This weekend, I received an upsetting email: after considering all the applications for next year's interest houses, ResLife has decided not to renew CANOE as an interest house. Each year, all existing houses and proposals for houses are required to submit applications to ResLife detailing how they would/how they do add to the Carleton community. I'm not exactly sure how the process works, but I know they then gauge interest in the house and assess how well the house reaches out to the rest of the student body through activities and events before approving the house for the next school year. Some of the current houses include Women's Awareness House, Farm House, Queers and Allies House, SciFi House, Dacie Moses House, Multicultural House, and Fitness House.
CANOE (Carleton Association for Nature and Outdoor Enthusiasts) house as been a staple of the Carleton outdoors community for at least 25 years. I lived in CANOE for four terms, beginning fall term sophomore year, and I'm proud to be part of such a long history of adventurous Carls. Despite having almost 45 applicants for thirteen spots in next year's house (as far as we know, this number is higher than it's ever been), ResLife feels that all the main goals of the house could be fulfilled by the club alone and a residential space is not necessary. Additionally, they critiqued the house for "lacking vision and new ideas".
This is not meant to be an unproductively grumpy blog post, but I am a bit surprised that ResLife would, without any prior criticisms or warnings, nix a house and community that has been such an enormous part of my happiness at Carleton.
During my time living in the house, my housemates and I worked hard to keep longstanding traditions alive and implement new activities that connected the house to the broader Carleton community. The Black Bean Burger BBQ in the fall, the long underwear party in the winter, and the EcoChallenge in the Arb in the spring are staple CANOE House activities, and in the last couple years we've added pumpkin carving, Planet Earth Week, igloo buildling and a spring pig roast to the list. The house provides a meeting space for CANOE club board members, a place for CANOE club members to brainstorm, plan and organize their next trips, and a warm, welcoming home for friends of the outdoors.
Many of my best Carleton memories and most lasting friendships have come as a direct result of living in CANOE house. As a year-round varsity soccer and ultimate frisbee player, I almost always have practices and games on weekends. Because of this, I've only been able to go on two CANOE club trips in my three years at Carleton. Both of these were fantastic experiences - my freshman year I went on Book Across the Bay and last year I went on a dogsledding trip up in the Boundary Waters - but I can't say they provided me with lasting connections with most of the other students on the trips. I initially applied to live in CANOE because I wanted to live in a house with a group of people who were excited to be young and alive and able to frolic around in leaf piles and snow drifts and spring rain. Although I understood I would never be able to be as active in the club as I wished I could be, I knew that the sophomores and juniors and seniors who lived in the house would share my love for adventure and passion for the outdoors. I was right; I have fallen in love with my housemates in a way I never imagined I could.
CANOE house fosters a community that extends outside the walls of the house and even outside of Carleton. For me, the free time in which I can explore the outdoors comes mainly over winter and summer breaks. Last winter break, a past and (at that time) current CANOE house member, a mutual friend and I all found ourselves in the San Francisco Bay Area with a free week. And so we decided on a whim to go backpacking in the Grand Canyon. Last summer, a CANOE house friend visited me in Colorado and we went on a weekend excursion to the snowcapped peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park. Because of the close friendships I made while living in CANOE, I now have connections with explorers and adventurers all across the US (and abroad!). This is not a community I could have found easily through CANOE club nor on the general campus.
News that ResLife has chosen to discontinue the house for next year has come as a bit of a blow, but I am not disheartened. I understand the school's desire to make room for new interest houses and I am confident we can work with ResLife and help them find a way of doing so without nixing an integral part of the Carleton community. Current and past house members have already begun to organize letter writing, tabling at Sayles, meetings with ResLife and class deans, alumni outreach, and campus awareness activities and petitioning. And if it doesn't work out this year, we will come back in full force with an unbeatable application next year. We will do everything in our power to ensure that CANOE house remains a home base for happy, goofy, energetic people who are passionate about exploring and adventuring in the outdoors.
The house
A spring BBQ with CANOE club members
Soaking up the outdoors
Creating a miniature indoor garden
Building an igloo
Playing
Planning CANOE trips
House dinners
Backpacking in the Grand Canyon over winter break
Exploring Rocky Mountain National Park in the summer
Bonding with some of Carleton's most loving, goofy, energetic and caring people
(photo by Kai Knudson)
Comments
I think the return of the WHOA community will be great for campus, but it should NOT have come at the expense of CANOE house. These house decisions keep getting more ridiculous.
