The Argonaut
Spring 2014
Housing Guide
The Argonaut
2
Spring 2014
Growing up, living up
Nicole Tong | Argonaut
The Grove is one of the University of Idaho’s non-traditional housing options. It is located on the southeast side of campus and includes a variety of indoor and outdoor amenities. One of these is full resort-style pool access.
UI and Moscow offer more living options for non-traditional and transfer students Emily Vaartstra Argonaut Non-traditional and transfer students have a variety of options when it comes to living on or off the University of Idaho campus. Living in the Residence Halls or a Greek house is great for social integration and campus accessibility, though non-traditional and transfer students might have already experienced the dorm or Greek life and are looking for something more independent — something more suitable for a maturing adult. For married couples, single parents or students over the age of 25, accessibility to campus is important, but fraternities, sororities and dorms are generally out of the question. UI offers several on-campus housing options for students such as these.
South Hill Apartments The South Hill Apartments are a two-story, townhouse style residence available to nontraditional students and law
students. The apartments range from one to three bedrooms and are located on the southeast side of campus near Blake House and Mary E. Forney Hall. The apartments are smokefree and provide high-speed Internet. A kitchen with a refrigerator and stove are also provided in the apartment, but residents do pay for heating and electricity. South Hill Apartments have the benefit of private parking with the purchase of a green parking permit. An additional benefit for law students attending UI, they can live in a section of South Hill Apartment, “Law Cluster,” which offers a supportive community for law students. For couples with children or single parents, there are five safe play areas and large green spaces for kids to get exercise and fresh air. Prices for the South Hill Apartments range from $3,114 per semester to $4,098 per semester, depending on how many bedrooms are in the apartment and if the resident is on a 12-month agreement or less than a 12-month agreement.
South Hill Vista Apartments The South Hill Vista Apart-
ments are similar to the South Hill Apartments but offer apartments ranging from two, three and four bedrooms — especially convenient for families consisting of parents as full-time students. Prices for the South Hill Vista Apartments range from $3,708 per semester to $4,902 per semester, depending on bedroom count and lease agreement.
Elmwood Apartments The Elmwood Apartments offer residency to full-time students who are 19 or older, inviting married couples or roommates meeting the right apartment for their age criteria. These apartments offer single-story one bedroom apartments or loft-style apartments with two bedrooms. The campus is easily accessible from the Elmwood Apartments as they are located on Greek Row right next to the Student Union Building — making most campus locations just a 5-minute walking distance. Internet is included, a kitchenette is provided and residents pay for heating and electricity charges. Prices for the Elmwood Apartments range from $3,528 per semester to $4,830 per semester, depending on bedroom
count and 12-month or less lease agreement.
Off-campus housing options While there are many benefits living on campus, for students who want to be able to escape from the campus atmosphere, there are off-campus living options as well. Palouse Properties, Creekside Properties, Hills Rental Properties, Apartment Rentals Inc. and Welcome Home Property Management offer a variety of options for apartment living in Moscow, and most of it is a convenient walking distance from campus if students don’t want to put out the money for a parking permit. The Grove is another popular apartment living community for college students who want to do more than simply live in an apartment. The Grove at Moscow is one branch of many college-centered living communities located throughout the United States. “(The apartments) are fully furnished with Internet and cable, all inclusive,” said Da’Tay Norfleet, a representative from the Grove. “(It’s) a pretty open community if you like hanging out with a lot of our residents.
more information Check out uidaho.edu/ universityhousing for more information on living options and costs as well as learning about the benefits of living on campus
It’s a fun little living place.” The Grove lifestyle includes community events such as taco nights, beach volleyball tournaments, blood drives, volunteer opportunities and other activities. It has indoor amenities like a full coffee bar, 24-hour fitness center, tanning beds, a library, flat screen TVs and a game room with air hockey, a pool table and darts. Outdoor amenities include sand volleyball, a basketball court, a pool, a fire pit and grilling area. Whether choosing to live on-campus for easy accessibility or taking the off-campus route to have some space from school, non-traditional and transfer students can make Moscow their home without having to relive the dorm life. Emily Vaartstra can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
Housing Guide
Single room living
3
McConnell offers upper division students their own room George Wood Jr. | Argonaut
McConnell residents Rachel Redding and Vaneeta Rattan (from left) coordinate programs for the McConnell community. Recently, the two residents bought a pool table for the McConnell basement with community hall funds.
