Off-Campus Living: A Student’s Right to Choose

1. Off-Campus Living:A Student’s Right to Choose Wednesday, December 9, 2009

2. Residence Halls = $4019-$6191 per year (not including summer) Fraternity average = $5600 per year Sorority average = $6000 per year Required meal plan for freshmen = $3198 - $3298 Average Gross Rent for Moscow = $587 (www.city-data.com) Average Number of rooms per apartment = 3.7 (www.city-data.com) Average apartment utilities = $69 per month (Avista utilities) Living on Campus is too Expensive

3. Cost Comparison * Off campus rent is average rent of $587 / 2 to show rent if shared with one other person ** Meals estimated at $150 per month

4. Not enough room… • Campus housing can accommodate approximately 1991 students (Krista Bateman, University Housing). • 1800 new freshmen this year.    • Ray Gasser, director of university housing, said that the current occupancy of the dorms is roughly 1660 and there is an estimated capacity of 2054 if single rooms became doubles. • “80% of beds filled in residence halls” (Gasser) • Are these numbers taking sorority overflow into account?

5. No long term plan for expansion • When confronted about possible overflow problems, Gasser pushed the issue to the side and chose to discuss new bunk-beds and roofs on the Wallace residence halls. • The University needs to have an answer to this problem. With roughly 1800 incoming freshmen per year and probably more because of the poor economy, on-campus housing will be in overflow eventually and the University has shown no intentions of building new housing in the future.

6. Effect on Incoming Student Numbers • Incoming freshmen deciding where to attend school have to weigh their options to figure out if the college provides an appealing environment and is financially feasible. • Students having to live on campus are forced into a limited set of environments and limited cost options. • Instead of exploring possible cheap off campus living arrangements; students that wish to attend UI, but cannot feasibly afford to live on campus, may have to chose another school. • Students that find on-campus living unappealing may chose another school that gives them more freedom. • It seems illogical for a rule designed to keep current students in school, to pose new problems for incoming students who want to attend the school in the first place.

7. Academic Challenges • Living on campus may not allow the quiet and alone time a student might need to complete school work adequately. • Students might have to walk to the SUB, Library, or Commons to find a quiet place whereas an apartment is much quieter more often. • Personal privacy is a possible issue in both dorms and Greek houses • Living space may be very limited in on campus housing where an apartment there will most likely be personal rooms, a kitchen and a living room • Living with an excess of at least 20 people in a house might not fit everyone’s personal needs

8. For many students with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), sharing a dorm room is extremely difficult Even with a single room, individuals on the (Autism) spectrum may encounter challenges sharing communal bathrooms (Perner, 2002; Williams & Palmer, 2004) and “crowded and noisy quarters” Students with mental illnesses or particular personality types will not find the quiet time and space that they require

9. The opposition may say..Students with specific mental health disorders or certain personalities should consider a community college. However, this can be more of a detriment than a help. Lars Perner (2002), a professor with AS, suggested that one disadvantage of community college is that it will necessitate yet another change to complete a 4-year degree, if desired.

10. Civil Rights • Rader v Johnston: • Rader argued that University of Nebraska-Kearne’s live on rule violated the First Amendment • Religious lifestyle and duties would be distrupted: • Underage drinking, drug use, co-habitation and sexual activity, smoking, etc. • UNK argued that the live in rule… “fosters diversity, promotes tolerance, increases the level of academic achievement, and improves the graduation rate of its students”

11. Verdict • Concluded that UNK’s policy violated the First Amendment • Policy was not “generally applicable” • UNK had granted exemptions for personal reasons, but never allowed it for religious reasons • Rader was able to show that administrators treated his religion based exemption request with less consideration than other requests. • “although [the University's] interests are certainly legitimate, . . . they do not rise to the level of 'interests of the highest order' not otherwise served.”

12. Diet and Campus Living • 10 meals per week (minimum required): $1,474 • Options for those with dietary needs are severely limited • Hours of operation are inconvenient

13. A Bob’s Meal for the Unconventional Eater • Lunch: Broccoli, Cheese, and Rice Casserole • Total Nutritional Value: • 8.2 grams of protein • 2.22 milligrams of iron • Dinner: Pasta with Broccoli • Total Nutritional Value: • 17.82 grams of protein • 0.73 milligrams of iron

14. Questions?