The ideal housing model

Of the 180 juniors who applied for off-campus housing in the Spring, only 51 received exemptions—a lower number than in previous years. The high volume of students setting their sights beyond Duke’s residence halls their junior and senior years, and the low number of juniors who received housing exemptions, raise questions regarding the efficacy of the current housing model and the sense of community fostered therein.

Launched three years ago, the new residential model transitioned from quad-based communities to a house system in hopes of creating equitable housing options for independent students and fostering community. In many ways, the housing model has cultivated positive change—crests emblazoned with “Hart House” and “The Shire” are heartening. Several houses, with the leadership of house councils, resident assistants and graduate residents, have succeeded in fostering strong communities.

Yet, the mass of students seeking off-campus options and last year’s record number of sophomores opting out of independent housing to rush selective living groups, fraternities and sororities suggest that this vision for community, three years into the model, has not yet been achieved. Last year, independent students reported a lack of community. Why? One issue may be the exorbitant cost of on-campus living: for the 2013-2014 academic year, room and board averaged $12,902 with a breakdown of $7,240 for housing and $5,662 for meals. For many, it is simply more economical to seek off-campus apartments that are cheaper and offer more space and amenities.

More broadly, however, the issue is that, under the current housing model, some students who opt into selective living groups have agency over their residential communities, while independent students are sorted through a lottery process. This selection process detracts from the diversity of the residential life experience—an independent student would be unlikely to live down the hall from a student in a sorority, for example.

One potential resolution would be to dissolve the residential component of selective living groups and greek organizations. Instead, all students would have the ability to choose a block of 10 and enter the lottery system equally. This system of blocking should ensure that students be able to live next door to their block-mates or, at the very least, in the same hall rather than separated across floors as occurs under the current model. While there would still be chapters and networks of students, they would not necessarily live together, reverting back to the model practiced prior to 2010, when the sororities of the Panhellenic Association did not live together. By eliminating the spaces built specifically for selective living groups and greek life, students would have greater opportunity to expand their social circles beyond their self-selected organizations.

Admittedly, the challenge lies in the balance between allowing students agency over their residential locations and having the residential system strengthen a broader Duke community. We believe the goal of the housing model lies in the latter. In order for any housing model to work, however, students must be willing to build community with members of their houses beyond their blocks or their selective groups. Furthermore, communities built in the residence halls can be strengthened beyond the dorm walls in communal spaces—Marketplace, for example, has long been touted as a central component to the first-year living experience.

When reminiscing on our college experience, the memories that stand out the most are the people we meet and the communities we form. The new housing model remains nascent and may require time to develop, but we remain hopeful that improvements can strengthen communities.