Forty-four additional community facilitators will function as the eyes and ears of the University this year in a move that increases supervision in upperclassman residence halls.
The Community Living and Learning Center placed additional CFs in City Hall, the Aston, Ivory Tower, New Hall, 1959 E Street, Guthridge Hall and Lafayette Hall. James Kohl, director of Residential Life and Education, said the move was necessary due to “increased roommate conflicts and behavioral problems.”
Kohl denied assertions from upperclassmen that CFs kicked off the school year with harsher enforcement of alcohol policies. He said the increased CF presence would help students maintain a level of independence.
The University previously employed a “through-the-years” approach, Kohl said, in which upperclassman residence halls would have a minimal CF presence compared to freshman and sophomore halls.
Only a few CFs lived in Ivory Tower last year, but almost 30 acts of vandalism early in the school year prompted University officials to change the dorm’s regulation policy. There is now a CF responsible for every floor. In Thurston Hall, there are two CFs on each floor.
“We recognize that upper division students as well as freshmen and sophomores can benefit from a trained student staff member helping to develop community in the halls,” Kohl wrote in an e-mail this week .
“The community facilitators will be able to help residents to have more positive interaction in their rooms, and in the larger residential community,” he added.
But some upperclassmen are complaining there are too many CFs.
“Half the people I know have already gotten written up (for violations),” junior Adam Elias said.
Elias said he ran into trouble Aug. 27, the first night students were on campus this semester. He said a CF knocked on his door in Ivory Tower, complaining of excessive noise. After spotting an empty wine bottle, Elias said, the CLLC representative took down the names of all 10 students in the Ivory Tower room.
“If this continues the rest of the year, it will be pretty ridiculous,” Elias said. “Eventually everyone will get written up.”
Junior Dan Faigus also faced problems with CFs roaming the residence hall the day after he moved into his New Hall room. Faigus, who is younger than the legal drinking age of 21, said he and several friends were caught with 13 cans of open beer.
“It was the weekend and no one had class. All of a sudden there were three CFs and four UPD (officers) at our door,” Faigus said. “Their excuse was we were being too loud, and when we cracked the door they kicked it open and said ‘we see beer.'”
