The Building

 

2303 Sheridan was constructed in time for the 1913-1914 school year as part of the original $500,000 Fraternity/Men’s Dormitory plan. The buildings, planned in quadrangles, were designed by Palmer, Hornbostel, and Jones. Originally built to house Beta Theta Pi fraternity, the facility was constructed for $37,127, a cost borne by Beta Theta Pi and Northwestern. The building was transferred to Zeta Psi fraternity in the early 1960s before being renovated and becoming the home of CCS in 1972.

 

In summer 2012, CCS underwent major renovations. Foster House, which was an all-male dorm since its construction, was combined with CCS through the addition of a central bridge and staircase and consolidation of mechanical rooms and facilities. Because of the university’s decision to relocated three fraternities into what was once university housing, GREEN house was moved into the new combined 2303 Sheridan. CCS members live in the second and third floors of the combined building, and GREEN house members live on the third, fourth, and fifth floors.

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The Founding of CCS

The College of Community Studies was founded in 1972 by Professor Dave Epperson, his colleague John McKnight, Raymond Mack, and an ad hoc committee of students. It was one of the five original residential colleges, focusing on community studies. Programming was intended to offer students the opportunity to take education out of the classroom and into the field.

The first poster to advertise CCS went up on November 29, 1972. 100 students were selected to be a part of CCS. 34 lived in the building, and the rest were “associate members” or non-residents. Through the 1980s, there were always 50-70 associate members.

For more information, see How It Began.

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CCS events 1973-1978

From 1973 to 1978, CCS developed its programming and community structure to further the theme of community studies and develop a community within the building.

¹From 1972 to 1973, Community Studies, as a unifying theme, was advanced in a variety of ways:

• The Core Course, “The Dynamics of Planned Change,” was taken by all College members for two of the three quarters in each academic year, for one unit of credit per year. The course met once a week and followed a lecture/discussion/dinner format. Guest speakers included business and political leaders, social reform advocates, and scholars representing a variety of fields pertinent to community studies.
• The Optional Courses were offered by the five Core Faculty Members. They were C-level courses (suitable for graduate credit in most departments) from which College members could select as many as were responsive to their individual programs. These courses attempted to provide an interdisciplinary emphasis tailored to the College theme. Class size was held below 30 students to maximize the possibility of interpersonal interaction among students and faculty.
• The Student-Organized Seminars (S.O.S.) were credit-bearing courses developed by students themselves, on particular topics of interest. During the first year, the College faculty sponsored an S.O.S. in “Humanistic Change Strategies,” and another in “Student Health Service Administration.” In the planning state was “Community, Understanding Through Photography.”
• The Chicago Package focused on the City of Chicago itself, with all its sociological, historical, economic, and political complexity. It was a one-quarter, four-unit integrated experience for a limited number of students who elected to immerse themselves in studying the development of this major metropolitan community. Classroom work and field work are both included in this unfettered concentration in the city.
• The Field Outposts were central to our purpose of complementing a student’s academic career with direct field involvement. Students could spend a quarter living and working in various sectors of society, and getting a first-hand glimpse of community life by serving as an aide, volunteer worker, or observer immersed in the day to day life of the community under study.

²By 1975 to 1976, the following elements were added.

