New University Housing policy keeps freshmen living on campus

New policy instated to help with retention rates

With the new University Housing policy making freshmen live on campus set to take effect for the 2003-2004 school year, off-campus facilities that were once approved housing for freshmen will no longer be able to direct advertising toward new college students.

Advertisement

The decision to change the housing policy stemmed from statistics that show on-campus living for college freshmen is extremely valuable for retention and for their ability to adapt to the new environment.

Crystal Bouhl, coordinator of marketing and public information for University Housing, said the need for retention, along with outside businesses carrying the label “University approved housing,” were the two main reasons for the decision.

“We don’t have the staff to inspect off-campus facilities,” Bouhl said. “In order to put “University-approved” on a facility, we would have to inspect it and since we don’t, liability issues arise.”

When the decision was first announced, there was opposition from the city and Undergraduate Student Government because it was believed the decision would hurt members of the business community and neighborhoods.

“I think my understanding in speaking with other managers in other SIU approved facilities that this policy change will have a significant negative effect on our population and profitability,” said Jeff Woodruff, manager of University Hall.

He said that in his opinion, the new plan does not have the best interest of property owners or students in mind.

But Bouhl said it is not appropriate for the University to approve facilities if it does not actually inspect the buildings.

Advertisement*

“It is important to know that on-campus living influences retention and academic success and that is what we are most concerned with,” Bouhl said.

Woodruff said the only thing that will have to be done differently for the facility is marketing. The operating structure will not change, but he hopes the one thing the policy does is show other students what is available to them.

“Students who are not effected by the policy change ought to use choices wisely and make comparisons before they choose housing,” Woodruff said.

The other facility that was approved for freshman was Stevenson Arms. But repeated attempts to contact facility administrators went unanswered.

Reporter Samantha Robinson can be reached at