A temporary solution
Residency for the class of 2009

Justin Veiga | executive editor
jveiga@smcvt.edu

There’s a monster on the doorstep of the St. Michael’s College Student Life office.  As of now, its ferocity seems to be limited to the insignificant weekend escapades of students and obnoxious cup drops in the dining hall.  But come this spring when that 600-strong monster begins the housing process for the final time, the collective demeanor on campus could prove arduous for the administration.

As reported Sept. 5 by the Echo’s Jon Ketchum, one of the most significant residence situations in school history has arrived.  The class of '09, the largest class ever accepted to St. Michael’s, is anxiously anticipating its turn to claim apartment-style housing next fall.  But with approximately 600 students and only 440 beds available, many could find themselves returning to suites or dorms.

In Ketchum’s article, the need for more apartment-style housing is highlighted by rising seniors' insistence that they be able to drink in their own homes.  All townhouses on campus, except for the 400s, are "wet" domiciles, meaning that alcohol is permitted. By law, 21-year-olds have earned this right.  However, the ability to freely consume alcohol is not the foremost reason that the school must find a way to provide more senior housing.

By living in an environment most comparable to the conditions a St. Michael’s student will likely face upon commencement, the school is best preparing its students for post-graduation success.  The responsibilities that students must meet when living in a townhouse or apartment are valuable beyond their time here. Townhouse residents are forced to function as a cohesive unit — sharing cleaning, cooking and spending duties over the course of the year, while continuing to maintain academic, athletic, and other individual responsibilities. 

It has become quite clear that the school is in dire need of a quick solution to serve the needs, and warranted wants, of the class of ’09.  The easiest and most logical remedy is clear.  For one year, revoke the 100-percent residential policy established by the Board of Trustees in 2003, and permit a fraction of the class to live off campus.

Such a solution obviously has its faults.  With about one-sixth of the senior class residing outside of the campus property, St. Michael’s will have taken a giant step backwards in its attempt to develop a fully functioning, fully engaged residential campus community. 

But exceptional situations call for situational exceptions. 

If the goal of the St. Michael’s Board and administration is to cater first to the educational and social needs of its students rather than the idealistic policies of the school itself, this is without question the most sensible option, especially given that it is a revocation of the previous housing policy for only one year. 

Following the graduation of the class of ’09, the school can, as the numbers allow, move back to a 100-percent on-campus residency policy.  Given time to re-evaluate the current housing condition on campus, Student Life administrators can best determine and develop a viable answer for the future. 

As it stands, about 160 current juniors will be shut out of apartment-style housing next year, and this is only the minimum. If the class of 2010 takes some of that townhouse space, the number could be as high as 200.  The school’s plan of adding a kitchen to each of the 400s townhouses, but in turn removing a bedroom, is certainly a positive addition. It will create 60 more senior level residencies, definitely a healthy chunk. However, it still leaves a significant monster in the dark.  Granted, it’s a much smaller monster, but one still capable of stirring up quite the campus melee. 

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