Office of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing Constitution

Amended and approved 01/29/2024
 

1. Statement of Purpose

a. The German House provides its residents with an environment that encourages and facilitates
the speaking of German and the exploration of the culture of German speaking countries.

b. The German House is committed to the values of diversity and inclusion in keeping with
College policy and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, color,
religion, sex or gender (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression and gender
identity), age, disability, genetic information, military service, or any other characteristic or class
protected under applicable federal, state or local law. nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age,
religion, disability, etc.

2. Structure of the German House

a. A President will be elected for each academic year by the end of the third week of the Fall
semester, barring any unforeseen circumstances. A Vice President may be elected in addition to
the President. The President and Vice President (if applicable) will be charged with the following
responsibilities among others:

i. coordinating Kaffeeklatsch, in conjunction with the Language Assistants and the German
ADC;

ii. organizing and publicizing House events, in communication with the Language
Assistants and the German ADC;

iii. being in charge of the budget provided by the Office of Student Affairs and the
Department of German, in communication with the Language Assistants and the German
ADC;

iv. acting as a mediator between the German House residents, the Department of German
Faculty Advisor, and the Office of Student Affairs.

v. along with the German Language Assistants and the Faculty Advisor, evaluating
applications and conducting interviews with prospective German House applicants for the
following academic year and then assigning points accordingly;

vi. communicating with Porter House’s Community Advisor, the West Campus
Community Development Coordinator, and the Russian House President to promote a
healthy dorm-wide culture.

vii. The President and Vice President (as applicable) are encouraged to collaborate with the
Stammtisch Executive Board to plan joint campus events.

b. A Faculty Advisor, who is a member of the Department of German, will advise and assist the
residents on the management of the German House throughout the year and serve as a channel of
communication between the House residents and the Department of German, the Office of
Student Affairs, and other administrative offices. The Faculty Advisor will attend meetings of
the House when necessary or at the request of House residents.

c. The German Language Assistants, who will be residents of the German House, will encourage
the use of the German language within the House and facilitate the residents’ becoming
acquainted with German culture.

d. The House residents, especially the President and the Vice President (if applicable), will
cooperate and coordinate with the Community Advisor of Porter House on matters relating to the
German House when necessary.

3. Responsibilities of Residents

a. Residents are expected to speak German among themselves as much as possible according to
their language skills in order to create the most immersive German language experience as
possible. Learners should take advantage of the knowledge of the native and advanced speakers
while the latter should take the initiative with those still learning.

b. Residents are expected to attend and actively participate in all German House events. These
events include weekly Kaffeeklatsch and any other House meetings. They are required to prepare
and clean up after Kaffeeklatsch at least two times every semester, and they are expected to
encourage German speakers from outside of Porter House to attend.

c. Residents are required to participate in and help with all Department of German cultural and
social events held in Porter House.

d. Residents are encouraged to attend the weekly German table meetings in Valentine as often as
possible.

e. Residents are encouraged to join Stammtisch.

f. Residents are also strongly encouraged to attend any exhibitions, lectures, and film viewings
sponsored by the Department of German.

g. Residents are required to take at least one Amherst College German Department course
per semester. This requirement can only be waived with the permission of the Department
of German.

h. Each resident will be required to sign a statement agreeing to abide by this Constitution upon
acceptance into the German House.

4. Procedure for Admission and Room Assignment

a. Each applicant must submit an application publicized by the Office of Student Affairs by the
deadline and will be interviewed by the German Language Assistants, the Department of German
Faculty Advisor, President, and Vice President (if applicable). The President, Vice President (if
applicable), and German Language Assistants will be consulted about each application, but the
final decision on admission rests with the Department of German.

b. Current residents must reapply if they wish to be considered for readmission for the following
year.

c. Residents who have lived in the German House for four semesters will be admitted last and
only if there is a room available.

d. The Community Advisor of Porter House is assigned a room by the Office of Residential Life
before all the German or Russian House residents.

e. The German Language Assistants will be assigned rooms in Porter House whenever possible.

f. The admission order for the German House will be determined by the following point system:

i. Applicants will automatically receive 2 points if they are sophomores, 4 points if they are
juniors, and 6 points if they are seniors. The class years above mean the class year a
resident will belong to during their time of residence in the German House. E-students will
be assigned points based on their original graduating class (e.g., members of the Class of
2025 and 2026E will receive the same number of points, with a maximum of 6 possible
points). Students returning from leave in the Spring or graduating at the end of the Fall
semester should consult with the Department of German Faculty Advisor.

ii. Applicants will receive 1 point if they are a German major.

iii. Applicants will receive 1 additional point per course/semester for each of the following:
German courses taken for Amherst College credit (max. 6 points); semesters they have
previously been a resident in the German House (max. 4 points); semesters they have spent
on an exchange program in a German-speaking country as part of their Amherst degree.

iv. Applicants will receive up to 3 points for the interview conducted and evaluated by the
German Language Assistants, the German House President, and the German House Vice
President (if applicable), and the Department of German Faculty Advisor.
v. Applicants will receive up to 1 point (with the possibility of receiving a 1⁄2 point) for the
quality of their written application as evaluated by the German Language Assistants, the
President and Vice President (if applicable), and the Faculty Advisor.

vi. The order between residents with the same number of points will be determined
according to these criteria in descending order: class year; number of semesters in the
German House according to previously outlined policies (the resident with more semesters
takes precedence); number of German courses taken for Amherst College credit (with a
maximum of 6 courses considered). If two or more residents are tied after applying these
criteria, the tie will be resolved by lottery.

h. Barring exceptional circumstances, students who will be abroad or on leave in the Fall
semester and wish to live in the German House in the Spring semester should apply during
the regular application process the Spring prior to secure a place on the waitlist.

i. Students accepted for residence in the German House and returning from leave or study
abroad in the middle of the year may only choose from rooms that are empty (e.g. vacated
by residents who leave for the second semester). Their room draw order will be determined
in the manner outlined in Article 4(f).

j. Residents may not move into rooms vacated during the year to get a better room.

k. If there is an opening during the year, students on the waitlist from the prior Spring will
have their points updated to account for the Fall semester and will be granted admission
according to the guidelines outlined in Article 4(f). Residents who went on leave in the Fall
semester and are returning in the Spring will get first priority. If after consulting the waitlist
there is still availability, the Department of German will propose suitable applicants to be
added to the waitlist.

l. First year students who move into the German House during their first semester (such
cases are unusual) will not receive a point for that semester.
m. Any unforeseen situation will be dealt with by the Faculty Advisor and the Department
of German, as well as in consultation with the President and Vice President (if applicable).

5. Procedure for Constitutional Amendments

a. The Constitution may be amended by the President and Vice-President (if applicable) in
collaboration with the Faculty Advisor at the request of the House residents.

b. Any change must be approved by a two-thirds majority at a House meeting that all residents
will be asked to attend, and must subsequently be approved by the Department of German.