One state regent thinks so. Two Opinions writers give their thoughts on the proposal.
No: UI should wait until it is back in the black
Building a new residence hall would have been a great idea in 2005 or 2006, but not now. UI may overly extend its resources to build one in today’s economic climate. Regent Robert Downer told The Daily Iowan he’d like to build a dormitory for 700 to 800 students, tearing town Quadrangle Residence Hall to clear the way for a new one. Tom Rocklin, the UI interim vice president for Student Services, said building a dorm would cost approximately $60 million. Quadrangle holds 359 students, so the UI would only expand capacity by approximately 400 students.
Housing 400 extra students at a cost of $60 million seems counterproductive, especially at a time when the UI is struggling through the worst fiscal crisis in years. The state Board of Regents slashed the university’s budget this year, and one regent has indicated he’d support raising tuition 5 or 6 percent next year. That’s just to cover current expenses. The regents haven’t prepared anything formal yet, so there is no clear idea how building a new hall would affect the university’s fiscal situation.
Downer said the school would be able to pay for a new residence hall with the its reserve funds and bonding. Regents should use reserve funds to keep current university operations and services going in a time of crisis — not on new projects. Issuing bonds is not a bad idea if the university can recoup enough revenue from students staying at the residence hall to pay it back. There’s no guaranteeing occupancy rates will increase. Iowa State officials projected rates would increase when they built new housing a few years ago, but their predictions didn’t prove to be true. The UI would be in serious trouble if the same thing were to happen.
The regents should wait until the economy is recovery before undertaking a project so ambitious.
— by Justin Sugg
Yes: Current dorms are subpar at best
Whether the aftershock of flood damage or sheer age is the cause, UI residence halls are over capacity and past their prime. Slater Hall, the newest dorm, was built in 1968.
Regent Robert Downer’s recent proposal to build a new residence hall needs to happen.
The dorm system at the UI is subpar at best. Dozens are forced to spend months in temporary housing, and the over-the-hill buildings need a revamp. Even the recent Burge addition lacks the great campus effect that was intended. A modern facility with the ability to handle a greater number of students is a necessity.
The Iowa City apartment monopoly is another reason we need a new residence hall. One goal in Downer’s proposal is to increase the retention rate of school-sponsored student housing. Right now, the bottleneck effect of finding an apartment after freshman year has allowed rental companies to charge outlandish prices for apartments. Another dorm could help stifle the need for off-campus housing and partially bust the Iowa City apartment market.
Finally, there is the issue of fiscal responsibility. Is the $60 million price tag outlandish? Yes. But the price estimation is preliminary, and it’s easy to forget the biggest aspect: Dorms are self-sustaining.
A new residence hall creates new jobs, and over time, it should make up costs via student contracts. Not to mention, a new dorm is a great recruitment tool to show prospective students and help raise the dip in enrollment.
Whether Downer’s proposal for a new dorm comes to fruition in its current form or takes months of tailoring, there needs to be follow-through. Students are the most important commodity in Iowa City, and fulfilling one of their most basic needs should be the highest priority.
— by Michael Dale-Stein
