As more and more upperclassmen express their disdain for the lack of off-campus housing available to them, the College is quietly preparing its solution.
Many students look forward to becoming upperclassmen because of the freedoms the status entails, and no freedom is more anticipated than the ability to live off-campus. The College, however, recognizes the great stress that off-campus housing has on a small town like Oberlin. As a result, the College has attempted to bridge the gap between off campus housing and dormitory life by building apartment-style buildings around campus that will serve as dormitories, but with larger rooms, private bathrooms and less supervision from Residential Life and Dining Services.
“We have tried to learn why students like living off campus, and what we can do to offer them the amenities that interest them,” Associate Dean of Residential Life and Dining Services Kim Lafond said.
One building, the Firelands, located behind Rax, recently purchased by the College, will open next year. It will house 85 upperclass students in one and two bedroom apartments. “It sits in Oberlin’s theater district,” Lafond joked.
The College considers this project a commitment to satisfying the needs of a modern student body. The College has always considered itself committed to being a residential college, and views the construction of the new apartment buildings as satisfying that commitment. “It is something we have to do for the students,” Lafond said. “It’s an investment in the College’s future.”
While the College waits to see whether or not the Firelands is a success with the student body, plans are underway to select an architect to construct another apartment building near campus that will house 150 students.
Lafond stressed that students are welcome to discuss the plans with him and with the Administration. “This decision is certainly open to the input of the student body,” he stated. To that end, the Administration is planning several meetings to discuss with students what they would like in the new housing.
Living in the apartments would be much like living off campus, except the rent would be due to the College instead of to an Oberlin landlord. This amount has not yet been determined.
Also still up in the air is the location of the new apartments. The school owns large amounts of land in the area, and so the location of the new building will simply be something for the Board of Trustees to decide. While the style of building is also yet to be decided upon, certain elements have been identified as priorities. “The building will certainly be environmentally friendly,” Lafond stated.
The College hopes that this endeavor will be a step towards a living situation more conducive to current student needs. It also hopes that the new construction will help offset the increasing need for housing on campus as admission statistics continue to grow.
“Whether this will get students out of lounges, I don’t know. That is up to the size of the incoming freshman classes,” Lafond said.