By Grace Apostol
Elm Staff Writer
Over the last month, Washington College announced several changes and additional updates to residential halls for the upcoming 2022-2023 academic year.
On April 22, Residential Life released an updated schedule via email for the coming weeks regarding housing selection and residential buildings for 2022-2023 housing selection.
According to the email, both Reid and Corsica Hall will be open to students for living — the former will provide “gender inclusive housing for first year and returning students,” while the latter is the latest updated “suite-style” building on the WC campus.
However, Talbot will be closed and instead “used for Q&I housing,” according to the email. Additionally, the three Hill Dorms — which include East, Middle, and West Halls — will also be unavailable due to year-long renovations.
Newly implemented sustainable and regenerative living as a housing option is available for students this fall as well, according to an initial email sent by Residential Life on March 22. It will be a designated suite located in Morris Hall.
Within this suite, students will be “Food Initiative interns” who will be “able to use their residential experience as a proving ground for concepts to be introduced widely around campus, including zero waste living and working with and promoting nutrient-dense whole foods in a residential setting,” according to the email.
Students living within this housing option will also be given a “library of films and books relating to food sustainability and justice,” and are also “required to participate in regular workshops in foraging, permaculture, fermentation, and seasonal cooking approaches.”
Following the initial email released on April 25, the Residential Life Staff discussed the “future of housing options for students,” where two focus groups will meet to talk about the possibilities of a new residential hall with attending students.
“We are working with a development company to explore the options of building a new residence hall in the next few years that will meet the needs of our students looking for more independent living options,” according to the email.
Director of Residential Life Amy Sine discussed the possibility of a newly implemented residential hall.
“We are a four-year residency program and want to meet the needs of our students and I think new apartment-style housing will do that,” she said.
With these new changes, students are particularly excited to see renovations to the Hill Dorms, the oldest buildings on WC’s campus.
Freshman Asia Elliott, a resident of East Hall, is hoping for some changes to improve housing.
“These are the oldest dorms on campus, so I’m hoping they make some real improvements,” Elliott said.
Renovations will include some big changes to both Reid and Minta Martin. WC just announced a 20-million-dollar investment in these renovations for these two halls, according to the College’s website.
With this money, both Reid and Minta Martin Halls will be receiving new coats of paint; flooring; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; and updated bathrooms. Reid will also be getting new windows and ceilings, whereas Minta Martin will have a new kitchen installed.
According to an initial email sent by Residential Life on March 22, additional plans for other renovations to Reid are “still in the planning phase.”
Following these summer renovations, Sine said that the Hill dorms will be planned “to do similar upgrades in the Hill dorms during the academic year, that is why they are unavailable for student occupancy.”
According to Sine, with these renovations, there will be many new implementations for the community to look forward to within residential life.
“I am excited about all of this as these renovations will make a huge improvement to the student residential experience,” Sine said. “I think they are going to be very happy with the upgrades.”
Elm Archive Photo
Featured Photo Caption: Several Washington College dorm buildings, including Minta Martin Hall (above), will be undergoing renovations during the upcoming 2022-23 academic year.