Task force to analyze state of living-learning programs

The Residence Hall Association will form a task force to evaluate the current state of living-learning programs in University residence halls and submit its findings to the Office of the Provost.

"Our report is to raise a student voice or student perspective within the living-learning programs," said Albert Garcia, RHA president-elect.

The task force will be chaired by Garcia and will consist of 20 members who presently live in one of the University's six living-learning programs, including the 21st Century Program, Lloyd Scholars, Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, Women in Science and Engineering, the Residential College and the Honors Program.

The task force members will interview other living-learning residents, residence hall staff and program administrators to determine the benefits and drawbacks of the living environments.

"The point is to examine the living-learning communities to see what makes them work and not work," said Roderick Thompson, an RHA representative from East Quad Residence Hall.

Garcia said the report will go to Provost Nancy Cantor as a supplement to a two-part report submitted by the Living-Learning Programs Task Force.

In addition to descriptions of existing programs, the report made recommendations to add five additional programs with the following themes: invention and creativity; society and health; science and mathematics; issues of gender and leadership; and democracy and diversity.

Director of Housing William Zeller said students were involved in the Living-Learning Programs at the University of Michigan report.

"We worked very closely with RHA and had several student representatives on that report," Zeller said. "RHA provided an endorsement" at the time the report was submitted.

Garcia said task force members also will interview students who live in residence halls without living-learning programs to gather student opinion on programs that could be implemented.

"We're going to be sitting down with residents from those halls that don't have programs and talk with them about ... the proposed ideas," Garcia said.

All five of the proposed living-learning programs are under consideration by the Office of the Provost. There is no set date for their implementation if they are approved, said Director of Housing Public Affairs Alan Levy.

Garcia said the RHA task force will submit its supplemental report to Cantor by May 1.

"Ideally, she'll recognize and expand those areas that are working well," Garcia said.

Levy said recommendations made by the RHA task force may be considered by Housing in their own evaluations of the programs.

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