• The Lecture Series, a common ground for all members, met twice a month and followed a lecture/discussion/dinner format. Guest speakers include business and political leaders, social reform advocates, and scholars representing a variety of fields pertinent to community studies.
• The Faculty Associate Program offered an opportunity for students to interact with faculty members from many disciplines on an informal basis. In keeping with the philosophy of blending in-class and out-of-class experiences, many faculty members who had taught classes in the College had become faculty associates and have shared meals regularly with CCS students. The faculty associates were encouraged to participate in all of the activities of the College.
• The Governing Program was a faculty/student activity which attempted to handle decisions about College programming and operation. It also served to expose students to organizational dynamics by monitoring the effects of their own work. Every member of the College had a vote in Forum, the governing body of CCS. Committee chairpersons were the core members, and were expected to serve as a link between the committees and Forum. Major committees included Academic Programs, Social, Communications, and Residential Policies.
• The academic programs committee was responsible for the faculty associate program, field studies, and the selection of courses to be taught in the College. The committee was also working on the establishment of an urban studies major.
• The social committee organized parties with other residential colleges and campus groups, field trips, theatre parties, sherry hours, and other activities.
• The Communications committee published a weekly newsletter, Intercom, which kept members up-to-date on College activities. The committee also publicized CCS events in the College and throughout the university community.
• The Residential Policies committee determined where students live and any physical changes in the house. This committee was been responsible for the acquisition of a piano and a ping-pong table.

³Traditions added by 1976-1977 included the following.

• The Sunday co-op dinner, where College members are spared from the vagaries of a meal at the local drive-in. These dinners, prepared by students in the College’s kitchen, ranged in sophistication from bratwurst and beer to quiche Lorraine. They were followed by speakers.
• College members formed teams for intramural sports and often organized athletic activities on their own, such as the Spring Olympics.
• The Wednesday Night Munch was an established College institution and a well-attended activity.
• At the end of each quarter, an Awards Banquet allowed members to receive their just desserts.
• Members were required to take at least one of the six core courses offered at the College each year. Held in the previous year were: “Interpersonal Communication” from the School of Speech; “Social Psychological Theories” from the Sociology Department; and “Analysis of Urban Systems Planning Problems” from the Civil Engineering Department.
• The Communications Committee informed College members and other people in the Northwestern community about College programs and events through the weekly Community Voice. Clandestine publications, such as Spark and Your Mutha’s Voice, a creative arts magazine, had also been produced.

Brochures from 1972-1978 paint the following picture of CCS.

¹If you had observed the College during the Spring of 1973, you might have noticed:

• A series of discussions on the merits of scattering low-income housing throughout the metropolitan area.
• A seminar arguing journalistic integrity and the public’s right to know.
• A debate about the merits of community control versus centralized control of public school systems.
• Students and faculty considering intervening in a public hearing about the environmental impact of a proposed nuclear power plant
• Students discussing their experiences in the bi-lingual education department of the San Francisco public schools.
• A group of students simulating the growth of a city.
• Informal discussions between faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students.
• Visits to ethnic neighborhoods, government agencies, political organizations, business establishments and others.

²If you had observed College activities from 1974-1975 you might have noticed:

• A series of discussions on the future of the city, with guest speakers such as Norton Long.
• A tour of Chicago architecture with Carl Condit.
• A discussion with Congressman Robert Drinan on the House Judiciary Committee
• A seminar on the role of women in the urban environment conducted by Helena Lopata
• Students discussing their experiences in community service outposts in San Francisco
• Co-op dinners prepared by students for the CCS community
• Candidates for the Evanston aldermanic election discussing their platforms at a CCS fireside
• informal discussions between faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates at Friday afternoon sherry hours

³If you had observed College activities from 1975-1976 you might have noticed:

• A rapid transit trip with Shepard Residential College. Traveling on a chartered CTA train, students were given a moving tour of Chicago landmarks by Northwestern professors.
• A Wednesday night documentary film series. Films including “The Blue Collar Trap,” a study of the problems facing the urban worker, were featured. Discussions were held after the films.
• An ethnic dinner field trip. Students dined at Peruvian, Mexican, Hungarian, and Italian restaurants, accompanied by professors familiar with the history and culture of the various countries.

⁴If you had observed College activities from 1976-1977, you might have noticed:

• Analyses of the Carter-Ford debates and of the Nixon-Frost interview by Communications Studies Prof. David Zarefsky
• A wine tasting co-op dinner led by Philosophy Prof. Kenneth Eskin.
• A Theater Party to see “Equus” in downtown Chicago
• A showing of Frederick Wiseman’s documentary film “Hospital”
• A band party with other small houses in the CCS living room
• An ethnic dinner field trip in which students dined at Greek and Chinese restaurants, accompanied by professors familiar with the history and culture of the countries.

