[104] in UA Discuss
Re: Proposal to allow FSILG housing of second semester freshmen.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Spencer Williams)
Sat Jan 2 15:03:40 2010
In-Reply-To: <2a9ffd211001021119w7eb7bfcbnde8f334b9f51caf1@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2010 12:03:34 -0800
From: Spencer Williams <spencer8@MIT.EDU>
To: Ashley Nash <trashleynash@gmail.com>
Cc: Tim Stumbaugh <stum@mit.edu>, UA Discuss <ua-discuss@mit.edu>,
Brian Neltner <neltnerb@mit.edu>
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I am in agreement that second-semester freshman should be allowed to live
off-campus. First semester provides freshman with an opportunity to
assimilate into MIT's culture and form friendships outside of their
respective FSILGs. However, by second semester, many freshman, especially
those in fraternities, are ready to move off-campus, and frequently do
so despite MIT's policy. This places the FSILGs in the uncomfortable
position of having to choose between the desires of their freshman members
and those of MIT, while at the same time the dorms are left with empty beds
that could be used to house actual bodies instead of just names.
The problem I foresee, then, is how MIT plans to accommodate the increased
enrollment first semester when all freshman would be living on campus? One
possibility is to allow freshman to move off campus during their first
semester, though this option is likely to be strongly opposed.
Another possibility that has been mentioned before is to no longer guarantee
housing for juniors and seniors, however, this is an option, like the first,
that is likely to be widely contested.
Either way, if MIT plans on increasing enrollment, allowing freshman to move
off-campus second semester is a step in the right direction.
-Spencer Williams
On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 11:19 AM, Ashley Nash <trashleynash@gmail.com> wrote:
> 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."
>>
>
>
--
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Class of 2011
Department of Economics | Sloan School of Management
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<div>I am in agreement that second-semester freshman should be allowed to l=
ive off-campus. First semester provides freshman with an opportunity to ass=
imilate into MIT's culture and form friendships outside of their respec=
tive FSILGs. However, by second semester, many freshman, especially those i=
n fraternities, are ready to move off-campus, and frequently do so=A0despit=
e MIT's policy. This places the FSILGs in the uncomfortable position of=
having to choose between the desires of their freshman members and those o=
f=A0MIT, while at the same time the dorms are left with empty beds that cou=
ld be used to house=A0actual bodies=A0instead of just names.</div>
<div>=A0</div>
<div>The problem I foresee, then, is how MIT plans to accommodate the incre=
ased enrollment first semester when all freshman would be living on campus?=
One possibility=A0is to allow freshman to move off campus during their fir=
st semester, though this option is likely to be strongly opposed. Another=
=A0possibility that has been mentioned before=A0is to=A0no longer guarantee=
housing for juniors and seniors, however,=A0this is an option, like the fi=
rst, that is=A0likely to be widely contested.</div>
<div>=A0</div>
<div>Either way, if MIT plans on increasing enrollment, allowing freshman t=
o move off-campus second semester is a step in the right direction.</div>
<div>=A0</div>
<div>-Spencer Williams=A0<br><br></div>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 11:19 AM, Ashley Nash <sp=
an dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:trashleynash@gmail.com">trashleynash@g=
mail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex=
; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class=3D"gmail_quote">I think that letting freshman li=
ve off campus for the second semester is helpful even though it doesn't=
address the first semester problem. =A0As you pointed out, some freshmen m=
ove 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. =A0Some =
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 b=
eds.=A0=20
<div><br></div>
<div>Also, the FSILGs can't collect as much revenue as they otherwise w=
ould, and some of them are hurting financially since they cannot fill all o=
f their slots. Letting freshman move off campus would help the crowding pro=
blem a little bit, even if it is only legitimizing something that already h=
appens. =A0That being said, saying it happens anyway and we may as well leg=
itimize it is a bad idea. =A0</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font color=3D"#888888">Ashley</font>=20
<div>
<div></div>
<div class=3D"h5"><br>
<div><br>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 1:39 PM, Tim Stumbaugh <s=
pan dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:stum@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">stum@=
mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex=
; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class=3D"gmail_quote">This has been floating around th=
e 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 is=
sue of crowding since freshmen will still live on campus their first semest=
er. MIT will probably not go back to freshmen being allowed to live in FSIL=
Gs 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 ou=
tside 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 FSIL=
G 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 FS=
ILG 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" targe=
t=3D"_blank">bc-talk@mit.edu</a><br><br>Dear Burton Conner Residents,<br><b=
r>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>an=
d 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 f=
ull 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 unqu=
estionably<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<br>
freshmen -- adults -- to be prevented from living with their support<br>com=
munity. I'm sure many of you understand how difficult the first<br>seme=
ster on grades is, and understand how awful it would be/is to be<br>going t=
hrough 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>W=
ith 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<=
br>house second-semester freshmen."<br><br>The proposal can be found a=
t:<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 wonder=
ful 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></div></div>=
</blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>Massachusetts Institute=
of Technology Class of 2011<br>
Department of Economics | Sloan School of Management<br>
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