Council Leak Confirms ADP's 'Uncertain' Future

Author: Claire Bourne

A Community Council member leaked confidential information concerning the future of the Alpha Delta Phi (ADP) social house to house members following the Council's March 18 closed executive session, during which the Community Council subcommittee on social and academic interest houses suggested that ADP might be disbanded at the end of the semester.

Dean of Student Affairs and Co-chair of Community Council Ann Hanson said that Council leadership was "not sure" who was responsible for disclosing the subcommittee's recommendation to ADP, but added, "We are looking into the breach of confidentiality."

Director of the Center for Campus Activities and Leadership Doug Adams, who also chairs the subcommittee, declined to comment.

ADP President Bob Wainwright '03 said that house members "are aware that the future of ADP is uncertain."

"Everyone is very disappointed," remarked Katie Simpson '03, an ADP member. "We really are a family, and it is a shame that that may be taken away from us."

Wainwright, along with other house leaders, will attend a Community Council meeting sometime in the next few weeks to hear and discuss the Council's final recommendation.

Hanson said that the Council wanted to be "organized and focused" in its discussions with house leadership. "This premature release of the recommendations has resulted in a response from ADP before we have fully focused and pinpointed our areas of concern," she explained.

"Our members are serious about doing what must be done in order to reaffirm the house's place within the community," Wainwright stated.

"While we regret the problems we have had in the past, we do believe that there can be a bright future for our house and for the social house system in general," he continued.

The subcommittee recently completed its annual review of Middlebury College's six social houses and is now in the process of presenting its findings to Community Council. Once the Council has had an opportunity to discuss the subcommittee's recommendations and to consult house presidents, the final proposals — whether to grant the house "permanent" status, to place it on "provisional" status and issue stipulations or to terminate it altogether — will be sent to Acting President Ronald Liebowitz for final approval.

ADP was placed on "provisional" status last spring. Greater gender equality in house leadership, a reduction in dorm damage and increased participation in community service projects were among the subcommittee's recommendations for the house.

"Given the fact that the house has been on provisional status the entire year, we have been well aware of the various positions that the social house review committee could take," Wainwright said. "We hope that Community Council will acknowledge our efforts to address each of the issues that were brought up by the subcommittee last spring."

Wainwright noted that women currently hold nine of ADP's 16 leadership positions, including treasurer. "I'm not positive the administration has recognized this fact," he said.

In terms of community service, Wainwright pointed out that since the beginning of the semester the house has participated in the Proctor dishwashing program, raised money for Operation Smile and "made a house gift" of four daffodil baskets for the American Cancer Society's Daffodil Day. He added that house members are "gearing up" for the MS Walk, an event to benefit Multiple Sclerosis research.

According to Assistant Director for Custodial Services Linda Ross, dorm damage still remains a significant problem in the ADP house. Between Sept. 24 and Dec. 11, 2001, the house accrued $2,483 worth of damage. From Jan. 7 to March 19 of this year, Facilities Management billed the house $2,049.77 for damaged property. "Unless the house curbs this type of activity," said Ross, "the final number for this semester will exceed that from last semester."

Nonetheless, Ross commended the house's new leadership, which took office in January, for being "responsive" and for fostering a "good relationship" with the Facilities Management staff.

"Over the past few months, the dorm damage issue has been at the forefront of ADP's agenda," Wainwright said.

In addition to the subcommittee's recommendations, ADP came under heavy scrutiny last fall after a member of its pledge class exposed himself at the Homecoming football game halftime show. The College suspended social house pledge events for two days following the episode.

While acknowledging that "there continues to be a great amount of work to be done to improve our standing within the College community," Wainwright also stressed "the great deal of work that needs to be done by both the leaders of the social houses and the administrators that work closely with them in order to develop a greater understanding of what role the social houses play within the Middlebury community."