About the House Fellows Program

What is the House Fellows Program?
The program creates a relationship between a floor or entry in a residence hall and a member of MIT's faculty or a physician in the Medical Department.

The House Fellows Program was created to enrich the student learning and living environment at MIT through informal faculty-student interaction within the living groups. The activities of the House Fellows vary widely depending on the interest of the Fellow and the culture of the living group; however, all the Fellows share a set of objectives:

• Maintain contact with a floor, entry, or house;
• Be available as a faculty or physician resource for a floor, entry, or
  house;
• Contribute to the intellectual and social life of a floor, entry, or
  house;
• Encourage students to become familiar with and aware of the faculty and Medical physicians in ways other than are demonstrated in classroom teaching;
• Give students an opportunity to "get to know" at least one member of the MIT faculty or of the Medical physician staff; and
• Encourage students to interact with MIT's faculty and physicians.

How Does the Program Work?
The structure of the House Fellows Program is simple. Together with the Housemasters, Residential Life Associate or Program Manager, Graduate Resident Tutor, and/or Student Government, the Fellow develops ways to engage students in their interests and to engage themselves in their living community. It is encouraged that the activities be structured to create interaction throughout the year.

Typically, a floor or entry considers the professors known by individuals on the floor and then invites them to participate. For Ashdown House, McCormick and Next House, the Fellows are Fellows for the entire House, not particular entries.

Once a House Fellow relationship is agreed upon, the Assistant Dean of Residential Life will send an official welcome letter to the House Fellow that explains the basic structure of the program. Enclosures will include a list of contacts (House Masters, RLA/PM, GRTs) and reimbursement forms.

House Fellow Allocations
For the 2005 – 2006 academic year, each residence hall is allocated a specific number of House Fellow grants based on student occupancy rates. McCormick and Next House participate in the Residence Based Advising program so their House Fellows are part of and funded by that program rather than Residential Life Programs. RLP provides $300 per year per House Fellow to support activities that involve the House Fellow. This amount supplements funds provided by the hall. Should halls have more House Fellows than their allotment, this allotted amount for the hall is divided evenly among the House Fellows.

Reimbursement
Each House Fellow will receive a grant of $300 per year (or less if the total allotment is divided among more than the allotted number of House Fellows). House Fellow activities are reimbursed through the Program Assistant for Residential Life Programs, W20-549, 617-452-4280.