Nurainy Darono Argonaut While living on campus in their own rooms, students in McConnell Hall can focus on academics and still enjoy community activities. McConnell Hall has 65 single rooms with community bathrooms similar to other on-campus dorms. Each room has a sink and a microfridge as well as brand new furnishings. One of the resident assistants at McConnell, Sydney Richardson, said there are about 50 students currently living there. “McConnell is for more non-traditional students,” Richardson said. “So, we have a lot of upperclassmen and a lot of graduate students. It’s more mature living set, I think, than the other halls.” Another McConnell RA Dan Roach said McConnell is different than the Theophilus Tower, Wallace Residence Center and Living Learning Community, as it is not targeted to first-year students. “McConnell is more for the type of person where they are upperclassmen,” Roach said. “(They) spend a lot of time
studying (and) they want to have a single room to have that privacy and quiet atmosphere. At the same time, it’s also still a community because we have our own community council (when) we meet every week.” Just like other on-campus living options, McConnell Hall has community activities for residents. McConnell has three floors and a basement — two male floors and one female floor. The basement is where the central activities take place. There is a lounge area with couches, a TV, a pool table, a ping pong table and an air hockey table. There is also a kitchen and two computers with a printer for student use. Richardson said the events in McConnell are low key since everyone is usually busy. She said most of the time, the activities in McConnell include getting together and doing fun activities both on and off campus. “We did a Dads’ Weekend barbecue, which is always really fun,” Richardson said. “We also try to get involved in things like ‘Paint the Palouse’ and other service events.” Roach said other common
activities include movie nights in the lounge area, watching bands play music or watching guest speakers in Moscow. “Just the other weekend, we watched The Oscars at the Kenworthy Theater,” Roach said. “We will do some cooking program in the basement, (and) we will go as a group to ‘Late Night at the Rec.’” President of McConnell Hall Vaneeta Rattan said she came as a transfer student to UI last semester from Treasure Valley
Community College. She said she likes living in McConnell because it helps her focus on studying and at the same time she can still enjoy many activities it offers. “McConnell is a very nice, peaceful place and it’s a great place for studying,” Rattan said. “No one really bothers you, unless you go bother someone ... Overall, it’s a nice place to stay.” As the president, Rattan runs council meetings every
week. She also works with the RAs, vice president and the adviser to plan activities and events. “I think McConnell is definitely best for those students who are non-traditional, who are transferring and they want a single-living environment,” Richardson said. “It’s better for their study or if they’re academically focused.” Nurainy Darono can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
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The Argonaut
Welcome Future Vandals
Spring 2014
student Health services UI Student Health Services offers convenient, on-campus health and wellness services to all students and their dependents. • Student Health Clinic with services provided by Moscow Family Medicine • Pharmacy • Counseling and Testing Center • Psychiatry • Campus Dietitian • Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) • Vandal Health Education
Watch our website for service updates and hours. www.uidaho.edu/studenthealth
Housing Guide APARTMENT SHOWINGS Monday –Friday from 9 am - 4 pm Saturdays March 29th, April 5th & 19th from 10 am - 2 pm
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on Upham George Wood Jr. Argonaut
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On the Northwestern corner of the Living Learning Community (LLC) courtyard, nestled between the Mosaic and Natural Resources LLCs, is the freshmen exclusive Upham residence hall. “Upham is for someone (who is) looking for a very quiet, independent experience,” said Kelsi Nagle, University of Idaho housing recruitment coordinator. Swipe the front door key card reader and enter the first floor of Upham, bisected into a full kitchen and spacious lounge. The lounge area is fully furnished with couches and chairs for watching TV and relaxing, tables for studying and a Ping-Pong table in the middle. The kitchen is large enough for residents to work around each other while cooking multiple meals. However, Nagle said all first-year students are required to have a meal plan with housing. Nagle said Upham is built like an apartment, and there are 20 suites that holds up to 80 residents.
