Megan K. Scott of the Associated Press wrote an article that was published this week in The Detroit Free Press about how colleges and universities are trying to draw students by pampering them with amenities such as wake-up calls, hot tubs, laundry services, valet parking, and apartment-style housing. While at Northeastern we have some amenities such as apartment-style housing for upperclassmen and honors freshmen and laundry service (through Husky Express), we're far from having snacks always available, valet parking, or hot tubs in the residence halls.
The movement to replace the traditional dormitory with resort-like amenities stems from the demands of millenial students and their parents, who are looking for a bigger bang for their buck. Students today are looking for more in college housing than students twenty years ago. Students, for example want single rooms because they want their own space and more privacy. However, in the article the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, New Hampshire warns that students may miss out on learning communication and negotiaion skills by not sharing space as freshmen. Likewise, a risk of having services available to students for laundry, cleaning, and parking is that students won't learn on their own how to do these things.
We in the Housing Services Committee would like to know how you feel about giving students more amenities in on-campus housing. Post your comments or send us an e-mail.
8 comments:
You're surprised by hot tubs in residence halls? You obviously hadn't been to my room.
I wish they put a hot tub on top of West Village H. It would be cool.
An outdoor hot tub would be a bad thing in the winter.
Also, the administration is afraid students will fall off roofs.
are you kidding? Outdoor hot tubs in the winter are the best!
Echo what epstemar said :)
How ever, I personally agree with the administrator you spoke about. This is because students and people in general are becoming less reliant on themselves and more reliant on others. It would be better to put the money and resources into educating students and parents than not. Independent thought is disappearing and there are many students who can't do anything without their parents doing it for them.
I completely disagree with that, so I'm going to forward this to mom and dad so they can respond to your comment.
I think the money is best spent where students want it spent.
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