The College is in an increasingly difficult position to fill the requests of student groups seeking space, as more and more apply.
The lack of space for student organizations is a problem, but the College addresses the issue through the Facilities Advisory Committee.
"Generally, there isn't any space available, but that's been so for a long time," Director of Facilities Planning Gordon DeWitt said. DeWitt also chairs the FAC.
Office space for student and academic organizations is controlled by the FAC, which allocates it to those organizations which it deems most in need. But academic departments receive priority over student organizations.
The office that each organization is responsible to represents that group on the FAC.
Another group, the Provost's Council, gets involved in discussions of constructions of long-term space issues and construction where fundraising is often necessary, he said.
The construction of a new space of any kind would be a major undertaking, DeWitt said. "We don't embark on constructing new space without a whole series of discussions."
The only space that will be available soon is in the three buildings near Dick's House that are currently inhabited by the Medical School. Those spaces will most likely be used as interim housing for the Kiewit offices that will be destroyed for the Berry Library Project, DeWitt said.
A temporary location
The Women's Resource Center is one of the space crunch's oldest problems. That organization is now entering its 10th year at a temporary location in the Choates residence hall cluster.
The center has been asking for new space since it moved to the Choates in 1988, Director Giavanna Munafo said.
The center is currently "invisible to the general population," Munafo said, and it is looking for a space in a more central location, but one that includes a kitchen and social area like the Choates.
Despite the long wait, Munafo said she thinks it unlikely the WRC will receive new space in the near future. Another group must first evacuate a space before it would be available, and there are no groups leaving, Munafo said.
The WRC has been an ongoing topic of conversation at the FAC. "It's on our list of things to take care of sometime," DeWitt said. "The present location is not good -- it's too small, not a good space."
Munafo said a more central location would help the WRC further its goal of providing "opportunities for reflection, engagement and personal growth."
Munafo said she also hopes a new space would be large enough to include new features, like a conference room and a crisis center for those in need of a secure place to stay overnight.
Another impending problem for the College is housing for fraternities and sororities.
The newly-formed Alpha Xi Delta sorority is currently inhabiting the physical plant of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, which was derecognized in 1997. Alpha Xi's lease on the house expires in the year 2000.
At that time, Beta could attempt to return to campus on a new charter, a possibility that is very exciting to the few remaining Betas on campus, William Harper '98 said.
Alpha Xi, which currently has 57 members, will be holding its first independent rush in the fall, an event it wishes to finish before beginning to address any impending housing problem.
Alpha Xi President Jil Carey '99 said the sorority spent this year organizing and taking advantage of its current space.
The College also recently recognized Lambda Upsilon Lambda fraternity, a traditionally Latino fraternity. Though the group only has four members presently, in time it hopes to grow and have a permanent home, President Daniel Rivera '98 said.
Other groups
Many other groups have begun looking for space on campus, including a group of students looking for the College to found a Latino Resource center. The students have recently submitted a request for space for the center, DeWitt said.
The Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance has also considered asking the College to provide a space for a resource center. Such a center would provide the group with a location to hold events, DRA member Ezekiel Webber '00 said.
Other student organizations share cramped quarters in Robinson Hall. The Dartmouth Asian Organization, the Irish Society, the International Students Association, Milan and the Korean American Students Association all share a small, single-room office.
Though the office is small, it provides "a good space for KASA to use," KASA president Monica Cha '99 said. The COSO provided the office with a computer and printer, which make it more useful, she said.
The office provides a space for different organizations to work on administrative details and hold executive council meetings, Cha said, but they still need a space to hold events.
She said the College makes efforts to accommodate students. "They work with us about how to coordinate our ideas."
The FAC also includes Associate Provost Margaret Dwyer-Chamberlain; Director of Facilities Operation and Management Mike Getter; Associate Director of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Ozzie Harris; Richard Heck, the executive officer for the dean of the College's office; Acting Treasurer Win Johnson; Chris Strenta the executive officer for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences; the Dean of Residential Life; representatives from the medical school and the College Architect, who is an ex-officio member.
