By Beacon Editorial Board
The dorm is the quintessential setting to American college life. Roommates, community showers, wing meetings - living in a residence hall is an experience that all UP students share, for better or for worse.
Indeed, the UP administration believes the dorm experience is essential to life on The Bluff. All freshmen (except commuters) are required to live in a residence hall. And as plans for a new residence hall progress, UP President the Rev. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., and Residence Life Director Michael Walsh have both said they would like a higher percentage of students living on campus.
But as this month ends and March begins, many freshmen, sophomores and juniors will make plans to either move or remain off campus during the next academic year. According to Walsh, only about 20 percent of juniors and seniors currently reside in traditional residence halls, while approximately 40 percent live in the University Village.
They leave for various reasons. In a 2004 Residence Life survey, students ranked their reasons for moving off campus. Cost was the most frequent number-one reason, followed by privacy and intervisitation, respectively.
The administration cannot expect more students to stay on campus unless it addresses these concerns. Although the intervisitation policy is an integral part of UP's Catholic identity, most students begin to crave a certain level of privacy and autonomy by the time they reach the age of 20 or 21.
On the surface, the University Village seems to fulfill these needs. Groups of three or more upperclassmen live in apartments equipped with their own kitchens, common living rooms and laundry areas. Unfortunately, though, these apartments carry a hefty price tag - approximately $9,000-$9,500 each year, depending on your meal plan and whether or not you share a bedroom. These prices make it difficult for anyone without a significant scholarship to afford to live in the Village.
Aside from its steep cost, the Village also fails to offer the same freedom of off-campus life. Five RAs live there, and the close proximity of the apartments makes it difficult for residents to party into the wee morning hours.
Granted, living on campus does have many advantages. The convenience of being mere steps away from class and not having to cook or do your own dishes makes on-campus life attractive to many upperclassmen.
But in order for more students to value these conveniences, on-campus services must improve. The renovation of buildings like Howard Hall, the Library and The Commons must be prioritized. Until this happens, any new residence hall will fail to draw a higher percentage of juniors and seniors to campus.
After all, most students perceive off-campus living as the cheaper option, whether or not their comparison is completely accurate. If the administration wants more students to stay on campus, it must either charge less for room and board, or give residents more for their money.
