Vanderbilt University Register: Residential college system could begin as early as 2006

by Jessica Howard

Two undergraduate students told the Board of Trust last week that the success of establishing a residential college system at Vanderbilt hinges on meaningful dialogue between students and faculty.

Sophomore Rae Scott and freshman Alex Quintana stressed the importance of student involvement in the planning stages during the biannual Board of Trust meeting April 26.

"It think it's very clear that we need to make sure what we are doing is not only in our minds the right thing to do, but that the students understand it, the students buy into it," said David Williams II, general counsel, secretary and vice chancellor for student life and university affairs.

The target date for full implementation of a residential college system is at least a decade to 15 years away, said Mark Bandas, assistant vice chancellor for housing and residential education.

Phase one could be in place as soon as 2006, he said. The details of unrolling phase one have yet to be worked out but would include a program in which students could voluntarily participate.

Once fully implemented, the residential college program will cluster students and faculty together into relatively small housing groups, stressing a greater interaction among faculty and students outside the classroom. Described as "living and learning communities," individual residential colleges will have their own dining areas and social and educational programming.

The proposed residential colleges will not be affiliated with a particular school, a main misconception about the program, said Bandas. Each residential college will consist of a mix of students from all schools.

"One of the main challenges we face is explaining the concept of a residential college system to the Vanderbilt community," said Bandas.

This academic year, six forums have been held consisting of student, faculty and staff representatives from the Residential Colleges Implementation Committee's five subcommittees. The committee's last meeting of the 2001-02 academic year was held April 7, hosted by Chancellor Gordon Gee.

"One of our principal concerns has been to involve students in the planning process," said Bandas.

The subcommittees -- whose membership is 50 percent students -- are facilities, housing and dining, programs, faculty involvement, future of student life and communications. The Student Government Association has formed its own committee with the goal of informing and updating students about residential colleges as well as to voice student concerns to administrators.

"We have to keep working to get more students involved. Those students who have become involved have been very active," said Williams. "The only downside is, there haven't been enough of them."

An architectural firm is consulting with administrators to determine renovations that would be necessary to include dining commons, faculty housing, programming and living space suited to residential college living, said Bandas.

Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities and several other institutions have residential college systems in place. Bandas said that Vanderbilt's system will not be modeled specifically after that of any particular existing residential college.

"One of our main concerns has been to develop a residential college that fits with Vanderbilt's history and traditions," said Bandas. "We want a program that is uniquely Vanderbilt. We don't want to mimic the residential college programs found at other institutions."

Reporting on behalf of administrators, the students told the Board of Trust that concern for the end of the Greek system at Vanderbilt is unfounded. They said although Greek life -- as well as all aspects of university life -- will change to some extent, the Greek programs will not be disbanded.

"I think [student] reaction has been, on the whole, positive. They want to learn more about the concept of residential colleges," said Bandas. "They want to be involved in the planning and design."

A Web site has been established to list the contact information of the various committee members, archived articles written about residential colleges at Vanderbilt, provide links to other universities with residential college systems, as well as an e-mail address where questions or concerns by the Vanderbilt community can be addressed.