Sigma Moo awaiting green light

Author: Scott Greene

Middlebury College's on-campus social scene may soon welcome new blood in the coming weeks as a newly proposed social house awaits approval from the College administration. Already blessed with the backing of several key groups and the rest of the social house committee, the new organization's approval appears imminent.

Matt Doyle '08.5, the brainchild of the organization, cited the recent decline in the quality of on-campus social life as the main reason for wanting to start a new social house.

"That's not to say that there aren't still fun times to be had, but they seem to be few and far between," Doyle said. "Corey [Reich '08, vice president of the house] and I still think that Middlebury's campus still has potential to be a lot of fun. It just needs an infusion of new energy. We hope to be that."

Doyle, who submitted the proposal for the house along with Reich after a successful online petitioning campaign, said that he had to wait until this fall to receive approval for the house because he started the application process too late last year.

"It is merely a formality," Doyle said.

Reich agreed.

"Hopefully we can get the house fully approved this semester, have an inaugural class next semester and a house by next year," he said.

With social life moving away from dorms and houses around College Street and towards off-campus locations, the College administration is searching for ways to safely contain student partying. The idea of a new social house reinforces that aim.

"From what we've heard so far, the administration is in favor of a new house," Doyle said. "They obviously realize that keeping parties on campus as opposed to off is both in their favor and the students. Social houses provide that opportunity."

Doyle claimed that his proposal had already garnered the backing of the Community Council, which has put the issue on its agenda for its first meeting. Last year's Community Council engaged in a lot of discussions about social houses, according to Dean of the College Tim Spears.

"This particular petition should be discussed in relation to the larger issue, which is what we want to do about the social houses," Spears said.

Spears cautioned that the weakening role of social houses within the larger realm of student activity means that the proposal will have to be taken seriously.

"The administration's take on social houses has been to provide support that meets student interest," Spears said. "That's complicated." He added that the administration has considered centralizing and consolidating the social houses as a way to reinvigorate them.

Petitioning began in early spring and though Doyle and Reich are the only official members, over 60 people have signed the petition and an additional 30 have expressed direct interest.

The new organization will be called Sigma Moo in an effort to reference Vermont's agriculture and economy, according to Doyle.If Sigma Moo receives administration approval, it will then look to find an actual house to move into if it gains residential status. Fletcher House has been named numerous times by the Social House Committee as a possible location because it used to house one of Middlebury's fraternities and does not require a large membership to be occupied at capacity, according to Doyle.

"That being said, if we grow as we hope to, perhaps in the next three to four years we may end up having one of the houses originally intended for social house use," Doyle said. "As it stands right now we hope to be living in Fletcher by next fall, with an outside chance of some of us living there this spring."

For now Doyle awaits official approval from both the Community Council and its Budget Committee, having already received the blessings of other social houses and the Center for Campus Activities and Leadership (CCAL).

"I believe that the system would benefit from an additional social house," Director of CCAL Doug Adams said. "There are many variables that will be considered including the viability of the house, number of students interested in living together and belonging to the house, the gender equity of the membership, and the mission and purpose of the organization."

In the meantime, the biggest challenge will be attracting new members. "Frankly, I think that the social houses get a bad rap," Doyle said. "Too often they are not given a fair chance, but I have had some of my most fun experiences at the social houses. I think there is still a demand for the social houses, but people don't know which house they 'fit into.' Since Sigma Moo doesn't have any history, hopefully we can offer a new opportunity to those who want it."

Sigma Moo's proposal also includes several plans to become more involved with the town of Middlebury, including a safe ride program for Middlebury Union High School and supporting a local charity. Either way, Doyle hopes that Sigma Moo can be a breath of fresh air for the entire social fabric of both the College and the town of Middlebury itself.

"Our goals are simple," Doyle said. "We want to provide a new, safe outlet for Middlebury's students to enjoy themselves, as well as re-invigorate the social house system as a whole."