Housing departments must find the ways and means to deliver the space, features, and amenities that students expect while also limiting the fiscal impact on both the institution and the students who choose to call these buildings home. Gone are the one-size-fits-all assumptions about how students will live in and utilize spaces within the residence halls. Institutions will, instead, identify the factors that are most important to them, concentrate their efforts on those student success matrices, and make design decisions accordingly.
Housing departments must understand the dynamics of the use of space, consider the long-term sustainability of aging facilities, and rethink the ways students utilize these facilities in a world affected by a growing concern for health and safety, as well as the increasing role of technology and sustainability.
In addition, building maintenance, custodial staff, and facilities services are all important aspects of students’ overall satisfaction. These are complex tasks and operations that require thoughtful consideration in many areas to be successful. Campus administrators must have the flexibility to reevaluate and respond to changing conditions. A successful action plan for the future will require gaining the support of decision-makers and continually assessing work.