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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Greenhouse LLC Cycled Out

SOFIA LAYANTO FOR THE HOYA The Greenhouse Living Learning Community was not renewed by the Office of Residential Living after only three students applied to live there for the 2014-2015 school year.
SOFIA LAYANTO FOR THE HOYA
The Greenhouse Living Learning Community was not renewed by the Office of Residential Living after only three students applied to live there for the 2014-2015 school year.
The Office of Residential Living has declined to renew the Greenhouse Living Learning Community for the 2014-2015 academic year.

The Greenhouse LLC which first opened its doors to residents in fall 2013, currently numbers only three residents, in addition to its resident assistant. Coordinators had hoped for at least 10 residents to apply to the Greenhouse LLC which would have allowed its charter to be renewed, but only received three applications for the upcoming school year.

Residents noted the LLC suffered from a lack of resources in comparison to the resources other LLC programs receive.

“It was mainly that we did not have a lot of communication with our faculty representative,” resident Patricia Stupp (SFS ’16) said. “A lot of LLCs depend on their professors to get support because they know where to get resources.”

As a new LLC, the guidelines for the Greenhouse LLC were unknown. Sarah Stoll, a professor in the chemistry department, served as the Greenhouse LLC’s academic advisor.

“There have been times when I was unclear of what my role should really be,” Stoll said. “I saw myself in a support role and a connector.”

The Greenhouse welcomed students of all interests who had the common goal of being more aware about the environmental issues facing Georgetown, the District of Columbia and the nation.

“I thought and still feel that some sustainable living option is a missing need at Georgetown, and tried to fill that need,” Greenhouse LLC founder Megan Griffin (COL ’14) said.

To that end, residents created guidelines for sustainable living. “We initiated a constitution where we agreed to, at least twice a week, give up meat for a day,” Stupp said. “And also, recycling and making sure water uses was limited as well as electricity use and energy use.”

According to the Greenhouse LLC website, other programming ideas included attending D.C. Environmental Film Festival screenings, visiting Eastern Market or local farmers markets and hiking with Outdoor Education programs. Unfortunately, many programs were not able to come to fruition.

“Programming was very weak and I feel like that’s why it didn’t get the support it needed to continue another year,” Stupp said. “None of us had the time to dedicate to the LLC itself.”

A lack of funding also made it difficult for the LLC to prosper.

“[We had] a couple hundred dollars,” Stupp said. “It was a very small amount, for the full year too so we can’t really do much with that.”

Stupp also brought up the issue of the LLC’s location. In contrast with other communities that are in townhouses on Magis Row, the Greenhouse LLC is on the fourth floor of LXR Hall.

“I feel like another downside to it is because a lot of people don’t like LXR,” Stupp said.

Stoll also argued that students seemed pickier about where they live, rather than whom they live with.

“I don’t know how much of the success or not success of the LLCs has to do with where students want to live, which is sort of a private matter.”

In the future, the Greenhouse LLC may come back, depending on interest.

“I think it’s totally 100 percent open and it all lands on student interest,” Stoll said. “It’s just a function of where the student body goes.”

The LLC may return if more students explore green life on campus.

“I hope that another generation of Georgetown students will be interested to explore this idea further,” Griffin said. “I am grateful to [the Office of Residential Living for] giving this idea a chance.”

Requests for comment to Associate Director of Residential Education Andrew Erdmann had not been answered by press time.

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