Colgate’s Office of Residential Education, in cooperation with the Dean of the College, has created a new sophomore experience in Drake Hall. Colgate Sophomore Residential Seminars (SRS) are set to begin in the fall of 2013. This new initiative, which is exclusively available to members of the class of 2016, will forfeit the sky suites, the fifth floor deluxe rooms in Drake Hall, from the general housing lottery, repurposing them along with other rooms on the fourth and fifth floors of Drake for the program.

“It’s a faculty-led, year-long program that integrates residential, classroom and academic-travel experiences,” Associate Professor of Philosophy David Dudrick, who is also the faculty director of this new program, said. “Students in the program will live together in Drake Hall, on a hall with other members of their chosen seminar. The faculty who teach these seminars will act as mentors to this group of students, encouraging reflection and fostering discussion. They will hold class and office hours in seminar rooms in the residence hall. The hope is that the members of the seminar build a community, one centered on an intellectual pursuit but which extends beyond the classroom.”

Dudrick also explained the second unique component of this new sophomore experience: travelling abroad.

“In January, members of the seminar will travel together to an overseas destination,” he said. “One selected by the professor to deepen and broaden the understanding of the course material. There is no cost to students for the travel component. In the spring, all residential seminar students will complete a one-quarter-credit course which draws on the seminar and travel experiences and which culminates in presentations to the campus community.”

Dudrick explained the kind of experience that faculty and staff hope this new program will provide for sophomores.

“In January, members of the seminar will travel together to an overseas destination,” he said. “One selected by the professor to deepen and broaden the understanding of the course material. There is no cost to students for the travel component. In the spring, all residential seminar students will complete a one-quarter-credit course which draws on the seminar and travel experiences and which culminates in presentations to the campus community.”

Dudrick explained the kind of experience that faculty and staff hope this new program will provide for sophomores.

“Our hope is that these seminars will offer students an opportunity not just to study the liberal arts, but to live them,” Dudrick said.

Additional administrative figures involved with the program’s conception are optimistic.

“A program like this will allow the sophomore class the opportunity to engage with their faculty in a way that we hope will build lasting connections and serve as true mentors as they navigate their way through Colgate,” Director of Residential Life Brenda Ice said. “The concept of living learning communities has been around for awhile; we’re just putting our own spin on it. Students will live together, take class together, travel together and develop a project together that reflects their yearlong experience.”

Suzy Nelson, Vice President and Dean of the College, noted that while the Sky Suites and fourth and fifth floors of Drake will no longer continue their current designated residential purpose, she feels their new allocation will be beneficial.

“This space will be accessible to all students in Drake,” she said. “Those who are participating in the program will be using it for their seminar and office hours related to the class – but that doesn’t preclude other residents from using the space for other times during the day or night. This is an enhancement to space that currently exists and will be nice for all.”

Nelson did comment that while this kind of program won’t necessarily be exciting to all, it provides unique and stimulating experiences for some.

“This is an exciting new opportunity for students,” she said. “Some will be interested and others will not; however, it is intended as another opportunity to combine classroom learning with external study and reflection on a specific scholarly area.”

 “I think this program is a great idea,” junior Albert Naim, one of the current community leaders (CL) in ResLife, said. “I think more ‘intellectual’ interactions between students will lead to more creativity and academic excellence, and I suspect this is also what Dean Nelson has in mind.”

Naim also commented on the advantages he feels this sort of program would have for its targeted age group.

“It is true that Sophomores are the most ‘neglected’ year by the school in general,” he said. “First-years get a lot of attention, Juniors usually go abroad and Seniors are busy finding jobs!”

But attention aside, Naim was hesitant to fully endorse the program.

“At the same time it does sound cliquey, and I am sure some people will apply or try some people will apply or try to join just for the Sky Suites,” Naim said.

Contact Amanda Golden at [email protected]