Erica Santiago / Opinion Director
Recently, universities throughout Florida are adopting the trend of developing “upscale” dormitories to attract students to campus life.
The University of South Florida is planning a $134 million housing “village” complete with shops, private rooms and a gym, while the University of North Florida’s dorms come equipped with a theme-park fashioned lazy river and karaoke stage.
Some would say Florida International University takes part in this trend with Parkview Hall consisting of its own private parking garage for students, every dormitory aside from Panther Hall coming equipped with a full-size kitchen and every dorm abstaining from communal bathrooms.
Prices of these Florida universities’ lavish dorms can run between $2,410 and $5,000 per semester. FIU’s own housing rates can exceed these costs with the prices of dormitories running between $2,700 and $5,349 – depending, of course, on whether or not one chooses to purchase a meal plan along with their housing.
A meal plan can add on close to $2,000 per semester when combined with housing costs.
As reported by the Tampa Tribune, higher-end dorms are usually ran by private developers. This allows for financial risks to be alleviated from the University and placed on the shoulders of private companies.
Biscayne Bay’s Bay Vista housing is no different, as the University has chosen Servitas LLC to construct the new dormitories.
In the fall 2016 semester, FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus housing will reopen, allowing for students who frequent the campus to stay on campus – thus avoiding the commute between MMC and BBC and the fees the commute would accumulate.
The floor plan, which is accessible online, emphasizes a sky lounge available to all future residents as well as each room boasting a view of the Bay.
The floor plan also clarifies that “FIU will have limited financial responsibility for the [Bay Vista] Project.”
The university also stands to be the recipient of “surplus revenues” from the development of Bay Vista Housing.
However, if the University stands to save money and possibly receive “surplus revenue” by employing a private developing company like Servitas LLC, then what are the chances of FIU students benefiting from such a cost-effective deal?
Most students would probably like this revenue to go towards increased parking spaces or even a more affordable commute on FIU’s Panther Shuttle.
FIU most likely takes a luxury approach to on campus housing in an effort to shift the number of students living on campus to a higher percentage. According to U.S. News college rankings and reviews, 92% of FIU students live off-campus while only 8% of students live in “college-owned, college-operated or college-affiliated” housing.
Florida’s state universities are required to charge roughly the same tuitions, so to give them a more competitive edge they are utilizing amenities to attract students and increase their retention rates.
However, if FIU wants to retain more students, the best course of action would be to put the money they saved from the Bay Vista project towards more than just housing accommodations. Though a sky lounge sounds nice, affordable transportation and available parking spaces sound much more appealing.
About Post Author
