University housing facilities in Utah are providing students with a lot more than just a place to rest their heads.
By integrating a learning environment into students' living environments, university housing programs are hoping to make an impact and enrich the college experience for students living in on-campus housing.
The most common type of "living and learning" community is focused toward freshmen and first-year students. Brigham Young University, Weber State University, Utah State University and the University of Utah all have programs to help these new students adjust to college life.
This fall, USU will launch several new living and learning communities, including college interest floors for five of the university's eight colleges, a global village for Honors and international students and a Native American and multicultural floor.
While such communities are new to USU, the U. has had similar programs in place for at least a year. Several leadership floors, a service learning floor, an outdoor adventure floor and a "go global" floor make up the university's new themed housing. Other themed housing like an honors floor and freshmen housing have been in place for several years.
LaDon Roeder, assistant director of residential living at the U., said the first year of expanded themed housing went well.
"We had a lot of student leaders come out of themed floors," he said.
Those involved in themed housing at USU hope for similar results.
If the number of students signed up for the new program at USU are any indication, things should go smoothly. Most of the college-themed floors are near their capacity, as is the global village. The only floor that is currently struggling is the Native American and multicultural floor, with only about a third of the spots filled.
David Lancy, director of USU's Honors Program, is working closely with the housing office in planning the global village community. He expects it will take two or three years to get all the bugs out of the program but sees that it has "tremendous potential to provide a different kind of experience for students at USU."
Lancy said he has wanted to put something like the global village together for about four years and is glad things finally came together.
Steve Jenson, director of housing at USU, said themed communities are the future for university housing. Research has shown that housing those with similar interests or areas of study together increases retention and student success rate , he said.
Roeder said the majority of a student's development takes place outside of the classroom, which is why themed housing can make a big impact. College students go through transitions in independence, autonomy and interdependence, he said.
"We have the opportunity to help apply some things they are learning in their course work," he said. "This is some of the most critical learning that shapes their philosophy of life."
E-MAIL: lcutler@desnews.com