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UNI student Angela Ott shares her room in Shull Hall with a futon, TV, refrigerator, desk, computer, loft bed, table and a microwave. But no roommate—not because of roommate issues—she just likes living alone. “I like being able to spread my stuff everywhere. I’m used to it from home,” said Ott, a junior anthropology major from Clear Lake. “It’s not about not wanting a roommate, a lot of it is just about space.” For senior John Van Hemert of Mason City, who lived with eight roommates during his Study Abroad experience, it’s about claiming his individuality. “Living here makes me feel more independent. I appreciate being able to claim an entire room as my own,” said Van Hemert, a management information systems and computer science major who is an RA on Shull’s fourth floor. “The Department of Residence (DOR) staff thinks of rooms as more than dorms. ‘Residence hall’ ties in with the concept of community. A dorm is a building with rooms that students live in. A residence hall is a community of students who build off each other’s life experiences, both from commonalities and diversity.” Kevin Biggerstaff, a transfer student from San Antonio, remembers how difficult it is to share tight quarters. “The best thing about having my own room is the privacy and being able to watch TV at late hours or have guests without having to OK it with your roommate first,” said Biggerstaff, who shared a bedroom with his twin brother until he was 14. “Having your own room gives you more personal space and a greater sense of ownership.” Ott, Van Hemert and Biggerstaff are three of the 211 UNI students living in single rooms in Shull Hall, located in the Quadrangle complex on campus. 
Named for Henry Shull, president of the Board of Regents from 1940 to 1951, Shull Hall opened in 1964. At the time it was built to house approximately 400 male students. In 2003, all that changed. As part of the DOR’s long-range planning that includes gauging overall student satisfaction, university officials hired an outside consulting group to conduct research on student housing preferences. “We used print surveys, focus groups and interviews to pinpoint students’ perception of comfort and privacy levels and identify which improvements would make them most likely to remain in on-campus communities,” said Michael Hager, director of the Department of Residence. Among the factors tested were satisfaction with room assignments, roommates, facilities, security and services, but nothing was valued as highly as personal space, according to Pat Beck of DOR. “What we’ve found is freshmen expect to live in a dorm room as a positive rite of passage. Some sophomores, juniors and even seniors want to share rooms,” Beck said. “Clearly, though, single rooms are an attractive feature. It is a trend, there’s no doubt about that.” Armed with research results, university officials made plans to renovate Shull Hall and convert double rooms into single rooms. Work began in 2004—bathrooms were gutted, windows and fixtures replaced, new lighting and tiles installed, and privacy shower suites added. “Shull Hall officially opened in August 2005, ahead of schedule, under budget, filled to capacity with satisfied customers,” Hager said. “It’s a different kind of environment, with like-minded students who are experiencing similar things at the same time. It allows us to focus our programming on key issues like internship searches and job resume workshops.” Upperclassmen are also more established with a main network of friends, activities and organizations, Hager said. 
“Upperclass residents are by no means hermits,” said Van Hemert. “Shull residents have established social circles, as well as our own identities, enough that we can enjoy the privacy of a single room while retaining the benefits we’ve gained from sharing a room.” Sophomore Amanda Test of Des Moines likes the atmosphere. “I wanted to try something new, and even though I thought I’d be lonely in my own room, it has turned out to be the opposite. We tend to get together in one room, but I have my own space so I can get away when I need to,” Test said. DOR staff is equally happy about Shull. That’s because when residence hall occupancy increases, so does the need for other DOR services. “We set services, facilities use and staffing to meet students’ needs. As the level of on-campus occupancy fluctuates, we make adjustments accordingly,” Beck said. “Currently occupancy is rising and, along with it, the use of dining services. There are more people in the dining centers and more students sharing study, recreation and laundry spaces.” Hager said the issue of converting more residence halls to single-room living is something he and the DOR will continue to assess. “We will continue to change our services as needs change.” |
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