lxxxii
2.7.08
published on 04/21/06
Hopes high, but attendance low at Main’s Communiday
Martha Knauf 
Staff Writer>
Main House sponsored its first “Communiday” on Saturday, April 15. The event was meant to stimulate dialogue between Vassar students and community members about the divide between Poughkeepsie residents and Vassar students. While the day was meant to draw residents of both Vassar and Poughkeepsie, attendance was surprising low.
Main House President Rachel Zoghlin ’07 blamed the weather as largely responsible for the approximately 25-person turnout.
“We held the event inside on a gorgeous day,” said Zoghlin. “It was placed in opposition to Earth Day festivities outside on the quad, but I think it turned out okay.”
Main House Intern Stephan Evans ’07 added, “Without question, it is something we and any event planners strive for, but the Main House Team initiated, worked extremely hard, and pulled off an event that engaged Vassar students in thinking and discussing the Vassar-Poughkeepsie relations.”
Planning and organizing the day turned out to be a larger undertaking than many on the Main House Team had expected.
“Main house team shouldered the work by itself,” said Zoghlin. “If the house team next year were interested in taking it on, they would probably want to get more people involved than Main House.”
Those who did attend engaged in a discussion with Dutchess County Democratic Legislator Fred Bunnell, a former Vassar professor, who spoke of politics in Poughkeepsie. In addition, two Vassar sociology scholars, Visiting Assistant Professor Gayle Sulik and Assistant Professor Miranda Martinez, engaged in discussion about Vassar’s current town-gown relationship.
Although turnout was low, event organizers were satisfied with the day in terms of heralding the start of a new tradition.
A silent auction was planned for the day but was postponed to a later date with hopes it will be joined with a guest speaker on battered women’s issues, according to Zoghlin.
“Main House took an initial step with Communiday,” said Evans. “I am looking forward to seeing its evolution and progression in the coming years.”
Additional reporting by John Palmer, Senior Editor
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