Changes due in student housing

Portland State has signed a new five-year contract with College Housing Northwest to manage student housing, but changes are in the works.

A new program called “residence life” has been created, headed by a director, Don Yackley, who counts 15 years of experience in student housing going back to his own student years.

Cathy Dyck, associate vice president for finance and planning, called the new agreement “a transitional contract.”

She said, “By the end of five years, PSU will be pretty much in the driver’s seat.”

There has been talk on campus for some time that the university wants eventually to take entire control of student housing.

Dyck said CHNW has been very cooperative in negotiating the new contract. The university sent out requests for proposals and Dyck said only CHNW submitted a proposal, although there were other potential contractors who toured the campus.

CHNW will continue to manage leases, maintenance, repairs and summer conferencing. There will be a gradual transition into functions to be handled by facilities, such as licensed electrical and plumbing.

“We are trying to rebuild our infrastructure and facilities,” Dyck said. PSU currently owns about 900 units of housing, including West Hall, Montgomery Hall, King Albert, Maryanne, Stratford, St. Helens Court, Parkway, Blackstone and the Ondine. Epler Hall, currently being built on the site of the former Birmingham, will open this fall, adding 130 units. The Broadway housing project, scheduled to open in fall of 2004, will add another 384 studio apartments.

PSU facilities will take over licensed electrical and plumbing responsibilities for these new additions and will manage any new buildings erected during the five years, Dyck said.

When the Broadway opens, the housing office, now located in Montgomery Hall, will move to the new facility.

Also, Yackley explained, the resident manager positions will be eliminated, to be replaced by resident assistants.

Yackley came to his new position a month ago after four years as director of residence life at the University of Idaho. He also held positions in student housing at several other Northwest universities.

“My job is to really create a good housing experience for students,” he said.

He plans to work closely with professional and student staff who live in the buildings. Yackley also said he will concern himself with how staff and student interaction adds to the educational experience.

“The basic mission of residence life is supporting the goals of the university and providing a rewarding overall educational experience. Beyond that,” Yackley said, “for me, residence life has always been about making a positive impact on students’ lives.”

As for details of his program, he said, “We will provide activities and events, social programs, study hall sessions, ice cream socials, things like that. We have awesome people here.”

Concerning future planning, he said, “We will be evaluating possible changes as we go.”

Student government has no immediate response to the new contract or changes in the program.

Adam Zavala, ASPSU communications director, said ASPSU had not yet been concerning itself with the process involved in the new contract with CHNW.

ASPSU Vice President Joe Johnson said student government is taking a “wait and see” position with regard to the new contract or its implications.

Gary Meddaugh, president of College Housing Northwest, was off campus and not available for comment.