Students Being Surveyed About New Residence Hall Possibility

This week, a market demand study is being conducted among student focus groups to help determine if additional on-campus, upper-class and graduate student housing is needed. Student focus groups, selected from Brottier and Des Places residents and graduate, commuter and traditional students will meet in five sessions on Thursday, Jan. 10, and Friday, Jan. 11, to give their opinions about this possible new on-campus housing.

About six to 15 students will be in each of the five groups.

In the last week of January, students campus-wide can expect to see a survey in their email inboxes, asking their opinions about this possible housing option. The housing, if realized, would be expected to be apartment-type living on Forbes Avenue.

Analysis of the focus groups and student survey is being coordinated by consultants Anderson Strickler of Gaithersburg, Md. The company is expected to produce its report by the end of February.

This is the first of many steps that would be completed to ascertain demand for this or any other housing.  The focus-group and survey process is similar to what was done before the construction of Des Places, with student focus groups solicited in 2010, in advance of construction and the building opening in 2012.