Sure, I only pay $320 a month on rent, including utilities, but that is for a shared room in an apartment with six girls and one shower. The Daily Universe article, “Pros, cons of BYU’s housing radius debated by the numbers,” revealed that BYU students are required to pay a premium just to sleep and eat somewhere approved by BYU. Shockingly, my own BYU housing research as well as the Daily Universe article shows an average rent disparity up to $150 per month. That is an extra $1200 per school year! Last year the average price for a shared apartment in BYU-approved housing was $282.62 per month, and $338.35 for a private room (Daily Universe Housing Guide). That means that a three bedroom apartment like the one I am in, with 6 tenants paying the average $282.62 per month, that that single apartment is going for $1,695.72 per month. This number is staggering when compared to other apartments for rent in the Provo/Orem area, but even more annoying is that for $1,695.72 per month you could be paying down a mortgage on a $350,000 house.
“With housing booming the way it is, it made sense for the university to take care of housing for its students,” said Julie Franklin, director of residence life in an interview with BYU Magazine in regards to the reason for the implementation of the housing radius, back in 2008. Well the housing market definitely isn’t booming like it once was. Looking at the amount students pay to rent out an apartment (not just their room, the entire apartment) it would seem BYU still thinks the housing market is booming. I don’t know about you, but my three bedroom 1.5 bath apartment at the Colony is definitely not worth over $350,000.
The requirement to live in BYU approved housing within a 2-mile radius of campus has caused students to pay a premium on their rent. BYU ought to get rid of the radius because it does not add any additional value to the measures already in place, which intend to create an environment for its students to live consistent with gospel standards; rather, the radius causes inflation in rent for BYU students.
UVU students, who can live any distance from campus that they choose, could live at Pinnacle Canyon View, a three bedroom two bathroom apartment for $1,165 per month, which would be $194.17 each for six people. Village Park, six miles to BYU is $775/month for a three bedroom two bathroom, or $258.33 for all three tenants to have a private room.
It is a main point to note that apartments for UVU students costing the same or more as those at BYU are the large complexes right next to the UVU campus. Parkway Crossing, for example, is right across from UVU is $270/month for a shared room of $380-$445 for a private room.
So what’s with the extra $150/month? We live in a market economy where there are typically two products available to us: name-brand and the exactly-the-same-but-cheaper-generic-brand. BYU housing is name brand; however we are prohibited from purchasing the generic-brand off-campus housing options. Associated with the BYU name brand housing are the arguments that we are paying to live with those who hold our same standards, and are in our wards.
Gospel Standards:
“Because the university relies upon the community to provide accommodations for most of its students, BYU has established a Contracted Housing program to cultivate that desired environment off campus” Off-Campus Housing Handbook
All BYU students agree to live according to the same standards. BYU has covered their bases in more than one way to ensure students are living righteously: students sign an honor code, get annual ecclesiastical endorsements, attend singles wards which help those who may not have as strong testimonies, and via BYU’s contracted housing all students sign a rental agreement form saying they are living according to gospel standards. Don’t get me wrong, I agree with the idea of BYU approved housing. I don’t agree with the radius being the first requirement needed in order to qualify as approved housing.
By requiring the contracted housing to be within 2 miles of BYU, economic theory teaches us that the supply is down and so the costs are being driven up. Those living on or off campus have to sign a rental agreement or form that they will live by these housing standards. Every student also has to live by the Honor Code. By signing the Honor Code agreement, we all are committing to live the gospel standards, no matter where we live. So, in terms of living according to the gospel standards, every student is morally and ethically required to abide by those standards. Requiring students to live within a radius of their school doesn’t necessarily increase righteous living or experiences.
I can see how it helps single wards become closer, because we are all neighbors, but those who are going to live by their word will, and those who won’t, don’t. How many times have you asked someone if they like where they live and their response is “the ward is so great!” or something equally positive about their ward. That is because wards function as what any other college or university refers to as Greek Life. Wards are BYU’s sororities and fraternities; it is how we meet people and the center of our social life.
There are those living in BYU housing and attending BYU who do not live the standards, and some who don’t even try to hide it. I have known BYU sports players, foreign students and even Utah born and raised students who have been mixed up in drugs, sex, alcohol, and everything in between. The fact that they lived within 2 miles of school didn’t matter to them. When they got in trouble it was as an Honor Code violation, and not a housing violation. It may be true that these circumstances were the exception, but I have known too many personally to simply write it off and say, “oh hey, that doesn’t really happen that often.” In reality it does, and in real world reality, it’s the norm.
Would taking away a housing radius be detrimental to the student ward experience? In a simple answer, no. Most students will still choose to live at the major complexes close to campus, that is what happened before the radius was in effect. However the radius is driving up costs and it’s got to go. What about those who don’t live in the large complexes? Well, student wards are set up across the nation, and they are a success for those who attend, just as they are here in Provo for those who attend.
Double Standards:
Some BYU students are required to live in university-Contracted Housing, others are not…The Off-Campus Housing Office may waive this requirement for … single students who are in graduate school.” Off-Campus Housing Handbook
Why are the rules different for undergraduate and graduate students? The very first housing guideline to which all potential dwelling units are contingent upon are whether or not the place is within the boundaries. Yet this rule only applies to undergraduate students. What makes a grad student less of a threat than an undergrad? The argument then that this radius upholds and is crucial to BYU’s housing objectives is moot because it only applies to certain students and those without a waiver.
As a single graduate student I find this issue particularly interesting. I still sign the honor code. I still get an annual ecclesiastical endorsement, albeit the graduate endorsement which is a bit different than the undergraduate endorsement. I still attend a student singles ward. Basically, I have promised to live to the same standards as every other BYU undergraduate. The only difference is that I don’t have to live within 2 miles of campus. However, because I have signed the Honor Code I have promised to live according to the same exact housing standards as everyone else.
BYU ought to get rid of the radius because it doesn’t add any value to the environment BYU is hoping to create. BYU has many other means set up to create an environment for its students to live according to the gospel standards that aren’t the root cause of inflated rent.
BYU may be well intentioned but the simple fact is I pay more than I would if I were to live with my same 5 roommates anywhere else. Why demand students to live within the boundary designated by BYU Housing when it causes so many financial problems, and really has nothing to add to the University’s housing objectives? BYU, you have a choice to make, you can’t have it all. Either keep your radius and require your approved housing to be rented out at fair market values, rather than cramming us all in like sardines, or get rid of the radius but still trust us to live according to the Honor Code in approved housing.
Intro is much better on this draft. Your voice comes through with excellent details such as the point made about how a tenant within the radius might as well be paying off the mortgage on a 350,000 home.
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