College houses look to mature in second year

"Throughout the system, we're trying very hard this year to make more time for academic advising for the house deans," Director of College Houses and Academic Services David Brownlee said. Stouffer College House Dean Anne Mickle said she has put more effort this year into letting students know she was available for advising, including explaining her availability in a letter to students this summer and meeting students this year. And so far, it's worked, she said. "I've had a lot more students coming to me for academic advising than last year," Mickle said. Mickle said she also expects to see an even better year for the college house program, now that the staff is more accustomed to the system. "I think a lot of the growing pains have been worked out," Mickle said. "What was new and unexpected last year, we are more able to anticipate." Brownlee said that in addition to extending academic advising, officials are adding new spokes to the Wheel program -- which delivers tutorial help 24 hours a day to students within their residences -- and will "continue to look for things that can be provided to students in a decent way." This year, Career Services will offer in-house advising to students with questions about where to go after college. And language advising in French, German and Italian is currently being tested in Gregory College House. If successful, the program will be integrated into other residences next year, Brownlee said. Other college house officials are making a more concerted effort to get to know their residents this year. Hill College House Dean Amy Pollock says her house will focus more this year on interaction between the house staff and the residents. "It's something we're taking a large initiative to this year on a more individualized level," Pollock said, adding that the staff has already begun to meet with each of Hill's suites on an individual basis. When the college house system debuted last fall, officials said a primary goal of the new system was to allow each house to gradually mold itself into a unique community, and they are still committed to that goal. But while officials say they are pleased with the success enjoyed so far, they admit that it is impossible to get all residents involved in house activities and social groups. "I'm sure there will always be people who live in any community and don't participate in any activity," Brownlee said, adding that the system is "entirely about creating opportunity" for students to get involved if they choose. Through continued and improved advertising -- both individually and with the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life -- Brownlee hopes to encourage even more student participation in house activities and events. "What we're trying to do is create a clearer and more easily perceived list of highlighted events," Brownlee said. And Mike Pezzicola, vice chairperson of the Residential Advisory Board, said RAB members were looking into ways to strengthen communication lines between houses so that staff members can share ideas and activities. "Last year a lot of house councils and college houses really had the funds [for activities] but the ideas weren't there because it was the [system's] first year," said Pezzicola, an Engineering and Wharton sophomore. Pezzicola said by establishing links between each college house through the RAB, different houses can exchange ideas and concerns that come to their attention, and thereby improve the college house experience for residents. But while officials are optimistic about the continued success of the college houses, student reaction to the system is still mixed. Some students, like Hill resident Donna Hogan, are pleased with the system and say that they have found a community of their own in their college house. "I have felt a sense of community -- that's why I decided to stay at Hill," the Nursing sophomore said. "I do take advantage of some of the activities that the college houses sponsor." And many students said they have noticed more events taking place in their residences than last year. Yet other students say they haven't seen much of a change from the old residential living system since the college house system was put into effect. "I don't really interact with people on other floors," said Harnwell College House resident Kelly Simpkins, a College junior. "I don't even really consider it a house. Most things we do are just with our floor." And Wharton senior Karl Russo, a resident of Ware College House in the Quadrangle, said that he thinks the residences had more of a community feeling before the college house system, when freshman lived together in first-year dorms. "It seems to me that the University is trying to impose a structure on the residential system that doesn't really fit the University," Russo said. "I think that people are going to do things with the people around them whether there's an official system set up by the University or not."