Student perspectives on having dorms on the WSU Vancouver campus
WSU Vancouver; also known as the little sister of WSU Pullman. “Small-school feel, big-school resources” the enrollment promotional language boasts. Yet there is this obvious difference that sets the Vancouver campus apart from the Pullman campus (besides the fact that Pullman is a small college town the middle of nowhere): dorms. The WSU Pullman campus is the epitome of a stereotypical college experience hosting greek row, dorms, a sporting stadium, dining cafe, a library with over two million books; you get the point. While, in contrast, WSU Vancouver is missing one key aspect of that stereotypical vision, and that is dorms.
However, as of recently, having dorms on the Vancouver campus is becoming more and more of a possibility. Students passing through the Quad were asked how they felt about the hot topic. When asked about the possibility of dorms on the WSU Vancouver campus, students and staff had mixed feelings. Many students expressed excitement about potential dorms, while others fear the “small-school feel” will change.
Logan Alexander, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering said, “I think it’s a good opportunity because I feel like this campus is kind of disconnected from college life because it doesn’t have dorms.”
“I think it’s a good opportunity…”
Logan Alexander, WSU Vancouver senior mechanical engineering student
Iris Gutierrez, a sophomore studying neuroscience said, “Pretty cool” about the potential of dorms here in Vancouver.
Andrew Haring, a freshman mechanical engineering major added, “I think it’d be pretty cool – I guess it would just kind of give the college experience.”
On the opposing side of the debate, students caught in the Quad worried about other factors dorms could bring to campus, including increased tuition, party-culture and safety-risks.
“I’m not a dorm person especially because I live in town, so I wouldn’t pay a ton of money to live on campus. I’m not about the party-life and all that,” said Aaron Hellerstein, a junior integrated strategic communication major. “But I feel like for people that want it, it will be good for the school because it will allow [WSU Vancouver] to become a destination school.”
Aaron Hellerstein, WSU Vancouver integrated strategic communication major. (Sydnie Kobza/The VanCougar)
Hellerstein, concerned with changing the dynamics of WSU Vancouver, added, “Anything with a dorm becomes a party-campus real fast. I like the small school-feel here, and it would also raise prices of going to school here, which I’m not a fan of. But once I’m out of here it’d be better for the school probably.”
Sujatha Shynne, an IT department employee and graduate student pursuing a masters degree in management information systems said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s going to open up more opportunities, but I think it also causes more problems, because neighbors may not like that … nobody wants to live nearby [a] college town, and also that means there’s going to be a lot more security we need for young students.”
Shynne, concerned for how dorms would change school safety, said, “There’s going to be people drinking, partying, doing activities that may not be appropriate and that could cause assaults … I think it’s more problems than growth.”
She elaborated on the pros and cons, ultimately deciding, “I don’t know if [dorms are] feasible here. They’ve been talking about it for a long time. I don’t know. We’ll have to see,” Shynne said.
“We’ll have to see,” sums up the debate accurately. As for students on the Quad, 60 percent were in favor for dorms, while 40 percent were reluctant to embrace the idea. For now it seems only time will tell. What are your thoughts on the possibility of dorms on the WSU Vancouver campus? Send a letter to the editor at van.vc.editor@wsu.edu and let us know!
Anna Nelson is the Editor in Chief for the VanCougar. She is a senior and is studying strategic communications.