OXFORD, Miss. – A public program Friday (Sept. 18) at the University
of Mississippi marks the grand opening of the new residential college.
The event, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception, begins at
3 p.m. in the center courtyard of the campus community, which is just
off Jackson Avenue behind the Lamar Law Center.
Chancellor
Dan Jones is slated to give the welcome; Chancellor Emeritus Robert
Khayat and Provost Emeritus Carolyn Staton will comment on their
original vision for the residential college; and Dan O’Sullivan, senior
fellow of the college, will give his view of life there after three
weeks into the school year.
The new state-of-the-art academic community has been bustling
with activity since some 465 undergraduates moved there in time for the
fall semester’s opening day of classes Aug. 24.
Living at the college and interacting with the students are
O’Sullivan, associate professor of French, and his family: wife,
Patricia, and their children, Marion, 11, and Colm, 10. Patricia is an
instructor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion.
The living environment is intended to nurture and broaden the
scope of learning. The three-story building features a dining hall,
fitness center, library, computer center, music practice room and study
rooms. Six types of room layouts for students are available, ranging
from a standard double suite to a corner suite of four single rooms.
Freshmen are assigned to doubles, and each suite has its own bathroom.
Life seems good as the students and faculty begin to build a new kind of academic community, O’Sullivan said.
“As far as I can tell, the students love living here,” he said.
“They find the building beautiful, their rooms comfortable and the
whole community very warm, friendly and supportive.”
Besides the O’Sullivans, some 30 other faculty members, chosen
as faculty fellows, are to be closely involved with the student
residents. As senior fellow, O’Sullivan is the college’s main
coordinator, in charge of scheduling activities, providing leadership
for the students and organizing the faculty fellows.
“When it comes down to it, my job is about mentoring the
students – mentoring them intellectually, socially and, in some
respects, spiritually,” O’Sullivan said.
Harry Clark, a freshman liberal arts major from Pass Christian,
said living in the residential college is everything he expected it to
be and more.
“I love the community here,” he said. “It’s very, very nice to
be able to just go downstairs to get food instead of walking all the
way to the Union. The rooms are really nice, too, and I can’t wait to
get involved with the activities here. The tai chi class looks really
fun.”
Brian Pfieffer, a senior criminal justice major from Lucedale,
moved to the new facility from Stockard residence hall. He had lived in
Stockard for three years and is a resident assistant.
“I love the convenience of living here,” he said. “You have your
own dining facilities and your own private bathroom. Since I’m an RA, I
have been helping to organize some of the activities here. We had a
joint masquerade ball with Guess Hall. They came over and we used the
courtyard. Alpha Pi Alpha also had an event out in the courtyard.”
Feedback from parents has also been positive, O’Sullivan said.
“They have been impressed with our community from day one,” he
said. “Housing did such a great job in organizing move-in day, which
set the tone for the whole experience. I tell the parents that we’re
watching out for their sons and daughters, and they are very
appreciative.”
For more information, visit http://www.olemiss.edu/