The annual University housing race has begun. As another spring semester begins to unfurl, University students are scrambling once again to secure housing for the upcoming school year.
But this race for space is not easy, especially for those seeking to live on-Grounds next semester. However, this year the creation of the new International Residential College gives students another place to call home.
Barbara Nolan, the vice provost for instructional development and innovation, says plans for a third residential college have been in the works for at least eight years.
Members of the IRC planning committee modeled their concept on Mosaic House, a cross-cultural living area in Hoxton dormitory that students founded in 1995.
Tracy D'Souza, a third-year Education student, is the faculty liason for Mosaic House. Although Mosaic House will become part of the IRC, it will have a different focus and will require a separate application, D'Souza said.
In 1999, a committee of interested faculty, led by Nolan, gathered together in the hopes of building an international living and learning center.
Beginning next fall, the dream will become a reality. The IRC still is accepting applications for next year and will give priority to students who have studied abroad or are planning to do so.
The planning committee has chosen the Mary Munford, Gwathmey, Lewis and Hoxton dormitories as the site of the new IRC.
Nolan cited several reasons for the committee's decision, including the fact that the chosen site is close to central Grounds.
She also added philosophical reasons. When the IRC opens next year, it will be in the center of a circle of language houses that dot the periphery of the University. The idea of integrating students into an ethnically diverse living area is an idea that has also been popular on Grounds.
The Spanish and French Houses, both located off Jefferson Park Avenue, require residents eat a certain number of meals at the houses and speak the language. The German House on Brandon Avenue and the Russian House on Cresap Avenue also have similar requirements.
"It's almost as if we're bringing the world beyond America into a circular formation around the University," Nolan explained.
But many students who are now living in future IRC dormitories say the circle is closing in on them.
Liz McKinzie, a third-year College student, decided to move off-Grounds rather than stay in Mary Munford. Although she thinks the IRC is a worthy cause, she also is wary of the potential for further student segregation.
"I'm afraid what it's going to end up being is the place where they stick all the international students," McKinzie said.
The IRC meal plan requirement is another reason why students like McKinzie are unhappy. Unlike students in Brown and Hereford residential colleges, residents of the IRC will not have their own dining hall.
Nolan stressed that meal plan requirements will be minimal and that the IRC will seek to build community in other ways, such as planning workshops, seminars and other programs designed to bring students and faculty closer together.
Jeff Scherr, a second-year College student living in Gwathmey, worries the dorms closest to Grounds will no longer be available for upperclassmen who want simple living arrangements.
"I think that's really going to be taking away from housing options," said Scherr, who will move into Lambeth next year. He also predicted the IRC will take time to establish itself as a fully functioning residential college.
Although some residents find the prospect of the IRC daunting, some students want to stick it out.
Third-year Commerce students Sonia Wahi and Moniza Shaikh have decided to remain in Mary Munford.
"We're not staying because of the IRC," Shaikh said, "we just like the location."
Maria Melo, a second-year Architecture student, has a more optimistic view. An international student from the Republic of Paname, Melo looks forward to meeting other students who share her nationality.
"I feel excited about the programs they're going to have," said Melo after returning from a meeting with Commerce Prof. Brad Brown, the newly appointed principal of the IRC.
The IRC planning committee chose Brown as the new principal because of his strong international orientation.
Brown says his interest in other countries traces back to his days aboard Navy nuclear submarines. When he started teaching at the University in 1989, his natural curiosity came along with him. Since then, he has taught classes in Vietnam, Lithuania, Finland, Denmark and England. Brown spoke positively of his traveling.
"It's been a great experience for me, and it has changed my life," Brown said.
As the Commerce School's study abroad advisor, Brown actively encourages students to pursue overseas opportunities. He was responsible for starting several international programs now available to Commerce students.
Like the committee that selected him, Brown has lofty goals for the new residential college.
"My vision is this kind of vibrant community built on learning about other people," he said.
Brown envisions a strong focus on multicultural themes, which will include visits from ambassadors, cooking classes and spring break travel, among other things.
Nolan is very optimistic about Brown's appointment. "I think he'll be terrific. He's very knowledgeable about management too," Nolan said.
The faculty and administrators behind the IRC said they hope the new residential college will encourage all students to study abroad.
"What we imagine as the outcome of this sharing is a much deeper and broader understanding of what it means to live in a global village," Nolan said.
As the International Residential College joins the ranks of Brown and Hereford, at least one thing is certain. The mad dash for living space has become a little more global.
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