Dear Students,

Lottery numbers will be available on March 19th. The room rating appeal process will commence on that day as well. If you feel that the rating your room was given does not accurately reflect the true condition of your room, you may appeal your rating. If the SGA Housing Committee rules in your favor, then you will be awarded a point deduction in your lottery number. The decisions of the Housing Committee are final and not subject to appeal. To appeal your room rating, please fill out the Room Rating Appeal Form. This form is due by 5:00 pm on March 28^th, 2008 at Mather Front Desk. Any forms received after this date and time will NOT BE CONSIDERED. If you are currently abroad, you may email your appeal form to sgahousing@gmail.com. Emailed forms will only be accepted from those who are currently abroad. If you are currently on campus, you must submit your form to Mather Front Desk. If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to sgahousing@gmail.com.

Thank you,

Verdell Walker

SGA Housing Committee, Chair

Due to student demand, we are extending the deadline for Theme Community applications to Friday, March 14th. Applications will be due by email by 5:00pm on that day. A hard copy of your application must also be submitted to Mather front desk by 5:00pm the same day. No late applications will be accepted.

A note about Jarvis and other living spaces for Theme Communities: Jarvis in its entirety is not limited to Theme Housing. Anyone can choose the Jarvis suites in the housing lottery and anyone can choose it for their theme location. No part of Jarvis is reserved specifically for Theme Communities, but if your theme wants to live there, applicants must indicate that in their application. In addition, Theme Communities are not limited to Jarvis and Summit; a theme may be located in any dorm, provided they give a suitable explanation as to why their theme must be housed in that specific location in their application.

You can find the application at http://trinitysga.com/cms/committees/housing/theme-community-application-2/ or http://www.trincoll.edu/StudentLife/campuslife/residential/theme/.

Thank you, and I look forward to reviewing your applications.

Verdell Walker SGA Housing Committee, Chair

Dear Trinity Students,

With Jarvis coming back online, Themed Housing is returning to Trinity College.

But this time, we are trying something different. The College has been making every effort to make Trinity a more diverse, inclusive place. The new Theme Community program is one avenue to reach that goal. In a bid to put more control over student spaces into the hands of the student body, themed communities will be chosen by a campus wide vote. But the essential premise of the program will remain the same - to provide an outlet for the expression of student interests and the support necessary to make their visions a reality. Students who have an interest in anything from music to environmental concerns and Italian culture to martial arts are encouraged to apply. It is our strong belief that the themes should be initiated by the students-you will develop them and you will sustain them. Chosen themes will have access to a strong support system provided by the members of the Office of Campus Life, such as Area Coordinators and Residential Assistants.

The benefits of participating in Themed Communities are numerous. You can gain better housing than you otherwise would have in the lottery. You can live in a great space with friends who share your own unique interests. You can make a positive impact on life here at the College. But most of all, you will have the opportunity to explore your interest in depth, and to educate the Trinity College community about your theme. Read the rest of this entry »

My name is Verdell Walker and I am the 2007-2008 Academic Affairs Committee Chair. The purpose of my committee is to oversee all affairs related to the academic life of this college.

I became the chair of this committee because I am concerned with the academic climate of this campus. I firmly believe that we attend one of the premier institutions of education in the world. I want the academic power of Trinity to be a prime focus of the way we present ourselves to the world, especially prospective applicants. While our athletic and other non-academic achievements are important and laudable, the most important part of Trinity transpires within its classrooms. But I want to see that academic excellence and engagement expand beyond the classrooms and library. I want to see students take it to their dorms, to the dinner table in Mather, to the couches in Gallows Hill.

Read the rest of this entry »