RCB Dictionary
RC – Residential College!
RC Members – Residential college members is an umbrella term for anyone involved in a residential college—this could mean residents, non-residents, Fellows, exec members, etc! If an event is advertised as “available to all RC members,” that means everyone!
Non-res – Non-residents!
Res – Residents!
RCB – Residential College Board. This just refers to the executive board residing over the Residential Colleges. The phrasing may seem a bit redundant, but the Board is often referred to as RCB Exec.
RCB Fullboard (or just “Fullboard”) – This refers to the executive board and all of the RC’s Presidents. It can also refer to the weekly Fullboard meetings (i.e. “Can you be my proxy for Fullboard?”).
XRC (Event) – Cross-Residential College (typically followed by “Event”). This refers to programming hosted by one residential college that is open to all RC members (i.e. “Did you sign-up for Hobart’s XRC Swing Dancing Fireside?”).
IRC (Event) – Inter-Residential College. This refers to programming hosted in a joint effort by multiple residential colleges. An example of this would include Willard’s and Shepard’s annual “Woo-shep Olympics,” in which their Presidents plan an Olympic-style competition between the two.
Kiwi – The kiwi is our mascot! A stuffed kiwi is a typical prize for RCB events, and many RCs choose their own name for it—examples being CCS’s Nutrigena and Shepard’s Abba.
Each RC has their own colloquial name, and some have multiple! There are also terms for members of each RC, which can vary greatly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Residential College system differ from Greek Life?
While “Residential College” and “Special Interest Housing” may seem similar, the two have different structures. Residential Colleges are open to new members year-round, have an elected executive board, a Fellows program, and you are not required to live in the affiliated dorm to be a member. Many RCs have a points system in order to gather housing numbers so that the most active RC members may have a guaranteed spot in the dorm the following school year. There has been debate on the role that RCs play in regards to the Abolish NU Greek Life movement, as many fraternities and sororities’ housing options are altering their structure. To learn about a student’s perspective on this, read this Op Ed in Northwestern’s The Daily. To learn a little more about the integration of RCs and abolition of Greek Life, read here.
Why haven’t I heard of Residential Colleges before?
They’re fairly new to colleges across America, with Northwestern University opening its first 5 Residential Colleges in 1972. Learn more about the history of Residential Colleges at NU here.
Can I go to events without being a member?
Some RCB and RC events are open to guests; however, the exec boards are fully funded by the dues their members pay and work hard to provide programming for those people. For example, it may be that you visit a friend’s RC dorm a lot and grab some Munchies or use their printer. While it may seem like free commodities, the Exec Board is funding the food and ink with their number of members accounted for. It is important to fill out a non-resident form if you are not a part of an RC but want to utilize their amenities and participate in events so the proper amount of funding may be provided. To have your non-resident dues covered, Northwestern has the SAAF form for students on financial aid. While these seem like extra steps to take, you will be much better supported as an “official” member of an RC!
What’s the difference between my RC’s events and RCB events?
RCB hosts events for all RC members (such as RCB Formal), each RC hosts events for their RC’s members (such as weekly Munchies) unless otherwise specified.