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Editor’s note
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SAM GREGERMAN editor@dailyillini.com
As the fall semester rolls around, housing becomes a hot topic for dinner table discussion. The campus-wide scramble to find roommates, sign a lease and secure your home for a school year that feels lightyears away can seem like an insurmountable task.
However, conversations about housing span much wider than apartment searching and roommate pairing. Record-breaking freshmen classes can look nice on paper, but increasing overadmission every year only fuels the fire of students who are displaced in University Housing.
The Daily Illini continues to report on the growing housing crisis both on campus and in the Champaign-Urbana community in this annual edition, and while the stories change,
the facts remain the same: There are too many people and too few places to live. But it isn’t just students being affected. Living expenses are on the rise, elevating concerns about affordable living, and the homeless population is rapidly increasing.
As an independent student news outlet, we remain committed to using our platform to bring attention to all sides of the housing discussion — even the ones that may carry a bit more weight than wanting an apartment close to Green Street.
In a world where journalism’s integrity is more critical than ever, The DI’s editorial team has worked hard to share perspectives from as many C-U voices as possible with this edition.
In this year’s Housing Guide, you will see a wide variety of stories. From neglected dorms to inflation’s impact on the community, I implore you to read through this edition with the same care that went into it.
ON THE
Zoë Van Krey, sophomore in FAA, has spent years collecting artwork and souvenirs that reflect her passions. Nearly every inch of her dorm in Sherman Hall is covered in these items, most of which were gifts from friends and family.
SAM RINK THE DAILY ILLINI
University Housing overwhelmed by Class of ‘29
AC keeps students cool for school
How tarrifs could impact student housing
Influx of campus apartments combats UI housing crisis
Shelters fill as housing crisis deepens
How subleasing works without obstacles
The psychology of home
Comics Puzzles
Dorm decor creates home away from home
Roomate compatability quiz: Can we live together?
‘Putting in the work’: Latino community bolstering CU’s growth in construction
University summer housing offers safe community in CU
Living together, student groups thrive
Is living in a Greek house all it’s cracked up to be?
Opinion | UI offloads climate initiatives on campus community
Opinion | The cost of playing house
University Housing overwhelmed by Class of ‘29
SENIOR COPY EDITOR ALEXA LIS arlis3@dailyillini.com
As freshman college students prepare for a year full of “firsts,” one of many opportunities is the chance to have a living space outside of the realm of parental figures. The freshman dorm is a place where students can be free and where they can make new friendships and memories.
However, as the past few years have provided a series of unexpectedly large freshman classes, the reality of some students’ first home away from home is less than ideal. This fall, around 250 students were placed in temporary housing.
“Temporary housing consists of temporarily converted study lounges that house 2-6 students per room, depending on the size of the lounge space,” wrote Chris Axtman-Barker, associate director of communications and marketing for University Housing, in an email to The Daily Illini.
Axtman-Barker further wrote that “there is a 50% discount on room cost” for students assigned to temporary housing.
Even with such a rebate, some students are disppointed about being assigned to temporary housing. Megan Sia, junior in Business, described her time in a temporary living space in Hopkins Hall.
“It was four of us in a study room in Hopkins,” Sia said. “It was very cramped, not the best experience.”
But student opinions vary based on their specific temporary housing situation. While Sia remembers a cramped, inconvenient living space in temporary housing, Judah Kim, freshman in LAS, spoke positively of his experience so far in temporary housing at Wardall Hall.
“We have a common area where there’s a couch and a table where we all sit around,” Kim said. “There’s no lack of space … It’s definitely worth getting 50% off of room and board.”
Students do not opt into temporary housing. University Housing assigns students a temporary living space via an email notice — sometimes only a few weeks before the semester begins.
“I found out August 4,” Sia said. “(University Housing) kept saying, ‘Sometime
during the summer, you’ll find out,’ and then we find out three weeks beforehand.”
In terms of which students are placed in temporary housing, it can be a matter of luck of the draw. While Sia missed the priority deadline for selecting housing, Kim did not.
“(There) are many factors involved, the largest factor being contract received date,” Axtman-Barker wrote regarding which students are assigned temporary housing. “The later students apply for housing, the more likely they are to be placed in temporary housing.”
Returning students may recall the large number of students placed in temporary housing in Fall 2024. According to Axtman-Barker, there were 270 such students last fall. This figure does not include students who opted for private apartment leases or who shared a room with a resident adviser.
However, University Housing is making some adjustments in response to these large class sizes.
“This year, University Housing placed a cap on the number of students able to return beyond the first
year in order to ensure we had enough space for the next class,” Axtman-Barker wrote. “We have also encouraged private certified housing partners to increase their capacity, and worked to create additional temporary housing spaces.”
In a previous interview with The DI, Axtman-Barker said that University Housing has plans for constructing a new residence hall — a long-term but expensive solution for housing the record-breaking class sizes continuing to enter the University.
“It is always (University Housing’s) goal to create spaces where students have transformational experiences that can change their lives — students join new groups, learn life skills, and meet their new best friends in our residence halls,” Axtman-Barker wrote. “We are committed to making sure all students can have that same experience.”
University Housing continues to search for equal housing options for large classes of incoming students. As temporary housing numbers dropped from last fall, only time will tell if this trend will continue.
EMILY NNODI THE DAILY ILLINI
Kai Henning, freshman in Engineering, sits in a Wardall Hall lounge on Sept. 16 that was converted into a dorm room. The temporary arrangement houses three students.
