Weekly UGA Rounds Postponed

McLaughlin Cluster

After a recent petition signed by over 50 UGAs the implementation of mandatory UGA rounds on “likely drinking nights” has been postponed until the Fall term. The walkthroughs are expected to be implemented following a pilot program over the summer, according to a formal statement from the College. When fully implemented, UGAs will be required to walk through their floors every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Introduced as part of President Hanlon’s “Moving Dartmouth Forward,” the walkthroughs face resistance from both UGAs and their residents as both parties feel pressured into an antagonist relationship. UGAs expressed concerns that their relationship with residents is changing from a nurturing role to a policing one. Many UGAs worry that this new authoritative role could undermine their ability to be legitimate community-builders and counselors for their residents.

Another point of contention was the lack of a salary increase for UGAs, along with the increased responsibilities. UGAs are currently only required to perform rounds on Big Weekends, but the implementation of weekly rounds greatly increases their commitment, and during the weekend. Nevertheless, the College has not yet committed to any additional compensation, a sore point for several UGAs.

The shifting role of UGAs presents another underlying concern: mounting responsibilities could impact the number of applicants in the future. Already, applications for positions in Living Learning Communities are dipping, although it is unclear whether this trend applies to the entire UGA system. It will be interesting to see how the College adjusts to these changes and develops the UGA position in the future.