DCHP-3

don

DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)

Spelling variants:
Don

n. — Education

a senior student or, occasionally, a faculty member, who lives in a university residence and offers student services; a residence assistant.

Type: 3. Semantic Change — This meaning is an adaption of the term used colloquially in some British universities for a head, fellow or tutor of a college (OED-3, s.v. "Don" (4)). The British university don is much more senior than the Canadian don.
See also COD-2, s.v. "don" (3b), which is marked "Cdn", Gage-1, s.v. "don" (5), which is attributed to be "in some Canadian universities and colleges", ITP Nelson, s.v. "don" (2c), and W-3, s.v. "don" (3b), AHD-5, s.v. "don2" (2a, 2b).

Quotations

1985
Miss Bouckaert, a don at her campus residence, moved toward the bus to aid another student whose foot had been run over by the bus, Robert Jarvis, a student, testified Monday.
1991
A short time later, a student security officer is combing the residence in response to an alleged sexual assault. Accompanying him is a female residence don. A suspect is apprehended and the pair escort him to a private room for questioning.
2005
In any university residence, the don is an essential figure. This upper-level or graduate student lives in residence, oversees a group of students and is the first line of defence in negotiating the myriad daily challenges that can arise when young people eat, sleep, study, shower and entertain in such close quarters. In living and learning communities, this role is even greater, because of the emphasis on extracurricular programming, which the don is instrumental in planning according to the interests of the residents.
2010
Seek Dons for residences Applications are invited from faculty members, graduate students or senior students for the position of Don in the University Residences for men and women. Information and/or application forms may be obtained from the Office of the Dean of Men, the Dean of Women or the Director of Housing, Room 118, Middlesex College

References

  • OED-3
  • COD-2
  • ITP Nelson
  • W-3
  • Gage-1
  • AHD-5