AC keeps students cool for school
SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
RYAN PEARLMAN rp36@dailyillini.com
From 1933-35, Professor Emeritus of mechanical and industrial engineering Seichi Konzo, his family and two research assistants lived in a University-built research residence, where he and the two research assistants analyzed air conditioning performance.
In 2025, nearly a century after Konzo’s foundational work, Taft, Van Doren, Shelden and Leonard residence halls still do not have in-unit AC. Shelden and Leonard were built together in 1949 as LAR. Allen Hall was added in 1958 as the third LAR building, and it received AC during the summer of 2024. Leonard and Shelden are still lacking the upgrade.
“Allen Hall got AC recently, right?” said Jane McCumber, freshman in Media. “And they’re right across from us. I see that they have AC, and I’m like, ‘Oh, where’s our AC?’”
McCumber lives in Shelden, and although she likes studying in her room, she said she would enjoy it even more if there were AC.
“I was one of the students that they ran out of housing for, even though I was (assigned) the priority housing,” McCumber said. “So I didn’t get to choose LAR; then I got put in a dorm with no AC. I’m from here — from Urbana — so I’ve experienced the heat of the summer and the fall and how bad it can get. So I was a little bit bummed out.”
At the same time, there are
potential upsides to not having any AC. The system won’t constantly drone on in the background, and it can force students out of the dorm and lessen their overall energy usage.
“It’s uncomfortable when it gets hot, but days in the fall like this — when it’s a little bit cooler — it’s kind of nice to have the windows open and not feel like you’re wasting energy,” McCumber said.
Becca Lucas, junior in LAS, lived in Shelden when she was a freshman. During her first week of school, extreme temperatures caused a University professor to cancel class.
“We were kind of in a record heat wave, and moving into a dorm with no AC, first time away from home, coming home from band camp — it was pretty bad,” Lucas said.
Lucas would spend all day outside practicing with the Marching Illini before returning to a home without AC.
“It was pretty brutal,” Lucas said. “It was already pretty hot when I moved in, but it just continued to get hotter throughout the week. We were outside from 9 a.m. to 10
CU house hunting
COPY EDITOR THOMAS O’SULLIVAN thomaso4@dailyillini.com
S TART LOOKING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
External air conditioning units cool rooms inside Allen Hall on Sept. 8. The residence hall has been sporting window AC units since Fall 2024.
p.m., and I would already be really hot, and the last thing I would want to be doing is to step into a room that is arguably hotter than it is outside.”
This raises the question: Why didn’t the University install AC in residence halls sooner?
“University Housing has a facilities plan where upgrades, maintenance and renovation (are) planned for and budgeted many years into the future,” wrote Chris Axtman-Barker, associate director of communications and marketing for University Housing, in an email to The Daily Illini. “In the last few years, students have increasingly mentioned air conditioning as a key point of feedback.”
Due in part to student feedback, Barton and Lundgren halls received AC this summer, 84 years after their construction date. As for Leonard, Shelden, Taft and Van Doren residents, they’ll have to wait out the heat for a little while longer.
“We plan to add air conditioning to Shelden and Leonard halls in the coming years, but do not have an exact date,” Axtman-Barker wrote.
It may seem like you’ve got plenty of time now, but living spaces fill up very quickly. Try to start looking within the first few months of the fall semester if possible.
COST
CONSIDERATION
Regardless of whether you or your parents are paying rent, finding a space that’s both high quality and affordable is a good way to narrow down your options. Make sure to consider what amenities you will be paying for as well.
CAMPUS PROXIMITY
Depending on where your classes are, you might want to consider the commute to class each morning. Living closer to the center of campus is a good bet if you don’t want your trip to be a hassle.
TAKE A TOUR BEFOREHAND
While it can be tempting to pick a place and commit as soon as possible, you’ll definitely want to take a tour of whatever living space you’re considering to make sure it’s exactly what you’re looking for.
KNOW WHO YOU’RE LIVING WITH
Whether you’re living with one roommate or three, it’s best to try to room with friends you know you’ll get along with well rather than going in randomly.
LILY BLODGETT THE DAILY ILLINI
How tariffs could impact student housing
ANNA CEJA
aceja4@dailyillini.com
The last time you passed a construction crew or saw a crane in Campustown, you probably did not think about tariffs. And while tariffs may not show up directly in the price of your apartment lease, their impacts — experts say — may be seen in other ways.
In June, President Donald Trump doubled tariff rates on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%, affecting the construction and manufacturing sectors, both of which rely heavily on the metals.
More recently, the Department of Commerce added 407 items to the list of “derivative” aluminum and steel products covered in the Section 232 sectoral tariffs restored in February.
The action extends the reach of the tariffs, as steel or aluminum derivatives — the steel or aluminum contents within products — will also be subject to higher rates. As a result, the steel and aluminum content of products like mobile cranes, bulldozers and other heavy equipment will be subject to a duty rate of 50%.
Tom Hagensick, senior project manager at Fairlawn Real Estate — the parent company of Smile — shared his experience managing construction projects since the increased tariffs took effect.
“At this point, it’s somewhat difficult to determine if any changes in our material costs were affected by the overall tar-
iffs that were implemented, or if (they are) just a result of inflation,” Hagensick said.
Hagensick explained that wholesalers may stockpile their inventory, giving them the ability to hold a set price for some duration of time in anticipation of market fluctuations.
“Other wholesalers might take advantage of that situation because of supply and demand; they might have front-loaded their inventory so that they would have enough materials in case there’s a shortage, and then they can bump up their costs because there’s a demand for them,” Hagensick said. “It’s not as cut and dry as you would think.”
He detailed that pricing changes could be the result of various factors, and it can be difficult to distinguish between the impact of tariffs and natural shifts in the market.
