Tag: residence hall

10 Tips and Tricks of the Residence Hall

BY JONATHAN LEVSKY // OCT. 25, 2016 //

If you’re a resident at Curry College, then you know all too well the many rules of the residence halls. But what if there was a way to enhance your dorm without breaking any rules at all?

Some of these rules may be surprising, but nevertheless they’re in place to ensure your safety within your room as well as the residence hall. So you may not be able to bring your candles, or your extension cords, or even your tapestry. However, there are still some ways to work around these restrictions and make your room as functional, comfortable, and personalized as possible.

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IMAGE CREDIT: Jonathan Levsky
  1. Command Strips are a necessity.

Command strips, which come in all shapes and sizes, can be used on pretty much anything. They can stick your favorite posters to the wall, hang extra hooks in your room, and hold photos and decor securely. The best part? They’re damage free, meaning no damage fees for you!

  1. Plug in air fresheners.

We all know that candles are awesome; they add both nice aroma and atmosphere to a room. However, they are not legal in campus residence halls. So switch it up and purchase a plug in air freshener for your room to add a nice smell. You can purchase them just about anywhere and can even change up the scents whenever you like; even holiday specific scents. Who doesn’t love the smell of Pumpkin Spice in the fall and Candy Canes in the winter?

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Buy curtains and a tension rod to hide a messy closet. // CREDIT: Shauna Nickerson ’18 and Nicole Harkins ’18
  1. Tension rods and curtains will hide that messy closet.

You move into your new room and unpack. Everything has a place, except for the things that don’t. For some, a closet is a perfect place to stuff those extra items you don’t need out in the open. But by purchasing a small tension rod and curtain, your messy closet can be hidden from everyone that enters your room.

  1. Door Draft Stopper are multipurpose.

Door draft stopper can be placed beneath a door to stop air that may be coming in underneath. What many don’t know is that it can also be used to also block light from coming in. So if you’re someone that needs complete darkness to sleep then purchasing one of these is a must.

  1. Fire proof spray your tapestries.

One of the most popular items on and college campus are tapestries. However, like candles, they aren’t allowed. Or are they? A tapestry alone is not allowed unless it is fire resistant. By spraying down the tapestry as well as having proof that it’s fire resistant, you can have that $100 Urban Outfitter tapestry hanging freely in your room.

  1. Invest in a rug.

If you’re anything like me, sitting on the floor in your room to do homework is a pretty common thing. However some floors with old carpets just aren’t as clean as you’d like and trying to clean it yourself is nearly impossible. So cover it up and purchase a rug! You can get any color and size you want and even match it to your room. It also serves as a comfy place to sit or have guests sleep.

  1. Bring extra storage bins.

We all have had that moment when we unpack our room and find that there is not enough space for everything. So purchasing more storage bins for your room is a must. Put anything you need in extra storage to be used when you need it and then just slide it back under your bed when you’re done.

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Invest in command hooks and strips to decorate your walls without damage. // CREDIT: Christianna Casaletto ’18
  1. Take advantage of the bed risers.

When you first move into your dorm, you’ll notice that the beds can be raised to any height you want. Most students decide that highest is best for maximum storage. However, this may still not be high enough if you’re trying to put items such as your fridge under your bed. Buy extra bed raisers so that you can raise the bed as high as you need and fit everything perfectly under your bed.

  1. Over the door hangers are a must.

Anybody who has a lot of clothes and shoes will understand just how small the Curry closets really are. By purchasing an over the door hanger, this problem can easily be avoided. A simple hanger is placed over your door and provides extra space to place items such as your shoes and clothes away.

  1. Dryer Racks are a life saver.

Sometimes, the Curry Dryers just don’t do their job, no matter how long you keep cycling your laundry in them. A dryer rack you can solve this problem and be able to hang all your wet clothes out until they are perfectly dry to put away.

