Wyview Park now houses single students.
Housing in Provo is making significant changes with the new two-mile radius boundary for off-campus housing and two new pilot programs: the opening of Wyview Park to single students and BYU’s chartered housing ventures. All of this change, though, has led to some questions. BYU Magazine sat down to get a few answers from Julie Franklin, director of residence life.
What on-campus housing options will be available to single students in fall 2007?
In fall 2007 we will have Helaman Halls, Heritage Halls, and Wyview Park. Helaman Halls is what we call board-and-room style living. Heritage Halls is for students who want an apartment-style environment. Wyview Park, which has traditionally housed married students, has recently been opened as single-student, apartment-style housing as part of a pilot program.
What is contracted housing?
All single undergraduate students at BYU are required to live in contracted housing, unless they are living with their parents or have extenuating circumstances. Contracted housing (which was formerly called “BYU-approved” or “university-approved” housing) is accommodation where the property owner has signed a contract with the university to uphold the university housing policies.
What is the purpose of the 2-mile radius within which all contracted housing must fall?
Beginning in April 2007, only buildings within a 2-mile radius of BYU (outlined on a map that can be viewed at more.byu.edu/radius) will be eligible for contracted housing. The majority of BYU students have always lived and still live within the boundaries we have drawn. With housing booming the way it is, it made sense for the university to take care of housing for its students. So rather than spending time and effort dealing with complexes that were far away, we drew the circle around where our students were already living and said, “This is where our students live, so these are the places we’re going to work with.”
What is chartered housing?
Chartered housing is a close relationship that the university has established contractually with two off-campus apartment complexes: Centennial Apartments and Alpine Village (to be completed fall 2007). The complexes have on-site managers and an on-site peer staff, who are trained by the university, to help better connect students to university resources. Unlike contracted housing, chartered housing units are only available to BYU students.
Why is BYU pursuing chartered housing?
We want to be informed as we look to the future. We want to understand what the students are looking for and what are viable options. Nationally, the trend is that students want apartment-style housing. So we are testing different options, like chartered housing and opening Wyview Park to single students. We will analyze the students’ response to the projects and move forward from there.
How does chartered housing benefit the university?
The university is highly invested in having appropriate environments for students. We feel that by maintaining a close working relationship with the chartered housing complexes, we can help to ensure that students have a safe environment where they can live the Honor Code and enjoy their BYU experience.
