2004-03-18

              March 18, 2004

Record

Projects - Page 11

Your survival guide to CSB room selection

Room Selection slips will be handed out beginning Friday. Use this guide to avoid stress and make the best possible decision.

• Compiled by Amber Mensen, Editorial Staff

Sophomore options

Brian, Lottie and Margretta

Brian

"I like that I * can control my lown thermo-Sstat in my room and have it be as cold or hot as I want it to be, which is something we couldn't do last year in Regina," said Danielle Davis, a sophomore in Brian.

Davis said there are a few things she dislikes about Brian.

"I miss having a full length mirror on the inside of the doors to the sink.

"It would also be nice to have more shelf space, and I also don't like having to go all the way down

to the basement to do my laundry," Davis said.

• Lottie

"It was really I nice to have your own bathroom and           living

room," said Asha Bornhorst, a senior who lived in Lottie her sophomore year.

"However, living in the suites is not all it's cut out to be. It's just too small of a space for six girls to live in. You don't have your own space if you need time alone," Bornhorst said.

• Margretta

"I               like

Margretta a lot. It's   much  nicer

Plan ahead to get the best results

By Amber Mensen

Editorial staff

Stress, anxiety and a sense of disorientation. All are common symptoms displayed in the weeks prior to room selection.

Residential life staff said the worst thing to do is make last-minute decisions.

"I think people are so hyped up that they don't think about all the consequences," said Becky Rawe, residential director for Brian and Margretta Halls.

One of the best pieces of advice the residential life staff had was to take care in selecting roommates.

"Be intentional about who you choose as roommates," said Jody Terhaar, dean of residential life.

"Don't just grab two random people at room selection because you need roommates. Those situations usually don't work out," Terhaar said.

Rawe said potential roommates need to be completely          honest,

including whether they go to bed early, are neat or messy, how they feel about guests, whether they do or do not party, what activities they are involved with and study habits.

The two biggest things that upset people are cleaning    and    guests,

Rawe said.

There must be enough roommates to fill the room or apartment, so those who still need to find roommates can check the Public Folders through           Microsoft

Outlook.

Click on Public Folders, then Students, CSB Room Selection.

Another important piece of advice is to have at least one backup plan.

"It's really hard to watch people go through room selection and just be crushed because they don't get what they want," Rawe said.

Terhaar said that in the end, the room or location isn't the most important aspect of room selection.

"The living experience is defined much more by the people you live with rather than the space you're in," Terhaar said.

Room selection slips will be distributed beginning Friday. Students need to bring the slip of the roommate who has the lowest number when they sign up for housing.

Room selection takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. March 29 and 30 in the HCC.

More information is available via residential directors and the residential life Web site.

Campus Apartments

West, New East and Old East

Amber Mensen, The Record

This desk, located in Margretta, is an example of those provided in the sophomore residence halls. No matter which dorm you live in, making use of space is important.

than Corona, which is where I lived last year," said Molly Laatsch, a sophomore in Margretta.

"I like that it's close to

the bus stop, and they definitely smell a lot better than the first-year dorms did," Laatsch said.

West Apartments

*Dominica *GabIe *Girgen "Smith

*Sohler *Westkaemper

"One thing we didn't know is that there are two-person apartments in the West Apartments," said Jen Renier, a senior living in Dominica.

Renier lives with her sister Jackie, and both said other advantages of West Apartments include their central location being close to the bus stop.

Jen said drawbacks include dim lighting and one washer, dryer and vacuum per building.

•Luetmer (New East)

Old East

"I really enjoy having my own room. The part I like least about living in Luetmer would be the card swipe to enter the building because I lived in old east (Zierden) last year where we just needed a key," senior Tricia Becker said.

Becker said another consideration for those planning to live in Luetmer is whether they prefer being closer to the elevator or closer to the main parking lot, since they are at opposite ends of the building.

4. Select room

Choosing a building/

1. Choosing compatible roommate(s)

McDonald

Wirth

Zierden

"The apartment is wonderful because I get to live with my closest friends, said Michelle Goracke, a senior living in McDonald.

"There is enough room that the living area and bedrooms are separate," Goracke said.