In the 2024-25 school year, the University spent over $8 million in housing projects. This included updates to the lounges at Busey-Evans, Blaisdell and Carr halls and the expansion of PAR’s interior lobby, among others.
According to the University website, Hopkins and Weston halls lobbies are next to be renovated, and plans to develop individual-use restrooms in FAR have already begun.
Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, professor emeritus in FAA, explained that if contracts between the University and the supplier have not been officially signed, there is potential for tariff impacts.
“Those impacts can mean a couple of things,” Hewings
said. “One, if steel tariffs are in place, this is going to bid up prices on all steel, because local suppliers will see they have an opportunity to raise their prices … So it’s an indirect effect of the tariff changing the market structure. And this is one of the problems that is very, very difficult to follow.”
In a recent interview with The Daily Illini addressing the housing shortage, Chris Axtman-Barker, associate director of communications and marketing for University Housing, mentioned the University’s long-term plan to construct a new residence hall.
In a later email statement, he wrote that it is unlikely the project will be delayed or scaled back as an immediate result of the tariffs.
“University Housing and Facilities & Services are constantly working together to make sure that we adjust for changes in market conditions,” Axtman-Barker wrote. “The most likely way a delay would result from rising costs, for University Housing, would be after cost estimation.”
Axtman-Barker further wrote that as construction projects progress, they receive a final cost estimate. If the estimate totals to be much higher than the campus unit has budgeted for, the project would get delayed until it receives more available funding.
“As with any challenge the U of I and University Housing face, we will put students first,” Axtman-Barker wrote. “It is always our goal to create
spaces where students have transformational experiences that can change their lives — students join new groups, learn life skills and meet their new best friends in our residence halls. That doesn’t change, no matter the economic conditions.”
The Trump administration says the policies will promote American-made steel and aluminum, but critics warn of inflated costs. For future campus construction, this means projects may face higher price tags — and the University will need to consider how to keep building while maintaining affordability for students.
ELENA BAKER THE DAILY ILLINI Construction workers move material for a new apartment complex being built on the corner of 60 E. Green St. on Sept. 13. ASSISTANT
Influx of campus apartments combats UI housing crisis
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ANNISYN KREBS-CARR annisyn2@dailyillini.com
The University housing shortage has displaced hundreds of students over the past two years, causing students to live in off-campus apartments during their first year while relocating others to temporary housing.
The University also offered incentives to those willing to cancel their housing contracts. Still, there simply aren’t enough apartment complexes for those who can afford them.
Students begin the housing search almost a year in advance, and the closer it gets to the upcoming fall semester, the likelihood of finding an available apartment becomes slimmer.
Though ongoing, the housing crisis is being directly combatted with policy changes, like having a “limited number of new and continuing upper-class students in dorms.” Another noticeable solution is the increase in campus apartment complexes.
New buildings, like Smile Student Living’s 608 E. Chalmers and 405 E. Stoughton streets locations, have popped up just within the past year. Other buildings like Hub Champaign Daniel aren’t as new but remain more recent University apartment options.
But just because there are new buildings doesn’t mean they are affordable. According to The Washing-
ton Post, the average rent in Champaign County rose by 12.3% between 2019 and 2023, and that increase affects students.
Despite increasing rent, Barbara Cachu, junior in ACES, believes that newer apartments can be a surprisingly reasonable option for those searching for a place to live.
“I’ve been noticing that a lot of apartment complexes have been reasonable with their prices,” Cachu said. “They know that college students can’t pay that much … so they do try to be a little bit reasonable by including some of the utilities in the lease and stuff.”
Cachu lives in a renovated apartment at The Alcove, and because the complex is still being renovated, the rent is only $590 a month.
“Everything is new but at such a good a-- price,” Cachu said.
To Cachu, the influx of apartments is helping to combat the University housing crisis; more apartments mean more places to live. However, for Phoebe Mihevc, junior in Engineering, it’s not that easy.
“I think, obviously, having more places for people to live is doing something,” Mihevc said. “But at the same rate, I don’t think it’s doing nearly enough. I don’t really think it’s the best solution, especially depending on how expensive the new apartments are.”
When searching for an apartment, two factors rose above the rest for Mihevc: location and price.
According to Mihevc, most apartments she looked at were out of her price range, and looking for something brand new simply wasn’t an option.
“If I see something that’s super, super nice, obviously I know it’s going to be way too expensive,” Mihevc said. “I’m not even going to bother. So, brand new, no … I can’t pay for that.”
While some students aren’t willing to pay an increased price for housing, Harrison Guo, junior in AHS, thinks that the benefits of living in a newer apartment can outweigh the cost.
“Apartments in the Champaign-Urbana area are just expensive in general,” Guo said. “I think that the amenities for these newer apartments … and just how nice they are comparatively to the other apartments on campus … I do think it’s worth it.”
Guo lives in the Hub, pay-
ing $1,275 a month. The Hub’s amenities — a gym, sauna, pool and study spots — are all things that make the price justifiable to Guo.
With various layouts and prices ranging from $1,024 to $2,369, the Hub markets itself as one of the most luxurious living options on campus.
Despite the looks of newer apartments, Guo believes that they are accessible not only to wealthier students but to the full student body.
“Because of how nice these apartments are from the outside, it does seem like they are targeting a wealthier audience,” Guo said. “But I know me and a lot of other students personally have FAFSA money or financial aid that helps pay for a portion of these apartments.”
While an increase in apartments can play a role in helping to relieve the housing crisis, Mihevc believes there is a simpler solution to the problem.
“Tighten the acceptance rate,” Mihevc said. “I think that’s the best solution.”
