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Community on Campus Overview

When looking around for places to take pictures of, I realized that the main spots I found were of major hubs of activity. They are all popular places on campus for people to be seen at and they do prosper a lot of community engagement. Places that are popular and can host a large group of people have been known to attract attention on campus. Resident Areas that host large events outsides usually attract more students than those who live in that building alone. 

The MCLA community is consistently adapting and changing in regards to its students. This year alone new changes have made it easier for preferred names on rosters to be updated and bathrooms around campus have been updated to include all-gender. These are the results of the community engaging with each other and recognizing that there was more on campus that could be done to fight for social issues. Community engagement has allowed the students body to educate themselves on the topics of discussion on campus and make efforts to better help those who struggle. 

However while these places are the popular place for those tho become engaged in their community there are many other spots on campus that can benefit from community engagement. Classrooms also involve students on a more focused level into a particular topic and the library is also a center that can educate students on engagement.While MCLA and downtown North Adams may have changed there is always room for development. 

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MCLA’s campus is small but it supports a variety of life from commuters to residents and staff. MCLA is a constantly changing place as it adapts to the students who enter its gates each year and the students who leave the gates changed by their experiences. Each new class brings different challenges and excitement to the campus as well as the opportunity to build the community. Engagement practices occur everywhere on campus, whether it be involving the students in classes that inspire critical thinking and social activism or clubs/organizations that span out all over campus.

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The gates are the symbol on campus and they hold a few stories. Only twice in their time at MCLA should students go through the gate: during convocation when they begin their time at MCLA and when they graduate. Stories have spread about how you should never walk through the gate when it is opened or you will not graduate on time. The myth has never been proven of course but still a majority of campus refuses to walk through the gates and the community takes great joy in spreading the stories about the gates.

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A host for many of the events that happen on campus, the quad is always full of life. In the center of Bowman, the Library, Eldridge Hall and Venable, the quad is a green space for events, studying or hanging out in the sun. The walkways throughout support the students who rush to class or the library for much needed study times. In the warmer weather, there are many students who take the chance to study and do homework outside on blankets or stay cool under the shade of trees. In September and April, the Student Activities Council hosts a variety of events outside that bring people together for food, crafts and activities such as bounce houses.

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The above picture is of the Campus Center Gym. The gyms as well as other sporting fields are a huge place for the community to come together and be supportive. At the start of each year during the first days program, people gather to march up to the Athletic Complex in a symbol of support and strength to watch the soccer game that is held that afternoon. Everyone can then cheer the athletes on and show their support for MCLA. The gym is also a spot for intramurals and pick-up games for those who do not play on a college sport. Intramurals are run all year and they host a variety of different games and sports to get the community involved.

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The main spot on campus to see large groups of people, the cafeteria is more than just a spot to find a meal. The cafeteria is always boisterous with teams coming back from practices or games, to groups of friends spread out enjoying a relaxing break from classes. In light lunch times, you can often spot students using the quiet lull in the day to study in the cafeteria while enjoying the salad bar and other snacks. While not a huge spot on the campus the lunch and dinner periods of the day show the diversity of students who are on campus and their hungry appetites.

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Bulletin Boards

Twice a semester an RA is responsible for creating bulletin boards and door decorations for their floors or sections. The topic and creativity level of the boards is based solely on the power of the RA. In this way, the RA can analyze what may be an issue in the community and target it with a board. 

The picture above is the board I have created for my floors in Berkshire Towers. The board is designed to show off all the resources that are available on campus in their designated location. Each pin on the windmill shows off a different location such as in Residence Halls,On Campus, or Downtown that all provide resources to students on campus. The board engages the audience because it is displayed in a creative way that allows residents to access information easily. Past and future boards also allow an interactive piece. This can be a question that is posed somewhere on the board that invites residents to write down their answers. This engagement is low-key, stress-free but residents can still have their voices heard in the area. No program is needed, information is still being communicated but for those who do not fell comfortable at loud rallies or likewise events, this form of engagement still includes their opinions.

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Advertising

But how do we reach those who want to become engaged? We advertise and we market our our events, programs, debates, etc. Above is the current flyer board outside the elevator lobby in B Tower of Berkshire Towers. It hosts a variety of flyers about events that happen inside the building and out as well as pertinent information about tutors, sporting events, and resources on campus like the Transgender Affinity Group.

There are several different ways to advertise events on campus: flyers, banner-posters, and word of mouth. In order to engage the community, we need to let our members know that an event is taking place and that everyone and their friends should come. In residence life, a roommate or suite-mate may be interested in an event but feels awkward going alone. The flyer gives all the information they need to try to convince others to attend with them. 

Here’s where community engagement needs some help. If people do not feel comfortable enough to go alone they may never go at all. Reflecting on this idea gives me the chance to know what I want to focus on in this class: how do we succeed in community engagement and how do we get people to show up to become engaged?

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Res Life Programs on campus

Res life and Student Activities Council holds many events on campus. Above is an event that I hosted as an RA near the stairs outside the campus center called Tie Dye-versity. This events allowed residents of multiple res areas as well as non-resident students to interact. Everyone was responsible for tie-dyeing socks in an effort to stomp out hate. The goal was to talk about the diversity that was present on campus as well as the prejudice that is shown to such groups. 

The goal of such an event was to draw people to an activity that they would enjoy while focusing on an issue that was present on campus. There are many other events and debates that occur throughout the year, however I believe that we could do more for our community to engage and educate them to those on campus. Our community is important because the students are diverse and they want their voices to be heard. Giving them the platform to voice those frustrations and then turning it into a program that helps to get others involved and engaged in the topics is crucial to building a respectful and safe community.

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Resident Advisors and Programs

Resident advisors hold many roles in their buildings as resources, community builders, helper, and administrator. Advisors help answer all questions that residents have about student life, res life, and everything in between by providing as much knowledge of the resources on campus. They help facilitate community building and relations between roommates, suite-mates and throughout the building. RAs also help to make sure that policies are being followed throughout the building. They are the glue of the building making sure everyone feels safe and comfortable.

RAs are responsible for holding a number of events throughout the year that helps engage residents with the campus, downtown and their own building.The above picture was the result of a tape-art event where residents used painter’s tape to create decorative art on the walls. Residents had to interact with each other to fill their suite walls and agree upon what they wanted to display. These small events allow residents the opportunity to flex their engagement skills with each other before moving on to more serious engagements on campus.

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Residence Area Life

While exploring campus and downtown, I tried to focus in on what connected people the best before realizing that res life accomplishes community engagement very well. My first image is of my own residence area, Berkshire Towers. Residence life goes beyond just a place to live while students are getting their degrees. It’s about working together to build the community you want to live and respecting each other. 

Everyone who lives in the Berkshire Towers has agreed to Resident Programs and Service’s Community Guidelines that states what can and cannot happen in the area. Examples include noise issues past certain hours at night, playing sports, and keeping a clean environment. These policies are set in place to guarantee that everyone has a happy and safe environment to live and study in without disrupting others.

The community builds when everyone comes together and respects everyone in the environment. Then the building can focus on engaging residents with the campus and the community at large.