Housing moves to increase accountability for theme communities with new requirements

By: Kristin Hines

Posted: 2/20/07

Concerns over the accountability of theme community housing have prompted Residence Life and Housing to add a new requirement for future theme communities at DePauw.

According to the theme community housing application, students who live in theme communities next year will be required to host at least two programs relating to their theme each semester. If students do not meet this expectation during the fall semester, they will be required to host additional programs during the spring semester.

"The housing lottery task force that looked at housing last year felt that there should be more accountability," said Director of Housing Julia Arnold. "They just wanted to make sure that students were actually following up on what they said they would do in their proposals."

Students who wish to be part of a theme community apply before the regular housing lottery and must create a proposal to be reviewed by a committee. According to the application, the committee consists of Residence Life staff, Student Affairs staff and students appointed by the Resident Student Association.

"We have had some problems with students not doing all the things they say they will," Arnold said. "We could move [those students] out, but we didn't feel that it was necessary in the middle of the year."

Arnold said the purpose of theme community housing covers several needs of students on campus.

"One, to give students an opportunity to live together under a common theme," Arnold said. "Two, to offer programs that meet a need that isn't met by other groups on campus."

DePauw has eight theme communities this year, which is higher than normal, Arnold said. The communities range from an environmentalism community to a community concerned with "Life After DePauw."

Sophomore Melissa Orr lives in a theme community this year based around diversity and virtue. Her community is called "Ladies of Virtood," and they have not yet had any programs relating to their theme.

"We find it incredibly hard to keep with the standards that we set at the beginning of the year," Orr said. "With everything else that a DePauw student goes through, we haven't been able to get together and plan anything."

Orr said that despite her situation, she thinks theme community housing is still a good option. She also said she and her roommates are working on some programs for this semester.

"It's a great idea. It just takes more organization," Orr said. "I don't know if there's a way for [Residence Life] to change it to make it better. There are just so many outsides forces acting on us that make it hard."

Applications for theme community housing for the 2007-2008 academic year are due Feb. 23.