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Field Studies

Beginning in spring quarter 1973, CCS focused on bringing students into the field to learn about community and human development. The first program brought 10-15 students to San Francisco for a quarter. These students earned course credit by taking three seminars, working 20 hours per week in youth services agencies, spending an hour per week with a tutor, and submitting papers. The program sought to foster an understanding of the workings of communities and the agencies created to serve these communities’ needs. The San Francisco and Chicago Field Studies programs still exist, now in SESP.

The San Francisco Field Studies program expanded to include Community Service programs in spring and summer quarters and a Public Policy Processes program in summer quarter. Each program was taught by on Northwestern professor, 1-2 TAs, and 1-2 seminar leaders living in the Bay Area. By 1981, 400 students had traveled to San Francisco. Over the course of the CCS San Francisco field studies program, students worked in agencies including

• Youth Guidance Center
• Coalition for Effective Schools
• Office of Bilingual Education
• Langley-Porter Psychiatric Institute
• Public Defender’s Office
• Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic
• Lawyers’ Committee
• Buena Vista Women’s Services
• Youth Advocates
• Friends of the Earth
• San Francisco Review of Books
• Mayor of San Francisco
• KGO-TV
• San Francisco Tenant’s Union
• Consumer Fraud Division of the District Attorney’s Office
• Legal Aid
• San Francisco Bay Guardian.

The Chicago Field Studies program started in 1975 and took place in spring and summer quarters. Studies were based around a core course and accompanying internships. Core seminars included “The Dilemma of Doing Good,” Working to Live or Living to Work?” and “Urban Impact on Family Life.” Other topics included the oral history of ethnic communities in Chicago, assessment of transportation needs for the elderly in Uptown, police-community relations, mental health resources, day care patterns and health service delivery.

One program limited to 16 students was focused on Edgewater. Students were brought to Edgewater in search of health and welfare/human needs, evidence of community diversity, recreation facilities and their impact/usage/absence, different varieties of residences/housing patterns in general, other physical characteristics of the community, and deviance and youth. They then met up at a restaurant and discussed their findings.

Examples of internships included the Better Government Association, Comptroller’s Office in City Hall, Friends of the Parks, and Illinois-Indiana Bi-state commission.

The London Field Studies program began in 1974. Students traveled to London to compare the development of communities in the United States and England. 1977 featured a field study of educational services and support services for young children held in Bradford, England.

Field Study Testimonials
Jessica Burali-Forti, junior in Communication Studies, assisted a social worker in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office during the 1979 Community Services Program: “I learned many aspects of the California Juvenile Justice System. My supervisor was great and became my friend. The individual attention from NU faculty/staff was invaluable. The informal and close nature of this program made it much more enjoyable than a regular class….Good for widening a student’s perspective on life – you realize that the rest of the world is very different from school.”

Karen O’Leary, junior in Journalism, interned at the San Francisco Bay Guarding during the 1979 Policy Processes program. “This was a good way to learn about a new city – by immersion. My internship was extremely valuable to me as a journalism student. It provided lots of opportunity for initiative. The staff was very informative and helpful, but all privileges were earned. By the end of the summer I was trusted to write and research on my own.

Eric Greenberg, senior in Anthropology, interviewed “insiders” in a misdemeanor courtroom during the 1979 Chicago Field Study. “I learned how to do real research in the program. I started out knowing almost nothing and by the end of the summer the courtroom activities had taken on meaning. I followed up my project for two more quarters and turned it into an honors project for my major.”

Nicole Ramires, Urban Studies, 1977, worked with Project Safe, a San Francisco crime prevention organization during the 1976 Community Services Program. “Even when you study an organization you don’t really get a feeling for the meaning of bureaucracy until you actually have to get something done. You have no idea of the hassles you get.”

