Hereford College


Hereford College is a self-governed residential college at the University of Virginia.
Originally consisting of five dorms within one complex, the residential college has since been reduced to two dorms: Norris House and Whyburn House. Thus, only about 200 students reside in Hereford Residential College.
Named after physicist Frank Hereford, who was president of the university between 1974 and 1985, the college opened in 1992 as New College, UVA's second residential college. It consists of five strikingly thin dorm buildings, Vaughan House, and its own dining hall. Hereford was designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, which also designed the American Folk Art Museum in New York, the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, and the Student Art Building of Johns Hopkins University.

Staff

The College is staffed by a Faculty Principal, Director of Studies, Program Coordinator, and Graduate Intern.

Living at Hereford

The college is unique among UVA housing in that most of the rooms are single-occupancy, meaning that most Herefordians do not share a room with a roommate or suitemate. First years are typically assigned to double-occupancy rooms, while Third and Fourth Year students are typically assigned to single-occupancy rooms.

Student and Faculty Interaction

The Hereford Student Senate governs the College its leaders preside over a significant budget to develop programs and events. Paid for by student activities fees, the Hereford Student Senate organizes co-curricular and extracurricular events.

Study Abroad

Hereford students are given first priority to participate in a 3 credit Global Studies course which includes a week-long excursion to Shanghai, China over spring break.

Banquets

Each month, Hereford residents dine together at a scheduled time in the Runk Green Room. The dinners are catered and themed. In the past, there have been Halloween, Masquerade, and Lunar New Year banquets.

Pre-Game BBQs

Before Virginia football home game, there is typically a BBQ cookout open to all Hereford students.

Architecture

The modernist architecture of Hereford College won great acclaim when the residential college was unveiled. The New York Times said glowingly "it is more different from Jefferson than anything that has been built at the University in generations, but it rises to challenge him" and in a later article the New York paper seemed to imply that all of New York City was jealous of the new dorm complex, stating "but for an international city, New York is sadly lacking in contemporary world-class buildings. And the lack is especially glaring considering how many world-class talents live here. Where are the buildings that can compare in formal intelligence to... Williams and Tsien's New College at the University of Virginia?"

Grounds

The original five dorms are arranged in rows of two, two, and one, ascending a hillside. Left to right, from the bottom to the top, they are Weedon, Whyburn, Malone, Norris, and Johnson. Unfortunately, Hereford Residential College, which was originally composed of these five dorms, has now been reduced to Norris and Whyburn alone. The remaining dorms, Johnson, Malone and Weedon, currently operate as primary first year housing. The Senior Resident of Hereford lives in the basement floor of Whyburn. Vaughan House is where the principal of Hereford College lives. The basement of the building is known as the Hereford Hub and has space available for student activities. Runk Hall is the dining facility.
The buildings were named after the following faculty members at the university.
Since 1992, there have been six Principals of Hereford College. They and their families have lived in Vaughan House at the top of the hill.

2008 Conflict with Housing Office

Hereford College nearly closed when in November of its 17th year of operation, University housing officials declared that Hereford would begin to house only first-year students and they would not be part of any residential college arrangement. This was due to the razing of the Alderman Road "New Dorms" first-year housing area and a need to relocate students during the disruption.
The members of Hereford fought back against the administration, and won back their college in a stunning reversal. The Cavalier Daily praised Hereford students for being "role-models of student activism" and the "epitome of grassroots action rarely seen at this institution" after Hereford students wore I AM HEREFORD T-shirts for days and flooded administrative offices with phone calls and emails about the subject.
Many of the displaced first-years were instead housed at Dillard House, a former upper-class housing area located just down the hill. Hereford College itself, however, was reduced to 2 dorms, with only Norris and Whyburn allocated for Hereford College. Johnson, Malone, and Weedon are now only open to first year students.

Famous residents