Isabel Abbott and Halla Emmons, Specials to The Denisonian –
As student residents moved into the Homestead after the summer, the community felt a great sense of loss after realizing they wouldn’t be moving in with the cats and chickens that once lived there. The new Homestead residents were assured that over the summer the cats and chickens which previously lived at the Homestead would be taken care of. However, shortly before the students returned before the fall semester, they were informed the cats had been rehomed and their chickens had died from a presumed animal attack.
The Homestead is a part of Student Life and student housing, and students apply to live at the Homestead for a semester or academic year. Those who live at the Homestead use minimal technology, and host activities and events that represent its values of a sustainable lifestyle. Each student is given a set of chores, such as feeding the animals, cooking dinner, and tending to the furnace.
Several Homestead residents chose to remain anonymous as they discussed the situation. They requested this anonymity because of the serious nature of the situation and because they want to preserve their privacy and peace of mind.
Part of being a Homestead resident is doing chores, like feeding the chickens that roam around the property.
Over scheduled breaks, however, the students’ responsibilities for the animals and the Homestead are taken over by the director. This past summer, the new director’s job was to feed the cats, take them to the vet, and give them their tick and flea medicine, all according to Homestead residents.
It was not until during a tour of the Homestead with an employee of Student Life that there was recognition of potential neglect.
One of the Homestead residents who asked for anonymity said that someone from Student Life believed that the cats were being neglected by the students, and because of that, should be given up for adoption.
The students were not asked for their opinion before the cats were rehomed. In addition to Student Life’s encounter with the neglect, a student living at the Homestead visited and witnessed a similar lack of care for the animals. One of the Homestead residents who requested anonymity said that the chickens didn’t have food or water when they visited the Homestead at the beginning of the summer. They also said that there was just a big pile of cat food for the cats.
“The cats were not malnourished,” said Linda Krumholtz, Member of the Homestead Advisory Board. “..they were primarily outdoor cats.”
She suggested the cats were “feral” but were also “fed regularly over the summer.”
“I don’t mean to be callous,” Krumholtz stated, “but in the years I have been with the Homestead, the chickens out there have been killed from time to time. There is a constant threat of predation.”
She mentioned how, “in the past it was during the semester when people were living at the Homestead.” She believes that since, “the person caring for them left them in their enclosure for a weekend when she had to be out of town,” that most likely it was, “raccoons,” who “got into the enclosure.”
Over the course of the summer, some of the students felt that there were instances where communication was not very strong.
Another Homestead resident who asked for anonymity, also said that they recieved an email at the beginning of the summer informing them of what had happened to the cats and chickens.
“We didn’t think to tell the Homesteaders,” Krumholtz said. “In late May, most Denison students are occupied with many other things. The administration did not have anything to do with this – it was the faculty and staff who work with the Homestead.”
Krumholtz also mentioned that, “the person caring for them told a group of faculty and staff from HAB, (Homestead Advisory Board), right away about the sad news,” and that same person stated, “she would replace the chickens when the students returned.”
Homestead residents have not gotten new chickens yet, although they were told a request was submitted.
Despite this, the students living at the Homestead want to start moving forward. They wish to form new bonds and resolve the situation that occurred. This includes trying to form a partnership with the person in Student Life who is newly involved with the Homestead.
In response to this summer’s events, there were rumors circulating that the Homestead is closing. The students living at the Homestead are aware of these theories, and say they are not true.
There is no indication anywhere that the Homestead is in jeopardy or is under threat. Students living there are continuing to put on events for the Denison community.
“There has been questioning about the future of the Homestead, but there are not any concrete plans in place other than to carry on as usual,” said Mary Beaton, the chair of the Homestead Advising Board.
The residents of the Homestead have reiterated that they want people to show interest in the Homestead. They would like more people to attend events, like their community dinners.
“Both current students and alumni are passionate about the Homestead, as are faculty and staff who have in some way contributed to its unique living and learning environment. The Homestead is not closed, and students are currently living there this semester,” said Ricardo Hall, Vice President of Student Life. “Our hope is to engage current residents, along with the Homestead Advisory Committee, and alumni who played such important roles in developing, building and making the Homestead ‘home’ to Denison students in meaningful conversations about the past and map out a long-term vision for a safe and sustainable living environment that students will enjoy for years to come.”