Caroline Perry
Managing Executive Editor
With the campus bustling with students again, several changes such as the re-opening of Carle Hall have livened up campus.
The A and B side of Carle hall was re-opened on Wednesday September 22nd for incoming first-years to move into. Both sides C and D remain closed to the students.
The process of preparing Carle Hall began early in the summer and opened up the campus said Kent Drake-Deese, the Associate Dean of Student and Director of Residential Life. Efficiency is something Keene State College strives to achieve and having the option to avoid triples within the dorm setting, yet still be efficient, was a key component in re-opening Carle Hall, said Deese. “This year we had more first-year students, so we had the choice of either tripling them in Holloway or using Crale,” said Deese. The latter was chosen, the decision being to open up the retro dorm complex and commit to a doubles dorm setting.
Interim President Melinda Treadwell elaborated on the process and steps that went into re-opening her original residential hall, explaining that aligning Keene State Colleges master plan with campus and residential life was something of utmost importance. “I had a very strong expectation that we don’t triple students, and so we opened part of Carle so that we would have room to ensure that we don’t triple, and hat we could spread the new and returning student population,” Treadwell explained.
Treadwell said that Carle Hall allowed more flexibility than some of the other residential halls on campus. “Carle gave us more flexibility, more of an opportunity and the assurance that we wouldn’t be tripling students, and its quirky in a fun way,” added Treadwell.
With the re-opening of Carle Hall, both Deese and Treadwell believe that this decision will contribute to the positive atmosphere on campus. Treadwell said, “We’ve already had some themed housing and some options around campus to build community sense. I think Carle has the ability to do that as well. It has this quirky, kind of sixties feel to it, so the ability to play with that and actually expand the importance of community.” Treadwell said that surveying students on how Keene State College can do more is another key component that will help tie new students in with the community and college.
Deese also believed in the positive impact that re-opening Carle Hall would have on the campus and college. “People are more likely to connect and bond, which promotes a better dynamic,” said Deese. The Associate Dean and Director added, “Carle’s always been a more popular choice for first-years. It’s also more central to the buzz of campus, so being able to bring Carle back into the mix is important because the students will be a part of the campus more, which is great.”
Two first-years, Zoey Luopa and Rachel Roncaioli, both who are experiencing dorm life first-hand, both described Carle Hall as open and a place where it was easy to talk and interact with other individuals.
“It’s only been a week and I’ve already made a lot of friends, a lot right within my dorm. It’s nice to be able to easily transition into on campus life,” said Luopa.
Roncaioli agreed with Luopa, adding, “It’s nice to make friends quickly. I really enjoy the atmosphere in Carle and campus already.” Luopa and Roncaiola, who are roommates, said they excited to see what the year holds, as well as to be spending it in Carle Hall.
Keene State College is striving to make further steps which will allow the opening of the C and D section in Carle Hall, said Treadwell.
With the hope of making those steps in the summer of 2019, there is high hopes that the entirety of Carle Hall will be open for the incoming class of 2023.
Caroline Perry
can be contacted at
cperry@kscequinox.com
