By William Coffman, Local & National Editor

Xavier University recently announced a new living requirement, increasing the time students will be required to live on campus from two to three years, beginning with the class of 2030 next fall. The announcement generated negative reactions from the student body, including a post on the barstoolxu Instagram decrying the new requirement. 

Recognizing that reaction, Xavier should of course take into account the concerns of the student body and strive to answer any and all questions presented, while at the same time sticking with their decision as it is the right call.

Xavier has faced recent struggles regarding enrollment and finances. The class of 2029 was 17% smaller than the class of 2028 per Cincinnati Enquirer. Furthermore, Xavier reported a budget deficit of $16 million. The university has taken steps to improve its standing in both these areas, launching a new fundraising campaign “For One. For All. Forever.” In addition to this campaign, Xavier has begun construction on its new medical school and has created new programs such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to increase the offering of majors more applicable to the 21st century workforce.

These are positive steps, but additional actions are needed to strengthen Xavier as an institution. This is why the increase to three years of on campus living is a good call and something the university should proceed on, with caveats.

There is precedent for a three year on campus living requirement. The University of Notre Dame and Duke University, as well as fellow Jesuit institutions Georgetown University and John Carroll University all require students to live on campus for three years. In addition to this, studies suggest that the longer students live on campus, the more they thrive academically.

“Students who opt to live on campus their first year and continue to live on-campus do better on many metrics of student success,” concludes a University of Oregon study focused on on-campus living. “They have statistically significantly higher cumulative GPAs, are more likely to remain in school, and are more likely to graduate than their peers that live off campus.”

A similar study conducted by the University of Connecticut found similar findings. “In conclusion, the results indicate that, all else being equal, students who choose to stay on campus in their first year and continue to live on campus perform better academically. They have a higher GPA and are more likely to stay at UConn and graduate than their off-campus peers.”

Granted, this decision by the university does not just create an obligation for students, but also for those running the school. One reason for the negative reaction comes from students losing their ability to go off campus a year earlier, which for most means paying more than they would have. If students are to be expected to live and pay for another year on campus, Xavier must shore up areas of on-campus life to give students the atmosphere they deserve.

Xavier does a lot of things well when it comes to campus living. Hoff Dining Hall is a well-regarded dining facility that has been nationally recognized. Most of the residence halls on campus are in good shape and provide a fine quality of life for students who call them home, though there remains room for improvement. 

This is especially true for Brockman Hall, which has sat vacant this year, as well as Kuhlman and Husman Hall, all of which could use some renovation to improve their appeal and living conditions. The school also needs to be ready to respond and repair residence halls for the increased on-campus population, which will likely generate an increased wear and tear on campus infrastructure.

Lastly, and most critically, Xavier needs to do more to make campus life fun and full of opportunity. With more students living on campus, Xavier should put the work in to bring the world to them. 

We should be advocating for Cintas to be the host for entertainers and performers coming to Cincinnati on tour. Xavier should be bringing speakers to campus who are renowned in their area of expertise and Gallagher Student Center (GSC) should have an itinerary to be proud of, packed full of events that give students something to look forward to.

This new three-year living requirement could be the dawn of a new and exciting era at Xavier, or it could be a moment where the school flounders. This institution has the capability to be a jewel of Cincinnati and beyond, but it needs to put the work in now, both for itself, but more importantly, for its students, past, present and future.