OUR VIEW: New housing options a great addition

Housing. It is one of the biggest problems students face when beginning a new school year. However, this year the challenge of finding a quality place to live might not be quite as hard. USU has put forth $40 million in an effort to meet student demand and need. With state-of-the-art living conditions available at the Living and Learning Center, students can rest at ease.

Now that the six-building living center is completed, USU has claims to the finest housing in the intermountain west. With commercial grade kitchens, laundry rooms, flat screen televisions, projection screens and fireplaces, the LLC leaves little to be desired.

Not only do the apartments, located west of the Taggart Student Center, have everything students might need, the location is ideal, and, if you are lucky enough, there is also a spectacular view of the valley.

While there were no pressing circumstances for more student housing, like overcrowding, USU hired a consulting firm to assess living conditions on campus. Their survey of more than 6,000 students proved an ample demand for new and improved housing. And, as proved by the Living and Learning Center, students asked and USU delivered.

The student housing complex is only one of the additions made on campus with the multimillion dollar plan. USU has gone to great lengths to also ease parking problems and improve dining facilities as well – a new parking terrace was built, and the Marketplace received a serious upgrade.

The terrace has 600 parking stalls used by students, visitors and the center’s residents, decreasing traffic problems and parking shortages.

While the LLC may have little kitchen space in the buildings, USU offers a variety of food in the Marketplace.

USU Housing should be applauded for their work to provide students with a living center that has all the necessities of student life. They have provided an effective learning environment and also given students ideal places to socialize and relax from the stresses of school.

We would like to commend USU for listening to students, taking their desires to heart and making improvements of which Aggies can really be proud.