Closed roads, construction vehicles, parking shortages and safety signs leave many wondering when the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Complex (CHCRC) will be complete.
The project, which began in the summer 2011, is one of the largest new developments on campus and, as Honors administration said, will develop a new and thriving community at University of Massachusetts.
Scheduled to be finished and open for students in the fall 2013, the CHCRC is expected to create a “general community,” said Priscilla Clarkson, dean of Commonwealth College and a leader in the decision making behind the complex.
“When I came here as dean,” said Clarkson, “I said, ‘What are we? We’re a community of scholars, but where’s the community?’”
This community, as Clarkson explained, already had the needed components, but lacked a common location. Many of the Commonwealth College students live in Orchard Hill, where they are far from their classes and advising student services.
“How can we generate a community when the three things are all dispersed?” said Clarkson, “It’s been difficult for them to take advantage of everything we offer.”
The seven-building complex will have 1,500 beds, 600 for new freshmen – 270 double rooms and 60 single rooms – and 900 for upperclassmen – 174 four-beds suites and 50 four-bed apartments. Clarkson said each room will have the according number of beds, dressers and desks and each dormitory building will have laundry facilities, swipe-in access and sign-in standards.
Clarkson explained the role of her Student Advisory Board in the planning for this complex.
“The student advisory board was trying to find some way to bring people together,” said Clarkson. “They wrote the proposal, but we didn’t know it was possible at the time.”
The Student Advisory Board brought its idea for the CHCRC to Vice Chancellor Jean Kim and her representatives, who took the idea and put it into perspective when considering the University’s goals.
“The Commonwealth College has long wanted a facility dedicated to fostering a community,” said Ed Blaguszewski, executive director of news and media relations. “In addition, locating the facility near the core of campus will create a greater sense of vitality and connection.”
“This is the first major partnership of housing and academics,” said Clarkson, who collaborated with Executive Director of Residential Life Eddie Hull for the project.
“This project is intended to significantly enhance the living and learning experience for these students,” said Hull. “It’s a win-win opportunity.”
The CHCRC’s location will be a new area for students moving in from Orchard Hill.
“It is at the epicenter of the campus, so you have honors students from all four years that will be living at basically the focal point of the University,” said Kurt Schultz, a sophomore math and biochemistry/molecular biology double-major, and a second-year member of the Honors College Student Advisory Board.
Clarkson said other than the location, one of the many appeals of this project is that it will free up much needed residential space, while also adding to the Honors experience.
Blaguszewski said the CHCRC was seen as the best possible option for the new housing need.
“There was a definite need for new housing at the time,” said Andy Soles, CHCRC project manager. “But when we first decided this, it wasn’t for Commonwealth College, it was just housing.”
Although several honors college students and faculty view the complex as beneficial, criticism exists that a complex of exclusively Commonwealth members will impose unfavorable impacts on the campus.
Jim Redding, a senior communications major, thought the complex could negatively affect the chemistry of the student body.
“I think it’s probably going to segregate students,” said Redding. “I think that people who live in the new dorms are probably going to get a pretty interesting stereotype right out of the gate.”
Brad Suter, a senior sport management major, said he would rather live in Southwest if he were an Honors student.
“I don’t think it would be the same. I’m sure the new dorms will be a lot nicer, but I would still rather live in Southwest because the experience would be better,” he said.
Parking for the new complex could be an issue for the residents, according to Jim Hunt, the communication manager for Facilities Planning.
He said, despite the expansion of the ROTC and Southwest lots, parking has been an issue all year. “What they’re talking about is parking on the peripheral of campus that will be aided by shuttle buses,” said Hunt.
He explained there are no plans for new parking areas in the complex, but there will be a review of parking needs in the area.
There will be two faculty apartments and four staff apartments. These will be similar to North Apartments, including private bathrooms, two to three bedrooms and laundry facilities.
“These are places that will make the area inviting for students to come and visit, but also separate so that faculty can have their own families,” said Alex Nemtzow, a senior physics and political science double-major and also a member of the Honors College Student Advisory Board.
However, some students don’t view the close living quarters between faculty and students as optimistically. Senior English major Tripper O’Mara said in some ways it will be advantageous, but that it might “blur the lines between professional and friendly relationships and lead to respect issues between the two parties.”
Other features of the complex, said Clarkson, include new service offices for Honors program administration and staff, nine classrooms and a 24-hour cyber and Panini café.
“The complex is going to be open to the University in terms of using the cyber café, and there will be multi-purpose classrooms,” said Schultz.
Soles explained the classrooms will be different sizes, some meant for 25 students and others will be the size of seminar rooms. All rooms will include white boards and projection screens for efficient learning.
“The classrooms will be shared, with first priority being given to the Honors program,” said Soles.
The dining hall for the CHCRC will be Hampshire Dining Commons in the Southwest residential area, which will be renovated before the opening of the complex.
“It does require a walk, but just like students in other halls it may not be any further than many others have to walk to their dining commons,” said Hull.
According to both Clarkson and Soles, the CHCRC has been well planned and looks to be the next best thing on campus at UMass.
“The University is targeting this complex to be nationally-ranked and recognized with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED] award,” said Soles, who said the ultimate goal of the project is a LEED Gold in its green sustainability efforts.
As a soon-to-be-graduate, Nemtzow can relate to other Honors students who have already graduated.
“They say that the Honors College provided them with everything that they needed,” he said. “But that the one thing that would strengthen it would be to have something that provides us with a community.”
Kellie McHugh can be reached at [email protected].
