I. Call to Order 8:05 pm
II. Roll Call/Prayer
a. Present: Lindsey Grosh, Sarah Roth, Anny Smucker, Karra Black, Bess Moser, Maria Bowman, Jackson Maust, Andrew Gascho, Kim Hawks, Michael Harnish, Rebecca Stouffer, Lauren Watson, Nick Meyer, Amy Springer, Ken Nafziger, Terry Jantzi, Stephen Stauffer, Tyler Grove, Tezzia Ndandula
b. Absent: Nathan Kauffman
III. Approval of Minutes
a. Motion: Tyler Grove
i. Second: Jackson Maust
ii. Action I: Approved unanimously
IV. Announcements
a. Board Report/Thanks – Thank you for coming to the luncheon!! The Board Meeting report went very well. They were very affirming of us and what we’re doing. Their focus this meeting was the Comprehensive Campaign (raising money for the science center and other funding projects).
V. New Business
a. HTFRLL Taskforce
i. Filled out a questionnaire.
ii. Based on your written rankings, what do you like about the halls that you ranked higher and what do you dislike about the ones you ranked lower? Heating, air conditioning, lack or larger windows, space, sense of community, wear and tear of lounges and kitchens, odor
iii. What is your overall impression of EMU’s resident halls compared to other schools you’ve been to? Hollins University has bigger dorm rooms, Messiah has very nice lounge areas and in general their dorms are newer, Goshen has new dorms (connecting corridors to each dorm, computer labs in the dorm, nice lounges and rooms), Mount Vernon has big screen TV, surround sound, game cabinets in each dorm, Goshen also owns nice houses off-campus.
iv. If you thought about having either new or renovated dorms what improvements would you like to see? Adding carpet to rooms and hallways, rooms across from each other not to the outside of the building, using natural light and/or building green, wide hallways, elevators in each dorm.
v. What is needed in a dorm to help build a sense of community and a sense of interaction? Lounges (comfy couches, board games or games like Catchphrase, more counter and cupboard space to cook, curtains), more sunlight!, it’s good that the Wood’s dorms face each other (the Quad is a good thing), outside benches are nice
vi. What would you consider paying more for in the residence halls? Air conditioning, DVD players in the lounges, carpet, nicer TVs in lounges, wireless, more efficient heating control.
vii. If you had to choose living in a dorm/hall of the same class or mix of upperclassmen and lowerclassmen? Problems connecting with lower classmen, but also nice to meet different people. It’s really nice having sophomore CA’s because their friends come to the hall and the freshmen get to know them. Living with people who are going through the same adjustments and experiences in life is a good thing.
viii. Integrate academics and residence life – living and learning communities, having space for classrooms or offices in a residence hall. Or having themed residence halls? Dorms are the spaces that are homes away from homes – a good space away from learning. Having computer labs or study rooms are good, but not offices and classrooms. Have “jacks in” the room (we all heard Jackson ;-)). Professors are very accessible already; we don’t need them closer necessarily.
ix. Other comments about residence halls – changing the point system for Hillside. More options like Hillside – there is a need for more places like this.
VI. Open Floor
a. Late Night Breakfast – Monday December 10th or the 11th, 10-11 pm. Ideas for carolers or live music?
b. Blue Like Jazz – November 30th.
c. Cross Cultural Committee Meeting – Moral Judgment Survey, Foreign Language competency and if language study on CC could count for your requirements on campus, where you live right before you leave and when you come back is a concern – no housing refunds, debriefing program – there is a group set up, but no one is coming.
VII. Adjournment 9:07 pm
a. Motion: Michael Harnish
i. Second: Steven Stauffer
ii. Action II: Approved unanimously