“It is a unique community, but we do allow freshmen to live in there,” Nagle said. Nagle said only first-year students can live in Upham residence hall. Here, the residents are living like upperclassmen because the quite apartment setting. On the first floor is a laundry room with multiple washer and dryer machines, two private study rooms and rows of storage lockers available for use by Upham residents. Upham is one of the eight LLC residence halls and can hold a maximum of 80 students. Living quarters are arranged in suites with individual rooms for the students as well as a bathroom, kitchenette and a living room. The living room is furnished with couches and chairs, and in the same room there are a sink, a fridge and a microwave. The suites have three to five single rooms and a double room for students. Single rooms are equipped with a desk, wardrobe, twin bed, dresser and shelves for storage and two each of these in double rooms. Like most buildings on campus, Upham also has Wi-Fi access. George Wood can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
The Argonaut
6
Home sweet home 1.
What is your ideal living situation?
b. Lounging with my bros doing math homework
a. No boys allowed
c.
b. Misters before sisters c.
I need a kitchenette for my pancake addiction
d. Communal bathrooms? No thank you f. 2.
Living under the stars is cool
What kind of dining experience do you want? a. Home cooking is the best b. If you put it in front of me, I’ll eat it c.
I like to cook my own thing every once in a while
d. All you can eat buffet downstairs is like my mini heaven e. Ice cream for every meal f. 3.
McDonald’s is my diet
How close do you want to be to the heart of campus? a. I like walking up steep hills to stay in shape b. I want to wake up as late as possible before my class in the TLC c.
I need easy access to every building
d. I’m okay with a 10-minute walk to the Student Union Building e. As long as I have a bee-line to the library, I’m good f.
4.
If I could sleep in the Idaho Commons cafeteria, that would be ideal
How involved in student life do you want to be? a. I love volunteering for charity events b. I want to be a leader among men c.
Student life means studying so I can become a CEO someday
d. Playing sand-volleyball on a sunny day with my hall sounds awesome e. Give me a ton of green space to hang with my friends f. 5.
I want everyone to leave me alone
What’s your idea of a normal weeknight? a. Lounging with my girls painting our nails
6.
*Take this quiz to find out which UI housing option is right for you. *This quiz is for entertainment purposes only.
7.
What do you want to get out of your college living experience? a. Sisters for life
d. Gossiping about celebrities with my roommate
b. A brother from another mother
e. Having a hall debate about philosophical life questions
d. A typical college dorm experience
f.
e. I’m not afraid of heights
Study, study, study
Spring 2014
Playing hide-n-seek in WalMart
How do you prefer to spend a weekend?
c.
Friends with a hard work ethic
e. A community of people with similar tastes f.
What? I’m in college?
a. Road trip to Coeur d’Alene b. Sleep in till 3 p.m. c.
Movie marathon in the lounge
d. Binge watching “Breaking Bad” e. Laundry and chores f.
Climbing up trees to get closer to the sun
Results: If you picked mostly a, a sorority is the best pick for you. If you picked mostly b, the fraternity life fits your style. If you picked mostly c, check out the Living Learning Centers. If you picked mostly d, Wallace Residence Center is your place. If you picked mostly e, The Tower is calling you. If you picked mostly f, you should take this quiz again. *This quiz is for entertainment purposes only.