UPDATE: Gun Found In Dorm, Curry Student Arrested

BY CHRISTIANNA CASALETTO AND RYAN HATHAWAY // Nov. 8, 2015 //

UPDATE: Nov. 8, 2015 10:00 a.m.

A Curry College student has been arrested after a search of his dorm room in Lombard Hall revealed a gun, ammunition and a several types of illegal drugs.

Darius Boodoosingh, 18, was taken into custody by Milton Police late Friday, according to a statement released to the press by Milton Police Deputy Chief John King. Boodoosingh remains in police custody at this time, prior to his arraignment sometime next week.

He faces charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a firearm on school grounds, three counts of possession of a class B drug with intent to distribute, and one count apiece of possession of a class C, D, and E drug with intent to distribute.

Darius Boodoosingh, 18, was arrested after Public Safety found a firearm in his Lombard Dorm Room // Image Credit: Milton Police Department via CBS Boston
Darius Boodoosingh, 18, was arrested after Public Safety found a firearm in his Lombard dorm room // PHOTO BY MILTON POLICE

An email from Dean Maryellen Kiley informed the Curry community that the student had been placed on interim suspension. The community notification sent out by the college stated that campus security searched a residence hall Friday evening in relation to recent thefts across campus.

At this time, Boodoosingh has not been charged with burglary, larceny, or possession of stolen property.

The Milton Police Department was contacted by Public Safety and Boodoosingh was arrested. The charges against Boodoosingh indicate that he planned to sell the drugs. The charges also confirm that he did not have a license for the gun. It is against state law to possess a gun on campus.

Boodoosingh was a star running back at Boston English High School. He was not listed on the Curry football team’s roster for the 2015 season.

Curry students were taken aback by the presence of a gun on their campus. “I was very surprised,” said sophomore Sam Lyman. “To be truthful, I was a little nervous when I originally saw it.”

Senior Jillian DeSousa echoed Lyman’s thoughts. “I knew there were thefts but I never would have thought a kid could get away with having a gun and ammunition on campus,” she said. “I just wonder how he got it, how he [was able to sneak] it onto the campus. It’s actually really scary.”

DeSousa also added that she was disappointed this had flown under the radar with public safety. In the community notification from Dean Kiley, she noted that the discovery of the weapon by Public Safety was a direct result of information shared by students related to the string of thefts that have been occurring.

“You’d think after the sexual assaults that happened last year [and this semester] that they’d beef up security.” She also said she thought it seemed like they did for a little while but that it didn’t last.

Seniors Dakota Caron and Steven Marino said it was eye-opening that someone could have a gun on campus at Curry. “You see all those stories about it, but on such a small campus you would never think you would have that kind of problem here,” Marino said.

“Granted it’s a small school and everybody knows each other, but I mean Public Safety kind of lets anyone onto campus,” Caron said, in reference to the gate at the school’s entrance. “If you don’t have a sticker they give you a hard time, but it’s sort of like anyone can get onto campus.”

Both Marino and Caron did say that they still felt safe at Curry, but that they would like it a little bit more secure. “I feel like Curry did a good job of maintaining the situation and taking care of it,” Marino said. “But you really have to be alert to your surroundings.”

Lyman said because this is the first time he has heard of anything like this, that it makes him feel safe. “I know some other things have happened, but this is the first time I’ve heard of anything like this,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like a huge issue that’s going to continually happen.”

College officials say they don’t believe there’s any threat to the campus community. In a statement, Director of Communication Fran Jackson stated, “At this time, no immediate or ongoing threat to our community has been deemed present.”

 

Original Story Follows: Nov. 7, 2015 4:00 p.m.

A Curry College student has been arrested after a firearm and ammunition were found in a campus dorm room.

Darius Boodoosingh, 18, was taken into custody by Milton Police late Friday. Dean Maryellen Kiley sent out an email at the time to inform the students he had been placed on interim suspension.

The community notification sent out by the college states campus security searched a residence hall Friday evening in relation to recent thefts across campus. During the search, a gun, ammunition and a variety of drugs were found.

