Photos by Chris Meyer IUPUI resident assistant Diego Castaneda opens the living room window of his new apartment on the campus of IUPUI. Kay Call, above left, helps her son, Cody Call, an incoming freshman at IUPUI, move into his new apartment on campus. The new resident apartments on the campus of IUPUI reflect the names of notable Hoosiers.

And, that’s exactly the sentiment Hayward Guenard, director of housing and residence life on the Indianapolis campus, is banking on to kick start the urban campus’ long-term goal of providing on-campus housing for 10 percent of its 29,000 students.

“Feedback from students is overwhelmingly positive. You don’t feel like you’re in an area that houses 770 beds. It just doesn’t feel that massive. It feels like a nice village,” said Guenard, as he describes the newly constructed brick row houses nestled near the White River.

For sophomore Castaneda, a mechanical engineer major and resident adviser, living on campus is an opportunity to get involved. “We don’t want it to be just another apartment complex,” said Castaneda, adding that part of his focus is to plan events and programs once a month for residents, sharing the task with the other 20 resident advisers.

According to Guenard, the new housing allows opportunities to develop living-learning communities. Honors students can live together in the Honors House, while students looking to exchange cultures can opt to live in International House. Both communities are now located in the Campus Apartments at River Walk. Another section of the village is open to professional and graduate students.

Karen Whitney, vice chancellor for student life and diversity, is fond of describing the housing expansion as a revolution. IUPUI has offered limited on-campus housing since the 1920s, when Ball Residence Hall was built as a home for female nursing students. “This is really a new era for the housing program, the next chapter in housing at IUPUI,” she said, adding students now have more choices. “(River Walk) provides more options for students in terms of how they want to craft student life.”

Whitney anticipates another outcome to increasing on-campus housing options: higher grades. “It contributes to academic success for our students. Research strongly indicates that students living on campus make higher grades, graduate at a higher rate and are more satisfied with their college experience.”

She also points to surveys that show students that live on-campus have a greater sense of community and stronger connections to the campus.

The focus on building community starts with first-year students. For incoming freshman, IUPUI’s existing dormitory, Ball Residence Hall, is now headquarters for Living Your Freshman Experience (LYFE). Guenard describes LYFE as traditional dorm living with the addition of academic support for first-year students.

Getting the word out about housing, particularly on a commuter-based campus, has been a difficult task. In addition to marketing aimed at students, Whitney and Guenard are looking to IUPUI faculty and staff to help change the school’s mindset. Faculty can increase their interaction with students by holding class or hosting meetings at conference rooms in the River Walk complex.

“It has been a challenge,” said Guenard, who came to IUPUI in 2003 after serving as associate dean of students at Lynchburg College. “Growing from 300 beds to 1,000 beds, going from traditional to state-of-the-art, is truly exciting.”

Ongoing plans to expand, eventually housing up to 3,000 students, will take time. “A lot depends on demand,” said Whitney. “We’re in the phase of growing the program and informing students and faculty that IUPUI has fabulous housing.”

At last spring’s dedication ceremony, Whitney stated that the apartments will cultivate a close-knit community of resident students. “In creating community, IUPUI can also recognize our past, appreciate the present and support the future.”

Editor’s note: For a tour, call the IUPUI housing office at 317- 274-7200. For a virtual tour, visit:

http://www.housing.iupui.edu

River walk:

• The first two buildings in the $40 million housing addition opened in August 2003. Construction on the remaining seven buildings was completed over the past summer.

• Each “house” is named in honor of significant community leaders, including journalists, educators, humanitarians, advocates, a pioneer, an IU basketball player- turned-educator, an artist, an entrepreneur, a musician, and a state Supreme Court justice.

• A new street was named in honor of Maynard K. Hine, the first chancellor of IUPUI.

• Apartment houses include one, two and four bedroom apartments and are fully furnished.