This Wednesday at 4:30 (in McCullough) we’re hosting our second and final student forum to discuss changes to the Commons system. If turnout is anything like it was at the first forum—5 or 6 students—then I will be inclined to believe (along with the President) that students are basically okay with this change and that [...]
Before the Commons, there were social houses, and before social houses, there were fraternities. In fact, one could argue that the small communities that distinguished the fraternities helped to shape the Commons system. During the early and mid 1990s, the social houses were a hot topic on campus. My first year at Middlebury—1990—was the last [...]
Housing: the bête noire of Commons. Concerns about real estate and room assignments permeate discussions of the Commons, frequently overshadowing the system’s programmatic benefits. The hope is that by addressing these concerns, we can get to the good stuff more easily. My purpose in this post is to describe in concrete terms what the 4/2 [...]
Gingerly, gingerly, I want to approach the third rail of campus politics and touch the decision-making processes that can entangle administrators and students in relationships of love and hate. Historians often look back to the late 1960s as a transitional moment in the politics of higher education, a time when students disillusioned by Establishment policies, [...]
This week, I’ve been following two stories in the popular music scene. The first concerns Bruce Springsteen’s just-released album “Magic.” I’ve listened pretty faithfully to Springsteen’s music since 1973 — when, as a sophomore in high school I saw him perform at the Allen Theater in Cleveland — so every time he makes new music, [...]
We — and here I mean administrators — need to do a better job explaining what the so-called 4/2 Commons plan gives in the way of educational benefits. Yes, we should certainly explain how the new plan will address student concerns about housing inequities, and enable juniors and seniors freer choice in selecting rooms and [...]