The Milton Police Department was contacted by Public Safety and the student was arrested. According to Milton Police, Boodoosingh had planned to sell the drugs.

According to WFXT-25, Milton Police have confirmed Boodoosingh did not have a license for the gun. It is against campus policy and state law to possess a gun on campus.

College officials say they don’t believe there’s any threat to the campus community.

Residence Life Welcomes New Director

BY CHRISTIANNA CASALETTO // OCT. 2, 2015 // 

The director of residence life position was open for several months before Jennifer Maitino stepped in. Maitino started in June, while many of students were home for summer break. Now that the school year is in full swing, she is a new and important face on campus.

Maitino has a very strong background in residence life and higher education. She received a Masters of Education in Educational Policy, Research and Administration with a concentration in Higher Education from the University of Massachusetts. Maitino has her bachelors in psychology from UMASS Amherst as well.

Before coming to Curry, she was the Associate Director of Housing and Residential Life at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston and worked several years at Bentley University as the Assistant Director of Residence Life following employment as a Residence Director.

Director of Residence Life, Jen Maitino. // PHOTO COURTESY OF CURRY COLLEGE.
Director of Residence Life, Jen Maitino. // PHOTO COURTESY OF CURRY COLLEGE.

Although she enjoyed her time at both Wentworth and Bentley, Maitino said she was looking for a place that had a broader base of academic offerings, which would enable her to work with a variety of students.

“I did miss being on a traditional campus,” Maitino explained. “I saw working at Curry as an opportunity to certainly do some of the things I have done, but also for me to grow professionally and take on more of a leadership role.”

Maitino shared that she was excited to start at Curry where there is already “some good stuff” in the works for Res Life.

“I think it’s great to be able to build and grow a department, but it’s always great when there’s some good seeds planted.”

The only changes currently in the works involve updating the RA training program. According to Maitino, the RA program is moving in “a really solid direction.” Although she isn’t able to work one-on-one with the RA staff as often as she’d like, Maitino works with the RA’s indirectly by creating processes and larger department initiatives. “If we have a really strong and engaged staff then we’re going to be able to engage students.”

There are many misconceptions surrounding Res Life, particularly around the RA position. One of the bigger misconceptions Maitino addressed was that the primary role of an RA is documentation and dealing with negative behavior. “I have yet to meet an RA whose favorite part of the job is having to document students.” She stated that Res Life’s main goal is to build a community and to make the residence halls both physically and emotionally safe. “Ultimately, the Res Life Staff are all in this because we want students to be successful.”

More than anything else, Maitino’s stressed her department’s main goal – making Curry feel like a home for the residents. “Regardless of the physical structure of a building and the layout, whether it’s new, whether it’s old, feeling that sense of connection to the other students in your hall, to the professional staff, to the student staff can make such a difference.” A major component in making this goal a reality are the Residence Assistant and Community Director staff, which Maitino said she has the upmost confidence in.

Residence Life Professional Staff. // PHOTO COURTESY OF CURRY COLLEGE.
Residence Life Professional Staff. // PHOTO COURTESY OF CURRY COLLEGE.

Although Maitino has only been a Colonel for four months, she’s already bleeding purple. When asked “Why Curry?” Maitino was quick to answer with excitement. She is thoroughly enjoying being part of a community that is continuing to thrive, grow and develop.

“I could do the job anywhere,” Maitino said. “But finding a place where people take pride in the community is not something you can necessarily find everywhere.”

Maitino made the observation that “students, faculty and staff alike are proud to be a part of the Curry community.” Now the proud owner of a Curry sweatshirt, Maitino is excited to show her Curry pride in the cooler fall weather, along with the rest of the Colonels.

RA applications will be available at the end of October to fill positions in January. Applications for full time positions in the 2016-2017 school year will be available in November. The Campus Life office is looking for “quality, qualified students” who are invested in “helping Curry be the best place it can be.”