RIKKIE GUNAWAN THE DAILY ILLINI
Shelters fill as housing crisis deepens
NEWS EDITOR
QAASIM JATOI
qjato2@dailyillini.com
Luxury apartment buildings rise around the University, most marketed toward students able to pay $1,000 per bedroom in rent. The school’s multibillion-dollar budget and construction projects constantly reshape Campustown.
But outside campus — a few blocks away, even — the reality is different. Shelters are full, local housing agencies are stretched thin and hundreds of residents struggle to find a safe place to live as homelessness and the cost of living rise.
The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission’s count from January revealed that 355 people in the county were homeless. That number rose from 215 in 2023 and 279 in 2024 before its current high. Among the 355 unhoused individuals counted in January, 56 were unsheltered, and 75 were under the age of 18.
Danielle Chynoweth, supervisor for Cunningham Township — a municipal agency that provides a myriad of financial services for low-income Urbana residents — said her office has become an “emergency room for poor families.” The township is managing a surge of crises as the cost of living and necessities climbs.
“Frankly, there is not enough shelter, transitional housing and affordable housing in our community to meet the need,” Chynoweth said.
The county’s only low-bar-
rier emergency shelter, Strides Shelter, has around 60 adult beds, but Chynoweth said it has been full since opening in 2022. Its future is uncertain, as the federal COVID-19 relief dollars that funded its operation ran out in June. Champaign residents in April voted down a tax levy to support it.
“Most families who are literally homeless are staying in cars with their children,” Chynoweth said. “They qualify for one of the two family shelters in town.”
One of those programs, the Emergency Shelter for Families, run by the CCRPC, provides short-term housing and case management for families. The county’s Centralized Intake for Homeless connects people to available beds whenever possible. But it’s not enough.
“We have twice as many homeless residents with half as many emergency beds as 10 years ago,” Chynoweth said. “That’s why you may see more homeless residents outside, staying in tents and other places, because there literally is not a place for them.”
Behind those numbers are personal stories. Chynoweth recalled recently speaking with a 66-year-old man and disabled University alum who thought he’d secured an apartment, only to find out he was scammed. Afterward, he cried in Chynoweth’s arms.
“That’s all my money for the month,” the man told Chynoweth. “I’m on a fixed income. It’s all gone, and I don’t have any place to stay for the month. I’m going to be home-
less, and I’m in a wheelchair.”
The township’s spending shows how much need has grown. Before the pandemic, the office handled about a dozen rental assistance cases a month. Now, it averages 60 cases monthly and spends around $15,000 per month preventing utility shutoffs, up from about $2,000 to $3,000 a few years ago.
Another resource for low-income residents is the Housing Authority of Champaign County. HACC provides affordable housing through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, known as Section 8. Lily Walton, HACC’s executive director, said they serve about 5,500 residents and manage 900 affordable units in the county, but the demand is overwhelming.
Applicants who seek a voucher are placed on a waitlist; unfortunately, there’s a long line of people waiting with no end in sight.
“Last year, we took 4,000 applicants, so we didn’t open the waitlist this year and may not open it next year,” Walton said. “A person can wait anywhere from three months to two years to receive their assistance.”
The Cunningham Township office in Urbana, pictured on Sept. 15, provides aid and services to the township’s low-income and homeless population.
HACC assists residents who struggle with rent and leasing requirements, which Walton said are making it harder for families to secure housing. Some of these include minimum credit scores or income totaling months of rent.
Many residents, Walton said, have been evicted for rent nonpayment. But for those people, the choices are impossible.
“When a mother has to think about, ‘Do I feed my kids or pay my rent?’ you’re going to feed your kids,” Walton said.
Chynoweth encouraged students to make a commitment to help address the crisis, the more often, the better. She encouraged people to advocate for tenant protection legislation, volunteer or donate to the township’s Angel Donor Fund or other organizations.
“Everyone can do something,” Chynoweth said.
Residents seeking help with housing or emergency assistance can visit the CCRPC website, which provides a list of services and resources like shelters and long-term housing. For more information on affordable housing and vouchers, visit the HACC website.
CONNOR STOLMAN THE DAILY ILLINI
How subleasing works without obstacles
STAFF WRITER
SOPHIA VASILAKOPOULOS sophiav5@dailyillini.com
Finding an apartment on campus can be hard, especially with the University’s current housing shortage.
Once students find apartments on or off campus, they face the challenge of paying their bills on time throughout the school year. However, when the academic year ends, they have to pay rent for their apartments during the summer — despite not living there.
One alternative that students can use is subleasing. Unlike renting, subleasing
is when a tenant temporarily lends someone their apartment for a specific period.
Subleasing is a notable option for students to avoid worrying about paying rent for their apartments over the summer or when spending a semester studying abroad, as they don’t have to be concerned about breaking their lease.
Subleasing an apartment has a few perks, as it can temporarily reduce the cost of rent the original tenant pays, which can potentially result in the prospective tenant paying cheaper rent.
Since first-time apartment-living students might
not know how to sublease when the time comes, this primer can provide the steps needed to make subleasing less stressful.
HOW TO SUBLEASE EFFECTIVELY
In Illinois, tenants have to ask their landlord if they can sublease their apartment in most cases. Not doing so could be a violation of their lease and can result in eviction.
Once a tenant has the landlord’s permission, they can ask their prospective tenants if they’re willing to sublet the apartment.
Tenants don’t have to rely on people they know to
take their sublease, as Illinois Abroad Housing Board and University Housing-related Facebook groups are designed to help tenants find willing sublessees.
