Live it, learn it

New residence halls benefit undergrads

hether it was a friend, relative, parent or professor, at some point before you graduate from the University, you will hear these prophetic words: "Your college years will be some of the best of your life." What is it about life at the University that makes the undergraduate experience so unique? While there are a number of idiosyncrasies to college, an undeniable feature of University living is the residence hall experience.

Most students who come to the University haven't participated in an extended living environment prior to their first year. The residence halls give undergraduates an opportunity to not only be introduced to campus life but also to engage in a smaller community at the onset of their college career. The University can be a huge place but residence halls help make it a little more personable by providing a communal living environment.

In spite of the benefits of the residence halls, however, improvements could be made. University President Lee Bollinger brought this to attention during his annual address to the Faculty Senate on Monday. During the speech, Bollinger urged the members of the Senate to consider new opportunities for residence halls at the University. After referring to the growing trend of upperclassmen living off-campus as detracting from the feeling of community and the potential for shared learning, Bollinger pushed for more efforts to unify the campus.

Bollinger should be applauded for his efforts to improve the life of undergraduates - a facet of the University which is sometimes overlooked at this major research institution. In particular, Bollinger's most recent budget proposal to the state legislature, which requested three million dollars to finance new undergraduate residence hall programs, is a definite step in the right direction. Bollinger's proposals for the creation of new programs include a Health Scholars program and facilities for the Arts of Citizenship Program. Such programs would help foster the sense of community spirit and group learning that the administration encourages.

To retain upperclassmen in residence hall housing, the University must also consider additional steps. The administration should look into the possibility of constructing a new building to help facilitate the process - the University has not built a new residence hall since Bursley Hall, which was constructed in 1967. Helen Newberry is the oldest residence hall, built in 1915.

Moreover, the University should adopt a suitable housing policy towards upperclassmen that would be comparable to those in an apartment housing complex. By catering to the needs of upperclassmen and providing kitchens and other apartment-like accommodations, the University would increase its housing retention of older undergraduates. Furthermore, by providing better residence hall housing for upperclassmen, the price of housing for students living in apartments off-campus might become more affordable as students had more choice as to their living arrangements.

By improving the residence halls, the University not only improves the daily lives of undergraduates, but it also functions as a recruitment tool when prospective applicants visit the campus. The administration's efforts to improve the residence halls is also a sign that the University values the needs of undergraduates and truly hopes to makes these years the best of our lives.