Vassar grads fondly look back at dorming, even though some didn’t have air conditioning. Almost all Vassar students live on campus, with freshman and sophomores in traditional dorms and upperclassmen sharing apartments and suites.
As reported by Rebecca Berkowitz ’10:
“At Vassar, there is fierce dorm loyalty. Student's are assigned to dorms as freshmen and they automatically stay in that dorm for three years, unless they request a switch (there's an annoying and uncertain process for switching dorms). Some dorms have strong personalities, though they changes slightly from year to year.
There are nine major dorms on campus, plus one vegan co-op and various forms of senior housing (which are more like apartments). The main dorms are Main, Jewitt, Josselyn (Joss), Cushing, Noyes, Raymond, Davison, Strong, and Lathrop. Davison, Raymond, Strong, and Lathrop are “Quad dorms.” They're identical and, obviously, are located on the quad. The rooms in the quad dorms are some of the smallest.
Main is the largest dorm by far. It's also the center of campus and is home to a dining facility, many offices (including the President and Dean of Student's offices) and numerous parlors, meeting places, and random rooms. It was Vassar College's first building.
Josselyn and Main have larger rooms and, along with Cushing, are the most beautiful dorms architecturally.
Raymond offers a low-key environment perfect for those who actually want to study in their room.
Davison houses a wide mix of people, from straitlaced economic students to very liberal “artsy” types.
Noyes is very modern-looking. Its doors are shaped like mushrooms, and many people say it's the ugliest building on campus. It is considered the international dorm (though many international students live elsewhere). The lounge in Noyes Hall is referred to as the “Jetson lounge” because it has white furniture and colorful, ultra-modern lamps reminiscent of the 60s.
With nine floors and an elevator, Jewitt is the newest and tallest dorm. It has an eight-story tower and is also located on the quad. Recently, it underwent a renovation. Students call it “Hotel Jewitt.” The bathrooms in Joss also underwent a reservation, and now they look like the bathrooms in a movie theater, only with showers.
Lathrop is widely considered a “druggy” or “party” dorm. If you have a pot dealer, he or she probably lives in Lathrop.
Cushing is sometimes called a frat this year, because of an unequal distribution of the genders. It’s farthest from the quad but has the biggest rooms by far.
Strong is the only all-female space on campus. Because of that, it is the cleanest dorm (residents are always bragging about their bathrooms). Also, many substance-free women choose to live in Strong.
Four to five upperclassmen live in the Terrace Apartments (a short walk across a pretty bridge to the center of campus), the Town Houses (which are located across the street from the main campus), and the South Commons (which border the campus). These students share one nice-sized bathroom and have to buy their own furniture.
Those who crave a radically different college living experience can apply to the modern-looking Ferry House. Twenty students live in this self-governed co-op and don’t have to pay board fees. They buy their own food, shop together, and rotate chores. Most students who choose this community are vegans and very politically radical."
Catherine Bond Hill, who students call “Cappy,” became Vassar College’s president on July 1, 2006, after the resignation of former president Frances D. Fergusson. Hill earned her Ph.D in Economics from Yale University and was provost and professor of Economics at Williams College. Although she has been on the Vassar campus for only a little over a year, Hill has already earned a favorable reputation with students.
Hill’s most recent accomplishment was the allocation of $1 million a year for debt-free student grants to be given to entering and existing students whose combined family income is under $60,000, moving away from loans. The program, which will commence in September 2008, is part of a continued effort to increase economic and racial diversity at Vassar, where a majority of the student body is Caucasian and middle- to upper-class.
Hill spent two years (’94-’96) living in Zambia, where she worked as a trade and economic advisor. She authored numerous books, including 2004's Promoting and Sustaining Economic Reform in Zambia and Public Expenditure in Africa (1996).
Lisa Kudrow (1985) is an actress and star of Friends (she often visits campus).
Meryl Streep (1983) is a two-time Academy Award-winning actress.
Mary McCarthy (1933) was an American literary critic and author who wrote The Company She Keeps.
Justin Long (2000)is a film and television star.
Noah Baumbach (1991) is an American writer and director.
Hope Davis (1986) is an actress who starred in Arlington Road and About Schmidt.
Edna St. Vincent Millay (1917) was a noted poet and playwright.