Residents of Green Street Realty and University Group apartments can apply to have their subleased apartments advertised on the websites.
Once tenants find someone to sublease their apartment, they need to draft a legally binding agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of the living situation. The agreement should include the duration of the sublease, cost of rent, both parties main responsibilities and the payment methods for bills.
When these steps are taken, both parties should have an easy and successful subleasing experience.
The psychology of home
SENIOR NEWS REPORTER AVERY PATERSON
averyep2@dailyillini.com
Housing is, undoubtedly, an important part of life. Especially for college students new to living without their parents, factors like location, roommates and personal space can be the difference between a great year and a dismal one.
When deciding where, how and with whom a student will live, it’s important to consider how home can influence their sense of identity and well-being. Each factor that shapes a living situation comes with a host of psychological effects, both positive and negative.
Josie Melrose, sophomore in ACES, lived in Busey Hall during her freshman year. She said she loved the hall’s Urbana location so much that she chose an apartment in the same area for this year.
published by Ed Diener, Joseph R. Smiley Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University, found that the length of a person’s commute is a strong predictor of stress.
A more isolated location may also enhance feelings of FOMO — the fear of missing out.
“There is actually some recent work from the past few years suggesting that we, as human beings, have a bias toward thinking that
one else can be kind of a hard transition because I have always had my own room.”
Roommates are another crucial consideration in the process of finding housing. Many students arrive on campus to find a random roommate and a hall full of unknown neighbors. Luckily, Rios said there is research to suggest that making friends with these strangers will be easy.
“One of the oldest findings within my field of social psy-
“It was a bit weird because there was an age gap between me and my roommate, and that’s not typical usually,” Godowic said. “There were times where I couldn’t be in the room because of confidentiality, and there was definitely more of a barrier. I didn’t feel like I was in my permanent dorm … I felt like I was at a hotel.”
Godowic was moved into Taft Hall after a month, but her new roommate transferred to another dorm when a better opportunity arose. She lived alone for a week before being placed with her third roommate of the year.
“I have a bus stop really close to my apartment, so I can just hop on the bus right before class, or I can walk to class,” Melrose said. “Being close to campus was also important to me.”
Many students share Melrose’s preference for a convenient location. Finding proximity to classes and social hubs can be a key priority.
Kimberly Rios, professor in LAS, said commuting to campus from a more isolated location can be a source of stress for students. Research
other people’s social lives are more exciting than our social lives,” Rios said. “I would think that’s especially the case for students who are living further from campus and have more space to imagine all the cool things that other people are doing.”
Though location was a consideration, personal space was the deciding factor when Melrose was looking for housing.
“Having my own room was the most important thing to me,” Melrose said. “I think sharing a room with some-
chology is that living in close proximity to other people can help foster interpersonal attraction,” Rios said.
Thus, you’re likely to become friends with your roommates and neighbors. But what happens when things go awry?
Skyeleigh Godowic, sophomore in ACES, went through three different roommates during her first year of college. When she arrived in the fall, she was first placed into temporary housing with a resident adviser in Oglesby Hall.
This year, Godowic is living in an apartment in Champaign with three friends. She said that having personal space and a healthy relationship with her roommates has made all the difference.
“(We) have a good, better relationship, and we’re working really well together and figuring out boundaries and just having a good time,” Godowic said.
Rios offered advice to students looking for a living situation that supports their well-being.
“Remember that people who are good roommates might not be people that you’re really close friends with,” Rios said. “Think about what makes you comfortable and what’s personally really important to you.”
RIKKIE GUNAWAN THE DAILY ILLINI
RIKKIE GUNAWAN THE DAILY ILLINI
RIKKIE GUNAWAN THE DAILY ILLINI
By Katy Steinmetz & Rich Katz
By Katy Steinmetz & Rich Katz
Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Patti Varol
Edited by Patti Varol
Sudoku
Sudoku
By The Mepham Group
Provided by The Mempham Group
Dorm decor creates home away from home
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR SAM RINK serink2@dailyillini.com
Zoë Van Krey, sophomore in FAA, has spent years collecting artwork and souvenirs that reflect her passions. Nearly every inch of her dorm in Sherman Hall is covered in these items, most of which were gifts from friends and family.
“We’re all patchwork creations of people who’ve loved us, and I can just see them right here, and then it’s just like a little reminder,” Van Krey said.
Left: Japanese art also reminds Van Krey of home. Her father has taught high school Japanese classes for 27 years, and she is pursuing a minor in East Asian languages and cultures, alongside her acting major.
Right: A tiny skunkshaped box is one of the newest additions to her collection that she bought on a trip with her family last summer.
We’re all patchwork creations of people who’ve loved us.
Van Krey’s corkboard above her desk is densely packed with paraphernalia from her favorite movies, video games, musicals and other pieces of media. She said her love of the arts was unavoidable.
“My middle name, Amélie, is from my parents’ favorite movie,” Van Krey said. “So it’s just kind of like, even from the get-go before I was born, cinema and music and everything has been a part of my life.”
Posters for movies, bands and video games decorate the walls over her bed, which has her baby blanket on it. While her maximalist sense of interior design might create a hassle on moving day, Van Krey said it’s worth the comfort it brings.
“It’s definitely like a ‘labor of love’ thing,” Van Krey said. “I wouldn’t want it to look like anything else.”
An old watch that belonged to Van Krey’s grandmother sits on a shelf, separate from other trinkets in the room.
Zoë Van Krey , sophomore in FAA
ROOMMATE COMPATIBILITY QUIZ
Can we live together?
