Officials say that for many, residence hall rooms are more than simply two beds, two desks, two dressers and two closets.
"We keep hearing from students that they want apartment-style living on campus," said Chareny Rydl, a housing representative at Texas A&M University, which recently opened sample rooms that include separate living areas and kitchens.
But while apartment-style residence halls are new to many schools, others have been using them for years.
Many of the residence halls on New York University's urban campus are housed in converted apartment buildings and hotels. "I would guess 9,000 to 10,000 of our spaces are apartments," said Tom Ellett, vice president for student affairs and services at NYU.
UNC officials say they are aware of growing trends and are working to meet student demands. "A primary issue for students will continue to be (their) privacy," said Rick Bradley, UNC assistant director of housing and residential education.
He cited the four new residence halls on South Campus as attempts to meet increased demands by students. Each residence hall is air conditioned and allots one bathroom for every four students.
Bradley said the housing office has received "very good feedback" about the new residence halls.
UNC has no apartment-style housing facilities, but Bradley said construction of student apartments is scheduled to begin in 2003. With apartment-style housing on campuses increasing, traditional residence halls might soon be obsolete.
"A lot of institutions are renovating, creating apartment-style living for students," Rydl said. "I don't think it's going to go away."
