In its editorial this week, the CAMPUS expresses cautious enthusiasm for the 4/2 Commons plan that has administrators like myself “oozing cautiously enthusiastic optimism.” The editors urge us administrators to “tread thoughtfully and carefully” in our planning around the Commons. Good advice, and not just because too much enthusiasm can trip up a well-intentioned planning [...]

Let me begin by shamelessly pandering to the students who may be reading this post, and say that this downtown venue is a beautiful space that could significantly enhance your social life. High ceilings, brick walls, exposed pipes, and ample room for live music and other performance ops — this is not your sketchy dive [...]

I talked last week with a student about what it’s like to be a freshman on a campus where older students (and sports teams) drive the social scene. In residence halls and in town, alcohol is both the common denominator and — if you are underage — a scarce resource. The result for many students [...]

By now, word is out on campus that the administration is looking hard at a new way of organizing the Commons. Loosely called the 4/2 plan, the new way features a 4-year Commons affiliation and a 2-year residency. First years and sophomores would reside in their Commons, but juniors and seniors would be free to [...]

Welcome back! We start the academic year with a new structure for Student Life and a new line-up of deans — in the Commons and in the Dean of the College office.  I circulated an all-campus e-mail earlier this summer announcing these changes, so I won’t repeat myself here, except to say we’re trying to integrate [...]