Super block options increase

Beginning in Fall 2010, Residential Life will offer significantly more options for super block housing, allowing an unspecified number of rising juniors and seniors to be housed in groups of 5, 10, 15, 20, 24 or 30.

The new group sizes represent a substantial change from options offered in the past. For the 2008-2009 academic year, Residential Life offered only two super blocks in groups of 30 students, housed in Palmer and Brooker Houses. For the current academic year, Fletcher House, which houses 24 students, was added as an option, creating a total of three super blocks.

The variety of group sizes offered for 2010-2011, however, will provide a considerable increase in the availability of super block housing on campus.

Although Residential Life has released specific information about the possible group sizes, the exact locations of the super blocks have not been disclosed.

The reason for this, Zerrilla explained, is that Residential Life wants to ensure that students apply for housing based on their desire to share a space that would add to their common interest, instead of using super blocks as an opportunity to acquire what students could perceive as better housing.

Residence Life has already received several applications for super blocks, with proposed titles such as: Community Service, which pledges to involve members in the Middlebury community; Potluck House, which proposes to host dinners; and Music Housing, which hopes to create a space for musicians to live together.

Other ideas include: Technocracy, which hopes to provide a quiet environment for those passionate about technology; Obscure Sports, which hopes to involve residents and others in non-varsity, club, or intramural games; and The Card Sharps, a group of students who wish to play non-gambling card games. At this stage in the process, all ideas are simply proposals, and have yet to be approved by Residential Life.

Christian Woodard, a current resident of the Middlebury Mountain Club (MMC) super block housed in Brooker, explained that super blocks are “more about culture than organization.”

“[Brooker] is a perfect location to build MMC community through fireside events, film screenings, slideshows, and the low-key gatherings that make Brooker such a lively place to hang out. We’re looking forward to building even more interest and culture here. It’s time to establish the place as one of the foci of MMC happenings on campus,” said Woodard.

MMC co-president Holly O’Donnel added that “being around other MMC members all the time has allowed me to bounce off new ideas and has created a lot of new energy for the club. Many people not previously involved in MMC who lived in Brooker have started attending our board meetings regularly.”

Citing the many positive benefits of super blocks, Zerilla explained that the number of super blocks that will be awarded for next year is not specifically limited, and instead depends on “the number and strength of the applications.”

Although exact locations have not yet been specified, Zerilla emphasized that all super block housing will have a common space so that members may hold meetings or other activities. As such, applicants will not be housed in merely a group of rooms near each other inside a more traditional dormitory setting.

The super block application process began in January, when group leaders were asked to submit a pre-application. The pre-application required leaders to list a group name, a brief purpose or theme, and an intended group size. Since then, group leaders have been recruiting members for their super blocks.

The formal application, due on March 8, will require a more detailed explanation of the purpose or theme, as well as a list of all potential members. Residential Life will notify applicants of the results on March 11th. Any applicants not awarded super blocks will then have the opportunity to enter into the regular room draw.