Agood or bad roommate can make or break the college living experience. Take this quiz to determine if you and your potential roomie will get along before you sign the lease! Two people should take the quiz separately, then combine their scores following the formula provided at the end of the quiz. Good luck!
1. Are you a morning person?
a. I’m a morning person; I’m up with the sun.
b. I only stay up late during the weekend.
c. I’ll stay up late, but I’ll also get up early. It depends on what plans I have.
d. I’m a night owl, and I hate getting up early.
2. Do you prefer a crazy night out or a cozy night in?
a. I prefer to stay in and read a good book.
b. I’ll go … but I’d rather play video games.
c. I like going out, but I would also enjoy a calm movie night.
d. Shots! Shots! Shots!
3. After a long week of work/school, your room looks...
a. Neat and tidy.
b. The bed probably isn’t made, but I’ve kept it up.
c. Piles. Everywhere.
d. Like a scene straight from “Hoarders.”
4. Your roommate isn’t feeling well. What do you do?
a. Make them some soup and a get well soon card.
b. Pick up some medicine for them on the way home.
c. Ignore them and hope they feel better.
d. Lock myself in my room so I don’t catch it.
5. Do you smoke?
a. Nope.
b. The elf bar never leaves my sight.
c. Do drunk cigs count? (Yes.)
d. Depends … Smoke what, exactly?
6. What are your opinions on guests?
a. Whatever, I don’t care.
b. It’s fine, just as long as they tell me first!
c. As long as they aren’t of the opposite gender, I don’t mind.
d. I’d rather not have someone I don’t know in my room.
STAFF WRITER
JAHZARA NORRIS jahzara2@dailyillini.com
7. How would you and your roommate divide chores?
a. A fixed schedule outlining every task.
b. Rotate chores based on availability.
c. Do what you can, when you can, as needed.
d. Let chores wait until absolutely necessary.
8. What is your stance on sharing clothes and/or food?
a. I don’t like to share; I’d rather keep our things separate.
b. I’d prefer to have my own things, but it depends.
c. I don’t mind sharing certain things, just ask!
d. Sharing is caring. What’s mine is yours!
9. It’s 6 p.m. on a Saturday. What are you most likely having for dinner?
a. Heating the food I meal prepped for the week.
b. Throwing some mac and cheese in the microwave.
c. Scouring the fridge for leftovers.
d. Ordering takeout.
10. Do you prefer to relax in a quiet environment?
a. Yes, I need total silence to focus.
b. Some low noise is generally okay.
c. Medium to loud noise during the day is fine, but I prefer quiet at night.
d. I don’t mind if it’s loud at any time.
To calculate your scores, add up each person’s total (10–40 points). Then, subtract the lower score from the higher one. The difference (0–30) is your compatibility gap. Use it to see where you land on the chart below.
0-7 — Perfect Match: Congratulations! You are going to make the perfect roommates! Have fun living together.
8-15 — Strong Fit: You guys may have some differences, but overall, you’ll get along!
16-22 — Mutually Tolerant: If you choose to live together, prepare for some substantial arguments. Communication is key! 23-30 — Long Shot: It seems you have some pretty different ideas … We would suggest holding off on signing the lease for now.
‘Putting in the work’:
STAFF WRITER
MARIANA QUEZADA
mquez3@dailyillini.com
**Matias & Gutierrez’s interviews were translated from Spanish.**
Although he was born 2,000 miles away in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, Ruben Matias, a local construction worker, calls Champaign-Urbana the right place to live in.
A C-U resident for over 12 years, he’s proud to live and work in the place he now calls home.
Matias is part of the Q’anjob’al-speaking Guatemalan diaspora in C-U, as well as part of the large Hispanic/ Latino community making up the national construction workforce.
“The work is good; I don’t complain,” Matias said. “I worked in roofing before, but with this heat, (it’s hard). Sometimes I work because of need, but I say, ‘Well, it doesn’t matter if I earn more (or) I earn less when one is blessed by God.’”
With new high-rise apartments seemingly sprouting out of rubble and academic buildings being inaugurated annually, the role of workers like Matias becomes crucial.
Gabriel Gutierrez, an off-campus construction worker, shared his story as a former carpenter who immigrated from Ixtapaluca, Mexico.
“When I came here, I just asked if they needed a chalán (worker), because we all start from the bottom,” Gutierrez
said. “If you don’t work, you can’t get ahead here in this country.”
In the latest Workforce Availability report from the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Hispanic/Latino individuals accounted for 7.4% of the labor force in Champaign County.
Yet, these numbers don’t reflect the reality of local Latino workers. This data comes from the American Community Service Survey, which selects a sample of only 3.5 million households across the country.
Moreover, as Gutierrez noted, some local workers don’t possess the proper documentation to be considered for surveys like this or even be hired by the University.
On campus alone, the Facilities & Services department worked on more than 50 construction projects over the summer. While campus activities were on pause, workers like Matias and Gutierrez were fixing roofs, painting walls and drilling screws.
“In the site where I work, we’re making drywall and (still) installing it,” Gutierrez said. “The part I like the most is screwing the sheets, and what I don’t like is working at heights, of course.”
But Latinos don’t contribute solely through manual labor. In fact, some are even involved in the construction industry as undergraduates at the University.
This is the case of Leslie Arellano-Gutierrez, senior in ACES and part of the founding executive board of the Associated General Contractors
Latino community bolsters CU’s growth in construction
of America chapter at Illinois.
“My dad has always had a habit of buying and restoring houses,” Arellano-Gutierrez said. “I would go with him and see how they would tear down the inside of a building and rebuild the whole layout. Even in high school, I was involved in my school CTE (Career and Technical Education) program. So I’ve been around aspects of construction.”
