International House Berkeley

The International House, Berkeley is a multi-cultural residence and program center serving students at the University of California, Berkeley. According to the International House, its mission is to foster intercultural respect, understanding, lifelong friendships and leadership skills for the promotion of a more tolerant and peaceful world.

International House, also known as I-House, is a dormitory for advanced undergraduates, graduate and professional students and visiting scholars. The House was created as a gift from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. specifically to foster relationships between students from different countries. It is notable for having housed many famous artists, scientists, and scholars connected with the university.

The House is the subject of a documentary called "The Visionaries: International House." Public Broadcasting stations across America have been airing this documentary by Visionaries Inc. The documentary, hosted by Sam Waterston, highlights how the International House on the University of California Berkeley campus has served as one of the largest, most diverse, residential, global communities in the world. [Visionaries, Inc., [http://www.visionaries.org/episode_listings/season_09/index.php"Season 9"] ]

The International House has several "Bay view" rooms and lounges that overlook the San Francisco Bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge. Nearly 600 international and American students live in the house during the academic year.

The History of I-House, Berkeley

International House Berkeley was part of a larger "International House movement", founded by Harry Edmonds. Edmonds decided to investigate the situation of foreign students in New York City. With the funding and support of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the first International House opened in New York in 1924.

Edmonds and Rockefeller decided to extend the idea. Berkeley, California was selected because the Bay Area was the American point of entry from Asia and claimed the largest number of foreign students on the West Coast.

When the idea of International House was first proposed to the Berkeley community in the 1920s, there was considerable resistance. There was resistance to men and women living together; foreigners living in the area; and resistance to a racially integrated setting.

When Harry Edmonds came to Berkeley to establish a site, he chose Piedmont Avenue -- the House resides at 2299 Piedmont Avenue -- in part, because it was the home of fraternities and sororities which then excluded foreigners and people of color. By proposing this site, Edmonds sought to "strike bigotry and exclusiveness right hard in the nose." [International House, [http://ihouse.berkeley.edu/i/history.html"International House Berkeley Historical Background"] ]

International House Berkeley officially opened on August 18, 1930. It was the largest student housing complex in the Bay Area and the first coeducational residence west of the Mississippi. [International House, [http://ihouse.berkeley.edu/i/history.html"International House Berkeley Historical Background"] ]

The Mission of I-House, Berkeley

According to the International House, its mission is to "foster intercultural respect and understanding, lifelong friendships and leadership skills for the promotion of a more tolerant and peaceful world." The House believes it achieves its mission by providing students and scholars from the United States and around the world with an opportunity to live and learn together in a challenging and supportive residential and community-oriented program center. [International House, [http://ihouse.berkeley.edu/i/index.html"About the International House"] ]

Criticisms

Over the past several years, the International House has had several criticisms. In the past year, the House hired a consultant to determine how to market the House to overcome these criticisms. One of the most notable criticisms of the House is the food quality. In addition, the hours for dinner have been contested by residents who argue hours do not meet the needs of residents who traditionally eat later in the day.

In addition, the House administration has been argued that rent is too high. Rents range from 10,000 for a double room to over 13,000 for a Bay View single, for only the academic year. Residents have criticized the rents of a double room as being relatively high to market rates. The size of a room is nine feet by thirteen feet.

Some residents have voiced opinions that students at the International House segregate themselves by country, although likely based on language barriers and traditions.

In addition, although traditionally a residence for graduate students more undergrads and visiting scholars are living in the House. Some graduate students have complained to the administration that this has increased the amount of partying and noise level in the House. [International House, Consulting Report 2007]

Notable Alumni

The International House, Berkeley was home to six Nobel laureates and one additional member:
* Melvin Calvin (resident: 1937-38)
* Owen Chamberlain (resident: 1940-41)
* Andrew Z. Fire (resident: 1977-78)
* Willis Lamb (resident: 1930-38)
* Julian Schwinger (resident: 1939-40)
* Glenn Seaborg (non-resident member: 1934-35)
* Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson (resident: 1946-50)

The International House has also been home to many ambassadors and politicians, including:
* Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (resident: 1940s)
* W. Michael Blumenthal (resident: 1951)
* Jerry Brown (resident: 1960-61)
* John Kenneth Galbraith (resident: 1931-32)
* Jan Egeland (resident: 1983)
* Vernon Ehlers (resident: 1956-58)
* Sadako Ogata (resident: 1956-57)
* Ogbonnaya Onu (resident: 1977-80)
* James Soong (resident)
* Pete Wilson (resident: 1960)

Also of note, is that nearly one thousand alumni of the house have married another resident of the house. [International House, [http://ihouse.berkeley.edu/a/notable/full_list.html"Notable Alumni"] ]

ee also

* University of California, Berkeley student housing

References

External links

* [http://ihouse.berkeley.edu/ The I-House official web page]
* [http://youtube.com/IHouseberkeley International House non-profit Channel on YouTube]