Dorm Culture at MU: 60s-70s

In a letter from the administrator of Bishop Hall, a women's honor dorm, the privilege of having a single room with a key is outlined. This letter provides a significant contrast to the university policies to come later in the 70s. (Image cropped from MU Archvies) 8/11/1967 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH

In an open letter to all Miami staff and students, President Shriver outlines the changes to campus after the university shutdown for weeks due to student protests. This marks the beginning of an era of administrative compromise where many student concerns were heard and resolved. (Image cropped from MU Archives) 05/16/1970 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH

In a letter of demands from the Civil Liberties Board, the first signs of unrest regarding dormitory policies are found. After the civil rights protests of the 60s, students begin to shift their focus to student life, specifically in residence halls. (Image cropped from MU Archives) 1970 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH

In 1975, the "Dorms" section returns to the yearbook. After the turmoil of the 60s, with more growth both in halls and students, dorms begin to move to a more important role in student life. 1975 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #Recensio

Move in day: 1975. Two young women move in to their new room. Student dorms are beginning to look very similar to the dorm rooms of today. 1975 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #Recensio

With larger residence halls, many students formed close-knit communities and identified with what dorm they lived in. This identity helps to put dorms at the forefront of out-of-class life. (Image cropped from MU Archvies) 11/20/1978 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #MiamiStudent

With strictly enforced curfews in place for visitors (11:30PM weekdays, 2AM weekends), many students began to resist these policies and push for 24hr visitation. This would become one of the hotly debated issues in the 70s. (Image cropped from MU Archives) ca. 1970 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #MiamiStudent

At the front line of student-life debates in the 70s were the RA's and Hall Administrators. They were challenged with enforcing university policies while keeping residents happy, not an easy task. 1975 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH

Many students were using their rooms for a variety of new activities, including drying their clothes. 3/19/1974 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #MiamiStudent

Students felt that gender-segregated dorms were a thing of the past. The first coed dorms appeared on Miami's campus in the early 70s, seen by many administrators and students alike as a radical experiment. (Image cropped from MU Archives) 1976 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH

A young woman listening to music and smoking a cigarette in her room. With a shift in culture during the 70s, students began to spend more time in their rooms, leading to many of the clashes with administrators during the decade. 1975 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #Recensio

With more halls and more students, room & board costs at Miami grew as well, much to the dismay of many students. (Image cropped from MU Archives) 2/19/1974 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #MiamiStudent

With student demands incessant, administrators created many different alternatives to the existing visitation curfews in an attempt to find compromise. Students remained firm for 24hr visitation. 1/11/1973 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #MiamiStudent

In an effort to smooth student-resident staff relations, Miami administrators set up "RA Exchanges." An RA from a different floor or building would meet with a hallway to discuss policies and student life. 11/25/1974 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #MiamiStudent

The women of Emerson Hall. This is another great look into the time period, and shows how in many ways, dorms were not so different than what we would recognize today. 1972 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #Recensio

Unrest continues to build around the debate of visitation curfews in dorms. Though many compromises have been offered, students still refuse to settle for anything less than a 24-hour visitation standard. (Image cropped from MU Archives) 1973 #MiamiUniversity #MUArchives #OxfordOH #MiamiStudent