Housing Guide
7
Meet a resident assistant Three resident assistants share their experience about their everyday job
Claire Whitley Argonaut Resident assistants are more than just students with an authoritative title. RAs are friends, mentors and above all else, students, said current RAs Jose Arujo and Ryan Kennelly. Araujo said RAs exist to provide a secure and welcoming environment for residents, as well as to aid in the transition from home to college life. They also help with any problems or concerns residents have and will always lend an ear to anyone who needs it. Three RAs from different Residence Halls talk about their experiences.
Jose Araujo, an RA for Stevenson Wing at Wallace Residence Center Araujo is a sophomore majoring in biology. He is the RA for Borah Hall, an allmale living community within Wallace. Araujo said he became an RA because it allows him to work with students. He said that he wanted to be a better RA than the one he had when he was a freshman. “My RA was great, but we
just didn’t make that connection,” Araujo said. He described being an RA is a boundary between being a friend, but also being strict about guidelines and policies. “I think it is hard, but it is definitely possible,” Araujo said. The best part of being an RA for Araujo was creating programs for residents to learn about other parts of the university. He said the best way to talk to an RA is to just do it. Don’t only talk to an RA when you need help and when they are at the door. Get to know them as they are people because they were a freshman once.
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Ryan Kennelly, an RA at Theophilus Tower Kennelly is a sophomore majoring in operations management, marketing and accounting. He is currently the RA of the third floor of Theophilus Tower, which is one of the floors making up Neely Hall. Kennelly said he became an RA to make a difference among first-year students and being an RA has given him that opportunity. He said his best experience has been seeing the impact he and his partners have had on people. First-year students can be under the impression that RAs are scary authority figures, but Kennelly said they should not be scared because RAs are all fairly friendly. “We are friends, first and foremost,” Kennelly said. “We are here for you, to help you, so let us do that.” Kennelly said being an RA can be described as life changing, opportunity and uplifting. “I have gotten more out of it than I thought I would,” Kennelly said. “It is uplifting. I don’t know why, it’s just that I’m happy here.” Noel Hathaway, an RA for Willey Wing at Wallace Resident Center Hathaway is majoring in plant and bio technology. He is currently a sophomore and is the RA for the second floor of the Willey Wing in Wallace. Hathaway said he wanted
“The biggest thing to remember (about RAs) is we were freshmen just like you. Almost all of us came in with the intentions of helping residents enjoy their time here at the university. Noel Hathaway
to be an RA, because he didn’t want first-year students to have the same experience he had as freshman. He said he could do a better job than what his RA did for him. Hathaway said his best experience as an RA is watching his community flourish. He enjoyed watching relationships being built between residents, working with other RAs to make things happen and seeing people go to the programs he worked on. “The biggest thing to remember (about RAs) is we were freshmen just like you,” Hathaway said. “Almost all of us came in with the intentions of helping residents enjoy their time here at the university.” Hathaway described his experience as being stressful in that there are many things to take care of, but he said it is satisfying to see communities start to form and come together. “As a whole, I am just really thankful that I had the opportunity to take this job,” Hathaway said. Claire Whitley can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
2014 pg 8-9
Life in Theophilus Tower Erin Bamer Argonaut
Illustration by Shane Wellner | Argonaut
Spring
Designed for first-year students, the Theophilus Tower at the University of Idaho allows students to spend their year living with other new students. Standing tall at 11 floors, plus a utility basement, the Tower is unmistakable. Unlike the Wallace Residence Center, which has co-ed floors, each level of the Tower is either all-male or all-female with about 40 residents per floor. Jazzmine Hudson, area coordinator for the Tower, said she believes the purpose of first-year students living in the same building is to grow a strong community. Hudson said it’s a good opportunity for students to live with people who share common interests, and since the students are all fresh out of high school, they’re on similar levels. Hudson said another benefit of the Tower is the easy access students and UI employees have to provide support. For example, the six-week community development plan was first put into action by the Tower Community Council last year, according to Hudson. The first portion of the plan starts the week before orientation. The initial days are used as training and transitioning for the staff. Hudson said the next five weeks after the students move in is time to grow and develop a strong
