CALTECH STUDENT HISTORY NOTES
AVERY HOUSE
Adapted from the Caltech websiteFounded in 1991, Avery had previously only housed upperclass students, graduate students, and faculty, but by a 10-to-1 vote in May 2004, the Faculty Board approved the decision to make Avery open to incoming freshmen on a two-year experimental basis. Since the 2005–2006 school year, Avery has been part of the Rotation process and houses incoming freshman.
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| Avery House from the air |
Some recent traditions include Team Gotcha (Assassins using water guns), an Iron Chef competition, and a Faculty Dessert Night with an open talent show. Avery House most definitely participates in interhouse sports, holds an annual interhouse party, and organizes annual ski trips, beach trips, and BBQs. In line with its historical position as an alternative option to the house system, Avery embraces an accepting mindset whereby anyone who wants to become an Avery member only needs to attain ten signatures from Avery members who are living in the house or have lived there previously.
Avery enjoys an environment of faculty families. The Faculty in Residence (FiRs) are chosen by the students in an interview and discussion process and the faculty are provided budget to hold social events for the undergraduates of the house. Events held by faculty include Super Bowl parties and casual dinners.
In both physical size and bedspaces, Avery House is noticeably larger than the other houses, housing almost twice as many undergraduates as other houses. Avery House has several facilities, including a dining hall with a large kitchen, a conference room, a piano room (Gary Lorden Recreation Room), a library, a garden, and a basement garage. The dining hall, library, and conference room are available to the Caltech community for official events after approval by the Avery ExComm or reservation via the Housing website. Avery also holds a number of “off-campus” spots, which are physically in the house but can be chosen by any undergraduate participating in the off-campus lottery. Finally, owing to a policy said to have been put in place by R. Stanton Avery himself[citation needed], Avery members are not allowed to place anything "nonremovable" on the walls, though the true origins of this policy are unclear. As a result, murals are painted on canvas and hung up on bulletin boards, instead of painted on the walls directly.
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| Avery front and Courtyard |
Last updated 4/10/04.
Christopher E. Brennen