Graduate Student Hostel, UST-Kumasi

In an attempt to foster the development of Universities in Ghana, the C.P.P Government in 1957 undertook to meet the whole cost of University education of entrants. A policy on admissions was enacted by the same government in 1962 practically admitting all students who obtained the minimum admitting all students who obtained the minimum entry requirements. Over the years, cumulative increases in student’s population due to the recommendations of the University Rationalization Programme have not been matched with any corresponding increase in physical development. 1. Owing, to this trend of affairs, Residential student population has far outstripped existing facilities 2. Increased residential population is far above the designed capacity of the halls of residence resulting in the rapid deterioration in living standards. This problem has escalated due to the fact that non residentiality which has been implemented upon the recommendation of the University Rationalization Committee has had its shortcomings. Since affordable accommodation within walking distance is unavailable, students who are made non-resident find their way into the halls illegally, a practice known as “perching”. This together with the proposal by the Ministry of Education on the 12th of November 1997 to delink admissions from room allocation as from the 1998/99 academic year has necessitated the need for more suitable rentable accommodation on and around campus. With the government advocating cost sharing in the funding of tertiary education and the need for more hostels to be put up, the University of Science and Technology together with the Local branch of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana are looking at avenues through which an Endowment fund could be set up for the putting up of a Graduate Student Hostel. THE NEED FOR A GRADUATE STUDENTS HOSTEL ON CAMPUS Apart from the fact that there is an inadequate provision of accommodation for Graduate Students on U.S.T campus there are also the following reasons; 1. The research nature of the postgraduate courses demand that the graduate student be close to, and have easy access to facilities which would aid the execution of their work e.g. libraries, faculties, laboratories etc. 2 Postgraduate courses in U.S.T are science biased therefore majority of the graduate students undertake laboratory experiments that have to be monitored periodically hence the need for easy accessibility from Hostel. 3. Some courses require work deep into the night e.g. Architecture and Art (studio-work) and would demand easy access to hostel at odd times of the day. 4. The transportation system which is not absolutely reliable and well organised as in the developed countries would render getting to and from campus from town time consuming and difficult (especially in times of fuel shortages). 5. Frequent trips to campus to monitor experiments from outside campus would be expensive considering the number of times such trips must be made. 6. There is a need for Graduate Students to be an integral part of the socio-cultural life on campus which takes place in the latter part of the day (at night). OBJECTIVES OF STUDY The aim of this design thesis is to study the problems of graduate student’s accommodation especially on U.S.T campus and make design proposals for a Graduate Students Hostel for the University of Science and Technology. SCOPE OF STUDY 1. To study the graduate student accommodation problems on U.S.T in order to make proposals to help alleviate problems. 2. To study graduate students preferences to study bedroom types, catering arrangements etc. in order to help provide a conductive atmosphere for graduate studies. 3. To make proposals to help ease pressure on the existing halls of residence since the Graduate Students would not have to share overstretched facilities equally with undergraduate students. 4. To help develop an avenue through which the University may and can generate income. METHODOLOGY 1. An overview of existing literature 2. Field work comprising of the following 1. Collection of physical, visual and statistical data 2. Interviews and consultation with University Authorities 3. Students Housing survey conducted through the circulation of questionnaires amongst selected graduated students. 3. Analysis and synthesis of data collected during fieldwork to aid the development of brief for the preparation of design proposals. LIMITATIONS Owing to the sensitive nature of the student housing topic as well as the air of tension associated with the implementation of the rent, some personnel in authority and some students were uncooperative. The author, therefore, was restricted in obtaining some information as regards some aspects of the study.

Source: KNUST