SU, others already mandate freshman residency

Housing is top of student concern at Southern University. Students are always pondering ideas, questions and instances in which they think housing can be improved.
“Housing should be better, I mean it should be more attractive and spacious as well as sanitary,” said Jason Monroe, a freshman engineering major from Shreveport.
Monroe went on to say it was necessary to stay on campus, but when he moved on campus he discovered that there were other freshmen from other locales that did not stay on campus.
According to statistics in the Southern’s Registrar Office, 1,015 freshman entered the fall of 2007, approximately 869 freshmen stay on campus. This makes up 85 percent of the freshmen population lives on campus at SU.
“I stay with relatives because I don’t want a roommate, and I want to save money,” said Dievan Wilkinson, a freshman criminal justice major from Houston. “I know people think its better to stay on campus but my grades are good so far, and I have been fairing well. The only problem I have is gas, it’s costly.”
According to Southern University’s website, students are required to live on campus if they live beyond a 25-mile radius of the university. Upperclassmen have the option of living on or off campus, there are, however, exceptions.
“I don’t stay on campus I stay with my dad; my parents are divorced, so I am exempted from staying on campus,” said Myra Leblanc a freshman elementary education major from California. “I talked to the housing department when I applied to the university, and they made arrangements. I did not have any major problems. I mean at first, I was worried about my grades but they are good so far.”
Nationally renowned researchers Lowther and Langely, however, argue retention rates are higher for freshmen living on campus. Iowa professors of education Pascarella and Terenzini, also nationally known researchers in the field of education, proclaims that on campus residency exerts a positive impact on intellectual growth, inclusive racial attitudes, and persists students to degree completion.
Southern is not the only college that enforces this first year residency program. Louisiana Tech, Loyola University of New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana University, Tulane University and Southeastern Louisiana University mandate the residency program and as a result, most have a strong retention rate.
According to the Reveille, the Louisiana State University student newspaper paper, LSU has finally succumbed to join their peer institutions in implementing a first-year residency program. During a LSU faculty senate meeting, on Jan. 24, the Education Policy Committee enacted a residency program for incoming freshmen.
At LSU, program will mandate incoming freshman to live on campus as of the fall of 2008. As of spring 2007, 60 percent of LSU freshman stayed on campus; once this plan is implemented 80 percent will be expected to stay on campus.
Some freshman, however, enjoy campus life.
“I think most people have to stay on campus because they are from out of state and since I am from Los Angeles I have to stay on campus… but if Southern officials wanted to stricken their first year freshmen policy, I think they should do that. I think that upperclassmen should have the luxury to stay on campus,” said Westlyn Brandon, a freshman mass communications major from Los Angeles.
When asked if he would stay on campus as a sophomore, Brandon said, ‘I am looking into it. I really don’t know but so far my stay on campus has been pleasant. The only bad thing about staying on campus is the lack of stores.”