubs to split their meals between the dining hall and an eating club.
The number of such shared plans will be limited, however, which means that most upperclassmen will have to choose either an eating club or dining hall.
"I won't be in Whitman, but if I was I would continue to eat at Colonial," Nate Morrison '08 said in an e-mail. "There is a social aspect to club membership that I'm not confident the four year residential colleges will be able to reproduce."
Members of the Class of 2011 will not specifically select Whitman, unlike members of previous classes. Incoming freshmen "will be assigned to Whitman the same way they are assigned to other colleges," Hodgeman said. "They will be split randomly by the registrar's office."
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