No "All-Freshman Dorms"

[UVADeanJ]

<p>I see both sides of this discussion. Before my admission days, I worked at a school that mixed first and second years in traditional halls. I thought it was a great idea and rarely saw much segregation between the classes (even when the students moved on to apartments). Sophomores seemed to take the first years “under their wings” and looked forward to showing the new students the ropes. It was almost like an unofficial big brother/big sister program. </p>

<p>Now, I also worked at a school that had “single class” buildings for first and second years, except for three buildings. I was the hall director for those buildings and there was much discontent due to (in my opinion) the lack of consistency across all the halls. No matter how many times I told freshmen how lucky they were to have some sophomores around, they could only focus on how their situation was different from the rest. Sophomores were annoyed by their assignment to the mixed hall and ignored the first years. </p>

<p>Basically, both styles can be great, but I think schools should be consistent, especially with freshmen.</p>

<p>Interestingly, there’s a story in The Times about a new mixed used residence hall at Barnard.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/30/realestate/30barnard.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/30/realestate/30barnard.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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In Morningside Heights, Barnard College recently built what is believed to be one of the first multiuse college dormitories in the country, where faculty members will not only live in the same building with 90 students but occupy the same floors and share laundry facilities and common space.</p>

<p>Besides the space for students and professors, the building, which is 15 stories tall in its highest section, also includes separate private residences (25 condominiums), as well as two ground-floor spaces for businesses and even a community garden.

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