Saint Anselm College

Residential Learning Community

2017-2018Application

Live what you learn.
Live what you love.

From the core of our Benedictine identity, we seek to create a holistic approach to our living learning environments and co-curricular programming. As a complement to the current living/learning environments, we would expect students draw on these six distinct areas of enlightenment and intensive exploration as they design their thematic options for housing: civic engagement, expanded learning, spirituality, leadership development, balanced living and social justice.

These residential living/learning communities are granted for a full academic year, fall through spring, to student groups judged most qualified on the basis of their completed application, as well as a statement of involvement from the Faculty Associate, a presentation of that application before theRLC Selection Committee, and prior evaluations (if any).

A completed application includes the following:

  1. A Mission Statement consistent with and supportive of the College’s mission, vision, strategic goals and other documents and statements as outlined in, but not limited to, the 2016-2017 Student Handbookwhich can be found online.The Mission Statement should state clearly the purposes and goals of the RLC and the benefit it will provide to the larger campus community as well as include a statement of how housing on campus is integral in assisting the group achieve itsgoals.
  1. A list of relevant Research Material and Educational Designfor which the community will be guided by and will be modeled on in its programmatic efforts. Research materials should be presented in an annotated bibliography, citing each source with an explanation of how it will be used to guide the community mission. Syllabi of classes potentially taken as a group should be included if part of the educational plan. The design must also set forth a plan to actively engage students on campus in the enlightenment of the community. The design should include a minimum of two educational in-house programs per semester to be implemented for the benefit of the residents of the community and a minimum of two educational programs per semester for the benefit of the larger campus community. A list of programming ideas, with brief summaries of each should be attached.
  1. A resident roster of either four or eight students is required to fill the housing space for the community. Applications with the intent to live in the Living Learning Commons could have varying numbers and mixed gender. Please contact the Office of Residential Life and Education for the feasibility of these options before submitting your application. The residents will:
  2. Support the educational program by organizing and participating in all RLC events in the living space and programs for the community
  3. Sign a Community Standards Agreement reaffirming a commitment to the policies in the Student Handbook and a commitment to the defined expectations of one another
  4. Identify one student as the Student Representative of the group. Individual must be approved by the Office of Residential Life and Education
  5. Accept the responsibility for keeping the living space at full occupancy
  6. Sign RLC Application reaffirming a commitment to the RLC requirements and guidelines
  1. A 10-minute presentation before the RLCSelection Committee, including staff from Health Services, the Office of Residential Life and Education, and the Dean of Students office, the few weeks after Spring Break. The presentation is required for further consideration of the application and is an opportunity for the applicant group to highlight aspects of the application it believes particularly noteworthy and important for the RLE Selection Committee to consider. Questions may be posed by the RLCSelection Committee to the group for response. A member of the group should come to the Office of Residential Life and Education to schedule the presentation time and location. Every attempt should be made to ensure that your faculty advisor will be able to attend the presentation.*Please include 3 available times you and your group will be available to present on the checklist provided.*
  1. Past evaluations of current and/or previous living learning communities and programs will be considered.

Applications are due in The Office of Residential Life and Education, located on the first floor of Alumni Hall, by Friday, February 24that 4:00 pm. Applications will be reviewed and evaluations conducted by the RLC Selection Committee. The housing location of each RLC is determined by the Office of Residential Life and Education and we anticipate accommodatingat leastthree RLCs for the academic year 2017-2018.

Evaluations or situations indicating a group’s failure in its contractual commitments with the College, that educational programming has been weak or non-existent, the behavior of each or all members has been disruptive or that the community has not been at full occupancy will lead to reevaluation of status. The Office of Residential Life and Education reserves the right to reassign housing to meet the needs of the College, its mission and students.

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Residential Learning Communities

Guidelines and Expectations

2017-2018

Live what you learn.
Live what you love.

Residential Learning Communities at Saint Anselm College

The Residential Learning Communities (RLCs) are an educational program sponsored by the Office of Residential Life and Education (RLE) in its continued effort to develop the “whole student” and foster student engagement in and on the campus community through student driven programming. These RLCs are specialized learning environments and encourage personal enrichment and the achievement of shared goals. These themed communities provide residents with a unique opportunity to share talents and pursue common interests.

Each community consists of self-identified, interested, and committed students in association with a Faculty Associate—a faculty member or administrator who shares the interest of the students and actively participates in the facilitation of programs fitting with the theme of that community.

As a complement to our living/learning approach to residential education, we expect students to draw on the following six distinct areas of enlightenment and intensive exploration in designing their thematic options for housing: civic engagement, expanded learning, spirituality, leadership development, balanced living, and social justice.

