Housing puts forward changes, groups freshmen together

The University has long preached bringing freshmen together. Next year, the housing department will work to do that in the most literal of ways.

The Department of Housing and Residential Education recently rolled out its 2013-14 plan with the foremost goal of encouraging freshmen to live in the same communities by providing extra resources, among other changes.

“It’s basically experimenting with first-year students and helping them get better connected up front with the resources and opportunities on the Carolina campus to make students successful,” said the department’s director, Larry Hicks.

The department expanded partnerships with nine offices and departments to bring resources directly to students living on South Campus.

These opportunities include academic advising sessions and the office of undergraduate education scheduling classes in residence halls, said Residence Hall Association President Heather Robertson.

“It will tell first-year students that, ‘Hey, housing cares about you and your success,’” she said.

The plan also gives freshmen in the Honors Program the option to live in Koury Residence Hall, transferring them from Cobb Residence Hall, where the Honors Program is currently located.

Rick Bradley, assistant director of housing, said the transfer was made in response to freshmen honors students’ requests to live with their peers on South Campus. The move continues the department of housing’s goal to centralize freshmen in the same residence halls, he added.

Hardin Residence Hall will be converted to an all-female building, Hicks said, to meet demand for an all-female living option on South Campus.

Freshmen who choose to live on North Campus will no longer be randomly assigned rooms, he said. Rather, they will be clustered in the same residence halls in groups of no fewer than 30, which are targeted for the Connor community, to align students with a uniform freshmen experience.

“We’re finding that student satisfaction and success is closely linked to their ability to feel like they’re part of the community, and that’s what the First Year Experience is going to enhance,” Hicks said.

Hicks said the logistics for gender-neutral housing are still undetermined, as the plan is awaiting approval from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Winston Crisp.

Hicks said the pilot program for gender-neutral housing will have no more than 32 spots, but the location of the rooms has not been decided.

Robertson said she believes advocates for gender-neutral housing will be pleased with the plan’s implementation.

Bradley said encouraging and improving on-campus living improves the overall quality of the University.

“There’s research that shows that students who live on campus are more likely to interact with faculty members outside of the classroom, they’re more likely to participate in events that the campus hosts and are more likely to graduate on time.

“So there’s real tangible benefits to the student and to the university,” Bradley said.

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