At present, the Office of Residential Life offers specialty living for the Honors program and 28 theme houses. Students are housed in three areas, one of which is near the center of campus. Satisfaction surveys indicate that students in the remaining two facilities are content with their locations and that more than 80 percent of first-year students prefer to live in campus housing. A smaller percentage of second-year students choose to live on campus. Roughly equal numbers of students live off campus.
Students complain about the cost of the average parking ticket.
At least some believe that the University itself is creating the problem. The reasons for the policy were not made clear to us, but the several University officials believe that an understanding or agreement with the city of Burlington requires UVM to house these students. The widespread desire to enhance the intellectual climate for students coupled with the planned construction and renovation of residence halls offer UVM timely opportunities to consider new approaches to residential life. Commentary Residential life might be best viewed as a desired option, not a mandated one. UVM should consider housing options and policies that makes on-campus residence desirable for the broadest population of students.