House Intern selection dissatisfies some residents

Nola Solomon Guest Writer

Residential Life chose to select a non-internal candidate for the position of Josselyn House Intern for 2005-2006. This decision prompted discontent from some Joss residents last week.

“I don’t think it’s fair to Joss residents, since [non-Joss residents] do not have the exact concerns that we have,” said Josselyn resident Lisa Berotti ’08. “I don’t understand why they wouldn’t let someone from Joss do it…Residential Life should take into account that people from the dorm know more about the dorm.”

“I completely understand the hurt Joss residents would feel, because it’s not an internal candidate,” said Director of Residential Life Luis Inoa. “Putting aside whether there were internal candidates or not…there are not internal House Interns for Strong, Jewett, or Lathrop.”

House Interns work with Student Fellows and Community Fellows and help plan dorm events. “A House Intern is the fellow to the Student Fellows,” said Main House Intern Stephen Evans ’07. “We work very closely with the House Advisor and dorm president.” In order to apply for the House Intern position, a person must have one year of Residential Life experience as a Student or Community Fellow. The application process includes multiple interviews, and the applicant must rank three potential dorms for their house internship, although the decision of placement is ultimately left up to Residential Life. “If the person is right for the position, everything else falls in place,” said Evans.

Before the Davison Student Fellow Kara Block ’08 was selected, three Josselyn student fellows applied for the same position, according to Joss House Intern Jacob Shiffrin ’07.
The house advisor, the house fellows, the current house intern, and other student fellows interviewed the three student fellows for the same position and later shared their comments about the candidates with Inoa and the other House Advisors. However, when Block was announced as the new Josselyn House Intern, Shiffrin said he was surprised. Inoa said that the specific situation resulted in the selection.

“It’s like dominoes,” said Inoa. “In Josselyn there were a set of circumstances that we had to deal with. It’s much more about Kara than the individuals that didn’t get it.” He went on to say that the eight other houses have not expressed diasaproval with the selections. “I met with the house interns, and there was general satisfaction with how the selection went,” said Inoa.

“There has been a lot of frustration in the [Josselyn],” said Shiffrin. “I understand a petition was going around to voice disapproval of the [Residential Life] decision, and there have also been some very constructive meetings with [Residential Life] administrators to discuss how the process worked, and to voice concerns or suggestions.”

Grievances with the administration aside, Shiffrin said he was “looking forward to welcoming [Block] and helping her acclimate to the unique community of Joss.”

Block said she was only applying for the House Intern position, with no intention of being appointed to Josselyn. “The next logical step [from student fellow] was house intern,” said Block. “I’m excited to learn more about Joss. I want people to understand that new blood and new ideas are good.”.

“We definitely want the best people,” said Inoa. “We take the opportunity to talk about every candidate…taking recommendations from each house team on each candidate. I take full responsibility for the decision that was made.”