We would expect these communities to be dedicated to and concentrate on the following:

Creating meaningful connections to curriculum, campus initiatives and social experiences

Bringing forth faculty, staff, students, and monastery together around common themes, programs, or projects

Enhancing each RLC participant’s intellectual and social development while living and committing to others in unique and distinct communities

Incorporating ideals and hallmarks of Being Benedictine

Students integrate their theme as they live and learn togetherbut also serveas resources and voicesin educating the broader campus community about their theme. Groups of four or eight students must demonstrate a common interest and the desire to live and learn together. All must be committed to sharing their learning and education with the College at-large.

Eligibility

Rising sophomores, juniors or seniors are eligible to reside in an RLC. Students must be in good academic and judicial standing with the College at the time of application and during their entire residency in the RLC. Therefore, students who are on academic or social probation may not be eligible to apply for or reside in a RLC. All applicants are required to be current resident students who put in a $300 Room Reservation Deposit indicating a commitment and intent to live on campus for the year. Late depositors will NOT be considered eligible for an RLC and make an application invalid.

Application and Selection Process

This Living/Learning housing option is granted for one academic year. Renewal of past housing/projects is not automatic or guaranteed. ALL new and current participants must apply for RLC as a housing option. In their renewal application, existing RLCs must demonstrate how housing has helped the group achieve its goals and how there is continued student interest and commitment to the goals of the renewal application. The following requirements will be considered when evaluating or renewing RLC proposals:

It is the responsibility of students to fill the housing spaces.

A roster of residents committed to the education of the house, responsible student conduct expectations, and a list of agreed upon community standards must be included with the application.

The group of students must be committed to living in the RLC for an entire academic year. All spaces in the community must be filled with committed members within a month’s time of a vacancy. Spaces cannot be held for students studying abroad or completing an off-campus internship. In order to utilize College facilities and resources fully, groups are expected to keep their houses at full capacity. Where occupancy rates are an issue, group tenure and commitment will be reviewed and evaluated. Absent a positive evaluation, the group may be asked to vacate the housing space.

The application must include a mission statement (see next section)

The application must include research and an overall educational design (see next section)

If the RLC has existed previously, prior evaluations of the house will be reviewed and considered

A short presentation of the application before the RLC Selection Committee. The proposed Faculty Associate should be in attendance.

The Office of Residential Life and Education, in conjunction with the residents of each RLC, will evaluate the purpose, mission, standards, and educational purpose of each RLC at mutually convenient times throughout the year.

Supervision and Accountability

Oversight of the RLC is a collaborative effort by the Office of Residential Life and Education, a designated Faculty Associate for the RLC, and the group of students themselves. The Faculty Associate should be a faculty member or administrator at the College and work to advise and mentor the group. This individual is an active member of the community and should be invested in the success of the RLC with which they are affiliated.

Each RLC must appoint one Student Representative, with the approval of the RLE office, to be the liaison to RLE for regular communication with the other residents of the community.

The responsibilities of the RLC Student Representative are as follows:

  • Attend weekly meetings with a designated representative from the Office of Residential Life and Education
  • Attend scheduled meetings with all house liaisons as determined at the beginning of each semester
  • Communicate appropriate information to the other RLC roommates
  • Confirm room assignments within the living space at the beginning of each semester or after a room change
  • Check e-mail at least three times per week
  • Keep the RLE office informed regarding concerns for the RLC’s requirements or its members
  • Submit maintenance requests to the Residential Life and Education staff in that area
  • Communicate the quarterly house programming proposal and budget requests in written format to the RLE office
  • Write a short report at the end of each semester outlining the progress on goals and programming efforts
  • Other duties as determined by the RLC Selection Committee and/or RLE

For the academic year of 2017-2018, the Office of Residential Life and Education will allocate programming funds of $250 for each approved RLC. Additional funding may be used and allocated within the guidelines of the College, in support of the educational program of the RLCs, and costs associated with their operation.

Each resident will be asked to sign a Community Standards Agreementrecommitting themselves to the College’s Room and Board Agreement and to the policies/procedures outlined in the Student Handbook. Where student behavior or care of the facilities becomes problematic, the Office of Residential Life and Education reserves the right to change or terminate the arrangement with any student or any group at any time. Students must be in good academic standing and judicial standing with the College in order to apply or reside in a RLC. Therefore, students on academic or social probation may not be eligible to apply or continue to reside in a RLC and all students’ judicial records will be reviewed. Depending on the location of the RLC, residents may be required to be on or off the meal plan.

Saint Anselm College

Residential Learning Community

2017-2018 Application Checklist

Live what you learn.
Live what you love.

Mission statement that clearly states the purposes and goals of the RLC and the benefit it will provide to the larger campus community as well as a statement of how housing on campus is integral in assisting the group achieve its goals.

A list of relevant Research Material and Educational Design.

A resident roster of either four or eight students.

3 available times the group can present on the following days:

  • Monday, March 13th: ______; ______; ______
  • Tuesday, March 14th: ______; ______; ______