A program at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst to assess the fire protection needs of its residential system is described. The study culminated in a multiphase fire safety improvement plan. (JMF)

Describes the design of Simmons Hall, an undergraduate dormitory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, as well as floor plans and photographs. (EV)

Describes how growing acceptance of security measures such as access-control cards, video surveillance, and biometric devices is allowing colleges to protect students and their belongings more effectively. (EV)

Describes the housing issues that are a frequent point of contention between universities in New England and communities. New England colleges are experiencing a boom in dorm building, but many students, as the experiences of several cities show, prefer to live off campus, sometimes creating tensions between the college and the town. (SLD)

Describes the critical housing shortage and soaring rents in Boston, Massachusetts, that are exacerbated by the housing policies of the city's institutions of higher education. Boston colleges have accelerated their construction of dormitories, but nearly 107,000 students still live off campus. The issue is not one of student behavior, but of the…

Loyola University of Chicago uses uniformed guards and electronic monitoring to prevent unauthorized entry into its 11 residence halls. Access to all residence halls is regulated by bar-code readers. Student ID cards also have color-coded stickers corresponding to specific residence halls. (MLF)

Presents a model utilized by the Office of Residence Life at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) to assess its operation during the 1984-85 academic year. An external review committee utilized the recently published Professional Standards of the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I) as a basis for…

To meet an increased demand for campus housing, Hofstra University (New York) converted double dormitory rooms to triples. Specially designed furniture allowing each student personal space was the key to acceptance by the students. (Author/MLF)

Effective measures to decrease vandalism on the Oswego campus include replacement of damaged items with more resilient materials, the maintenance of communication between campus police and residence hall personnel, and a variety of measures to encourage community ownership and pride. (MLF)

Describes how different colleges deal with student roommates. The University of Texas at Austin, which has an online application system, offers a roommate profiler and encourages students to choose their own roommates, though the school's automated "potluck" system can also make assignments. Michigan's Calvin College utilizes a…

Discusses trends in student preferences regarding on-campus housing, and the financing and delivery methods that campuses are using to provide for these wishes. (EV)

Describes the process of selecting and installing geothermal water source heat pumps for new residence halls at Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee, including choosing the type of geothermal design, contractors, and interior equipment, and cost and payback. (EV)

The first student housing at the University of Urbino (Italy), built in the early 1960s, served as a guide to changes in the overall organization of additional housing constructed a decade later. (Author/MLF)

Middlebury College (Vermont) recently completed a comprehensive renovation of four residence halls and a connected single-story lounge. Illustrating several important residence hall trends, the renovations mimic private housing; accommodate year-round use; provide flexible spaces; promote social interaction; and invest in maintenance. (MLF)

Provides examples of ways to entice more students to live on campus through better residence hall design. Amenities that include landscaping, private baths, lounge areas, and fitness facilities are suggested as are designing apartments that have a more homelike quality to them and providing affordable and attractive off-campus housing. (GR)