In the 2025-26 academic year, residential life will see a significant change. All incoming first-year students will be put into themed living units, based on an interests survey, to foster more community between students in residence halls. While housing assignments for themed living units is mandatory, student participation in theme-related activities will be optional.

Beginning in Fall 2025, all incoming first-year students will pick a themed residential community to live in with other students with similar interests. There will be 11 themes to choose from, including Sustainability Central, Study Sanctuary, Naturally Adventurous and one for the LGBTQ+ community called Lavender Living. The plan was announced at a Student Governance Council meeting Feb. 3. It was presented in part by Laura Davis, director and interim assistant dean of students in the Office of Residential Life. Davis said one of the main reasons for implementing the themed housing plan was to foster greater social connection among students. She said a recent assessment revealed that 37% of students did not feel a sense of belonging in their residence hall.

“Theme living aims to address this by providing students with a built-in community centered around shared interests,” Davis said via email. “Facilitating connections with peers both on their floors and within their residential neighborhoods.”

While RLCs focus more on academics and faculty-student relationships, themed living units are more intended to build greater connections among students, according to the Ithaca College website.

Although the themed housing system is meant to coexist with the active RLCs, some members of the Shared Journeys RLC, run by the BIPOC Unity Center, expressed concern that it would be discontinued. The goal of Shared Journeys is to provide a space for BIPOC students to discuss the history of civil rights and systemic racism. There are currently no planned culturally-based themed living communities similar to the Shared Journeys RLC.

Cliff-Simon Vital, interim director of the BIPOC Unity Center, said he worried about Shared Journeys’ future because he did not know if the new themed-housing model was intended to fit in with RLCs, and he heard some were at risk of being phased out. Vital said he did not think Shared Journeys was being specifically targeted.

After being invited to a residential life meeting Jan. 27 to give his input on continuing Shared Journeys, Vital asked members of the RLC to fill out surveys to demonstrate that students supported it being continued next year.

Vital said he received confirmation from Residential Life that Shared Journeys will return for the 2025-26 year. He said he believed his input on the matter made a difference.

“I don’t know if, without our feedback, it was gonna come back,” Vital said via email. “We wanted to make sure that our voices were heard, and they were, so I’m thankful for that.”

Eileen Roth, assistant director for residential education and assessment, said the changes to residential life next year were not swayed by any outside influence, although President Donald Trump signed an executive order Jan. 20 banning diversity, equity and inclusion policies in federal agencies. The Trump administration then gave federal schools and universities a deadline of Feb. 28 to remove diversity practices or lose federal money. Many colleges moved to remove diversity practices, including the University of Iowa, which discontinued RLCs for students of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

“These changes [at IC] were not influenced by external executive orders,” Roth said via email. “Our commitment remains to fostering an inclusive community that supports all students.”

Vital said one of the greatest benefits of Shared Journeys is its ability to cultivate a strong sense of community for members and that it centers the BIPOC student experience and their allies.

“The programs offered — particularly those that extend beyond campus — allow students to explore new opportunities, engage with the broader community and develop meaningful connections within their Residence Halls,” Vital said via email.

First-year student Smeena Gill, a member of Shared Journeys, said the RLC helped better her sense of community on campus, especially with other people of color.

“[IC] is very predominantly white and so it’s nice being able to live on a floor where I look around and I see people of color from different backgrounds,” Gill said. “That was really important to me when I came here.”

Davis said that while Shared Journeys will continue, the First Place RLC will be placed on pause next year. First Place is an optional RLC for first-generation college students.

“Over the past three years, participation in First Place has remained in the single digits,” Davis said via email.

Davis said an assessment from the Office of Residential Life found that while many students took pride in their first-generation identity, the majority of them decided to opt out of joining First Place. Other RLCs had waitlists due to high demand, so no others will be put on hold.

“We recognize the value of providing intentional living communities that support student engagement and success,” Davis said via email. “We remain committed to offering robust, interest-driven housing options.”

Sophomore Grace Commisso, a resident assistant in Upper Quads, said she supports the implementation of themed housing and that it could be a relatively harmless way to address declining enrollment.

“It’s definitely worth a shot,” Commisso said. “Even if it doesn’t work out, it’s not going to make things worse.”

Commisso said she thinks she could have benefited from having more sources of connection her first year on campus and thinks themed living could foster other students’ sense of community.

“I did feel quite detached from people,” Commisso said. “I think having that overlap for these themes that don’t involve or don’t overlap with majors and stuff like that could be really beneficial.”

Senior Ishmeet Kaur, an RA in East Tower, also said she agrees that themed housing could benefit the social lives of students, and the college has good intentions behind the plan.

“I think [Ithaca College] wants to create a better space for people so that it feels more like home,” Kaur said.

Kaur said she enjoyed her time as a member of the Outdoor Adventure RLC. As part of her experience in the RLC, Kaur said she went river rafting and horseback riding. While Kaur is graduating next year, she said she is hopeful that a similar system of themed living could benefit students.

“I don’t want to be negative from the start,” Kaur said. “I want to see how this works. It might work for some people, but it might not work for others, right? So you don’t know until you try.”