Cook Commons First-years Move into Former Delta House

Prescott House, former home to the members of the Delta social house (ADP), is currently serving as home to Cook Commons first-year students. President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz approved the Community Council’s decision to disband the social house last May, following the Residential Life Committee’s suggestion that the house be dissolved due to failure to comply with Inter-House Council and College regulations.

The decision, which was made official just after the conclusion of last year, forced the upperclassmen students who planned to live in Prescott during the 2013-2014 academic year to seek out alternative on-campus housing options.

The house’s availability provided a solution to over-enrollment, which has resulted in a first-year class of 629 students. However, it is unlikely that the house will continue to serve as first-year housing in years to come, confirmed Associate Dean of Students for Residential Life and Student Life Policy Doug Adams. In the future, it is likely that it will be converted into special interest housing or serve as home to a new social house after the conclusion of the 2013-2014 academic year.

“The decision was about cohesion,” said Adams. “ [The administration] wanted to keep first-year students in as cohesive an environment as possible, and Prescott offered that this year.”

Adams also confirmed that the members of Delta who were to live in Prescott during the 2013-2014 academic year were notified before room draw that their ability to live in the social house would be dependant on Liebowitz’s decision, and therefore they should all participate in regular room draw process.

“They followed the same process as everyone else and were able to live anywhere that their number allowed them to,” Adams said.

Luke Battle ’14, former president of Delta, and other members did not respond to multiple requests for comment. For the first-year students, the feelings about being placed in Prescott were mixed.

“Prescott is so nice with its high ceilings and patio out back, don’t get me wrong,” said Emma Decamp ’17, a first-year currently living in Prescott. “But I think it’s better for first-years to be in big dorms with the rest of the class, in the middle of campus. Prescott is better suited for upperclassmen because some want the off-campus feel, whereas most first-years want to be in the middle of things.”

Bailey Garfield ’17, another first-year resident, said he felt that he was in an uncomfortable position.

“On one hand, I love living in Prescott, because I can really get to know all of my housemates instead of being mixed into a larger, more impersonal residence hall. On the other hand, I feel a bit uncomfortable being placed in the center of the politics between ADP and the administration,” he said. “The first-years living in the house are selected randomly, and we should not be held to blame for what happened last year.”

But Adams contested that he was only doing the best he could.

“It was the best option in a tricky situation. The College had an unexpectedly high yield for this incoming class and the Prescott location offered the best opportunity for keeping first-year students together in an intact community.”

Currently, 28 first-year students live in Prescott, as well as two First Year Counselors (FYC). Two full seminar classes are in the house, which Adams felt would add to the cohesiveness of the group.

The administration’s decision to disband Delta last spring evoked a number of different responses from the student body, but the administration maintained that the decision was the right one.

“I think the dorm damage number itself demonstrates that Delta was not contributing positively to life on campus,” said Adams. “As well as numerous student responses we received. There is definitely a small group of students that wants that type of social interaction, but it is not everyone.”

“Students are responsible for creating opportunities for a positive campus social life,” Adams continued. “Only students can do that.”