<p>This note is not saying we’re dissapointed in the housing assignment my S received Sunday because you never know how things will turn out, but I do find the scholars housing decision a bit odd this year. </p>
<p>There are roughly 250-260 1st years in the Echols/Rodman scholars programs. In the recent past they have supposedly been split fairly evenly between Balz-Dobie and Watson-Webb, basically adjoining facilities with the Ern Commons inbetween. This year however (according to communications from the university yesterday), they are mainly housed in Balz-Dobie with a smaller overflow number (52) in the new 200-student Tuttle-Dunnington.</p>
<p>My S has been assigned Tuttle-Dunnington. And while this is a brand new facility and looks like it will be a beautiful residence hall, it doesn’t seem that the advertised scholars program characteristics of a “shared scholars living experience” will be the same in a residence that has 25% students in the scholars program as the facility (Balz-Dobie) that is 100% scholars students.</p>
<p>And even with the questionable decision to not evenly distribute students across two facilities (ex, 130 scholars students in each), why the move of this “overflow” to Tuttle-Dunnington instead of the closer/adjacent Watson-Webb? Obviously there must some logical reason?</p>
<p>It’s probably still all scholars by floor, which will matter more than percentages.</p>
<p>It’s possible that because a floor in W/W holds more students than a floor in T/D, they had the numbers that better aligned with T/D. Ballz-Dobie and W/W holds 220 across 6 floors whereas T/D holds 176 across 5 floors. If they could only fill 22 rooms, it seems more logical to go with the smaller-footprint building so that they can maintain a scholars-only floor without leaving more than a room empty.</p>
<p>It actually may be for the better, your S will have plenty of interaction with his fellow scholars, but can also have friends outside of the program(s). Plus, less people on a floor means less waiting for a shower!</p>
<p>@shoe - Hmmm, the floorplans I saw online showed W/W with 10 doubles sharing a bathroom while T/D shows 11 rooms sharing the same size bathroom, which looks like W/W would then be the smaller footprint. FYI, the email we received said there would be 52 scholars in T/D, so the floor size isn’t quite a match at 44, but again - I’m sure there’s logic in there somewhere. Hopefully we’ll get to see the actual floor/room and learn more when we’re there for orientation next week. The rooms are actually slightly larger in T/D which should be nice and they are listed as having 5’ tall loft beds with an extra dresser and a larger desk.</p>
<p>Haha, I was an RA in Balz-Dobie last year and had a hall that was half Echols/Rodman and half non-scholar. I’m a non-scholar myself. ANYWAY, your son isn’t being jipped out of an experience. If anything he is getting a much better experience by not being in that environment. The Echols Scholar claims to create a supportive and diverse living environment, but in reality the community is the least racially diverse on grounds, has people who gripe over every point on a test/assignment, constantly compete against each other in school and extracurriculars and bring an attitude of “I’m the best!” to their living space really a great place to live? </p>
<p>All I can say is that my hall was amazing because of both the scholar and non-scholars on it. Racially, socio-economically, interest-wise, etc. we were the most diverse and learn a lot from each other. I can safely say we more or less all learned to love and respect each other. Everyone brought something to the table. To further convince you of the competency of non-scholar students I will say that if I had to give superlatives to people on the hall, the “smartest” or “most involved” probably would’ve been given to non-scholars haha. Don’t discount the academic or, more importantly, the character depth that non-scholar students offer. </p>
<p>I leave with you with this thought, think of the Echols/Rodman Scholars program as a pre-season top 8% ranking. It is not a definitive “these people are better”. We all know from sports that the top ranking teams aren’t always the one hoisting championship at the end of the season.</p>
<p>@110, I was very careful to make sure my post did not imply any sense of superiority for scholars vs non-scholars, and there’s certainly no need to “convince me of their competency.” I’m disappointed the conversation seems to have gone in that direction. But the fact remains that a proposed shared-housing experience is a common characteristic of honors programs across the country. Its purpose isn’t to assume it puts the “smartest” people together, its purpose is to put people together who are experiencing similar programs and similar educational situations and issues. It may not provide what some people are looking for, but it may for others. That’s no different from any type of special offering. So, when a program that specifies that you cannot even request a non-scholar roommate (because it somehow changes the college’s intent of the program) then seemingly makes a change, I think it’s fair to simply question why? That’s all.</p>
<p>Nicely put grp2013.</p>
<p>I am a non-scholar, and the best part of my UVA experience was definitely living in Brown College. There were 2 students who were supposed to be living with us our first year, and were forcibly removed to be housed in echols/rodman housing. That would have been devastating to me.</p>
<p>I hope your son gets the experience he is looking for out of his living arrangement.</p>
<p>grp2013, if you truly do not have a problem concerning who your son is living with then why does this thread exist? In your post you made mention of how the Tuttle-Dunnington is a nicer, newer building so obviously the building is not your complaint. Your primary grievance seems to be WHO your son will be living with i.e, non-scholars, as evidenced by your statement of…</p>
<p>“it doesn’t seem that the advertised scholars program characteristics of a “shared scholars living experience” will be the same in a residence that has 25% students in the scholars program as the facility (Balz-Dobie) that is 100% scholars students.”</p>
<p>Seriously, how was that statement you being “very careful to make sure my post did not imply any sense of superiority for scholars vs non-scholars”? Don’t deflect this conversation taking a wrong turn on me when you are out there making threads like this. Again, if you truly had a non-issue with WHO your student was living with you would have not made this thread.</p>
<p>If it makes you feel any better your son at the very least will have a Echols/Rodman roommate and most liekly be on a hall of mostly Echols/Rodmans unless some of those Echols/Rodman had requested a <em>gasp</em> non-scholar roommate.</p>
<p>110, I do think I explained why the post exists, and why a comment about percentages of residents in one program or another is a valid program topic but does not imply “superiority” of any students over the other. My apologies if you’re not seeing that difference. I appreciate that as an RA you have a unique perspective, and I apparently touched a nerve that wasn’t intended, but please don’t twist my words to try to prove a point of view which seems to be negative towards the concept of scholars housing to begin with. </p>
<p>hazel, thanks for the thoughtful responses. My son really has no expectations for housing other than at a minimum he hopes he and his roommate get along - which seems like the right type of expectation.</p>
<p>I think this thread is valid… They promise a certain kind of experience, refuse to put you where you would rather be if you would rather not live with all scholars, and then change the game because they want to. Pretty typical UVA housing in my opinion. I still think it will be by floor but it will be interesting to see how it works out.</p>
<p>FWIW, I’m in Tuttle-Dunnington and my roommate is also a Rodman Scholar.</p>
<p>As general information, normally they only place the Rodman Scholars on certain floors. So my First-Year, there was one floor of Rodman/Echols in Balz-Dobie and then one in Watson-Webb. There were 2 other floors that were solely Echols. I’m pretty sure they are still doing that because I was at a Rodman Council meeting where they were discussing it.</p>
<p>I’m speaking about male only floors since I’m less familiar with the female floors though I bet it’s the same situation.</p>