Dorm promotion must account for students' needs
(Last updated: 11/11/09 7:15pm)Anyone who has eaten in one of MSU’s many cafeterias has probably noticed that, placed in the center of each table is a table-topper, which, for the past several weeks, has been running ads encouraging students to live on campus next year.
The ads state that “living on” campus has multiple benefits, such as being closer to classes, having greater security and getting the full experience of being part of the MSU community. The campaign is being run by the Department of Residence Life and Campus Living Services to encourage more students to “live on” past their freshman year.
Of course, the root of this campaign is more likely than not the desire to raise more money for MSU. And although there might be nothing wrong with that, the department is going to have to come up with better incentives if they expect juniors and seniors to seriously consider making the dorms their homes.
Students need to realize the vast price difference between living on and living off, and take that into consideration when deciding where to live. To put it in perspective: A single at Chandlers Crossings is $855 per month. A single at Abbott Place is $734 per month.
But a single for those students who decided to live on? It’s $1,258.25 per month.
True, it comes with a meal plan, but the meal plan is not optional and forces students to pay $19.38 a day to eat in the residence hall cafeterias.
The price discrepancy becomes more apparent when you consider the additional amenities available to those off campus. Apartments and houses tend to have multiple rooms, and might have swimming pools or free workout equipment.
To truly have a successful campaign, the department will have to offer older students something more than happy memories and a short walk to class to lure them to stay on campus. The commonly held idea that rooming in a dorm as an upperclassman is “lame” isn’t going to help either.
Living in an apartment or house off campus has its own advantages. Some allow students a level of independence — such as cooking or decorating — not found in the dorms. Those who choose to live in the apartments gain experience with paying monthly bills. Living in an apartment makes it easier to have guests and possibly a vehicle.
Being frank, an increased ability for students over 21 to possess alcohol and indulge in a night of drinking without having to worry about checking in at the door of the dorms with their ID is a very enticing aspect of off-campus living. In fact, not needing a student ID at all to check in could be seen as a convenient feature of living off campus.
The rule that a meal plan is necessary for a student to live on campus greatly adds to the cost of living on, while requiring students to pay for more meals than they can eat. A cheaper, more limited meal plan is a way to lure more upperclassmen back to campus, although it might not be enough to make up for funds lost allowing students to buy cheaper meal plans.
Trying to bring more money to the university through the residence halls is a fine idea. But with the added costs and hurdles that come with “living on,” the department has to realize that a new advertising campaign won’t be enough.
Originally Published: 11/11/09 7:15pm
OldTimer
11/11/09 11:38pmMSU made a design choice, a long time back, to build dorm complexes on the periphery. Whether you live in Bryan or Hubbard or Holden, since you are “on-campus,” why is everything so far away?
One thing you learn in downtown East Lansing is, you live closer to central campus than most of the “on-campus” residents.
I moved from Bryan Hall to 1xx Collingwood Drive. Classrooms within 1/2 mile of Bryan: next to none. Classrooms within 1/2 mile of 1xx Collingwood: Wells, Erickson, the B-school, and all of north campus.
It’s not just the cost savings, or the freedom … which comes paired with responsibility … it’s the convenience.
What a Deal!
11/12/09 3:18amliving in a 12’x12’ room with no kitchen, bathroom or parking for $1258 a month…sign me up.
Zeke
11/12/09 8:05am“To put it in perspective: A single at Chandlers Crossings is $855 per month. A single at Abbott Place is $734 per month.
But a single for those students who decided to live on? Itâs $1,258.25 per month.”
The on-campus single also includes your electricity, heat, water, cable, high-speed internet access, and local phone – not to mention a service desk that operates until around midnight, a meal plan that provides actual nutrition at a reasonable rate, regular social activities, and in-house dedicated staff to provide academic and personal guidance.
If you’re going to make comparisons, do it accurately.
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mvt
11/12/09 11:11amI think the statement “the root of this campaign is more likely than not the desire to raise more money for MSU” is a little off the mark.
