A place to call home

BY GISELLE LOMELI News Editor

Students sometimes question what kind of college life they want to have, usually just before they decide which school they want to attend as a freshman.

According to Oregon Institute of Technology, studies show that students who live on campus tend to persist and graduate with greater frequency.

If they want to have the “ideal” college experience they will attend a university that offers dorm’s. This is why having on campus housing at Pierce could be beneficial. This could grow a higher rate of students applying and could raise a higher attendance rate.

Pierce could offer the best of both worlds with already being a less expensive option to receive a college education. Dorms could make Pierce a top competitor for not only community colleges but universities as well.

This could create a close community among the students that allows everyone to get to know each other. The convenience of being able to live on campus removes the stress of having to drive from place to place.

Some students have a schedule that gives them two hours in between each class. Rather than sitting on a bench to wait for their next class they could walk back to their dorm and be comfortable within their own space.

This will also help them save gas rather than having to leave campus for something they might need such as food or the possibility of them forget supplies they need for a class such as a textbook. There could be a higher chance that they just might need to pick it up from their dorm which could only be walking distance.

According to James Madison University part of campus life is getting involved in the range of student clubs and organizations.

It could be a positive transition to adulthood that would give students the opportunity to see what it’s like living on their own or with their roommate. Students could feel more motivated to attend on campus events and create more opportunities for memories that could last a lifetime.

There could be less distractions considering students would be living in an educational environment. It could be a lot easier to plan study groups because students living on campus wouldn’t have to worry about figuring out where to meet due to distance issues.

According to La Sierra University, studies show that by dorming, you are more likely to get better grades than

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) will have a hybrid version for their graduation ceremony similar to other colleges, including a graduate parade, which guides its students to special giveaways and photo opportunities.

CSUN’s Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean William Watkins said that students will receive a grad box with “a souvenir commencement program, pennant, license frame and tassel.” newsroom.roundupnews@gmail.com that provide its students housing. According to Sierra College, building a new dormitory with over 100 beds is estimated to cost $68.6 million. Unless Pierce receives a government grant or funding elsewhere, this project will be very costly.

Before attending college, many students have concerns about housing and living situations.

But at Pierce College, students are free of this worry, as there are no on campus housing options available.

Regardless of what’s happening, colleges are taking action to accommodate students, and Pierce needs to step into the limelight.

The Thunderbird School of Global Managment at Arizona State University held in-person and remote commencements where holograms were used. Pierce doesn’t need to do something as flashy as a hologram, but having something that can help students celebrate their success would bring the community together.

Pierce could partner with TreePeople to plant a tree to commemorate the classes of 2020 and 2021. By planting this tree, these graduates can be reassured that their fellow peers won’t be forgotten.

More than anything, these alumni deserve to be celebrated and not have their special time taken away.

Since Pierce is a commuter school, many students own their own cars. If housing was available, many students would leave their car on campus. To accommodate this demand for parking locations, Pierce would have to build more parking structures, which would be expensive.

Although there is plenty of space for dormitories or apartment style buildings at the former Pierce farm area, it is quite far from many classes on campus. If Pierce were to transform this plot of land, many students would find it difficult to walk to their classes.

Since Pierce currently prohibits skateboarding and biking on campus, they would have to find alternate ways for students to travel back and forth between the residence areas and their classes. They may do so by adding a designated bike lane or considering shuttle buses, both of which would add expenses to this housing project.

According to the National Library of Medicine, many college students face food insecurity which “is associated with anxiety and depression which in turn can interfere with daily life.” those who do not live on campus.

Pierce is not located near many restaurants or grocery stores within walking distance. To provide students food, the school would need to hire new employees, invite food trucks to campus or create student meal plans.

While on-campus housing may be fun and convenient for many, it can negatively impact academic performance.

Overall, students could have an enjoyable experience if they lived on campus because of how many resources that would be available to them and the ability to see what it is like to live alone while handling adult responsibilities.

Future housing options at Pierce may be convenient for many, but providing housing on campus will cause several issues to arise. Whether it be dormitories or apartment style buildings, building housing on campus will be expensive. Sierra College is one of the few California community colleges sward.roundupnews@gmail.com

As stated by Sather Health, a 2003 study by D.J. Zimmerman found that “roommate relationships can directly affect students’ GPA. Particularly, poor roommate relationships can have a negative impact on one’s GPA.” This could be because of roommate distractions, late night partying or the use of alcohol and drugs in a shared room. Students with jobs especially cannot afford to have these additional stressors and distractions.