Otterbein Residence Life is making a larger change to the culture of many of the residence halls on campus than in years past.
Due to students wanting to live in different areas than the previous years of students have occupied, the housing charts are being changed accordingly. According to Tracy Benner, the director of residence life, the department is trying to adapt its housing to fit the new needs of students.
“Part of it is logistics,” Benner said. “It is trying to figure out where everything best can fit based on the buildings that we have and who typically lives there.”
One of the biggest changes is the movement of the new STEM Living Learning Community into Dunlap-King Hall. Historically known for housing students majoring in the arts, DK is getting a change in residents. According to Benner, Dunlap-King Hall is “great for STEM since it is close to the Science Center." There is simply not enough room in Mayne Hall for both STEM and Honors LLCs, according to Benner.
To compensate, the arts students are being moved to Garst Hall, along with the newly established Open Space LLC. The Open Space LLC welcomes students of all genders and sexualities who are interested in living in a safe, supportive environment.
In addition, an entirely new LLC is being created called Radical Creativity. It is designed to help immerse students interested arts appreciation. The program will be headed by Suzanne Ashworth from the English department and Evelyn Davis of the Art department.
While some students have expressed concern for the overall community that has been historically strong in Dunlap-King, Benner said she believes that this belief has already begun to fade. She said that this is because of upperclassmen students choosing not to return to the hall and that, "the lounge isn’t the hub it used to be.”
In addition, both Mayne Hall and Hanby Hall's LLC programs will be shifted. Due to the movement of the STEM LLC out of Mayne, the hall will be replacing it with the Leadership LLC, giving students the option to live in both the Leadership and Honors LLCs.
Based on the success of Clements Hall becoming exclusive to upperclassmen, Hanby Hall, which is attached to Clements, will follow suit. Benner said that Residence Life is "trying to give sophomore students a renovated space that most students tell us is more desirable. Clements and Hanby rooms are larger, have more lounge space.”
No one knows how these changes will affect the campus communities, but starting in fall 2016, the students will find out for themselves.
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