For her, student organizations like AGC are essential in propelling the role of young Latinos in this field.
“I feel proud to see our community involved in this construction industry,” Arellano-Gutierrez said. “There is also a lot more of us wanting higher positions in the industry as well. We are putting in the work — that being in the field or getting higher education to strive for that success.”
Workers like Matias are strong supporters of students like Arellano-Gutierrez, who are redefining the narrative of Latinos in construction.
“We don’t all have that opportunity, so I admire them, and I’m glad they’re studying, because they have a life ahead of them,” Matias said. “I know it’s difficult, but it’s not impossible. My dream is
Empty construction lots, closed off by gates, and older apartment buildings under halted renovation line Green Street on Sept. 13.
for my kids to achieve a good education, so that in the future, they don’t suffer — that is, they can have a job and can earn more, for example, like (those who) are studying.”
So while students walk around campus cursing at the machinery blocking their way to class, they could instead think about not just the hands and legs but the lives behind their new apartment or latest on-campus study spot.
Think of Matias, who does “a little bit of everything” to support his four children, who he dreams will become Illini one day.
Or think of Gutierrez, who, after 27 years of tirelessly helping build C-U, still fears working at heights.
Even think of Arellano-Gutierrez, who, with a team and resources at the University, is striving to expand the role of her community in this industry.
Most importantly, perhaps, think about all your neighbors who were born far from you and left their home to find work — work that improves the way you live.
“Well, I came with the purpose of helping my family,” Gutierrez said. “Because according to some, there’s just a better future here.”
ELENA BAKER THE DAILY ILLINI
UI summer housing offers safe community in CU
experience, making him an ideal candidate for the summer position.
For some University students, summer break means getting out of Champaign-Urbana as fast as possible. However, other students find themselves suffering through the corn-sweat-ridden months of June and July in C-U.
To make this transition time easier for students, the University offers summer break housing in Daniels Hall.
“Over the summer, campus is kind of lonely, and that can add up very quickly … it’s just a very different vibe from during the school year where you have busy bodies everywhere,” said Aniya Parker, summer resident adviser and senior in ACES. “It’s always very quiet.”
Some of the unsung heroes of summer University housing are the summer RAs. Kushal Ghimire, summer RA and junior in LAS, explained that the process to get the position is very competitive, with interviewers looking for candidates who create a strong “Illinois residential experience.”
Ghimire said this experience includes the RAs helping residents with their academic success, personal growth, community engagement and social justice exploration. As an RA during the academic year, Ghimire felt he engaged with the residents and provided them with the complete Illinois residential
Another part of being an RA during the summer was ensuring that residents engaged with their community, even with busy summer schedules.
of their presence. Ghimire would get to know individual residents and personally invite them to events.
Parker used a similar tactic, leaving Post-it notes on doors or stopping by residents’ rooms to check in on their well-being.
Over the summer, campus is kind of lonely, and that can add up very quickly … it’s just a very different vibe from during the school year where you have busy bodies everywhere.
Aniya Parker, summer resident adviser and senior in ACES
“Throughout the summer, if someone is staying in the residence halls, they are tending to be busy with certain duties, such as they’re engaging in research or they’re taking a lot of classes … so they don’t necessarily have much time to do events or engage in them,” Ghimire said.
Both Ghimire and Parker went above and beyond to ensure residents were aware
Daniels Hall stands tall in the night sky on West Green Street on Sept. 21. The University offers summer break housing in the residence
“It’s always better to have friendly conversation, invite them in person, rather than sending them a million emails or things like that,” Ghimire said.
While having someone to rely on is a large focus of University summer housing, the option of having a place to stay over the summer is the factor that takes precedence.
Ghimire and Parker
observed a diverse group of residents, ranging from undergraduate students to graduate students who stayed in C-U for various reasons, including research, work and being unable to go home for the summer.
“A lot of residents that I do talk to, there’s a situation where ... they couldn’t go back to their home,” Parker said. “They have homes that aren’t the best environments for them to thrive in. They actually need to stay over the summer.”
Parker said she’s also had international students stay over the summer after running into issues with their visas that prevented them from returning home. Parker recognized that University summer housing was a “nice way to have a safe space and something to fall back on.”
Summer housing is available for both undergraduate and graduate students and is offered between mid-May and early August. Residents have the ability to choose the length of their stay with a seven-consecutive-night requirement.
The University also offers interim housing after the summer halls close and before the fall housing assignments begin.
“Summer is really flexible,” Ghimire said. “You can buy a meal plan at the dining hall if you’d like, and everything is cleaned for you. Things like those little things are taken care of, so you can really focus on what you’re here to focus on.”
hall.
ISAAC PINKUS THE DAILY ILLINI
ADELYN MUI THE DAILY ILLINI
Living together, student groups thrive
STAFF WRITER
RUDRAKSH KIKANI
rkikani2@dailyillini.com
On any given Friday night in Bousfield Hall, it is not unusual to find Marching Illini members gathered in the lounge, watching movies or swapping stories about rehearsal. For some freshmen, living alongside their bandmates was their first introduction to a new environment and new people.
That was the case for Ananya Maddulapalli, junior in FAA, who spent her first year living on the sixth floor of Bousfield with other Marching Illini members.
“It was good to be around a lot of people who were in the same activity as I was,” Maddulapalli said. “A lot of times, my roommates and I would walk to rehearsals together, and we would get ready for game days together. Marching Illini takes up so much of your time, and it is really a big commitment. So having somebody who is also in that commitment with you is a nice way to stay organized.”
