Does the residential life system at Smith play a role in the educational mission of the college?

What role should the residential life experience at Smith play in a Smith education?

In what ways does our current system support or hinder this role?

What is the ideal relationship between the educational mission for residence life and student self-governance?

What is the desired relationship between the curriculum/academic life and the residential life experience? Are there currently mechanisms in place to achieve this goal, and what other mechanisms might be initiated?

What is the optimal role of the faculty in the residence life system?

What model or models of residence life staffing will best achieve desired educational outcomes?

What living options will best achieve desired educational outcomes?

What living options will serve the needs of students in the next three decades?

Do we have the desired mix of living options for students now and in the future? - singles vs. doubles, co-ops, apartment-style living, etc.

Do we have the desired mix of dining options for students now and in the future? - vegetarian, vegan, kosher, hallal, etc.

Would students be better served with the option to live in theme-based houses or communities, e.g. (a) intellectual themes based on the curriculum (such as our French house, or African-American Studies, or Environmental Studies, etc.); (b) healthy-living options (such as a substance-free house); (c) more options for different classes, such as first-year housing, junior year houses.

Should we be more flexible in allowing students to live off-campus?

Should we hire consultants to help us plan for future renovation and re-design of houses?

What do we need to understand about the relationship between facilities design and the residential experience?

What will the college need to do now and in the future to ensure that the residential life experience and system evolves to meet important student and institutional needs over time?