Brainerd housing expands

Author: Andrea M. LaRocca

Changes in the upcoming room draw this year include the conversion of the top floor of Stewart Hall to substance-free, sophomore housing, an increase in Brainerd senior housing and a different format for large block draw. Last Wednesday, Andrea Baier, dean of Brainerd Commons, informed her commons in an e-mail that "there are some changes on the Brainerd real estate front."

One of the most substantial changes is the addition of sophomores to the first-year residence Stewart Hall. Middlebury College has long upheld the tradition of maintaining all first-year dorms, which are currently Battell Hall, Stewart Hall, Milliken Hall and Allen Hall. During the past few years, the College has been forced to house a limited number of first-years in upperclassman dorms such as Coffrin, but this will be the first time that they house non-first-years in first-year housing.

"Because the incoming first year class is going to be smaller next year and because Brainerd has in the past had a disproportionate number of first years, the fifth floor of Stewart will become co-ed, sub-free sophomore housing," explained Baier in her e-mail about the reasons for the conversion.

Kelly Bevere, assistant dean of the College and the housing coordinator, agreed that "essentially, we're doing this because the number of first-years next year is lower and the amount of upperclassmen is higher." According to Bevere, the change is not likely to be permanent.

Despite the break from tradition, though, Bevere said that she thinks there will be little trouble filling the new sophomore Stewart rooms during room draw. "I think they are some of the nicest rooms on campus," said Bevere. "They're really big doubles and they have beautiful skylights."

In her e-mail, Baier described the new accommodations. "On that hall are seven large, south-facing doubles, one single which has only a sky light, a lounge, one co-ed bathroom and a small kitchenette. The rooms are wonderful, and I encourage you to take a look."

But the upcoming Brainerd sophomores are not equally excited by the idea of again living in Stewart. "I wouldn't live in Stew again because I wouldn't want to be back in a freshman dorm," said Mimi Schatz '08. "Living in a freshman dorm is part of the freshman experience and to live here again would be like repeating freshman year and the whole experience again."

Brainerd Commons has also added Jewett House, a 12-person house on South Main Street and two small senior apartments across from Jewett House to their real estate options for next year. These additions will help alleviate the disproportionate distribution of senior housing amongst the commons. But according to Baier, " These apartments will be used as student housing probably only for the 2005-2006 academic year - the next year they will most likely be taken off-line."

In another e-mail last week, Bevere also informed all students of a change in large block draw for Brainerd, Cook and Wonnacott Commons. Essentially, students within these commons will be allowed to put in an application for large block draw and small block draw so that if a group does not get a large block, some of the people on the application will then be able to try for a small block.

According to Bevere, the room draw schedule has changed a little as well. "I think the biggest overall difference this year is that we've included the senior houses on the first day of draw because those are the most sought-after spaces. If students don't get a house, then they can still go into small block draw," she said.