Springfield funeral, visitation set for Kickapoo High grad, Mizzou student Riley Strain
NEWS

Drury reverses housing policy, freezes housing costs

Claudette Riley
CRILEY@NEWS-LEADER.COM

When Brooke Dacquisto enrolled at Drury University, she faced a tough decision: Live with her parents in Nixa and commute to class or pay extra to live in the dorms.

Brooke Dacquisto, a senior at Drury University, has lived in campus housing every year. However, when she started her family lived in Nixa - close enough she could have commuted to and from school every day.

"My parents and I talked about it. We knew it would be a significant difference in cost," she said. "But, we decided an on-campus experience would be worth it."

Four years later, she is glad she made that choice.

"I would say finances are definitely worth considering and evaluating. But if your family is in a position for you to live on campus, you should consider it," she said. "I had closer access to resources, tighter friendships. It was much easier integrating into college."

Drury will continue to encourage students to live on campus but will abandon a housing policy that required freshmen to live on campus, even if they are from the Springfield area.

Jay Fedje, vice president of enrollment management, said the policy enacted this school year didn't appear to be increasing housing occupancy. The university, which has been trying to increase enrollment, worried the rule might scare off potential students.

"We just didn't want to put up barriers," he said.

The university did grant exceptions for students with special circumstances, from financial woes to medical concerns. The change means students from whose primary family residence is within 30 miles of the campus the area who want to continue living at home won't have to go through the exception process.

Fedje said students whose primary family residence is within 30 miles of the campus will be allowed to live at home with a parent.

Brooke Dacquisto's room in her Drury University campus housing.

The university also plans to reduce or freeze costs for most on-campus residences and continue to offer housing grants to incoming students, based on need, to help offset the cost of room and board.

"The conversations I've been a part of have been about access and quality," Fedje said. "We want to hold down housing costs."

The room and board costs in the fall semester ranged from $3,828 to $6,428 depending on the housing facility, number of roommates and meal plan. There are a wide range of on-campus options including specialty housing, which allows students with similar interests to live together.

Drury said its housing occupancy rate has fluctuated between 80 and 85 percent in recent years.

Drury said national research shows students who live on campus are more likely to stay in school, graduate, score higher grades and participate in groups and activities on campus.

“We firmly believe in a residential college experience, and our current students and alumni can attest to the difference it makes in one’s college career,” says Drury President David Manuel, in a news release. “But we also want to ensure a continued focus on access and affordability, particularly for students here in the Springfield area.”

Jared Bishop, a senior at Drury, said he moved into Sunderland Hall his first year. He had his own room, shared a bathroom with one other student and was "put in a group of students and we all had a core class."

Jared Bishop

He said the set-up helped him make friends quickly and acclimate to campus.

Bishop, who is from the Logan-Rogersville area, said the cost of housing at Drury made him briefly consider living at home and commuting. But, a sister and cousin attended Drury and encouraged him to live on campus.

"I would have missed out on a lot of events on campus," he said.

Bishop serves in several leadership positions on the private, liberal arts campus including president of the Drury Student Ambassadors. He said students who commute are less likely to attend evening and weekend events.

"Once their day is over, they don't come back and participate," he said.