By: Lydia Rogers

Xavier University will be offering Living Learning Communities in the Village Apartments starting next fall. The Sustainability Committee and the Office of Residence Life have been collaborating to create alternative living spaces for students who wish to live in more eco-friendly conditions.

Residence Life and the Sustainability Committee have set aside six four-bedroom apartments in the Village designated for students who would like to have a more sustainable residential option. A faculty or staff member will also be placed within the community to act as an adviser for the students.

The program will allow the students a considerable amount of freedom within the community to utilize the space as they like. They will have the chance to experiment with different sustainable options and tactics to see how they can begin to transform the Village into an environmentally aware community.

The students will be able to take as much guidance from faculty advisors as they wish or develop ideas independently.

“Students may decide to try using clotheslines instead of dryers, and they can work with their advisors to see what they can do to make that happen,” senior Administrative Fellow for Sustainability Kathleen Smythe said. “They can work with Physical Plant to set up the clothesline so they can go out on a nice day and naturally dry their clothes.”

The flexibility of the Living Learning Community program gives the Village the potential to flourish into a larger sustainable society that builds on Xavier’s environmental success.

“Our goal is for the Village to become the Eco-Village so students can use the space how they want in a sustainable way that creates its own character and vibe,” Smythe said.

The only requirement for students who wish to live in the Living Learning Community next fall is to take a course that has sustainability content. Xavier offers a number of courses that fulfill the requirement.

Applications will be available by the end of this week and are due Oct. 21.