" I also really enjoy not feeling like I am in a dorm since we have the walk-out door no one has to swipe a card to come in."

Goracke said only downfall is that there is not a washer and dryer in the apartment.

Campus houses

• Anne

• Idzerda (Global Initiative Group)

• Margaret

• Meyer

• Rainbow (Enviro House)

Campus houses offer unique living experiences, but time is running out since pre-selec-tion takes place Friday.

Campus houses are located both on campus and within walking distance.

"The cool thing about living in a house is that you have neighbors. And most of the neighbors are pretty nice," said Michelle Overtoom, residential director to the apartments and campus houses.

Overtoom also said each house has its own quirks. For example, Rainbow house used to belong to a daycare provider, Overtoom said.

Most of the houses have intentional living communities with a specific theme.

Jody Terhaar, dean of residential life, said that although groups living in campus houses are not required to have a theme, those with themes will get preference.

"We really wanted to give students the opportunity to create their own community," Terhaar said.

Everything else West apartments to receive summer facelift if budget allows

The residential life Web site answers almost every question related to room selection, including;

• Pre-selection

• Intentional Living Communities

• Frequently Asked Questions About Room Selection

• Tips for Finding Compatible Roommates

• Types of rooms

• Room features, including size

- Housing costs

• Designating a proxy

? http://www.csb-sju.edu/csbreslife/

By Tiffany Taylor

Staff writer

Expanded closet space, a spacious room and an overall more sophisticated feel with added details, may just be the dream residence for students hoping to live in the West Apartments next fall.

The West Apartments were completed in 1982 and have remained untouched ever since, but if the budget allows, renovations are planned for summer 2004.

St. Ben's received a donation from Thomas Petters, chairman and CEO of Petters Group, that will allow for extensive renovations to the Benedicta Arts Center and the West Apartments to take place in the coming years.

According to Jim Fredricks, director of facilities, the institution hopes to invest approximately $700,000 to revamp the West Apartments.

Fredricks intends to get the project off the ground on May 10 and be finished by Aug. 10.

Each of the apartment buildings has been evaluated, and Fredricks said there is an overall need for light improvement, electrical servicing-which includes vents and heating, exterior and interior finishing such as doors, carpets and windows and handicapped accessibility.

"These will take priority in the renovation process," Fredricks said.

The evaluation looked at the present condition of

the buildings, the ages and life expectancy.

"The average roof can last about 20 years ... the apartments needed to be redone," Fredricks said.

In addition to the physical evaluation, Fredricks and his team looked at reducing operating and repair costs, educational enhancement of the living environment and building integrity.

Evaluations show that these are important aspects along with living space that students take into consideration when choosing where to live.

In addition to his team's evaluation, building codes and fire safety regulations              have

increased the importance of this renovation. Fire sprinklers      must      be

installed and most of the windows need to be replaced.

Of greater interest to the students is the proposal Fredricks has made to Student Development.

Fredricks hopes to-among other things-allow for more counter space in the bathrooms by removing the current fixtures of two sinks.

This would provide drawers beneath the counter and leave one sink remaining.

Students have mixed feelings about this proposal.

"I am not quite sure how important the counter space would be/' said Laura Guetter, a CSB senior living in Gable.

Guetter's    roommate,

senior Rachael Lundby sees the benefits of the change.

"I think the counter space would be beneficial. It would be relatively easy to get used to having one sink, even with four women," Lundby said.

"Two sinks are essential," said Aisha Sylvester, a junior living in Sohler.

Another major proposal still in the process is removing a portion of the wall that separates the kitchen from the living area and creating a more "island-like" feature.

This will make the area more spacious and provide a counter, but it will decrease the number of cabinets.

"The kitchen and living area   should   be    more

open," said Joy Strunk, a senior living in Gable.

Student housing coordinator Mary Beth Thompson said the most frequent comments about the West Apartments have been about how old and worn they are.

Fredricks hopes to create a more East Apartment         concept,

knowing they are highly regarded by the students as the some of the best rooms on campus.

Summer housing is normally located in the West Apartments, but will be relocated to the Old East Apartments during the renovations.