On-campus residents may see some changes in ETSU’s housing options, but not for some time.
Last fall, Anderson Strickler Inc. did a marketing study for the Office of Housing and Residence Life. The company gathered information about on-campus living through student focus groups and an online surveys by evaluating ETSU’s current housing status.
“We were at the point where we needed to take a look at where we are going to be in the future,” said Bonnie Burchett, assistant director of housing.
The surveys questioned students on issues such as rent, the benefits of living on or off campus and their likes and dislikes about on-campus living. “All students were involved in the focus groups, not just those that lived on-campus,” Burchett said. “Graduate students, married students and international students were all involved.”
Anderson Strickler also looked at area apartment complexes.
“They looked at pricing offers and what the student was getting for that price,” Burchett said.
The company then took the information they had gathered and put together several scenarios of what ETSU’s options were and the consequences each would have.
“These scenarios prioritized what students want,” Burchett said.
An example of one scenario involved building a new residence hall. The company suggested the building to hold 200 and 500 students and either be efficiency apartments, like Luntsford or Davis, or have suite-type rooms with no community bathrooms.
This suggestion came form student surveys.
Burchett said the residence halls that offer the efficiency apartments and suites are the most popular residence halls on campus.
“Community showers are not popular,” Burchett said.
The company then suggested that if new residence is built, an old one should be shut down.
“Ellington or Frank Clement could be closed if there was something to replace them,” Burchett said.
These residence halls would be closed because it would be cost ineffective to renovate them. “Rent goes out of sight (after renovations) and it would really be cheaper to build a new dorm,” said Harry Steele, director of housing and residence life. However, a new residence hall is 10-15 years away.
Steele said that not many people know that ETSU’s housing is funded solely by rent.
“Housing is an auxiliary service, ” he said. “We don’t get any money from the state; no tax dollars. We have lots of mortgages.”
All residence halls are built with bonds. “It takes almost 30 years to pay off a dorm,” Steele said.
The housing budget, student demand and cost effectiveness will determine when the process of building a new dorm will begin. A new dorm can be built in 10-15 years after the preceding factors are judges.
The first suggestion to be considered are renovation for Davis Apartments and additions to Buc Ridge. “Davis was a priority because it would be cost effective to renovate,” Burchett said.
The renovation needs in Davis involve a new heating and cooling system as well as some cosmetic upgrades. Because it is one of the largest and most popular dorms on campus, renovations would be cost effective.
The additions to Buc Ridge would be an answer to student demands. Buc Ridge has been popular since it was opened and more rooms mean more options for students.
“Davis will probably be the first thing,” Steele said.
Davis will be renovated in stages because it can’t be completely closed down during the school year. Closure could come during the summer months, but the dorm would re-open in the fall.
“The physical plant is looking into the new buildings at Buc Ridge,” Steele said.
Overall, the company provided ETSU with encouragement for the future.
“(Anderson and Strickler) brought their expertise and gave us an objective opinion,” Burchett said. “It’s exciting and challenging to see what will happen in the next 10-15 years and how it will unfold.

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