Like many other students applying for program housing this time of year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want out of my residential college experience. As an incoming frosh, I checked the “absolutely necessary” box for WestCo because I wanted something more than the typical college dorm life. Living there has been one of the highlights of my first year at Wesleyan. However, it’s become clear to me that the arbitrary designation of “Community-Based Living” (CBLV), as the administration’s lack of support for their success, have undermined the ability of themed housing like WestCo to adequately fulfill its purpose.
WestCo’s ability to realize its mission of cooperative living and self-government is continually undermined by its subjugation to arbitrary ResLife policies and administrative meddling. One of the more notorious manifestations of WestCo’s living style and character—clothing-optional living—has been quietly repressed despite unanimous agreement among WestCo’s residents that we should get to determine our own standards of what is appropriate. Our two most prized traditions, Duke Day and Zonker Harris Day, have been ludicrously censored, their original names being banned for their supposed druggy connotations. More substantially, the placement of Residential Advisors (RA) in WestCo is generally without regard for their desire to contribute to the mission, which is contrary to our standards of community.
WestCo is not alone here; students are often placed in the other CBLV options without their consent if it is logistically convenient. This policy is most offensive with respect to 200 Church, in that being forced to accept students not interested in social justice and anti-oppression issues surely undermines the mission and purpose of 200 Church.
In its present situation, it’s hard to say why WestCo should even bother to have its Community-Based Living status. Most of the formal differences between WestCo and other dorms have been rendered insignificant. The WestCo Presidents have little legitimate authority, and Guidance is, in essence, just another student group that receives SBC funding. WestCo’s authority over the WestCo Café is almost meaningless given that it can be revoked at any time by the administration, and frequently is. Not only do the existing structures fail to contribute in a meaningful way to WestCo’s mission, they systematically undermine it. WestCo works as a community almost entirely due to the fact that its residents decide to live there, ostensibly to contribute to its mission. Yet even this characteristic is micromanaged and subverted by ResLife policy.
I should note here that I’m speaking as an individual and don’t claim to represent the views of anyone but myself. These complaints seem small, and individually, I admit they are far from intolerably oppressive. But together it becomes clear that they are symptomatic of a general attitude of contempt on the part of the University towards the significance of themed housing situations and towards the ability of students to manage their own lives. What does it say about ResLife that they believe independent, student-run music festivals named after Doonesbury characters would be so offensive and dangerous that it justifies administrative intervention? Whenever program houses and CBLV do succeed, it is usually in spite of administrative policy, not because of it.
In order for alternative housing options to be truly meaningful and relevant, we must continually reevaluate our housing system and demand that themed housing meet the needs of Wesleyan students. WestCo has survived only thanks to student tenacity against administrative opposition, and other themed housing options like 200 Church have emerged out of years of student struggles that argued for the necessity of alternative housing options. Community-Based Living programs are (unfortunately) the only option for themed housing for first-years. As current students, we have a duty to preserve and improve these institutions.
Program houses and CBLV need to do more to establish their sovereignty over their living situations and join together to protect their common interests. The administration should encourage and recruit RAs who are interested in participating in WestCo and stop allowing students to be placed in themed housing situations that they don’t want to be in. More than anything, both students and ResLife should redefine the purpose of program housing/CBLV so that communities like WestCo have the opportunity to realize their potential.
At no other time in your life will we be so constantly surrounded with as many intelligent, diverse, and profoundly interesting human beings of our own age. We ought to be given the opportunity to make the best of it.
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