With their special interest floor?s purpose redefined, the residents of the Transfer Living Center are adjusting to life on Morgan 3 in the Susan B. Anthony Residence Halls.
The InterClass Living Center, which was a special interest floor consisting of half freshmen and half upperclassmen, was a casualty of freshman housing. In its place, TLC was created to help integrate transfer and non-transfer students and to assist transfer students in adapting to their new environment.
During the first few days of the school year, junior Laura Cowan, the president of TLC, tried to organize floor events that would incorporate the transfer with the non-transfer students. Some of these events included an ice cream social for all transfer students in the Friel Lounge, dinner at T.G.I. Friday?s, an orientation at the Distillery and a canoeing trip.
Sophomore Tiffany Nault, a non-transfer student living in TLC has been assisting in integrating students. Last year, Nault was a freshman participant of ICLC and believed that it was very helpful in her adjustment to UR. Nault thinks that TLC is a beneficial program because it provides a ?very good community? for transfer students. TLC has an open-door policy so that everyone is forced to interact with one another.
Transfer student and sophomore Tracey Simon, a resident of TLC, believes that TLC is a good community because it allows people that are ?in the same boat to be together. The TLC provides a nice community and has been helpful in acclimating me to the University of Rochester,? she continued.
Each transfer student was given the opportunity to live in TLC by an interest questionnaire included in the transfer housing materials. Only 20 transfer students accepted this offer, but transfer students living in other areas are still invited to all of the TLC meetings and events.
Prior to the establishment of TLC no special housing arrangements for transfer students were available. ?The College was working to determine better ways to support transfer students entering Rochester at a different place than the traditional UR student,? said Director of Residential Life Logan Hazen. ?ResLife presented the possibility of a residential group forming to support these students.?
Last year, UR students who wished to participate in the TLC program and live on the TLC hall for the 2001-2002 school year had to go through an application process. Twelve upperclassmen were chosen.
Cowan, who lived on ICLC her freshman and sophomore years, was opposed to the termination of ICLC. ?The thing I was opposed to was the inability to speak with upperclassmen besides your RA and D?Lion,? Cowen said. ?Freshmen are missing out by not meeting older people.?
Bellavita can be reached at bbellavita@campustimes.org.