I only lived in CANOE house for one term, but it was absolutely fantastic. I applied because I wanted to live with happy fun-loving people who would push me to try new things. I got my wish, but more importantly, I got twelve new wonderful friends. As I sat in a rocking chair in the living room for three days straight writing my final papers, there was always a constant stream of smiles and support from house members and house visitors because CANOE's community is not just the residents. CANOE house has always been completely open as a space for all Carleton students--I can think of few other places on campus that can boast the same open and loving atmosphere nor such comfy couches. Visiting and living in CANOE have been formative experiences in my life; I would hate to think that others couldn't have that same opportunity.
Marley, thanks for writing such a thoughtful post. As someone who has never lived in CANOE house, and did not apply to live there in the upcoming year, I am still devastated by the decision.
I am devastated because CANOE house has been one of the interest houses on campus that successfully creates a community that extends beyond its occupants. This is a community defined by the traits that make Carleton so special in my eyes. We're talking about a house so warmly accepting and confident in its purpose that it not only succeeds in fulfilling its mission of allowing students to live together for the purpose of appreciating the outdoors, but draws students from around campus to do the same thing.
If the interest house decision board had issues with how the house was run, constructive criticism would have served Carleton better than CANOE house's discontinuation. CANOE has the opportunity to re-apply next year to be re-instated for the following year (which they will hopefully be granted). Compared to how long the college and CANOE house have been around, a year is short, but students aren't around for so long. Even if CANOE is reinstated next year, it will be missing for a quarter of our time at Carleton and that is one quarter too long for such a Carleton staple to be missing.
CANOE has been an important part of campus for me too (although I've never lived there). Russell, I'd like to respond with a few thoughts.
I think (as a big part of the Carleton community) it is valid for students to question Reslife's decisions. I would really disagree that CANOE wasn't "doing anything particularly special." As interest houses go, they would be at the top of my list in terms of large-scale programming and strong community-building. The community isn't just a "subset of Carleton residents," and certainly doesn't just extend to the CANOE email list (although, just to be clear, the email list happens to be one of the largest on campus with 737 members, probably indicative of wide interest in their events). It's also one of the most popular houses to live in (I believe they received in the ball park of 30 apps for 5 spots this spring).
Bottom line is that for many it's a campus institution; it's been around for over 25 years, and the fact that ResLife can just one year decide to discontinue it (without any warning, minimal explanation, and AFTER the application and acceptance process for future residents) is completely absurd.
really nice photos!
I lived in CANOE house 2002-2003 and was also active in running the outdoor programs. I have a lot of great memories, but one thing that I think is worth noting about CANOE house is that while some of the members are inevitably connected with the club, some are not. One of CANOE's struggles has always been to connect with more people on campus and offer them opportunities to get outside. I feel that the house was where that started. Some of my housemates were starting points for connecting people that were relatively unaware of the trips that CANOE offers. While CANOE will continue to function without the house, I would say that its existence is an important part of the mission and functional success of the club.
I'm a former CANOE house resident. a club is NOT the same as a HOUSE. It was clear during my time at Carleton (before/during/after living in CANOE house) that the club and the house offered different - but synergistic - opportunities.
It seems to me that the RecCenter is already one big "Fitness House", even as a sports/fitness enthusiast myself.
A few more points:
1) The residential space helps have MORE TRIPS - they often emerge organically from conversations, waking up on a Saturday and deciding over coffee that people should go - say - rock climbing more this term. Trips often don't happen without TWO or more leader figures. This does not always occur easily in agenda-driven meetings... ("who wants to lead a trip? anyone?")
2) Totally agree with Fuzzy Auerbach that the *residential* space (potlucks, peer fellow-house relationship with GreenHouse, Farm House, etc.) DID pull other noninvolved students into the club activities. Having other like-minded houses (which, I'd note, do not plan many - if any - outdoor enjoyment trips) does not replace, but rather supports CANOE's and CANOE house's joint mission.
3) It still makes a huge difference to write/send letters, CCing everyone including the College President, in my view, even if this decision is a done deal. The students should know to include them when they re-apply again next year.
4) Google "Nature Deficit Disorder". Psychological stimulation and the emotional gratification of being outdoors is unparalleled in health and medical benefits. Being inside (especially staring at increasingly smaller screens) is not the same thing.
CANOE has a crucial mission and lifelong lesson for Carleton men and women.
one more thing:
WHOA House is amazing too.
Just don't strike CANOE house - a staple of Carleton history and mission - for it.
I want to second so much of what has been stated above. For me CANOE house was a home base throughout my time at Carleton. Despite only living there for one term I felt welcome at the dinner table any night. The strong sense of community (proven here by the outpouring of support) was built on having a space in which to gather, plan, cook, eat, and be merry. Without the house CANOE would be a club, not a family.
... And now I will go write a letter to ResLife and Steve P.