bond between floor residents. The students are encouraged to get involved through team building exercises, surveys, student success fairs and meeting with their resident assistants. Tower RAs are tested on how well they know the residents of their floors by the Tower housing staff. They are not only urged to spend quality time with their floor group, but also to keep track on how individual residents are holding up with the transition to college life. On Vandal Friday, the Theophilus Tower Community Council will host an event from 8-10 p.m. at Bob’s Place, allowing potential students to interact with current students. The event will include a toga-wearing competition, sumo suit wrestling and karaoke. Freshman Susanna Flesher currently lives in the Tower. Though Flesher said she enjoys being a resident of the Tower for the most part, but there are negative aspects as well. Flesher said even though she likes her RA, many of the hall meetings she attended seemed pointless. She also said her floor’s vacuum never works, so her roommate and she resort to sweeping their carpet. Her Internet connection gets occasionally slow, it’s impossible to get her room to a comfortable temperature and the elevators break too often, Flesher said. Flesher said all of these
things annoyed her, but are manageable. She said her biggest problem are other residents. Wallace includes a private bathroom for each room, but the Tower has residents of one floor sharing a public bathroom. Flesher said a private bathroom sounds nicer, because her floor’s bathroom occasionally gets gross on weekends, and other residents leave dirty dishes in the sink. She also mentioned doing laundry can be difficult, since limited washing machines and dryers make some residents impolite. Flesher said the students also make choices that are simply illogical to her. “It’s really annoying when people on the second floor take the elevator,” Flesher said. “You have a backpack, and you get on the elevator and go to the second floor. Why? I can make it to the sixth floor on the stairs. Why?” Although all these points are valid, Flesher said there are many more good qualities about her residence hall. Flesher recommends the Tower to first-year students, because it’s a comfortable place to live and study, the staff is always nice and it succeeded in helping Flesher with her college transition. “It’s kind of like a step between living at home and an apartment,” Flesher said. Erin Bamer can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
Students and faculty discuss pros and cons of living in Theophilus Tower
Katy Kithcart | Argonaut
Students shuffle off and on the elevators at Theophilus Tower. The residence hall, commonly known as The Tower, houses eleven floors of first-year students.
We have a variety of rental properties throughout Moscow. Call or stop by for a listing of available properties.
www.palouseproperties.com rentals@palouseproperties.com
The Argonaut
10
Spring 2014
Food for thought
George Wood Jr. | Argonaut
Vandal Dining chef Jeska LeBlanc serves Wallace Resident Assistant Noel Hathaway on a St. Patricks Day themed Bob’s Place meal March 13. One of the featured entrees was a corned beef dish along with many other holiday themed dishes.
A perspective on Bob’s Place as the primary source of food for students who live on campus Jake Smith Argonaut First-year students at the University of Idaho are required to have a meal plan. Five out of the six meal plans provided highlight Bob’s Place as a primary source of food. University Housing Marketing Coordinator Cara Lehman said a meal plan is required for incoming students and residence hall occupants, because the residence halls would not provide three meals a day for students. Wallace Residence Center has approximately 1,000 students
and its small kitchen in the basement is not able to feed all of the residents, Lehman said. She said the transition from home to college life can be difficult, which is why a meal plan is an effective tool — meal plans allow students to have more time to focus on their schoolwork. According to Lehman, campus dining locations such as Bob’s Place offer a tool for social transition as well. Dan Butcher, a resident of Willey Wing in Wallace, said incoming students with new meal plans shouldn’t set their expectations too high for Bob’s Place. Butcher said new stu-
dents should be open-minded and experience Bob’s Place on their own to gain their own opinion of the food. UI student Niko Levy transferred from North Idaho College. He lives in the Scholars Building of the Living Learning Community and eats at Bob’s Place every day. “I like the variety of food available,” Levy said. “When I was at NIC, they didn’t have nearly as many choices available.” Levy said he enjoys the food at Bob’s Place being readily available every night and that he doesn’t have to cook for himself as much as he used to.
