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Ryan Ketac, Mitchell's Community Living and Learning Center director, is in charge of an arts program that encompasses six separate LLCs ranging in concentration from literature to photography.
Ketac said he has proposed to the University to turn all of Mitchell into an arts LLC by next year. Although no official steps have been taken to convert the all-singles hall into an exclusively arts community, the building was advertised as "the home of the arts" at Colonial Inauguration this summer.
Each of the arts LLCs average a little more than 20 students; the arts community has nearly tripled in size since last year. "We really wanted to build an arts commune," Ketac said.
Several of the LLCs have trips planned for the academic year, including a trip to a film festival in New York City for the Silver Screen LLC and a dance show in Las Vegas for the Rhythm Community. Generally, CLLC foots the bill for such excursions.
Overall involvement in LLCs is up this year, with 947 freshmen, or 36 percent of the freshman class, taking part in a community. Last year, 732 freshmen were in an LLC. The groups are free to join, and students can sign up for them in their respective buildings at any time.
Community organizers said students in LLCs generally get better grades and have more access to University resources.
An all-arts Mitchell Hall would still house students not interested in joining an LLC, Ketac said.
"There's value for non-arts (students) to be exposed to the arts too," Ketac said. "It's not going to be degree-specific, just purely people who are interested."
Matt Trainum, CLLC associate director of residential life and education, said that although he would like to see the Mitchell arts community expand, he thinks immediate action on the part of the University is unlikely.
