Upcoming housing changes for the 2015-16 academic year
By James Ensor, News Editor //
As High Point University continues to expand, the university must constantly change its strategy to ensure the proper measures are taken to accommodate students.
One department that is frequently looking to improve the experience students have on campus is the Office of Student Life.
“Our goal is to always have a satisfied student,” said Gail Tuttle, Vice President for Student Life.
In order to continually provide a positive experience for students, the Office of Student Life utilizes focus groups and other means to hear what the students are satisfied with and what they would like to see changed.
“We feel that it’s better when students have more control,” Tuttle said.
One element of the housing process that was brought up to the Office of Student Life was the fact that incoming freshmen can list their top three housing choices, but they aren’t necessarily assigned to one of their choices.
To combat this issue, the Office of Student has decided to let incoming freshmen choose which building, room and even bed they would like to live in.
“It’s similar to how upperclassmen choose their rooms,” Tuttle said. “We found that it works well for them.”
Once the housing portal opens, the student will be able to select their building, which floor they would like to live on, which room and even which bed.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Nick Bellamy, sophomore, said. “I wish I had that option when I was a freshman. I think it lets new students have more control of their living environment.”
The housing portal will open at a specific time for each student based on his or her admissions process. Factors include whether the student applied early decision, early action, or regular decision as well as the order in which housing deposits are received.
Due to the change in the housing selection process, the Office of Student Life is not allowing incoming students to request a specific roommate. Instead, the department will utilize the housing survey to help pair compatible roommates with each other.
Incoming students will take the housing survey that has been previously used to help pair roommates with similar living styles together, however, there will be some changes to the survey.
“We will be adding some focus groups to help make the housing survey questions more meaningful,” Tuttle said.
The Office of Student Life also took upperclassmen suggestions into consideration as they are currently building Centennial Square II.