[103] in UA Discuss
Re: Proposal to allow FSILG housing of second semester freshmen.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ashley Nash)
Sat Jan 2 14:19:38 2010
In-Reply-To: <4B3F92F9.7080701@mit.edu>
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2010 14:19:34 -0500
From: Ashley Nash <trashleynash@gmail.com>
To: Tim Stumbaugh <stum@mit.edu>
Cc: UA Discuss <ua-discuss@mit.edu>, Brian Neltner <neltnerb@mit.edu>
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I think that letting freshman live off campus for the second semester is
helpful even though it doesn't address the first semester problem. As you
pointed out, some freshmen move into their FSILG anyway either during the
first term or for the second term, and this is somewhat problematic for the
dorm and the FSILG. Some dorms have empty slots that they cannot fill
because MIT believes that they are already full, so other dorms are crowded
while some dorms have empty beds.
Also, the FSILGs can't collect as much revenue as they otherwise would, and
some of them are hurting financially since they cannot fill all of their
slots. Letting freshman move off campus would help the crowding problem a
little bit, even if it is only legitimizing something that already happens.
That being said, saying it happens anyway and we may as well legitimize it
is a bad idea.
Ashley
On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 1:39 PM, Tim Stumbaugh <stum@mit.edu> wrote:
> This has been floating around the dorm lists, so I thought I'd bring it up
> here.
>
> My thoughts on this are that while it is a good idea, it doesn't really
> address the issue of crowding since freshmen will still live on campus their
> first semester. MIT will probably not go back to freshmen being allowed to
> live in FSILGs first semester for a /very/ long time, if ever, but I think
> that this is a good thing, since it's important for freshmen to have a
> community outside of an FSILG.
> This ... sort of happens already, just unofficially (and with an
> empty/underoccupied room as the result).
>
> UA types (including Senate members), what are your thoughts on this?
>
> Brian, have you talked with the FSILG office/other members of RLA, the AILG
> or IFC/Panhel/LGC about this?
>
> [For full disclosure, Brian was a member of TEP while an undergraduate]
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Proposal to allow FSILG housing of second semester freshmen.
> Date: Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:14:50 -0500
> From: Brian Neltner <neltnerb@MIT.EDU>
> To: bc-talk@mit.edu
>
> Dear Burton Conner Residents,
>
> A group of alumni has put together a proposal to ask MIT to allow
> second-semester freshmen to live in FSILGs (Fraternities, Sororities,
> and Independent Living Groups). I know that to many of you this will
> feel irrelevant to your lives, but it *does* affect dorm residents.
>
> The full proposal can be found at:
> http://fsilg-housing.org/
>
> MIT is considering increasing enrollment, which will unquestionably
> result in overcrowding (even more than is currently in place). By
> allowing freshmen to live in FSILGs, MIT can increase enrollment without
> increasing crowding -- and overcrowding negatively effects the quality
> of life of anyone in a dorm.
>
> From a more philosophical point of view, it's not very reasonable for
> freshmen -- adults -- to be prevented from living with their support
> community. I'm sure many of you understand how difficult the first
> semester on grades is, and understand how awful it would be/is to be
> going through that without being able to live with your emotional and
> social support community, whether that community is a particular suite,
> a dorm hall, a fraternity, sorority, an ILG, or even an apartment.
>
> With that in mind, I hope that you will consider signing this proposal,
> as well as forwarding it to your alumni list, if you have one, or invite
> your friends on facebook to join our advocacy group "Allow FSILGs to
> house second-semester freshmen."
>
> The proposal can be found at:
> http://fsilg-housing.org/
>
> Thank you for your time, and I hope everyone has a wonderful IAP!
> Brian Neltner
> Class of 2005 -- Course 3 and 8
> Current PhD -- Course 3
>
>
> --
> -Tim
> "It's a picture of perfection."
