Administrators explore `neighborhood' concept

Since the quad system was implemented in 1995 and each architectural nook was packed with a fraternity, a selective house and an independent dorm, University administrators have worked to make the diverse residents live in peaceful proximity. It seems they may be throwing in the towel; the most recent iteration of the upperclass residential life plan calls for creating at least a few homogenous "neighborhoods."

Under the conceived plan, independent students on West Campus would live in 90- to 120-person "houses" where residents would stay for three years, while selective groups and fraternities would exist essentially unchanged. Some of these houses would then be grouped into larger "neighborhoods," distinct geographical areas that would be devoted to particular lifestyles-either selective or independent.

William Chafe, vice provost for undergraduate education, stopped short of saying this new proposal formally acknowledges the failure of the current forced-interaction quad system, but, he said, "I think it is a recognition that it needs to work better."

Although a few quads would be homogenized under the neighborhood system, many more would retain a selective-independent mix.

"We're not trying to generalize," Chafe said. He stressed that by creating different choices within West, "you maximize the potential for people to feel at home."

Chafe presented the neighborhood plan to the student affairs committee of the Board of Trustees last Friday.

"Many of the residential tensions on campus have resulted from one group feeling unwelcome in social space dominated by another. Thus, we propose that students be grouped in areas where they can feel comfortable," his report reads. He suggested that two or three quads could be designated specifically for independents while another group of quads could be set aside for selective and fraternal groups.

Administrators and Duke Student Government will spend the next month or so "dorm storming" to gather more student input on the overall renovation plans and the possible West Campus reconfiguration.

"I feel that the best way to counteract these tensions would be more opportunities for meaningful interactions between the two groups," said Trinity junior Matthew Bott, president of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

Trinity junior Chris Dieterich, president of the Sigma Chi fraternity, added that he thinks having fraternities living in such close proximity would only increase rivalries between the individual groups. "I think that there would be an increased amount of fish-in-a-barrel mentality-where you group together a lot of the same mentality-and I think that is going to erupt," he explained.

Chafe said no one would be forced to live in these neighborhoods but predicted that some might be intrigued by the idea of having a designated section of campus.

The neighborhood idea first surfaced last summer in student discussions led by Janet Dickerson, vice president for student affairs. "We explored these ideas with students last spring and this summer, with many people being in favor of the plans, and others predicting that it would constrain interaction," Dickerson said. "I think we still have planning work to do."

Although news of the report caused some talk among fraternity members, Judith White, director of the Residential Program Review, stressed that this plan is only one possibility.

"My sense was that Dean Chafe sort of overstated the case of what we thought was just an option," she said.

Chafe reiterated that "this is an idea to explore, not a blueprint."

Administrators hope that grouping independents into larger houses, which are closer in size to the dormitories on East Campus, will help keep some of the "freshman experience" alive in subsequent years.

Previous versions of the upperclass residential plan suggested that the way to make more students feel welcome on West was to lift the ban on new residential groups, diversifying the living options for students not interested in the existing models. But very few groups have come forward requesting space, White said.

"We're moving away from our original idea that the way to support independent students is with lots more smaller groups," she said.

White said the idea for larger blocks first emerged last year, and discussions continued during meetings with a gathering of student leaders organized annually by the DSG president. Still, it is not clear exactly how such a process would work.

One option would be to have a "house" affiliated with each East Campus dorm; students within each dorm would be given priority during room selection for its West Campus affiliate. Another option would be to have students wander around and get a feel for a house before listing dorm preferences-essentially an elective house procedure.

"Some people liked the [East Campus model because] everybody kind of has a place on West Campus, whether you choose to go there or not," White said. "Some like the [elective model], but others thought the whole point should be that you don't have to go around finding a place."

Although students would live in houses for three years, administrators stressed that this is not a residential college system, in which all amenities, like library facilities, would be located within dorms. "The way the campus is designed, it would be impossible to create a residential college system," Chafe said.

Rami Zheman contributed to this story.