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Northwestern's 11 residential
colleges, which house from 37 to nearly 300 students each, are
much more than just a home away from home.
Not only do they provide
shelter for 1,270 students, most are structured around a theme
that provides a focus for academic and social programming. Each
residential college has its own faculty "master" from
that field who serves as an adviser to the student officers and
helps with academically focused programming.
Residential college
students are expected to promote the academic and social activities
of their college, participate in philanthropic activities, and
enjoy informal contact with the faculty, staff members and visiting
scholars who volunteer to serve as fellows. They also are involved
both in the life of their specific college and the larger University.
A plan for the residential
college system at Northwestern was developed in the early 1970s,
in response to a 1969 report by a faculty committee, chaired by
English professor Jean Hagstrum, that urged the formation of smaller
intellectual communities within the larger University community.
The 1969 report entitled "A Community of Scholars' and later
referred to as "The Hagstrum Report," was a largely
philosophical tract that recommended numerous changes in the educational
environment. However, it spurred the creation of a committee to
study residential colleges across the nation and to make recommendations
on the development of such a system at Northwestern.
In January 1972, the
committee, chaired by T. W. Heyck, professor of history, recommended
the establishment of residential colleges at Northwestern that
were designed to "help connect curricular with extra-curricular
experiences by extending the intellectual atmosphere to residences."
The first of five residential
colleges opened in the fall of 1972. The original five included
three nonthematic colleges—Lindgren, Shepard and Willard—
and two thematic colleges —Urban Studies, later renamed the
College of Community Studies, and Philosphy and Religion, which
was closed in 1978 and resurrected as Humanities Residential College
in 1980.
Nearly 30 years later,
Shepard and Willard have remained "multithematic" but
Lindgren developed its theme of science and engineering.
Six additional thematic
colleges have been developed: WomenÍs Residential College (1976),
Communications Residential College (1981), International Studies
Residential College (1981), Jones Fine and Performing Arts Residential
College (1982), Ayers Residential College of Commerce and Industry
(1984), and Public Affairs Residential College (1992).
Today, Northwestern's
11 residential colleges offer programming that involves more than
one-third of the UniversityÍs on-campus undergraduate population
and nearly 200 affiliated faculty, staff members and visiting
scholars.
The oldest residential
college building on campus, the Humanities Residential College,
also known as Chapin, will celebrate its 100th anniversary Oct.
1. The structure was part of the old WomanÍs College of Northwestern
University. Chapin welcomes students from all schools within the
University and from diverse cultural backgrounds.
The Thomas G. Ayers
Residential College of Commerce and Industry, which seeks to promote
a broad understanding of business in the United States and the
world, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Willard, the largest
and one of the oldest residential colleges at Northwestern, continues
to attract diverse students interested in a wide range of academic
interests.
The Communications
Residential College (CRC) encourages its residents to explore
the mass media of broadcasting, print journalism and film.The
Residential College of Cultural and Community Studies (CCS) students
are interested in the interaction of diverse cultures and urban
communities in the United States and abroad as well as philanthropy.
The International Studies
Residential College (ISRC) welcomes American and international
students who share an interest in languages, cultures, politics
and people from around the world. The Wayne V. and Elizabeth R.
Jones Fine and Performing Arts Residential College residents are
interested in the creative arts —writing, poetry, music,
theatre, dance and art. Lindgren encourages a humanistic view
of science and engineering.
The Public Affairs
Residential College (PARC) examines political, economic and social
questions. Shepard attracts residents from around the world. And
Women's Residential College (WRC) attracts diverse students from
all six undergraduate schools.
In 1995, eight of NorthwesternÍs
11 residential colleges were physically and visually improved,
thanks to $500,000 that University President Henry S. Bienen provided
to refurnish the meeting spaces and common areas of the colleges
in which students and faculty intermingle.
The amount was a portion
of the $2.5 million that President Bienen had committed for an
ambitious five-year project to refurbish and renovate the colleges
and help them realize their programmatic goals.
When completed in fall
2002, the $10 million Benjamin W. Slivka Residence Hall will become
the new home of the Residential College of Science and Engineering.
The 120-bed residence hall will be funded in part by a $4 million
gift from the Wissner-Slivka Foundation, which is based in the
Seattle area. All of the rooms will be in apartment-style suites
that will be connected to NorthwesternÍs computer network, which
provides high-speed Internet access. The building also will accommodate
future high-speed wireless networks.
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