Suggested Changes on 学生生活

While student life over the last decade has improved dramatically at AU, 学生满意度调查和学生事务处获得的众多地区和国家奖项证明了这一点, 在线赌博取消希腊制充满了更多改进的令人兴奋的可能性. It will help address the serious health and safety problems of drinking, 非法毒品, and hazing endemic to Greek life on the one hand, and on the other hand it will literally change the landscape of student housing and social life, thereby creating opportunities for the entire student body.

The other colleges studied by the Task Force reported that, as is true at Alfred, Greek houses play a prominent role in campus social life to varying degrees, 社会生活以及校外住宿是他们区别于其他学生组织的地方. Other groups have social activities, focused around academic achievement, community service, 体育运动, 宗教, or dozens of other purposes. While it is true that some affinity groups, like the 荣誉 Program, 希勒尔, and Language House, have a dedicated residence, only the Greeks combine a social focus and a house, thereby holding a unique place in student life. If our recommendation is accepted, 取消联谊会生活将在我们大学的社交和住宿生活中留下一个漏洞.

但它也创造了一个机会，通过消除希腊生活的负面影响，保留积极的一面来填补这个空缺. In keeping with the University's mission to value diversity and tolerance, and "to develop our students' ability to think critically, communicate clearly . . . [and] respond creatively to change,“特别工作组希望，根据其建议所带来的变化将集中并激励校园社区，以弥补失去的住房和社会生活，取而代之的是为尽可能多的学生而不是特定群体服务的住房和项目。, and that do so in a safe, 健康的, and economical way.

There are many factors that favor a change in student life at this time, among them:

  • A new president seeking to redefine the meaning of "an Alfred education."
  • A Board of Trustees profoundly committed to a strong future for the University.
  • 一个小型的当地社区，其经济健康状况深深依赖于大学，并渴望更多的互动.
  • Key administrators with tremendous experience, 知识, and talent dealing with residential life at a small rural campus.
  • 当前高等教育面临的财政挑战，特别是在线赌博，要求更有效和公平地利用资源.
  • The opportunity to gain increased support and respect from friends of Alfred, 校友, and the world of higher education, 他们都认为一个更有活力的生活/学习社区可以提升大学的使命.
  • 有机会继续吸引更好的学生和教师(这在我们研究的其他一些学院已经实现了).

来自其他学院和大学的报告揭示了为保持兄弟生活的优点和消除缺点而采取的某些类似行动. 在此，工作组提出了一些较好的创新和变化，作为Alfred可能实施的建议.

1)购买那些可以由大学翻新为特殊兴趣房屋或其他特殊住房需求的希腊房屋(研究生), 教师, 等.) Whether they eliminated or dramatically reformed their Greek systems, 我们研究的几乎所有大学都购买了校园内或校园附近的兄弟会和姐妹会宿舍. 他们要求希腊人住在大学宿舍，或者允许他们住在希腊人的房子里，但受到更严格的控制. 这给了其他学生团体一个平等的机会，他们被认为是更理想的校外住房，同时对希腊学生的生活条件施加更多的大学控制.

2) Increase the residency requirement to at least three and possibly four years. 很明显，学生离开家后会受益于一个更有条理的居住环境——这在希腊的房子里几乎是完全没有的. 较长的居住要求将使学生受到居住生活系统和其他关心和训练有素的成年人的指导. 应提供各种形式的住宿生活，以适应不同口味的学生的各种需求, 利益, and personal habits. (Students can always be granted releases if they earn them.)

3) Raise the standard for dorm releases. In an effort to help the Greek system financially, the University has regularly given sophomores releases to live in fraternities and sororities. 二年级学生通常不如三年级和四年级学生成熟，但他们搬进了没有成年人监督和许多分心的房子. 大学应该提高标准:要想获得居留权，学生至少应该是大三学生, have a GPA that indicates he/she can handle the academic work in the less structured environment, and have no record of serious disciplinary violations. 大学也可能会考虑取消那些不符合非盟校外生活行为标准的学生的释放.

4)为在线赌博制定一套校外住房标准，房东必须满足这些标准，否则学生将不能获准住在那里. The University should work with local landlords and the village to implement such a code, 哪一种能给学生提供更好的独立生活体验，同时又能让更多的学生融入社区. (健康 and safety inspections would, 当然, remain under the jurisdiction of local and state authorities.)

5) Expand the number of special interest houses, each with a distinctive educational focus. 这些都取得了巨大的成功，应该通过利用一些获得的兄弟会和姐妹会的房子来扩大. As in the Greek houses, 住在特殊兴趣宿舍的学生应该有机会发挥领导作用，并承担管理宿舍的责任, balancing a budget, scheduling events, and coordinating the activities and living space. 特殊兴趣屋也使那些在社交场合害羞的学生能够在共同兴趣的基础上结识朋友, 让他们有机会体验到希腊生活的优点之一——紧密联系.

6) Continue to promote community service. Another virtue of Greek life is the emphasis on community service, which will help the surrounding communities, enrich students' lives, 并且(用非盟使命宣言的话说)为“他们的成就和领导生活做好准备”." At some schools community service is a requirement for graduation.

7) Create on-campus social space that allows for alcohol consumption under tight controls. With the loss of fraternity parties, social activities will need to be restructured. It is clear from the letters and emails the Task Force received, even from those critical of Greek life, 该系统为越来越多的优秀校园活动提供了必要的社交选择. 在我们研究的20所大学中，几乎每一所大学都在校园内创建了社交空间，供任何和所有组织以先到先得的方式使用, 由第三方供应商提供酒水的空间，这些第三方供应商负责梳理学生.

These suggestions combine the best of what we read about at other colleges and our own ideas. The goals are to create a more positive student life experience, utilize University resources more effectively in the service of all the students, and support the economic vitality of the area.