Swat Dorm makes NY Times

<p>Swat's 'Alice Paul Hall' is featured in an article about college living spaces in today's NY Times--front page of the 'House & Home' Section (pg. D1) in an article entitled "The New College Mixer."<br>
The new dorm was designed in a way to promote interaction between students as they go about their lives. The laundry room was placed in a central location so that kids would mingle there, which they would be less likely to do if it were in the basement. The elevator is placed in an out-of-the way spot so that kids will use the stairs, where they're more likely to stop and say hello.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/garden/01dorm.html?pagewanted=1&8hpib%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/garden/01dorm.html?pagewanted=1&8hpib&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The slide show is particularly fun. </p>

<p>A very small group of freshman (19) live in the new Alice Paul Hall and are quoted in today's Swat Daily Gazette as really enjoying the new dorm experience. I took several photos in the spring at Parents' Week-end but noticed now it is starting to fit into its landscaping a little better.</p>

<p>The interior looks beautiful. I imagine you have to be very lucky in the lottery to get a dorm there!!</p>

<p>Alice Paul Hall has not become super popular among students picking in the lottery at this point, although I suspect it will become more popular over time.</p>

<p>Hmmm. The article seems to indicate that it is popular. Easily gotten wrong, I'm sure.</p>

<p>Alice Paul was pretty popular this year -- the first time it was available in the lottery after construction was finished.</p>

<p>Seniors in the lottery picked all of the singles in Alice Paul, but left one of the "loft" rooms (pictured in the NYTIMES) available for juniors.</p>

<p>In the junior lottery, the dorms filled up in the following order: Parrish, Worth, Alice Paul, Wharton</p>

<p>Why is that? Do you think it's basically kids wanting the same old same old or is Parrish really nice? We went into one of the dorms but I can't remember the name.</p>

<p>Andi:</p>

<p>The new dorm just opened last fall and was not completed in time for any freshmen to live there last year. Construction continued for most of the year with the landscaping just going in last spring. Thus, very few Swatties have lived in the dorm, so few have any first hand experience. This fall is the first time that freshmen are living in the dorm.</p>

<p>There is some sentiment among students that the building is somewhat "sterile". I've not seen the inside, but the outside of the building is gorgeous, IMO. There are some very interesting features, including an outdoor patio/lounge on the third floor and a "green" roof covered with vegetation.</p>

<p>As time goes by, I expect that Alice Paul will become in increasingly popular pick in the housing lottery.</p>

<p>My DD loved living in Parrish in its unrefurbished state. It is in a perfect spot and is a lovely building. Another thing she liked was that the males were on one floor and females on another! She was determined to live on a coed hall for the first two years, but decided later the living was better with some separation! Imagine. And she has a brother!! I like the thinking behind the Alice Paul building. Thanks for sharing, Andi!</p>

<p>Here is an interview in today's Daily Gazette with Liz Derickson, Housing Coordinator (replacing Myrt Westphal):
<a href="http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily/#la3%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily/#la3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>