Seton Hall University - Galleon Yearbook (South Orange, NJ)

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I , t sibilities and to make my own deci- sions.” According to Vincent Burns, resi- dent director for Boland Hall, teaching people accountability and responsibilities for their actions is what dorm living is all about. “It’s no longer just a playground before the real world. It’s a learning experience for the real world,” he says. Structured seminars like Career Day and non-structured ones like personal discussions are offered to help resident students experience social, cultural and educational maturity. Does an atmosphere of infor- mality and unrestricted liberties en- courage discipline problems? What happens to those students who are unable to cope with self-discipline? As an administrative assistant, Nancy Low believes the discipline problems that she has encountered have resulted “not directly from the freedom offered by dorm living, but rather from the inexperience of the students who are maturing. Some just take longer than others,” she explains. Minimal Problems Added Frank Romano, also an administrative assistant in Boland Hall, “We are here to help make the Junk food from the candy machine helps sustain residents like sophomore Brian Jennings. With his television to. provide background noise (below), An- selm LeBourne flips through a textbook. Community Advisor J. R. Waite jokes about furnishing a locked-out Sean Kelleher (left) with a key. 19

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The Resident Talent Show Proves Solidarity in Dorms Truskowski takes a break between studying in his Boland Hall room. Blasting stereos, fire alarms, cafeteria food, triples, quiet hours and parties! These are aspects that become integrated in the lives of stu- dents who spend their college years as on -campus residents. For them, dorm living offers not only a variety of external conditions, but also the internal and emotional oppor- tunities to build lasting memories and friendships. Claims Joanie Gorecki, senior class treasurer, “I think you are bet- ter able to develop relationships by living on campus. In the dorm, you don’t just see your friends in classes, you live with them. I feel all my memorable experiences have resulted from the friendships I have developed in the dorm.” There are approximately 1,100 students living in the two dorms on campus, Women’s Residence and Boland Halls. This means there are 1,100 separate personalities, each allowed individual freedom to pur- sue desired goals. Opportunity To Mature Senior Class President, Lynn Pensec, believes that dorm living has given her a chance to be self-reliant and independent. “Ever since I moved on campus as a sophomore, I have had the opportunity to mature, to have my own respon- t I

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The Community Advisor The community advisor is a student of many hats: he’s a supervisor of his respective wing; a disciplinarian in maintaining order in the dormitories; a liaison between students and the administration; and counselor whose responsibility is to provide students an op- portunity to grow socially and culturally. In the 1978-79 school year, community advisors from Boland Halls and Women’s Residence Hall involved their students in resident activities like a Dating Game (left) and a Roommate Game (above). physical and emotional living en- vironment in the dorm as conducive to the educational experience as possible.” According to Frank, the problems in the dorms have been minimal. “Ninety percent of the stu- dents who live on campus adapted to dorm living with little or no dif- ficulties. Remember, it was their choice to live here.” Burns offers his own personal statistics, “Out of the 750 students residing in Boland Hall, perhaps 50 to 75 don’t belong there simply because not everyone is designed to live in a group environment.” Claims Burns, “About 95 percent of those students realize this and move out of the dorms eventually.” Talent Show Lynn Pensec, who commuted for 18 months before moving on campus, explains, “The driving time I saved by living on campus enables me to improve my grades and to contribute more to school. I think people on campus tend to become For 25C, Mike Payne uses the washing machines in the basement of Old Boland. more involved.” Her statement reflects the success of the 1978 Residence Halls Talent Show which was attended by more than half of the entire resident population. As coordinator of the show, Nancy Low was overwhelmed by the participation of the dorm students. “I felt a tremendous sense of residence hall community spirit, not only through the seriousness of the performers who were proud to represent their wings, but also by the warm reception given to the perfor- mers by the audience.” Learning how to relate with other people, discovering the freedoms and responsibilities of living on your own, and recognizing the person you really are may not be an easy task, yet junior Tim Maurer repre- sents most resident students when he says, “You can view dorm living as a ‘potpourri’ of people trying to live together as a homogenous unit. And that’s what makes dorm life so interesting.” ■ Community Advisor Jonathan Elliott resets a fire-alarm box. 20