Students interested in dialogue housing may have two new options next year: the Dialogue Exchange Network (DEN) House and the Epicurious House.

However, these options are still in the initial planning stages and have not been confirmed yet. "At this point it is just a proposal and not a sure thing," Assistant Director of Campus Life Jessica Dash said.

The proposals for the DEN House and Epicurious House must be presented to the College Affairs Committee and the Office of Campus Life for approval. Sarena Maron- Kolitch '10, who is spearheading the effort for the DEN House, said, "Our main goal is to foster productive conversations on campus about real, applicable issues in the Colby, Waterville and global communities."

According to Maron-Kolitch, Rachel Dingman, a member of the AmeriCorps VISTA program who is volunteering on campus this year, has been instrumental in working with students in their efforts to make The DEN House a viable option for next year.

Maron-Kolitch explained that the DEN House's advisory board is made up of students who wish to have an area to expand campus conversations about community.

To make the DEN House possible, "the residents of The DEN will work to create a cohesive network between the groups on campus through facilitating conversations and enriching the community both on campus and in Waterville." She noted that residents in the DEN House will allow everyone on campus to contribute to conversations about community, and that they will undergo training under the AmeriCorps VISTA to learn how to initiate meaningful discussions about community on campus.

The Epicurious House is based around the idea of celebrating food and the culinary arts. Simran Jaising '12, who is leading the effort for the house, said that the title of the house comes from the dictionary definition of the word epicurean: "An individual who indulges in sensual pleasures, with luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking."

Jaising said that residents of the Epicurious House will have the opportunity to try cuisines that are not offered in Waterville. To achieve the objectives of the Epicurious House, Jaising said that there would be monthly cultural and regional celebrations about food. Residents would also be able to keep their meal plans while using a kitchen to prepare "daily culinary creations," she said.