VSA-ResLife committee formed

Stephen Cheng Guest Writer

The Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council adopted a resolution on Sept. 3 to form a VSA-Residential Life Ad-Hoc Committee (VRAC). According to the opening statements of the resolution, VRAC was founded to improve the working relationship between the VSA and the Office of Residential Life, in order to maintain a “positive residential experience at Vassar College.”

The proposal for VRAC arose from long-standing “inconsistencies” in VSA-Residential Life communications, as noted by several VSA Council members.

Director of Residential Life Luis Inoa acknowledged that a lack of concrete responsibilities determined among the VSA, Residential Life, and House offices has contributed to the communication problems. Inoa approved of VRAC, and said he is “looking forward to the findings of the committee.”

VSA Academic Executive Rachel Zoghlin ’07 said in an e-mailed statement, “Past problems in VSA-Residential Life relations have included inconsistencies in expectations of the dorm leaders, both elected and selected.”

Strong House President and Chair of the Board of House Presidents Heidi Genrich ’08, wrote in an e-mailed statement, “Elected officers face the awkward task at the beginning of every fall semester of defining their own role in the house, particularly where their responsibilities overlap and contrast with that of selected Residential Life positions.”

According to VSA President Abel McDonnell ’07, VRAC will survey the Board of House Presidents, current and former Residential Life leaders and staff, the Office of the Dean of Students, and dorm residents, to tap into a “broader spectrum of perspectives.”

Regarding VRAC’s specific objectives, Zoghlin said, “We hope that this committee will think hard about how dorms work, how they’re led, and recommend change if it is deemed necessary.”

VRAC will submit an interim report to the Council by Oct. 8 and a final report with its recommendations to the Constitutional Review Committee and the VSA Council by Dec. 10.

The VRAC committee will consist of the VSA Academic Executive, the Chair of the Board of House Presidents, as well as three other house presidents, two Residential Life Advisory Committee members, four former Residential Life student leaders, and possibly other VSA members who have not yet been selected.

According to VSA Organization Executive Sam Charner ’08, the committee will select its own chair internally by Sept. 17.