New Homes for House Professors Going Up

Editor’s note: Associate Professor Ryan Calsbeek stepped down from his role as house professor for North Park in September. Dean of the College Rebecca Biron will serve as the North Park professor.

Construction is nearing completion on four new homes for professors as Dartmouth works toward the fall 2016 launch of a new residential life model.

The College is establishing six house communities that will provide permanent home bases for all Dartmouth undergraduates while presenting greater opportunity for faculty-student interaction beyond the classroom. Each community is supported by a house professor who will reside in a College residence nearby.

On February 29, all non-graduating students received their randomly assigned house memberships during Founders Day festivities in Baker-Berry Library. This summer, members of the incoming Class of 2020 will receive their membership designations, which will give them lifelong connection to their house community.

Four homes are being constructed, and two others—the East Wheelock Street home and a North Park Street residence—are pre-existing buildings. In addition, an existing home on Clement Road will serve as a residence for the faculty member who will oversee the living learning communities located in the McLaughlin Cluster and in freestanding facilities such as the Sustainable Living Center, the Chinese Language House, and the Native American House. All students in the living learning communities, which include the affinity communities, will retain membership in one of the six house communities.

The four new house professor residences, constructed by Unity Homes of Walpole, N.H., are energy-efficient, modular buildings made from green materials. All four include large porches and spacious living areas to allow house professors to host all types of gatherings.

Work is also progressing on the temporary structures that will serve as extended living rooms and social spaces for four of the house communities. One, where work began in December, is located between Gile and Hitchcock halls and will serve the Allen and School house communities. The other, going up beside Alumni Gym, will be associated with the North Park and South house communities. Work on the second building began this week.

The new buildings under construction are:

A home on Allen Street will serve as the faculty residence for Allen House, made up of Gile, Streeter, and Lord halls. Thayer School of Engineering Associate Professor Jane Hill is the house professor of Allen House.

A home on School Street will serve as the faculty residence for School House, made up of Massachusetts Row and Hitchcock Hall. Associate Professor of Mathematics Craig Sutton will lead School House.

A home on Webster Avenue will serve as the faculty residence for West House, consisting of Fahey, McLane, Butterfield, and Russell Sage halls. Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Ryan Hickox is the house professor of West House.

A home on Sanborn Road will serve as the faculty residence for South House, consisting of Topliff, New Hampshire, and the Lodge. Professor of Sociology Kathryn Lively will lead South House.

Existing house professor residences include:

•  An existing building on North Park Street to serve as the faculty residence for North Park House, made up of Ripley, Woodward, and Smith halls. Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Ryan Calsbeek is the house professor of North Park House.
   
• The East Wheelock Street residence will remain the faculty residence for East Wheelock House, made up of Andres, Zimmerman, McCulloch, and Morton halls. Associate Professor of Mathematics Sergi Elizalde will continue as house professor at East Wheelock.
   
• In addition, Dennis Washburn, the Jane and Raphael Bernstein Professor in Asian Studies, will live on Clement Road and will oversee the living learning communities that will be located in the McLaughlin Cluster and in freestanding facilities such as the Sustainable Living Center, the Chinese Language House, and the Native American House. All students in the living learning communities, which include the affinity communities, will also retain membership in one of the six house communities.

The house professors and their families will be able to move into their new homes by the end of the summer, in time for the start of the fall term.