Duke administrators are working to narrow the gap between the housing experience of independent and affiliated students.
The 2012 transition from the quadrangle model to the house model has led to efforts aimed at enriching the residential and social life of unaffiliated undergraduate students on campus. Although the most recent changes in housing policy—the 30 percent mandatory quota for upperclassmen presence—posed a challenge to some selective living groups, the independent housing model is continuing its development.
"The first three years the independent housing has been trending in positive directions, but there is still a gap between the experience of independent students and students in selective living groups, and we want that gap to narrow," Dean for Residential Life Joe Gonzalez said.
Independent housing model
Four years ago, students who did not belong to SLGs—which officially encompass greek and selective housing groups—had to enter the housing lottery every year. Only affiliated students could exercise right of return from year to year.
"They were treated like hermits and nomads, because they would just be stuck wherever without any chance to build community," Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost for undergraduate education, said of independent students under the quadrangle model.
In addition to giving independent students right of return, the new house model for independent students managed to downsize each housing community from 500 students to a range generally between 60 and 90.
"The smaller communities offer a much stronger opportunity for stronger connections to happen, and for a stronger sense of identity," Gonzalez said.
Nowicki also emphasized that the sense of affiliation with a house cannot be imposed on students, but should be allowed to arise organically.
"I don't think there will be a one size fits all approach to help independent houses build community, and the houses do in fact have different personalities," Nowicki said.
Independent students are able to run for leadership positions within their houses such as president and officer roles on the house council—opportunities unavailable in the previous model. The number of house councils for independent students increased from seven to 30 due to the transition. Gonzalez estimated that leadership positions have increased six-fold since the shift as a result.
After the first year of implementation of the independent housing model, 57 percent of independent students exercised their right of return, Gonzalez said. After the second year, that figure rose to 77 percent and further to 82 percent this year.
"Each year, more students are taking advantage of their right to remain in their residential house, and we think that's a good indication," Gonzalez said.
Ultimately, Housing, Dining and Residence Life intends to help students have a sense of affiliation with their houses, regardless of whether they are independent or affiliated.
"I feel like there's too much value being placed on being in a selective living group," Gonzalez said.
Each year, HDRL surveys students to evaluate the independent housing experiences compared to the housing experiences of those belonging to SLGs. The numbers show that the gap between affiliated and unaffiliated students is narrowing.
Some independent students, however, notice the lack of community in independent housing experiences.
"For freshman year, people make friends easily and often within their housing community," senior Eric Lakey said. "Once you are no longer new to campus, become established and have a regular friend circle, it is really hard to branch out. I think that's why there's a strong sense of community on East, but not on West."
In the future, HDRL intends to work on increasing awareness of the positive experiences independent housing can bring.
"A challenge we face is how to help students have a better understanding that independent housing experiences could be great as well, that there are good things happening in independent houses that people don't realize," Gonzalez said.
Efforts have been also made to renovate certain locations that are traditionally considered undesirable by students, including the summer renovations to Edens Quadrangle. Gonzalez also noted that Central Campus is an example of a housing option that used to have the same reputation as Edens, but is now one of the most popular student choices on campus.
"Another of our challenges is how do we make sure that all independent houses are good places? In a word, investing a lot to renovations at Edens this summer," Gonzalez said. "Edens had the reputation of being an unpopular place to live on West Campus, and we are trying to change that image."
Upperclassmen presence
Last semester, an official housing rule made it mandatory for SLGs to have a minimum of 30 percent upperclassmen living in their section. The policy met controversy among student groups whose seniors may have desired to move off-campus.
"I don't consider this a big change because the majority of the selective living groups already met those expectations," Nowicki said. "It's been communicated since Duke houses were in development four years ago that this would be the expectation, and groups were told that they should start adjusting their pattern of populations [living in section]."
Gonzalez noted that sophomore-dominated populations often do not result in the best living environment in section in terms of discipline and damage control.
For the independent houses, the upperclassmen quota comes from the assignment process.
"We have the target distribution of 50 percent sophomore, 30 percent junior and 20 percent senior," Gonzalez said. "The independent houses somehow always achieve these targets because the process in some ways makes it happen."
A more stable structure?
Since the implementation of the independent housing model, student-led initiatives and programs such as FINvite—which serve to facilitate student and faculty interaction—were started and others like FLUNCH have expanded.
Gonzalez noted that through programs like FINVite, which allows students in a housing community to invite a faculty member to engage in bonding activities, independent students receive meaningful mentorship and valuable living experience.
Independent students have higher rates of participation in these programs than students in SLGs, he noted.
"FINvite is a mechanism to help houses to build community, and we will keep it going for a year or two," Nowicki said. "Our job is to help student ideas flourish."
The Women's Housing Option as well as the substance-free houses currently available on campus are likely to remain as the only alternative housing options, Nowicki explained, meaning that following implementation of the 30-percent rule, there might not be many more changes made to the independent housing model.
"WHO, Baldwin Scholars and the wellness houses are hybrid models that are administratively controlled," Nowicki said. "[Students apply] with the notion that they will be dictated by a certain level of rules and regulations. I don’t anticipate more of those coming along—I think the ones we have are the natural ones to have."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.