One of the primary ways Carol Woods’ residents contribute to the life of the community is through the Residents Association, a non-profit corporation that is governed by the Residents Council. The council is a 9-person resident board that is elected annually by all Carol Woods’ residents. The president of the council is an ex-officio member of Carol Woods’ Board of Directors. Each month, all Carol Woods’ residents gather for a Residents Association meeting to hear a report from the council and from Carol Woods’ CEO, and to discuss any issues facing the community.
One of the main functions of the Residents Association is overseeing more than 50 resident committees and special interest groups. There are eight advisory committees, such as the dining committee, security committee and finance committee, that work with Carol Woods’ staff to ensure resident needs are met well. The other committees and interest groups do things such as run the Carol Woods library, plan parties, oversee the on-campus bluebird trail, arrange for a weekly concert series and organize on-campus art exhibits. Carol Woods is proud of the fact that as a result of such strong resident leadership and initiative, there is no need to employ an activities director.
