Sweet home, Trinity Western
Housing offers incentives to keep students on campus
April 7, 2007
Alison Fraser, Staff Writer
In an attempt to boost the number of students living on campus next semester, incentives are being offered to both residents and commuters. In previous years, Housing and Conference services haven’t had to go to the extent of offering incentives to students. This year however, only 700 of the 920 beds on campus were filled.
“That’s an incredible amount of lost revenue,” said Brad Wallbank, director of Housing and Conference services at TWU. “The university depends on the housing conferences to support the revenue needed for ancillary services.”
Wallbank, who developed the incentive program, hopes to bring some excitement to the possibility of living on campus.
One incentive targets commuters. If commuters move from living off campus onto campus into room and board for the fall, we’ll give them a 30G Video iPod, said Wallbank. So far, 12 people have signed up to live on campus, taking advantage of the offer.
To encourage current resident students to stay, Wallbank has started a draw for those who decide to remain living on campus.
“If you apply to go into room and board for the fall, your name is entered into the ‘sweet suite’ deal,” said Wallbank. “We will give one male, and one female, a room to themselves and we will do total renovation to the room.”
The students who win the draw will get free room and board, as well as new furniture.
“I would be excited if I won,” said first year student Jen Tam. “But it seems like the commuters are getting a better deal since all of them get an iPod and only one of us will get the free room and board.”
Every student applying for room and board for next fall will be entered into the contest, and will get the option of living alone or having a roommate.
Wallbank believes that the benefit will far outweigh the initial cost of the incentives if he can increase the number of residents for the fall. “I’ve allocated funds to spend more money on marketing for students.”
“There is statistical data that says you can complete your degree faster living on campus, and also, you have better support services that are closer at hand,” said Wallbank. “You can hit the snooze button one more time and not spend so much time commuting.”
Another thing to consider, according to Wallbank, is that students who live off campus generally pay about the same amount as what it would cost to live on campus.
For many students however, living off campus is a far more appealing option.
“When you’re living on campus, school is your life and it’s hard to have a life outside of that – you’re kind of stuck here and there is less freedom,” said second year student Lauren Meraw, who is moving off campus next semester.
By providing these incentives Wallbank hopes that students will see the benefit of living in community on campus.
“We want Trinity students to see the holistic value of living on campus while earning a degree, and the benefit that it is to their education.”
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