He also said the food at Bob’s Place isn’t the best quality in his opinion, but it isn’t the worst either. “I would sacrifice some quality, definitely, to not have to cook every night,” Levy said. Derek Stuivenga, a resident of the Ballard Wing of Wallace, said he thinks Bob’s Place is valuable to UI students. “I know some kids who go to other colleges and they have to literally walk to the middle of campus – (from) where they live a mile off campus – just to eat,” Stuivenga said. “So it’s really cool to have a facility here, literally right next to our rooms
that we can go and grab food from whenever we want.” UI student Ryan Chatel said Bob’s Place has good food overall, though he understands why some say they don’t enjoy the food. “The problem with it, (or) a lot of the reason people complain, is that they get used to it after so long,” Chatel said. “A lot of my friends will complain, ‘Oh it’s not good.’ Really, it’s just that they have had it for so long now that they’ve gotten used to it.” Jake Smith can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
Housing Guide
11
Six meal plans for the 2014-2015 academic year $2,100 and includes unlimited meals at Bob’s Place, $75 flex and 10 guest passes.
Vandal Premiere is
$1,740 and includes 14 meals per week at Bob’s Place, $250 flex. Any remaining Vandal Prestige is
meals per week expire after dinner on Sunday each week.
Vandal Pride is and
$1,740 and contains 140 block meals
$300 flex. Block meals span the entirety of the semester
and expire each semester.
$1,360 and is limited to residents of McConnell Hall. There are 100 block meals and $500 flex.
McConnell Plan is
$660 and includes 50 block meals and $250 flex.
Idaho Freedom is
Idaho Choice contains
$250 flex.
Both Idaho Freedom and Idaho Choice are limited to Living Learning Communities upperclassmen and non-residents.
Illustration by Shane Wellner | Argonaut
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The Argonaut
Spring 2014
Keeping the arts alive Kaitlyn Krasselt Argonaut
Living in a community of people who have similar interests is important to making connections at a new university, according to Kelsi Nagle, recruitment coordinator for University Housing. “I think it encourages people to get invested and involved in their community when they have that connection,” Nagle said. As a result, Nagle said themed communities such as the fine arts community in the residence halls are a great fit for many students. Any student interested in the fine arts will have the opportunity to live in a community of people that share their interests, Nagle said, but for the 2014-2015
academic year that community will move across campus for the first time. “What we’re hoping to build is similar to Targhee,” Nagle said. “It’ll be a community that combines fine arts with a traditional residence hall experience.” Historically the fine arts community in the residence halls has been housed in Targhee — a smaller residence hall on the South side of campus. However, with a need for temporary office space as a result of construction in the College of Education, the residents of Targhee will be placed on the fourth floor of the Stevenson Wing in the Wallace Residence Center. “One of the biggest benefits of this is more space so we’ll actually be able to have more students in that community,” Nagle said. “It’ll also provide a
better mix for students because although they’ll still be living in a fine arts community, they won’t be so isolated. They’ll still be able to enjoy the fine arts but they’ll get to experience campus and be closer to university resources such as Bob’s.” Nagle said the community will be a co-ed community for first year through graduate level students. She said the only requirement is an interest in the fine arts and students do not have to be pursuing a degree in one of those fields. “We work closely with the Lionel Hampton School of Music, Art and Architecture and the Virtual Technology and Design program to bring those students in,” Nagle said. “But really you just have to have an interest in the fine arts.” While the decision to move
the Targhee residents across campus came as a surprise to many, Nagle said she thinks it will be a positive thing for those students. Nagle said because the community will now be housed in Wallace, students will have to purchase one of the standard meal plans for living in Wallace because there is not adequate kitchen space accommodate cooking in the hall. When the community was housed in Targhee students had access to a full kitchen and were offered alternative meal plan options to those housed in the other residence halls. Nagle said the Targhee move came suddenly and as a result not many incoming students know about the opportunity, but she said University Housing will recruit students during Vandal Friday where they can
