Newly renovated dorm rooms come with one bed, window

Campus Living announced new plans to shake up the on-campus living experience at Lewis & Clark. One group of lucky students will be a test flight for an innovative room created to open up space on campus.

Informally dubbed the “squad” (single quad), the room used to be a forest single. The desk and chair were removed to create ample space for four individuals to live there, though the original bed remains. Exciting features include one window, four walls, a door and a single bed to platonically share with your roommates. 

In anticipation of the overwhelming excitement for squad dorms, Campus Living plans to convert all of the forest singles into squads by 2021, freeing up space for about 200 more students. Students who request a double at the start of the 2020 academic year are fortunate enough to be automatically entered into a lottery to win a space in a squad.

Living in the squad will cost $7,148 a semester, or twice that of a double. A statement from Campus Living reads, “We believe the value of living in a squad is at least double that of a standard room. You simply can not put a price on the close friendships you develop while sleeping with three other people.” 

Those placed in a squad have two options at the end of the academic year: they can remain in a squad, or move to a single in Copeland. Unsurprisingly, most are expected to elect to stay in the squad.

Campus Living has already highlighted several benefits to living in a squad. For those that have trouble staying warm in the winter, they will enjoy the body heat generated by two people flanking them in bed. Additionally, psychology and philosophy majors claim that you learn best in a squad scenario because if two heads are better than one, four are even better.

Byron Wibbles ’23 exclaimed his excitement after being selected for a squad in the 2020-21 academic year. 

“I am thrilled for the warm winters and moist springs,” Wibbles said after hearing the news.

Joseph Andrews ’22, a representative from the Campus Activities Board, shared his excitement over the news. 

“They finally found a way to make sitting in your dorm listening to music less appealing than our activities,” Andrews said. “We are expecting a significant attendance boost of 10 people. That is, like, twice as many as last year.”

However, not all reception has been positive. 

“I am just not ready for that level of platonic engagement with my peers,” Johnathan Nerville ’21 said. “A nice bro-picnic satiates me. If I get put in a squad I might just transfer to Reed or PSU.”

Despite some apprehension from students, LC housing announced that by the year 2025, every single room would be transformed into a squad to allow the college to admit more students. 

“We are excited about the prospect of mandatory engagement of students with their peers,” Head of Campus Living Theo Deric said. “We believe that this will lead to student relationships that are closer, literally and figuratively.”