The second floor of McGill Hall, a living-learning community, will be open to students who are not members of the McGill Project in Fall 2022. This change came about after not enough students applied to be a part of the traditional project. 

Designed to be an inclusive residential experience for creatively expressive students, McGill has traditionally only housed members of the McGill Project and is a uniquely autonomous residential hall. 

Former McGill President Kelly Morgan (‘22) told The Hustler that she was disappointed with the change to the second floor of the building. 

“I and the rest of the McGill Council are frustrated and confused by the new partition,” Morgan said. “I cannot see a purpose for it, and I do not understand why we were not allowed to follow our regular rolling admission recruitment style.” 

Incoming McGill Project President and senior Syd Stewart expressed her worries about how these changes are already affecting the overall project.

“The changes made lower the number of dues we receive,” Stewart said. “The vibe of the building is also going to change since not everyone will participate in building-wide events or might even express feelings of dissatisfaction with being housed in McGill.” 

Typically, students interested in living in McGill Hall complete the McGill LLC Application through the Student Housing Portal. These applications usually open in January. The McGill CouncilOnce students evaluate applicants and their alignment with the McGill Project values and are accepted to the Project, they are given a month to commit to it, after which they can choose a specific bedroom. Applications are then re-opened on a rolling basis until the rest of the rooms are filled. 

Junior Sam Goodyear-Brown, an incoming new resident of the McGill Project, shared how he believes the changes might affect the house’s ambiance.

“It is frustrating to see students who may not support the ideals of the project or have the same enthusiasm for the community be crammed in with the rest of us who decided to live in McGill on our own,” Goodyear-Brown said. “I’m optimistic, but I know it’s not all going to be easy, and we’ll have to learn to grow as a group and accommodate these changes. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we will have some new McGilletes.”

Morgan said the incoming Council plans to treat every member of the residence hall equally with respect and consideration, regardless of their affiliation with the McGill Project. Voting for house rules and hall programming will not be contingent on being part of the McGill Project, per Morgan. 

“If you’re a McGillite, you’re a McGillite, and that is the end of it,” Morgan said. 

Junior Angela Yan, a residential advisor (RA) on the second floor of McGill Hall and a member of the McGill Project, echoed Morgan’s statements. She emphasized that programming for the McGill Project will include those living on the second floor.

“I don’t foresee the dynamic of the residence hall will change,” Angela Yan said.

Abbie Carr, a sophomore, said she and other students had considered applying to live on the second floor of McGill Hall after being unsuccessful in earlier rounds of the 2022-23 Housing Process. 

“It’s another opportunity to live in a single room on campus,” Carr said. 

Going forward, Morgan and Stewart said they hope university administrators will communicate with and include them more when making changes to McGill.