2008 Woodie Awards
ResLife treating residents like juvenile delinquents, not students
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: Opinion
Dear Editor,
Kudos to last issue's columnist and her revelation regarding the importance of Residence Life on campus! Her rhetoric was intriguing, and although it was not entirely persuasive, the column made for a fine personal narrative and a nice piece of pro-Residence Life propaganda.
I am writing to allay the columnist's intense confusion regarding ResLife's "bad rep" on campus; that is, I want to explain "when and why Residence Life has become a favorite target of ridicule among Ripon College students." According to your columnist, the anti-ResLife sentiment on campus is unjustifiable. I find that she is mistaken.
I should say that I do find some truth in the idea that the student body's negativity toward ResLife is something new and developing. I do believe that there has always been a certain amount of tension between the students and Residence Life, but I am also aware that this problem is worse now than it has ever been in the past. Over the last three to four years, especially, the student-Residence Life relationship has degraded and degenerated. This decline represents and parallels a change in administration and the appointment of Josh De War as Director of Residence Life. With his appointment, the strategy that Residence Life uses in responding to students has changed drastically. It has become much more unilateral, much more authoritarian and very much less human. Over the last four years, ResLife has become much less ashamed of imposing on the freedoms of college residents. It has become obsessed with maintaining an image that, coincidentally, is very much described in the column that I am addressing.
ResLife has become obsessed with the idea that it is "noble" and "self-sacrificing" to put the kibosh on anything mildly mischievous that happens on campus. This idea is self-defeating, though, as ResLife's attempts to squash this mischief has somehow become more of an attempt to thwart social life on campus. Over the last four years, write-ups have become more persistent and less negotiable. As a result, the idea of social life on campus has begun to change. Students are becoming more and more accustomed to drinking and partying in closed environments, like single rooms with closed doors. They are also becoming more and more hesitant to socialize in large groups in areas such as hallways, lounges and outside of the dorms. These changes arise as a direct result of the deterioration of trust between students and Residence Life. The students are afraid, and reasonably so. It has become almost impossible to socialize in public without receiving a reprimand. Safety exists only behind locked doors. The Gestapo is back.
I also think it is important to point out that, many times, the anti-Residence Life sentiment of the student body is targeted not at the RAs (as your columnist assumes), but rather at the Residence Life directors. Many students, in fact, have fine relationships with their RAs. I am one of them. Besides, it would be pointless to get upset with pawns when the real problem lies in the shady and self-righteous conduct of the Chess Master.
This, however, isn't to say that RAs are entirely blameless. RAs can be just as conniving and heartless as they can be noble and self-sacrificing. They are not the superheroes that last issue's columnist makes them out to be. An anecdote: I had an interesting experience over Fall Break in which an RA headed me off at a propped door, and closed it before I could get there, leaving me locked outside. He didn't seem to feel guilty about this.
My point is that the negativity toward Residence Life isn't as unjustified as your columnist has made it seem. It is difficult for students to identify with and appreciate a group of people who we do not find trustworthy. The student body's criticism and ridicule of ResLife has only grown more prominent as a result of our victimization, and over the last three years, that victimization has grown very much more - significantly more - ridiculous. Throughout the last three years, Residence Life has assumed a very fundamentalist mentality, and in doing so have apparently lost the ability to interpret our handbook. As a result, it often hands out punishments that are logically unjustifiable and exaggerated. Students at any university, paying any amount of money to attend that institution, shouldn't be treated as Residence Life has begun to treat our student body - like juvenile delinquents. And I believe that answers the 'when' and 'why' in regards to the students' attitudes toward Residence Life.
One more thing: I find that it is very rare that an RA is the individual responsible for cleaning up a resident's vomit. This duty, most frequently, falls on our wonderful cleaning ladies. I don't think it is fair to designate credit where it is not entirely due.
Colton Gigot
Sophomore
Kudos to last issue's columnist and her revelation regarding the importance of Residence Life on campus! Her rhetoric was intriguing, and although it was not entirely persuasive, the column made for a fine personal narrative and a nice piece of pro-Residence Life propaganda.
