On Sunday, June 30th, 11 members of the hall council attended the annual Hall Councilor Orientation. The all-day workshop featured a number of experts from across MIT who gave presentations and led discussions on topics ranging from peer counseling to stress relief to active listening. Portions of the workshop were video-recorded with permission from the speakers to give to the hall councilors who were unable to attend due to off-campus summer plans.

The purpose of the Hall Councilor Orientation is to introduce hall councilors to conflict coaching, familiarize them with resources around MIT where they can refer residents who need help, and familiarize them with common issues and problems encountered by graduate students. The program was initiated in 2011 by Brian Spatocco, then Chair of the Halls.

The day started off at 9:30am with an introduction by Associate Housemaster Annette Kim about the vital role of the hall councilor in SP. In addition to hosting regular hall events, such as hall dinners, dessert nights, and “water wars,” hall councilors are a resource for SP residents to turn to if any issue should arise, whether it’s a noise complaint, a roommate dispute, or something more personal. Hall councilors are part of a network within SP (along with SPEC, the Housemasters, and House Manager) that helps support residents who have concerns or trouble.

There is also a network outside SP that residents and hall councilors can reach out to. 8 speakers from 6 different organizations across MIT spoke at the workshop, including representatives from: MIT Mental Health & Counseling, Residential Life Programs (RLP), Community Wellness, Violence Prevention & Response (VPR), the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education (ODGE), and Conflict Resolution@MIT.

Tying the day together were role play scenarios with real SP residents enacting situations that a hall councilor might encounter while serving at SP. It was an opportunity for the hall councilors to put what they learned throughout the day into practice, and get immediate feedback from seasoned coaches on their responses to the scenarios.

“[Sidney-Pacific has] a great group of Hall Councilors, and I’m glad I got to meet and work with them,” said Libby Mahaffy, Assistant Director of Conflict Resolution@MIT, who was a speaker and coach at the workshop. If you ever have any problem or unanswered question, don’t be afraid to email or approach your hall councilor. They’re here and ready to help!

by Rachael Harding, Chair of the Halls