Program Overview

South Spencer Residential College: Law & Justice

South Spencer Residential College, open to all majors, is ideal for students interested in justice and law in their personal, academic, and professional lives. Law and justice come alive through civic participation. Students explore how legal systems, ethical frameworks, and public service shape a just society—while actively engaging in their communities to make change.

Description

Joining the Honors College in Fall 2015, South Spencer houses about 100 Honors College students and is connected to North Spencer, sharing similar room amenities. The hall features a first-floor parlor, a game room, computer lab, and Honors College offices. With on-site advisors and frequent events, South Spencer is centrally located next to Jackson Library.

Signature Events

• Dreaming in Color: A fun and creative welcome event where South Spencer residents tie-dye their own pillowcases, turning blank fabric into vibrant personal expressions.
• Halloween Coven: A Night of Mystical Self-Care: A witchy wellness event celebrating intuition, healing, and a little bit of mystery, featuring crystals, tarot readings, and DIY cleansing baths kits.
• DIY Blankets for the Homeless: A hands-on service event where students create cozy, no-sew fleece blankets for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Student Committees

• South Spencer Ambassadors: Promote the residential college to prospective students by showcasing its vibrant community, unique programs, and core values.
• Halloween Coven Committee: Plan and execute the annual Spencer Halloween Coven event.
• Global Justice Collective: Explore issues of social justice, human rights, and global equity through thoughtful dialogue, educational programming, and collaborative action.
• The NextGen: Law & Politics Committee: Engage residents in meaningful conversations and programming related to law, government, and public policy.
• Ripple Effect: Service in Action: Promote a culture of service, empathy, and community engagement within South Spencer through volunteer opportunities and reflective programming. - Voices of Justice: A student-led newsletter amplifying conversations on law, justice, and civic engagement, highlighting student perspectives, campus initiatives, and global issues that shape a more equitable world. - Voices of Justice is South Spencer Residential College's student-led newsletter, dedicated to amplifying conversations on law, justice, and civic engagement.

Featured Courses

• HSS 147: Laws and Human Rights in World History: An in-depth exploration of how legal systems developed over time and the evolution of what is considered a human right from the ancient world to the present.
• HSS 240: Dreaming The World Differently: A course that invites students to be brave and think through new possibilities for their lives and the social systems in which they find themselves embedded.
• HSS 243: Exploring Disability, Cure, and Justice: A critical examination of the complex interplay between disability, concepts of cure, and societal structures through an intersectional lens.

Course Details

HSS 147: Laws and Human Rights in World History

• Instructor: Anderson, Kaitlyn
• Description: The history of law and human rights is a vibrant tapestry woven through the fabric of civilizations across time and geography.

HSS 240: Dreaming The World Differently

• Instructor: Eric B. Toler
• Description: Creating a new vision of our world takes time, thought, and effort, and this course explores how to stretch our imaginations to dream the world differently through readings and written work.

HSS 243: Exploring Disability, Cure, and Justice

• Instructor: Gia Born
• Description: This course critically examines the complex interplay between disability, concepts of cure, and societal structures through an intersectional lens, exploring historical and contemporary definitions of disability, different models and theories around disability, and the implications of cure narratives and medical interventions on marginalized communities.