Office of Residence Life

Residential Curriculum Model (RCM)

Residence Life focuses on the entire student experience and fosters learning beyond the classroom. Implemented in the Fall of 2020, the Residential Curriculum Model (RCM) is an intentional framework for on-campus living communities that furthers student learning and engagement at Oberlin College.

While living in Residence Life spaces at Oberlin College, students will participate in the Residential Curriculum Model. As a result of participating in the Residential Curriculum Model students will:

  • Build Supportive Systems
  • Develop Practical Competence
  • Explore Identities
  • Engage in Meaningful Communities

Supportive Systems    develop practical competence    Explore Identities    Engage in Communities

Regardless of where a student lives on campus, we want to ensure they are individually supported through the experiences they are navigating. Given this, we plan to utilize the following strategies to foster each area of learning and development. Each area is designed for different modes of student learning.

  • Area Coordinator and RA Emails
  • Community Meetings
  • Community Agreements
  • Roommate/Housemate Agreements
  • Intentional Conversations
  • Bulletin Boards
  • Residential Council 
  • Newsletters
  • Educational Sessions

Student staff will host at least one community development strategy each week to encourage community engagement. Some examples of community development strategies include:

  • game nights
  • attending campus events as a floor
  • cookie making socials
  • community service
  • study breaks
  • informal conversations 
  • impromptu dance parties
  • creating floor or house playlists
  • house or floor dinners
  • trivia competitions
  • trips to the Arboretum
  • poetry slams