MSU has a huge investment in their housing infrastructure and it is simple economics that it all works most efficiently when it is running at capacity. It would be irresponsible for Housing Services to NOT try to make the most efficient use of the existing facilities.
Rick
11/12/09 11:19amI think it’s fair to say that the primary reason students move off campus is a greater sense of freedom (and not just around alcohol and partying). For me, it was the freedom to choose how and where to spend my money. It was the freedom to live with a number of friends with common interests. It was the freedom to have more control over what I ate and when. It was the freedom to sleep where, when and with whom I wanted.
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Nothing but rim rick.
11/12/09 11:55amSingle apartment(msu operated)- 700 month includes all uliitites/cable/internet
Parking- 110 dollars per year(but most other apartments are free). Same cost as parking your car in one of he giant lots that take 15 minutes to walk to.
getting to a from class- I don’t know if you have heard of it, but its called CATA. They operate buses in the lansing area, and on MSU Campus.
Food- if you spend 300 a month, that would be a lot. Cost to drive to and from grocery store is nominal.
IT IS cheaper to live off campus, while at the same time offering much great living arrangements. Hell, anything is better than a 12×12 cell.
IS
11/12/09 1:12pmhey zeke, how much is MSU paying you?
common sense
11/12/09 2:36pmDamn, way to bite the hand that feeds you!
You readers should also know you can save a few bucks by getting your SN tax refund.
Ag student
11/12/09 4:27pmSecurity in the dorms…ha ha don’t make me laugh
lol zeke
11/12/09 4:42pmEverything you said is absolutely false zeke.
Apartments are cheaper than the dorms. Like a previous poster said, MSU Apartments are 700 dollars per month. That includes ALL utilities and cable/internet. It seems that you have never lived in an apartment, but heat and water are almost always paid by the apartment owner. That leaves electricity and cable/internet.
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turk
11/12/09 11:17pmThe food is so expensive due to the mostly incompetent, lazy, $50/hour managers who never get up the energy to make things more efficient. They usually have about 4 or 5 people just to stand around and wait for the food to run out, so that one of them can walk 10 feet into the kitchen and fetch it. They also continue to replenish food supplies until the last couple of minutes that they are open, so they can just throw it all away at the end.
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alum'80
11/13/09 10:26amSo we had the same discussion in the ’70s. I lived in William’s as a junior (the only dorm w/o a meal plan at the time). I moved off campus as a senior for the same reasons mentioned by others…what is old is new again. No one mentioned living with their girlfriend as a plus to off campus. I’m pretty sure the dorms don’t allow that.
anonymouse
11/13/09 12:03pmI moved off campus after my freshman year in 2003/04 because of many of the reasons listed in the article. I had an off-campus job (& was actually allowed to keep my car on campus because of that) but could never make it back in time for dinner before the cafs closed. Combine that with skipping breakfast most of the time, & I was paying $20/day for a cafeteria lunch, while having to buy my own groceries anyway.
Another thing they didn’t mention?
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Kailey
11/13/09 12:53pmMaybe if the dorm food wasn’t heavily processed canned crap and if the rooms didn’t resemble prison cells (some of these dorms seem like they have changed very little in the last 50 years), people might consider living in the dorms.
The dorms are gross, smelly, disgusting old bathrooms, everyone is sick… its like hell on MSU’s campus. Can’t wait to get out of the dorms!!
Jake
11/13/09 1:03pmI agree with Kailey, the dorms are disgusting. The air circulation is so poor that it stinks. You got 100s of people breathing the same air over and over again. MSU housing needs to invest in new central HAVC systems that provide good circulation. Is clean healthy air too much to ask for?
Re: anonymous
11/13/09 1:24pmMany apartments offer 9 month leases. Yes the monthly rate will be more than a 12 month, but the overall cost is less than a 12 month. This is beneficial if you are living at home during summer, studying abroad etc. Also, MSU apartments do not have a lease requirement(sorta) I think the minimum is 4 months, but after that you can cancel your apartment at any time without any penalties (just have to give 45 days notice).