>
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I think that letting freshman live off campus for the second semester is he=
lpful even though it doesn't address the first semester problem. =A0As =
you pointed out, some freshmen move into their FSILG anyway either during t=
he first term or for the second term, and this is somewhat problematic for =
the dorm and the FSILG. =A0Some dorms have empty slots that they cannot fil=
l because MIT believes that they are already full, so other dorms are crowd=
ed while some dorms have empty beds.=A0<div>
<br></div><div>Also, the FSILGs can't collect as much revenue as they o=
therwise would, and some of them are hurting financially since they cannot =
fill all of their slots. Letting freshman move off campus would help the cr=
owding problem a little bit, even if it is only legitimizing something that=
already happens. =A0That being said, saying it happens anyway and we may a=
s well legitimize it is a bad idea. =A0</div>
<div><br></div><div>Ashley<br><div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sat, J=
an 2, 2010 at 1:39 PM, Tim Stumbaugh <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailt=
o:stum@mit.edu">stum@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"=
gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-=
left:1ex;">
This has been floating around the dorm lists, so I thought I'd bring it=
up here.<br>
<br>
My thoughts on this are that while it is a good idea, it doesn't really=
address the issue of crowding since freshmen will still live on campus the=
ir first semester. MIT will probably not go back to freshmen being allowed =
to live in FSILGs first semester for a /very/ long time, if ever, but I thi=
nk that this is a good thing, since it's important for freshmen to have=
a community outside of an FSILG.<br>
This ... sort of happens already, just unofficially (and with an empty/unde=
roccupied room as the result).<br>
<br>
UA types (including Senate members), what are your thoughts on this?<br>
<br>
Brian, have you talked with the FSILG office/other members of RLA, the AILG=
or IFC/Panhel/LGC about this?<br>
<br>
[For full disclosure, Brian was a member of TEP while an undergraduate]<br>
<br>
-------- Original Message --------<br>
Subject: Proposal to allow FSILG housing of second semester freshmen.<br>
Date: Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:14:50 -0500<br>
From: Brian Neltner <<a href=3D"mailto:neltnerb@MIT.EDU" target=3D"_blan=
k">neltnerb@MIT.EDU</a>><br>
To: <a href=3D"mailto:bc-talk@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">bc-talk@mit.edu</a=
><br>
<br>
Dear Burton Conner Residents,<br>
<br>
A group of alumni has put together a proposal to ask MIT to allow<br>
second-semester freshmen to live in FSILGs (Fraternities, Sororities,<br>
and Independent Living Groups). I know that to many of you this will<br>
feel irrelevant to your lives, but it *does* affect dorm residents.<br>
<br>
The full proposal can be found at:<br>
<a href=3D"http://fsilg-housing.org/" target=3D"_blank">http://fsilg-housin=
g.org/</a><br>
<br>
MIT is considering increasing enrollment, which will unquestionably<br>
result in overcrowding (even more than is currently in place). By<br>
allowing freshmen to live in FSILGs, MIT can increase enrollment without<br=
>
increasing crowding -- and overcrowding negatively effects the quality<br>
of life of anyone in a dorm.<br>
<br>
From a more philosophical point of view, it's not very reasonable for<b=
r>
freshmen -- adults -- to be prevented from living with their support<br>
community. I'm sure many of you understand how difficult the first<br>
semester on grades is, and understand how awful it would be/is to be<br>
going through that without being able to live with your emotional and<br>
social support community, whether that community is a particular suite,<br>
a dorm hall, a fraternity, sorority, an ILG, or even an apartment.<br>
<br>
With that in mind, I hope that you will consider signing this proposal,<br>
as well as forwarding it to your alumni list, if you have one, or invite<br=
>
your friends on facebook to join our advocacy group "Allow FSILGs to<b=
r>
house second-semester freshmen."<br>
<br>
The proposal can be found at:<br>
<a href=3D"http://fsilg-housing.org/" target=3D"_blank">http://fsilg-housin=
g.org/</a><br>
<br>
Thank you for your time, and I hope everyone has a wonderful IAP!<br>
Brian Neltner<br>
Class of 2005 -- Course 3 and 8<br>
Current PhD -- Course 3<br><font color=3D"#888888">
<br>
<br>
-- <br>
-Tim<br>
"It's a picture of perfection."<br>
</font></blockquote></div><br></div></div>
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