Residential College in Hitch to engage Hill in humanities-related topics

In a school the size of UCLA, it can sometimes be difficult for students to experience the intimate feel of a liberal arts college.

But the Division of Humanities is trying to change that this year.

By partnering with the Office of Residential Life, the division created the Humanities Residential College, located in Hitch Residential Suites.

The idea is to have a space on the Hill that can be a hub for humanities-related activities, ranging from dinners with faculty to hosting diplomatic figures, said David MacFadyen, co-director of the HRC.

Within the residential college there will be “Houses,” focused either on a specific language or a particular field of study, according to the ORL website.

Students in the language-themed houses, which focus on German, French, Chinese and Russian, are encouraged to practice speaking the respective language in the house whenever possible.

The other houses involve the study of literature, art, music, the classical world of Ancient Greece and Rome and digital humanities.

MacFadyen, a professor of Slavic languages, developed the college in hopes of giving students more face-time with professors.

“I thought it would be really great if we were able to create a liberal arts college within a big research university,” he said. “You hear stories about (our) large lectures and how it’s nearly impossible to reach out to faculty.”

Eighty-seven students have signed up to live in the residential college in Hitch for the upcoming school year. Students do not have to be majoring in the humanities field, and most events are open to all students, MacFadyen said.

The Humanities Residential College is distinct from residential theme communities. Rather than focusing on ethnic or cultural aspects, the college is aimed at enhancing and enriching humanities-based knowledge, said Carol Bakhos, associate professor of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and co-founder of the HRC.

“Each department was asked to put forth the name of a representative, who will be affiliated with the HRC and will have meals with students on the Hill and set up functions like lectures and museum trips,” Bakhos said.

While she was in college, Bakhos said it took her a while to find like-minded classmates who were also interested in the humanistic studies and wanted to talk about issues that mattered to them.

“But of course, it’s a two-way deal,” she said. “It’s (the students’) responsibility to take initiative and engage.”

Paul Cho, an incoming first-year undeclared student, said he was assigned to live in Hitch but did not sign up for the residential college.

“I honestly didn’t even know about it until recently,” Cho said. “I thought it was just going to be a regular dorm.”

Although he does not know what his major will be, he said the humanities field is a possibility.

“I guess it’ll be cool to check out the events,” Cho said. “Maybe it’ll help me figure out faster what I’m interested in.”

On the other hand, Priya Patel, a second-year undeclared student, said if she had known about the college, she would have signed up for it.

“I’m really interested in the humanities, and it would definitely be nice to get more one-on-one time with the professors,” she said.

Though she missed the deadline in May to register, Patel said she may try to attend some of the events. She said she would like to meet more humanities students this year.

The 2011-2012 school year will be a pilot test for the residential college. Pending success, the housing option will potentially expand to all the dorms in Courtside.