The Ethicist

Author: Amanda Greene

Most of the time, I think that Middlebury students are friendly. If I were a tour guide I know I would rave about how easy it is to get to know your classmates, how Middlebury feels like an extended family and how students are eager to help each other out with schoolwork. But what about when Middlebury students aren't friendly? What should you do when your neighbor from freshman year passes you on the way to McCullough? If he doesn't say react to your presence are you obligated to say hello?

Yes! This is Middlebury, not New York City. You aren't anonymous. Cars stop for pedestrians and students are expected to take the extra effort to acknowledge their peers and their community. You don't have to stalk someone down if he's walking hundreds of feet away from you, but if your paths crosses with someone you are familiar with, know through a friend, or recognize - say something! Please!

I know I've written about this topic before, and feel a bit silly repeating myself, but I'm writing about students' shyness because I have been approached by individuals who don't know how to react to such encounters. People have told them they've been flustered, confused, disappointed and hurt. Think of it this way: Boy passes the Girl who sits across from him in Econ class, and doesn't say hi to her because he's worried that she won't recognize him, or he's afraid that she'll think he's being too forward. Girl from Econ class misinterprets Boy's shyness for coldness and, compounding off her own college typical insecurities, thinks that she has been slighted by Boy. The egocentrism of boy and girl have produced a situation where both individuals feel uncomfortable. This mishap could have been avoided if either boy or girl had taken the initiative to say a simple hello. If you can't muster up the energy to say hello, at least rustle up a smile.

And now for this week's question:

Q: I've stumbled upon the knowledge that certain individuals are living in places different from where they drew into during room draw. The locations that these individuals are living in are extremely desirable, and I have a number of friends who abided by the room draw system and did not get awarded rooms in locations they wanted. What should I do with this information? Am I obligated to tell someone?

- Confused-by-Change

A: At this point in the academic year, I wouldn't advise revealing names to the administration. Students are settled into their dorm rooms and the damage of individuals manipulating the system to get desirable rooms has already been done. The problem here lies more with the room draw system and how housing is assigned. For housing to be fair, there should not be loopholes for students to manipulate. Attention should be paid to who is living where, and the students should get caught if they initially try to swap numbers. I would recommend talking to your dean and the administration about the room changes that happen at the College, so that the room draw can be amended to prevent students from cheating the system in the future. This way, your concerns will be voiced without you directly tattling on your classmates.

Want to consult the ethicist? Send submissions to amgreene@middlebury.edu.