editorial

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Loss of Proctor Lounge a blow

For diehard fans of the Proctor Woodstove Lounge, the news of impending renovations to the aging but oddly beloved dining hall is a harsh blow. Proctor as a whole has long held a reputation as a polarizing force on campus, generating strong responses from students either enamored of or disgusted with the dining hall. The lounge especially epitomizes this polarizing dynamic.

But for many students, the lounge, and in good weather Proctor's pockmarked but expansive terrace, have long offered a much-needed alternative to the bustling interior of the College's main dining halls. Though the lounge's devotees are a dedicated minority, the space has almost effortlessly achieved what Middlebury administrators so often clamor for in social spaces. The lounge functions simultaneously as a dining hall, a meeting space, a study hall and a cozy students' living room. Students gather to read The New York Times, catch up on the latest campus gossip, cram for their next classes or enjoy a leisurely meal. In the fall and spring, the terrace has been a wonderful showcase for student musicians. Almost effortlessly - without the glitz and glamour of a new student nightclub, perhaps - the lounge has played an invaluable role in the social lives of many a Middlebury student.

We hope that, as the College forges ahead with the renovation of Proctor Dining Hall, the Dining Services, Facilities and commons teams will make concerted efforts to create makeshift spaces that will fill the void this change will leave in the Proctor dining experience. A gesture as small as moving the lounge's shabby, endearing and trademark couches and booths to an alternative location would be much appreciated. (The loft dining space in the main dining hall or the open space in the dining hall's basement would both be potential new venues.) We encourage students, too, to actively seek out or create the types of spaces that the lounge has long embodied. Fare thee well, Proctor lounge. We loved thee well.


Time for dramatic aid change

Last week's news about the 2008-2009 projected comprehensive fee was, admittedly, expected - predictable even. The annual hike is difficult to stomach, particularly as Middlebury's price tag creeps towards the daunting $50,000 mark. But the steady march towards a cool 50k seems inevitable.

Though last week's news was expected, we're ready for unexpected news from College administrators when it comes to financial aid. We can and we must do more to make college affordable to everyone. The good news, of course, is that the Middlebury Initiative - that fundraising force too often demonized by students - holds at its heart a commitment to providing generous student aid. That said, we'd like to see a more dramatic push for charitable funding. It's time for Middlebury to follow in the footsteps of the colleges and universities we call our peers. Let's open those pursestrings.