sign up to live in the new fine arts community in Wallace. She said that although the community will no longer be isolated, University Housing is looking at ways to incorporate strategic programming for the fine arts community as well as keep practice rooms and times available for music and theatre majors. “We’ll be asking students what they want to see in terms of programming and practice space,” Nagle said. “Our biggest goal is to improve the community. It’s predominately a first-year community but we’re hoping with the move to get older students to live there and act as mentors for the younger students in the community.” Kaitlyn Krasselt can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
Hey Future Vandals! Welcome to the University of Idaho and the Vandal Family! Office of the Dean of Students Teaching and Learning Center Room 232 (208) 885.6757 www.uidaho.edu/dos
Housing Guide
13
Go Greek or go home Most houses have programs When you choose to join a to help people in their classes sorority, you choose to repreif needed. You’re never alone sent more than just yourself. in life after joining a sorority. Everything you do reflects It is likely that every back directly on your class you take has been house and the members taken by someone else of your house. So natuin your house. When rally, you must strive registering for a class, to make your sorority you have the benefit of proud. If you make it knowing which teacher onto the Dean’s List, it to choose or what time reflects positively on the house. On the other Alexia Neal is best. You can also receive help directly hand, a bad decision at Argonaut from someone with a party can reflect negaexperience in the class tively on the house. and have examples of what You always wear your letthe teacher prefers. ters, representing your house. You also learn to share Being in a sorority teaches you space with the people around to be responsible for your acyou. In most sorority houses, tions, which is a valuable and the space you can call your rare trait these days. own is only a desk and a The day you get accepted closet. Because there is such a to a house and get a bid card, you immediately have up to 60 limited space, you learn to only bring what you need. friends, all with a goal to help Most girls are more than you succeed and make you feel willing to share their clothes welcome in your new home. with others, so the entire You are instantly surrounded house is your closet. Getting by people who want you to exready for the day is actually cel, both in school and at life.
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but it really isn’t. There are plenty of places around the house to hang out if you want quiet time. Not to mention, most houses on Greek Row are a mere five-minute walk to either the library or Student Union Building. Every house also has a study room and at least one TV room, so you can find quiet time there as well. There aren’t many negatives to joining a sorority. The fast pace teaches you to manage your time and be productive. The small space teaches you to be selective. The amount of girls you get close to gives
more information To read about fraternity life at UI, read Argonaut columnisit Bryce Delay’s column at uiargonaut.com
you connections all over the country for the rest of your life. What some may see as a downfall can easily be made into a positive. Go Greek. Alexia Neal can be reached at arg-opinion@uidaho.edu
The gentlemen of Sigma Chi invite you to stop by for open house and house tours
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735 Nez Perce Drive
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pretty exciting, as you have so many clothing options. Most houses have what is called a sleeping porch — a 24-hour quiet room with bunk beds provided for the house members. The windows in this room are always open for health reasons, so most girls have heated blankets to keep them warm. Although it can be uncomfortable at first, the porch is easy to get used to and eventually you learn to love it. It seems like being in a house full of up to 60 girls can be emotionally overwhelming,
Why going Greek is likely the best decision you will ever make
Patty’s Kitchen catered dinner Thursday BBQ dinner Friday night
The Argonaut
14
ANDAL
VOICES
Greek, residence Q:halls, or off-campus? Which living option did you choose and what did you like — or dislike — about it? What advice would you offer to incoming students?
