For University, Spelman 8 great success
The addition of Spelman building 8 to Whitman College was a major draw this year for upperclassmen eager to have both a kitchen and a meal plan, as the popularity of the independent dining option continues to decline.The apartment-style Spelman suites, each of which is equipped with a full kitchen, have traditionally been reserved for juniors and seniors who are independent and therefore have neither a meal plan nor an eating club membership.Interest in the independent dining option, however, ?has been steadily decreasing over the last 5 years,? Undergraduate Housing manager Angela Hodgeman said in an e-mail.This year, roughly 144 independent students are living in Spelman housing, Hodgeman said.Whitman?s expansion into Spelman affords some students the opportunity to combine independent and residential college dining options but may lead to a further decrease in interest in independent draw.Katie Zaeh ?10, for example, said in an e-mail that she dropped out of independent room draw in favor of the Whitman draw because her draw time in Whitman gave her a better chance of getting into a Spelman suite.Others, such as Mike Gilson ?10, get the best of three worlds.Gilson said that he is enjoying the benefits of having both a kitchen in his suite and a shared meal plan between Whitman College and Cloister Inn.