I am writing to allay the columnist's intense confusion regarding ResLife's "bad rep" on campus; that is, I want to explain "when and why Residence Life has become a favorite target of ridicule among Ripon College students." According to your columnist, the anti-ResLife sentiment on campus is unjustifiable. I find that she is mistaken.
I should say that I do find some truth in the idea that the student body's negativity toward ResLife is something new and developing. I do believe that there has always been a certain amount of tension between the students and Residence Life, but I am also aware that this problem is worse now than it has ever been in the past. Over the last three to four years, especially, the student-Residence Life relationship has degraded and degenerated. This decline represents and parallels a change in administration and the appointment of Josh De War as Director of Residence Life. With his appointment, the strategy that Residence Life uses in responding to students has changed drastically. It has become much more unilateral, much more authoritarian and very much less human. Over the last four years, ResLife has become much less ashamed of imposing on the freedoms of college residents. It has become obsessed with maintaining an image that, coincidentally, is very much described in the column that I am addressing.
ResLife has become obsessed with the idea that it is "noble" and "self-sacrificing" to put the kibosh on anything mildly mischievous that happens on campus. This idea is self-defeating, though, as ResLife's attempts to squash this mischief has somehow become more of an attempt to thwart social life on campus. Over the last four years, write-ups have become more persistent and less negotiable. As a result, the idea of social life on campus has begun to change. Students are becoming more and more accustomed to drinking and partying in closed environments, like single rooms with closed doors. They are also becoming more and more hesitant to socialize in large groups in areas such as hallways, lounges and outside of the dorms. These changes arise as a direct result of the deterioration of trust between students and Residence Life. The students are afraid, and reasonably so. It has become almost impossible to socialize in public without receiving a reprimand. Safety exists only behind locked doors. The Gestapo is back.
I also think it is important to point out that, many times, the anti-Residence Life sentiment of the student body is targeted not at the RAs (as your columnist assumes), but rather at the Residence Life directors. Many students, in fact, have fine relationships with their RAs. I am one of them. Besides, it would be pointless to get upset with pawns when the real problem lies in the shady and self-righteous conduct of the Chess Master.
This, however, isn't to say that RAs are entirely blameless. RAs can be just as conniving and heartless as they can be noble and self-sacrificing. They are not the superheroes that last issue's columnist makes them out to be. An anecdote: I had an interesting experience over Fall Break in which an RA headed me off at a propped door, and closed it before I could get there, leaving me locked outside. He didn't seem to feel guilty about this.
My point is that the negativity toward Residence Life isn't as unjustified as your columnist has made it seem. It is difficult for students to identify with and appreciate a group of people who we do not find trustworthy. The student body's criticism and ridicule of ResLife has only grown more prominent as a result of our victimization, and over the last three years, that victimization has grown very much more - significantly more - ridiculous. Throughout the last three years, Residence Life has assumed a very fundamentalist mentality, and in doing so have apparently lost the ability to interpret our handbook. As a result, it often hands out punishments that are logically unjustifiable and exaggerated. Students at any university, paying any amount of money to attend that institution, shouldn't be treated as Residence Life has begun to treat our student body - like juvenile delinquents. And I believe that answers the 'when' and 'why' in regards to the students' attitudes toward Residence Life.
One more thing: I find that it is very rare that an RA is the individual responsible for cleaning up a resident's vomit. This duty, most frequently, falls on our wonderful cleaning ladies. I don't think it is fair to designate credit where it is not entirely due.
Colton Gigot
Sophomore
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 5
Alumni
posted 11/02/07 @ 3:12 PM CST
I think it is funny that Mr. Gigot states things like "With his appointment, the strategy that Residence Life uses in responding to students has changed drastically. (Continued…)
Ripon Alum
posted 11/06/07 @ 9:47 PM CST
I remember there being a more easygoing and understanding res-life staff when I attended. Ken C was stern but fair. In my experiences working with Mr. (Continued…)
Alumna
posted 1/12/08 @ 2:37 AM CST
The last sentence about cleaning up vomit is worth notice. Why should "our wonderful cleaning ladies" have to deal with that? If you're irresponsible enough to drink until you puke or pee in a public place, at least have the decency to clean up after yourself. (Continued…)
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