Spring 2014
“I’ve done all three, and they have their pros and cons. I lived in the residence halls my freshman year and my sophompre year (sophomore year as a Resident Assistant), and off-campus for my junior and senior year. However, I also joined Greek Life my senior year, but did not get the opportunity to live in the house (though I wish I had). So instead of saying which is better or what not, I would suggest for new/transfer students to come to Vandal Friday and get a first-person experience for themselves of Greek Life and Residence Hall Life. However, I will say that I personally loved living in the Residence Halls, and I am still friends with quite a few people I met while living there, and that was 4-5 years ago.” Sara Lynn Hamilton
“In high school I was very involved with student council and a variety of clubs and activities. I decided to Go Greek for that reason, and that I knew it would be a great way to meet people. Overall I could not ask for a better college experience than what I have had. My fraternity enhanced my abilities and I am very proud of where I am today. I feel incoming students should give every living option a chance, because there is always somewhere to fit at the University of Idaho.” Tyler Tennison
“Off campus. You save significantly (regardless of the figures UI Housing projects).” Clayton McFarland
“I joined a Greek fraternity for the shared ideals, the structure, and the incredible social community. Sigma Chi has changed my life and opened up experiences and connections I could never have imagined possible.” Grady Hepworth
“I lived in the residence halls for 2 1/2 years, abroad for 1/2 year, and am now living off campus. For me, the residence halls were a great way to find community, while still allowing me the free time to pursue my interests in clubs and other campus activities.” Kellie Koester
Housing Guide
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George Wood Jr. | Argonaut
Steel House is a coorperative living group for women. It was built in 1952 replacing to replace Ridenbaugh Hall as a resident hall.
Between Greek house and Residence Hall Claire Whitley Argonaut Steel House is separate from both Greek and Residence Hall life. It is another on-campus living option for women that is cheaper and has many benefits. Steel House Administrator Del Hungerford said Steel House is a women’s cooperative, which means the students who live there do most of the work around the house — such as cleaning, making it more monetarily efficient. Since the members of the house do much of the work, there is no need to hire cleaning staff. This also makes Steel House a less expensive on-campus living option than Greek or dorm life, Hungerford said. Hungerford said living in Steel House is like living in a dorm, but instead it is just a house.
The name Steel House came from one of the UI Board of Regents members Ethel K. Steel, he said, when the house was moved from Ridenbaugh Gallery to a separate location. The women’s cooperative has been known as Steel House since 1953. Annysia Hoffman, the house treasurer, said Steel House is a midpoint between Greek life and Residence Hall life. Steel House is a separate entity from the University of Idaho. It is run by an alumni board, which means the members pay to the house about $3,000 per semester, not to UI. Bri Murphy, the current resident assistant of Steel House said the members of the house have more say on how the house runs, compared to dorm or Greek students. Members take a vote on things like the quiet hours, man hours, study
hours and social activities. Everything is voted on within house, and administrative staff is there as guidance for students — they don’t tell them what is supposed to be done, Hungerford said. Alex Croft, the Steel House janitorial manager, said Steel House gives a feeling of family to the members living there. Even though everyone is surrounded by people, there is still privacy Hoffman said. Hungerford said one of the goals of Steel House is to help women learning how to live on their own. So, by living there, members learn how to clean, cook and take care of kitchen duties —such as buying groceries. “It is an experience that you only get in Steel House,” Hungerford said. Murphy said living in Steel House was a great transition to living off campus.
Steel House kitchen manager Cesia Cisse said Steel House teaches responsibility, accountability, independence and a sense of self. “We are held accountable for our actions,” Croft said. Hoffman added that being independent teaches members how to work for themselves and how to stand up for themselves, whenever they feel like something or someone is being disrespectful. Cisse said Steel House members are a diverse group of girls. There are art students who live there because of the proximity to many of the art buildings, but members are everything from “gamer girls” to “fashionistas,” Cisse said. “It’s unique,” Hoffman said. “We all accept each other.” Claire Whitley can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu
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The Argonaut
Spring 2014