Tamika Alexander – Arts and Entertainment Editor –
The students who live on campus at Southern Connecticut State University have a variety of events and activities to participate in that are run by the Department of Residence Life. Activities that are offered range from bus trips and tailgates to comedians and shopping trips.
“Residence Life events and activities are developed and implemented by community coordinators and advisors, individual residence hall councils and residence hall association,” said Marvin Wilson, associate director of Residence Life.
ResLife activities differ from those of other groups on campus because they are specifically put together for students who reside on campus. However, partnerships with other university groups allow direct education and providing of campus resources, said Wilson.
“Community coordinators and advisors, hall directors, and other administrators in the Department of Housing and Residence Life,” he states, “have strong collaborative relationships with university programming partners across campus, including Lyman Center, Student Life, the Greek Life Council, and more.”
Building communities and relationships among on-campus residents and ensuring that their voices are heard are the primary purposes of RHA, Marvin says.
“ResLife activites,” said Aisha Sharp, senior recreation major and resident assistant, “promote school spirit and inclusion within the residential community.”
“As inspiration, surveys of residential students are conducted by these groups to formally and informally provide the most accessible, relevant, and enjoyable events,” he said. “An assessment is conducted of each residence life event by its organizers through the Residence Life Staff Portal.”
Some of the Residence Hall Association events planned for the Fall semester are “You Survived” on Sept. 4, “Sibling Night” scheduled for Sept.28, “Inflatable in the Quad” on Sept. 29 and “The Big E” on Sept. 30 to kick off the semester, said Robert DeMezzo, associate director of Residence Life.
To get the word out to students, there is a new calendar on the university website specifically for RHA events.
Other events students can plan to participate in on campus are two tailgaiting trips on Oct. 19 and Nov. 3, a trip to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets on Nov. 4 and a Madden tournament on Nov. 17, which is an activity that has gained much student participation.
“Some other events that were very well-received in the past and have been scheduled again this fall include a trip to Lake Compounce, RHA Stay and Play, a trip to the Big E, Pumpkin Painting, a Halloween Party, a comedy show, a trip to New York City, and a Winter Wonderland Party,” said Wilson. “We repeat events such as these because they become traditions for our returning students and they provide opportunities for students to relax on and off campus.”
There’s a better turn out when students don’t leave empty handed, said Sharp.
“When we have free items and t-shirts and food, we have the most students come out,” she said.
Plus, along with its new online calendar, the Department of Residence Life also has a Facebook page, where events will be posted and are hoping to create a Twitter account to also increase publicity and attendance at events said Wilson.
“We are a dynamic department that continually strives to develop living and learning communities in the residence halls, around campus, in the greater New Haven community, and beyond,” said Wilson.
The mission of residence life is to provide safe and educational residential communities to the students, said Demezzo.
“As the Office of Residence Life continues to fulfill its mission,” he states, “students will continue to be at the center of all that we do. In cooperation with several other university offices, we work to assist you in becoming academically and personally successful.”
