Language Houses Approved

Author: Caroline S. Stauffer

Proposals for the new Arabic and Portuguese language houses have been endorsed unanimously by the Community Council and accepted by President Ronald D. Liebowitz.

The houses, the only new academic interest houses in recent years, will be located at 131 Franklin and 232 College Street for the 2005-2006 academic year. Both locations were recently purchased by Middlebury College.

Community Council voted on the proposal for the formation of a Portuguese house, submitted by Patrick Swan '08, and the Arabic house, submitted by Sean Lena '06, before Spring Break. "We were concerned that the issue be resolved before Room Draw," Dean of the College Tim Spears said.

Spears was "pleased by the amount of enthusiasm with which Community Council endorsed the proposals." He attributed this enthusiasm to the fact that "both groups of students did a really stellar job presenting the proposals."

Spears recognized that students could potentially be reluctant to support the addition of new academic interest houses in light of the demand for more senior houses. Because the two houses are new, however, the new academic interest houses will not take away current housing options.

The houses are "set aside for next year, with the understanding that we have them on a year-to-year basis," Spears said. "Ultimately, they may become faculty housing."

He noted that fluctuating levels of interest are characteristic of all academic interest houses.

"We're starting small," Spears said. "The houses have space for two to three students and a T.A."

Spears noted that the Portuguese language program is still emerging and is not yet an official department. Therefore, there is currently no place to develop the Portuguese language and culture, though the establishment of the new Portuguese House should remedy this. Visiting Instructor in Spanish and Latin American Studies Kirsten Ernst, the only faculty member devoted full time to Portuguese, will serve as the Faculty Advisor for the house.

The Arabic program at the College, according to Spears, is "a little farther along."

"Our goal is to make the Arabic House both the social and academic hub for the Arabic program at Midd," Lena said. "The house will be a place where students can connect with Arabic outside the classroom through parties, coffee houses, films, lectures and other community outreach activities. We hope that in the future the Arabic house will become an active and vital part of the Middlebury community."

Spears also revealed a plan to move the German language house to the Deanery next to The Blue Hen Store.

Katy and Steve Abbott, the Faculty Heads of Ross Commons and current residents of the Deanery, will move into Blinn Lane House behind Ross Dining Hall. The expansion of the German house is possible due to a grant from the Kade Foundation, but the move will most likely not be complete until fall 2006.