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1981 – Present

CCS Gains Freshmen

In April 1981, the university announced that it would require residential colleges to reserve 40% of the building for freshmen. Previously, CCS was only upperclassmen, and freshmen lived exclusively in freshmen-only dorms. CCS had allowed freshmen to join CCS from 1974-1975 for a trial run, but in the end the freshmen felt disconnected from the community. Master George Peterson was opposed to this change, as freshmen did not have the prerequisites to take the coursework required of all CCS members. A freshman seminar alternative was proposed. In a memo to the provost, Peterson wrote,

“The actions and positions taken recently by the University Administration have destroyed the academic viability of the College of Community Studies. This College was established as an academic institution and that has been the motivation and justification for faculty participation. Jim Carleton has stated publicly that CCS is “not as intimately connected” with the academic side of NU as when originally established. For example, with no regard for academic concerns, it has been decided that CCS must accept 40 percent freshmen in 1982. Such events demonstrate that control has passed from the academic arm of NU to the Housing Office and that important academic issues are being decided on the basis of operational convenience.”

In a meeting on Friday morning, several faculty associates, including the Master of CCS, agreed they will no longer lend credibility to a system which does not serve and is not controlled by academic purposes. Unless key academic conditions are guaranteed by the administration, we will walk out of the residential college system.

Provost Raymond Mack’s response:

“As a result of our meeting on Thursday, I have the following perceptions of our situation. I hope you will correct me if I have misunderstood anything.

• The residential college system is under your direction and is of great interest to you. You will make the final decisions on matters which affect academic functions.
• You have a high regard for the College of Community Studies and recognize the significant academic contributions that have been and are being made by the College.
• CCS has not been assigned a quota of five freshmen for 1981-1982. You have asked us to apply our success to the problem of fellowshipping five new arrivals to the campus through resident membership in CCS. These can be either transfer students or freshmen, at our discretion, but you would rather we take a freshman interested in community studies than a transfer upperclassman who just wants a room.
• CCS has not been assigned a quota of 40% freshmen for 1982-1983 or for any other year. You have not yet decided how or whether this recommendation of the Landwehr Committee will be applied to CCS. When you do decide, it will be with full consideration of CCS as a community of scholars with an academic mission.
• Budgeting or 1981-1982 will be based on a clarification of the services we provide to the rest of the university and the benefits that are shared by the associate as well as resident members. Recognition will also be given to the revenues generated by our investments in the administration of course and field studies.”

CCS Budget Cuts

In late spring of 1981, CCS was notified that it would receive a budget cut, eliminating field studies and the secretary, replacing the half-time associate master with a full-time “super” faculty associate and assistant master, and cutting normal operating expenses. There was a major negative outcry at forum and a 22 to 2 vote to fight for the reinstatement of the budget.

A committee composed of students and the graduate associate had a meeting with Associate Provosts Collins and Margolis, presenting a 40-signature petition. They left the meeting with no immediate decision. Collins asked the committee to prepare a budget with a bottom line cut of $20,000. Weber and Gregory’s plan cut $18,000 without cutting Field Studies or the grad student coordinators.

In a second meeting, this time including Bob Church, Dean of the Summer Session, Church offered to provide help from his own office, bringing the plan to a cut of $20,000.

The final cut resulted in a 46% reduction in the CCS budget. The Summer Session office rescued Field Studies, and the half-time associate master and field study coordinator returned. The secretary was eliminated, CCS lost office space, the 15 of the travel/entertainment budget was cut.

By 1994, the yearly budget was reduced to approximately $1000.

CCS Gets Cultural

In the early 90’s, the College of Community Studies became the College of Cultural and Community Studies. Modifying its mission to include understanding the development of cultural neighborhoods, CCS increased its multicultural programming.

¹1973-1974 CCS Brochure – University Archives

²1975-1976 CCS Brochure – University Archives

³1976-1977 CCS Brochure – University Archives

⁴1977-1978 CCS Brochure – University Archives