Where am I going to live next year?
By Holland Saltsman and Karen Rasure

Where am I going to live next year? This thought may be foremost in your student's mind right now or the furthest away. While we are getting information to students in the next few weeks regarding their living options, we thought we'd clue parents in as well.

We are fortunate and very excited to have two new residence halls opening in the Fall of 2006. One of those new buildings, East Hall, will have 112 spaces - all for upper-class students. East Hall will have a mix of single and double room suites in which students can live in small groups of 4 or 6. In addition, each floor will have its own social lounge, study room, and community kitchen.

Currently, the majority of our upper-class students live in the Webster Village Apartments (WVA), which offers a modern apartment-style living arrangement, with 2-bedroom, 4-bedroom, and studio options. All apartments come fully furnished and include a full kitchen and living room as well. High speed Internet access via the campus network and extended basic cable television are free services provided. WVA residents also benefit by having convenient gated-access parking available in the complex, without having to pay extra for the annual campus parking permit ($120 for other students).

As many studies have found, living on campus is an important factor in student success in college. Residents benefit from living in a community of students sharing common goals of academic and personal success. Studies show that students living on campus have a better opportunity for growth and success. That plays out at Webster; residential students overall achieve higher grade point averages than those who commute. And among those who live on campus, WVA residents have the highest GPAs. The sense of security, access to resources, and close proximity to events all contribute to what many refer to as having "the full collegiate experience."

To stay in the WVA, current apartment residents must complete an intent form. Intent forms for current WVA freshmen were sent out before the winter break.

For current freshmen living in the residence halls, those that wish to live on campus next year will have the opportunity to enter a group lottery process. The group lottery process will begin in January once students return from semester break. The group lottery process will involve a combination of matching student requests for specific roommates with their building preferences (WVA and new residence halls). Applicants who indicate a desire to sign a contract/lease for 12-months in the WVA will be given priority in the lottery process.

If your student is interested in living on-campus for their sophomore year, encourage them to talk with their RA about any questions they have. You and/or your student can feel free to contact us directly as well.

Holland Saltsman Managing Director saltsman@webster.edu 314.968.5923

Karen Rasure Coordinator of Housing and Residential Life krasure@webster.edu 314.968.7030