At universities all around the country, freshmen are given one housing option: university-provided housing.
At The University of Idaho, freshmen are able to make a decision to live in a Greek house, in university housing or in cooperative housing, such as Steel House – a choice many consider unique.
The Student Life Task Force recommended UI continue to offer first-year students the option to live in Greek houses in a memo Jan. 14.
“A lot of the first year is leaving home for the first time,” said ASUI Sen. McKenzie MacDonald, who is a member of the task force. “A lot of the first year is where you live.”
MacDonald said she had a good first-year experience, but she knows not everyone is as lucky.
The Student Life Task Force was established in September to study the student experience, with a specific focus on residential experiences. The main question, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Jean Kim said, was if freshman should be allowed to live in Greek houses.
“It was important to take a look at this issue,” Kim said.
Kira Hunter | Argonaut
Students return to the Tower, a freshman-only housing option available at the university.
The task force did internal research, including a freshman and sophomore experience survey and 11 focus groups consisting of Greek leadership, ASUI, the Residence Hall Association, the Parents Advisory Council and alumni. The task force is still analyzing the results of the focus groups, Kim said.
Kim said the task force collected information on each housing option, such as the number of students, costs, occupancy levels and retention rates. Members did a literature review on the pros and cons of living in both Greek houses and residence halls, and looked at over 30 peer institutions before making their recommendation.
In the January memo, Kim said the first-year retention rate was higher overall for those living in Greek houses than in residence halls at 88 percent and 79 percent, respectively.
Kim said additional recommendations will be compiled after the task force has finished reviewing all collected data. She said they received a lot of feedback during the collection process, and has heard from several Greek alumni who are happy with the recommendation.
“There are some really worthy suggestions we should explore,” Kim said. “We are trying to be very thoughtful and considerate about what we can do.”
MacDonald said her she spent her freshman year in the Theophilus Tower, and her first-year experience was positive because of the relationships she formed.
“I made friends. I developed relationships with professors,” MacDonald said. “I was excited to come back for sophomore year.”
Kim said for some students, finding a home away from home on campus is easy, but for others, it takes work.
“For many students, it”s a little more work to find their kindred spirits,” Kim said. “For some students, it”s their residence hall floor, for others, it”s their Greek chapters (and) for others, something they”re interested in doing.”
MacDonald said she has enjoyed the opportunity to serve on the task force.
“We really are working to make the best experience we can,” MacDonald said.
Kim said the first year sets the foundation for the other three, which is why the task force is dedicated to looking at how the experience can be improved.
“The first year is a critical transition year,” Kim said.
Katelyn Hilsenbeck can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Katelyn_mh