Learning Where You Live

BY BRANDON METEVIER // DEC. 16, 2014 //

Bell Hall, Curry College’s newest residence hall, is more than just student housing. It’s a place to learn, to work together, to build community, and to attend class.

That’s right! Some students are able to go to class without having to leave their residence hall.

Bell Hall, which opened to students at the start of the fall 2014 semester, was built to connect living and learning. A classroom is located on the second floor, and it is equipped with desks, chairs, white boards, an overhead projector, and a full kitchen in the back of the room. The classroom also features fogged glass for privacy, and Dry-erase markers can be used on the glass to give students more space to write notes and study.

The main lobby of Bell Hall offers students ample inspiration. // PHOTO BY ROHMEE MATHE
The main lobby of Bell Hall offers students ample inspiration. // PHOTO BY ROHMEE MATHE

Approximately 170 students live in Bell, including cohorts from the Science program and First-Year Honors.

Seven classes of all sorts take place in Bell Hall, including Introduction to Organic Chemistry, First-Year Seminar and First-Year Honors. Study areas and faculty office space are also available.

“It creates a great partnership with learning and living,” said Dan Cline, assistant director of residence life. It’s “great for group work and it saves the lounge for socializing.”

“Having class so close to students’ rooms,” he added, “it’s also a plus for students who can just roll out of bed, get changed and not even walk outside to go to class.”

One of the study lounges in the new Bell Hall. // PHOTO BY ROHMEE MATHE
One of the study lounges in the new Bell Hall. // PHOTO BY ROHMEE MATHE

Anthony Sciaudone, a first-year biology major who lives in Bell, agrees. “I like having a classroom in my dorm because it allows me to get an extra half-hour to hour of sleep, considering I only have to walk about 50 feet to go to class,” he said.

Sciaudone added that he liked having the quiet study lounges within the residence hall. “It’s a long walk to the library from my dorm, so I find it very convenient that there are multiple quiet places to study on my floor.”

Increased student demand for on-campus housing led Curry to invest in the new building, named after one of the college’s early chancellors, Alexander Graham Bell. It is the college’s 19th building for student housing. Bell Hall features approximately 46,000 square feet, and has 96 rooms. The residence hall houses mostly sophomores, although some freshmen and juniors live there as well.

Dorm Damage Fees Rile Students

BY TAYLOR EVANS // APRIL 2, 2014 //

When something is damaged in a residence hall, someone has to pay for it. At Curry College, it’s usually a lot of people.

Depending on the extent of the damage, a whole floor of students or an entire residence hall can be billed—and often are—to repair or replace things.

When the person responsible for the damage isn’t identified, the college will divide the costs among all students who live within the specified area, according to Stephanie Alliette, assistant director of housing operations at Curry. Many other colleges maintain a similar policy.

However, it still creates obvious tension among students, who are routinely frustrated that they must pay for the damage or theft done by others. Briana Oman, a sophomore psychology major, is among the many Curry students who receive regular emails from the college informing her that she has been fined for dorm damage.

“It gets annoying paying for people’s mistakes when I have nothing to do with it,” she said. “Most of the times I get fined are after a weekend, when a lot of people do stupid things when they’re drinking or going out. It gets frustrating, especially because often I’m not even in the building when this stuff goes on.”

The current system aims to compel students to hold their peers accountable, and to encourage the sharing of information about wrongdoing with resident assistants.

“Residents are highly encouraged to come forward and share any information they know, with the goal of minimizing community cost and identifying those at fault,” said Alliette. “This is why we continue to promote civility in the residence halls and encourage peers to hold each other accountable.”

All students who live on campus already pay a $400 damage deposit. However, the college expects all residence hall fines to be paid upon notice. At the conclusion of the spring semester, a final damage assessment is performed in each student’s room and the residence hall in general. Any fines levied from that assessment, as well as any previously unpaid residence hall-related fines, are deducted from the deposit. The remainder is then returned to the student within 30 days.