Clarification: The version of this story published on April 1 indicated the closing of Swope Hall next year was being made for financial reasons only. The article should have made clear that several factors played into this decision, only one of which was financial. The clarification has been made in this updated version.

Lindsey Graham | Assistant News Editor

The faculty and staff at Buena Vista University (BVU) are known for listening to student feedback in order to provide the best possible experiences for their students. After much student feedback through Facebook, surveys, and Resident Assistants (RA), there will be multiple changes to the housing arrangements for the next school year.

The housing selection will still use the same point system that BVU has been using in past years. However, there will no longer be a $25.00 reservation deposit. Instead, students must first be enrolled for their fall 2014 classes. For more information on the point system, visit http://www.bvu.edu/bv/residence-life/room-draw/points.dot.

One of the biggest changes in housing for the academic year is the closing of Swope Hall to BVU students. According to Dijon DeLaPorte, Director of Residence Life & Housing, the decision to close Swope for next year was made because there are enough rooms in the other dorms on campus. This will allow the opportunity for Swope Hall residents to join other residence hall communities and the various amenities they enjoy, like the skybox in Pierce Hall for example. As the oldest residence building on campus, Swope Hall has had financial burdens with upkeep and maintenance costs recently, which will also resulting in modest financial savings with the closing as well. So far, the decision to close Swope for student housing only affects next year.

However, because single rooms have been successful in Swope, DeLaPorte said that they will now be offered, at an extra cost, in all the other residence halls except the suites. This includes Grand, Liberty, Pierce, and White Hall. Students will also be able to buy out their room, instead of finding a new one, if their roommate moves out. This rule will also be applied to the suites.

During this spring’s room draw, or “Hall-apalooza”, on April 27th, students will be able to sign up for single and double rooms. Suite applications will be coming out on Friday, April 4 in the Student Affairs Office, and will be due one week later on Friday, April 11.

DeLaPorte also noted other changes in the suites next year will include the trial of co-ed suites, but the trial only applies to the Resident Assistant suites. The Student Senate co-ed suites proposal was accepted and passed earlier this semester.

Another new housing trial for next year is no gender separation on Grand Hall first floor. Currently, the setup is women in one area and men on the other side, but now they can room next to each other. Since different genders live next to each other in Pierce/White Hall and the suites, the housing staff decided to try it out on one floor.

With all of these changes, Residence Life hopes to create provisions for students to be happy living on campus. They will seek feedback throughout the year to check in on students’ opinions. For more information about housing for next year, visit http://www.bvu.edu/bv/residence-life/room-draw/.

Photo courtesy of The Tack