What's the big deal about the "D-Word?"
If you work in college
or university housing for any amount of time, you've
probably heard the term Residence Hall used instead
of the term "dorm." In fact, most people
who work in this profession frown upon the use of
the term "dorm."
The difference may
seem trivial, but the important thing to remember
is the reason behind differentiating between the
two words.
We are focused on providing
communities that focus on people, growth and learning;
places where students' lives are enhanced through
social interaction, educational opportunities, safe
facilities, academic resources and comfortable environments.Contrast
this to giving people a building to sleep in (a
dorm).
A residence hall
is a place where you live, learn, grow and develop.
A dorm is a building.
Here
are some illustrations to make the point:
Why Do We Call Them Residence
Halls?
On a Caribbean cruise
some time ago, a wealthy passenger, a jeweler by
trade, enthusiastically approached the captain proclaiming,
"Captain, your boat is simply marvelous!"
In graciously acknowledging the compliment, the
captain pointed out that the use of the term "boat"
was inappropriate, and that the boat was indeed
a ship. The passenger, not understanding the distinction,
promised never again to utter such a
reference.
After several days
of confinement on the captain's ship, the passenger/jeweler
again approached the captain to inquire as to when
the boat would next take port. Not being the most
tolerant, the captain
angrily replied, "If you insist on referring
to my ship as a 'boat,' I must counter with reference
to expensive pearls as 'beads.'" Sudden enlightenment
struck the passenger; the faux pas was not understood.
A
boat will get you from here to there and little
else. A ship serves many functions, and provides
a variety of services in getting a passenger from
here to there.
If any lesson is to
be learned from this, imagine if you will, the sensitivity
that is felt by a member of the student services
profession when one refers to a "residence
hall" for which they are responsible as
a "dorm." The "boat" can indeed
be a graceful ship and the "dorm likewise can
be a dynamic multipurpose residence hall. A residence
hall can serve as a community center and impact
the lives and personal
development of students during travels from freshmen
year to graduation.
Over the years we have
seen the evolution of hundreds of federal, state,
and local institutions, whose mission it has become
to socialize members and foster positive personal
development; churches, day camps, schools, clubs,
and a myriad of others exist for this purpose. As
Nevitt Sanford pointed out in Self and Society (NY,
Atherton Press, 1966). "These are agencies
through which an individual passes for a limited
period of time for the purpose of being changed
in some desired way."
The center of any institution
of higher education is the student. In passing through
a university, the student experiences and is effected
by many "systems." Aside from the primary
curriculum system, no other
system of the university has the potential to impact
the passing student more than hi/her place of residence.
It is here that the "boat/dorm-ship/residence
hall" distinction is of paramount importance.
The absence of a university wide understanding of
this potential impact may mean the university may
miss a significant opportunity to educate the student.
(Adapted from "Why
Do We Call Them Residence Halls" at the University
of Massachusetts-Amherst)
DORM vs. R.E.S.I.D.E.N.C.E.
Hall
DORM =
"Dull ordinary
room of mine"
or "Dismal
Ordinary Room
of Mine"
vs.
RESIDENCE HALL =
"Really
Exciting Socially-InterDependent
Environment
Necessary for
Creating Enthusiasm"
or
"Really
Empowering Sensational
Interesting
Dynamic Exciting
Neat Cool
Excellent Hall
And Living
Lodge"
"Really
Exciting Sensational
Individually-Designed
Enlightening
New College
Experience that
Houses an Abundance
of Life and
Love."
The above acronyms
were compiled from the following people off of a
listserv:
Adele Markowitz - Residence Life Coordinator - Georgia
Southwestern State University
Steve A. - Simpson College
E. Thayne King - Director of Residence Life - Sam
Houston State University