At the close of this semester, the current residents of 200 Church will determine whether they have succeeded in their Residential Life Mission Statement. The residence is currently intended “for first-year students [who] wish to build a self-affirming and celebratory community that actively fights racism and oppression.”
Each of the past three years, 200 Church has existed in a different form. In the 2001-2002 academic year, it functioned as a regular freshman dorm. Then it returned to its status as home of the fraternity Chi Psi, before transforming into its present status.
Several 200 Church residents, including Randy Vesprey ’07, think they have fulfilled their mission statement.
“We are quite a rainbow,” he said, “and by hosting things not just for one community of color, [we promote 200 Church’s vision of diversity]. I think the first Student of Color Council meeting was held here …we got to meet everyone else who was interested in bringing back a community and I think that centralizing that in 200 Church has helped to realize that vision.”
Vesprey moved from Hewitt 9 to 200 Church last semester, and is generally happy with the dorm. One of his few complaints concerns the building itself.
“My wall is falling down,” he said. “And it’s incredibly hot on the third floor.”
Rhoda Tamakloe ’05, a residential advisor in 200 Church, explained that though the building needs repairs, she felt that in terms of living up to its goals, the house has been fairly successful.
“I think it’s been doing what it’s supposed to,” she said. “It started off really rough, really rushed, it could have been better implemented. I just don’t think the plan was given enough time to be well thought out. I think the ideas behind the house are very good. Hopefully it will continue to improve.”
Tamakloe brought up the importance of the programs that are frequently held on the ground floor of 200 Church, which have ranged from poetry readings to dances. The convocation for People’s Awareness Month was held there, as well as a joint semiformal with Clark Hall. She acknowledged that not everyone feels the same way.
“Some people don’t see the cultural benefit of a dance and that type of thing—they don’t see how important it is to some people’s cultures and just consider it to be bothersome,” Tamakloe said.
Some residents reported not being aware of what programs were offered. An international student who wished to remain anonymous explained that his lack of involvement was due, in his view, to a lack of information.
“They don’t always let us know first [when an event is held]. Sometimes they have a party or a meeting, but I’ve never been,” the student said.
Vesprey agreed.
“I don’t know of most of [the] things we have here,” he said. “I think that there are a lot of programs that advocate the vision of 200 Church but I don’t think they advertise it as well as they should.”
Deanne Dworski ’07 believes that it is not just poor advertising, but a lack of programming, which could be improved.
“I think we’re all a little disappointed that we haven’t planned more activities and there wasn’t the leadership there in the very beginning. We were all freshmen, we didn’t know what we were doing,” Dworski said. “We wish we had worked with other multicultural groups on campus. But I think that’s being planned for next year. We were kind of the guinea pigs. And in part we are fulfilling the mission [of 200 Church] just by being here and living side by side.”
Dworski sees the unofficial community of residents as one of the best aspects of the dorm.
“I think it’s been a really great experience living here with people of all different backgrounds,” she said. “Just having conversations and having tea a lot in the hall. We do get into conversations about race relations and affirmative action and self-segregation. It’s not anything forced, it just happens. I think that’s the good thing about living with people. You just build that.”
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