Barry Houser, director of the Marching Illini, set up
the arrangement. He messaged students planning to live in University Housing and offered an option to live in Bousfield with other band members. Maddulapalli signed up and was placed with a piccolo player as her roommate.
“I just got randomly assigned to my roommate,” Maddulapalli said. “Our entire hallway had Marching Illini members.”
She said the setup helped her make friends and eased the transition into college.
“We spend a lot of time together, and we are hanging out together a lot,” Maddulapalli said. “That definitely helped me form more connections, because you are around these people all the time.”
While Greek housing is often considered central to campus life, other student organizations have created their own shared living spaces. Beyond the Marching Illini, groups like the Illini Waterski and Wakeboard Club, the Adventure Club and the Men’s Golf Caddy Club have also formed houses and apartments where members live under one roof.
For band members, those
arrangements stretch beyond dorm rooms. Off-campus houses have become a popular option, with several organized almost entirely around Marching Illini sections.
Tiffany Saxinger, senior in ACES, lives in one of these “music-centered houses.” She lives with six roommates, five of whom are involved in the Marching Illini.
“It is a house that primarily has members of the trumpet section,” Saxinger said. “Three out of the six of us here are trumpet players, and two others are in the saxophone and trombone sections. Our sixth roommate is not in the Marching Illini, but he does play saxophone.”
Saxinger said the house allows her roommates to host section events, like ribbon making, and serves as a meeting hub for the trumpet section of the Marching Illini. She said it also helps them bond over shared schedules.
“For rehearsal, we are all leaving the house at the same time,” Saxinger said. “We can carpool to events, and if someone has a question about the band, usually one of the five of us has an answer.”
The idea for the house originated from a similar liv-
ing setup in past years. After the original group graduated, new members formed another such house. Saxinger jokingly said they are a sort of “reincarnation” of the original music-specific house.
“We all have the same busy weeks and not busy weeks,” Saxinger said. “With having such a busy schedule, it definitely helps living with people with that same busy schedule.”
Saxinger added that her experience living with band members has been better than living with friends from back home.
“I like this better because scheduling is easier,” Saxinger said. “Band members are like-minded. We all care about school, good grades and supporting each other. I would definitely suggest other people consider it.”
Whether it is a dorm hallway full of band members or an off-campus house for trumpets, students across campus are finding unique housing arrangements.
For Maddulapalli and Saxinger, those living spaces made their transition into college easier and helped them meet new people who shared similar interests.
Students walk outside Bousfield Hall on Oct. 30, 2024. Bousfield Hall has suite-style living and is home to floors full of Marching Illini members due to a special agreement made by the band director, Barry Houser.
Is living in a Greek house all it’s cracked up to be?
SENIOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER
BRYANA PEREZ bkperez2@dailyillini.com
As the University continues to face a student housing shortage, fraternity and sorority houses are emerging as an option for students looking for both a place to live and a sense of community.
Greek housing may look polished from the streets of Champaign-Urbana, but what is it really like to live inside? For students, the reality is a mix of support, structure and the occasional chaos of communal living.
Patrick Holt, member of Pi Kappa Phi and junior in ACES, said moving into the fraternity house presented challenges from the start.
The newly chartered chapter inherited a house that was left with various holes in the walls by its previous tenants.
“There was a good amount of damage to the house,” Holt said. “We had a lot of cleaning and damage to fix, (which is) why we’re remodeling the house this year.”
Repairs, cleaning and long-term remodeling became part of the brothers’ early experience as tenants.
Even after settling in, Holt said nights in the fraternity house could be unpredictable. When dozens of members trickle back from the bars in the early morning hours, the noise makes it hard to sleep — but it also creates a sense of responsibility, as brothers often keep an eye
on one another to make sure everyone gets home safely.
“Sometimes it was decently difficult to get to bed because (we’d) have like 20 people coming in between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.,” Holt said.
Noise and activity aren’t reserved for late nights, as the chaos frequently carries into the daytime.
Sam Culotta, member of Acacia and senior in Business, said the house can feel hectic on certain days.
“I would definitely say it is chaotic at times when we have chapter on Mondays,” Culotta said. “(But) if there are important things going on, then we try to keep everything sort of chilled out.”
For many students, the difficulties are outweighed by the sense of community that comes with Greek housing.
For Sloan Markin, member of Alpha Omicron Pi and junior in AHS, living in the house was the moment she truly felt connected to her sorority.
“I did not fully know if I belonged in my sorority until I lived in,” Markin said. “Everyone is very different, but we all have a bunch of unique unifying qualities that make us one.”
Holt also said the layout of the Pi Kappa Phi house has strengthened connections among members. The house is divided into pods, creating smaller living groups within the larger space.
“It gives you a really good opportunity to have a really close group of people
within the fraternity,” Holt said. “It is a nice balance of fully communal living, like the dorms, and also being completely separated (like) a normal apartment building might.”
Beyond community, members also point to convenience as one of the biggest benefits of living in a fraternity or sorority house.
For Markin, the meal system is one of the most notable benefits.
“We have an app where you can see what the meals will be for the week,” Markin said. “You can select a ‘late plate’ or a ‘sack lunch’ … if you need to eat later in the day, but we are provided lunch
and dinner on all weekdays and dinner on Sundays.”
Food, friends and convenience are part of the appeal, but deciding whether to live in-house is about more than perks — it’s about whether the experience will pay off in the long run.
Culotta offered some perspective on navigating that uncertainty.
“The best thing to do in college in general is to be confident in any situation that you’re anxious about,” Culotta said. “Living in a fraternity or sorority is always going to have its ups and downs, but I think that it really helped me personally grow.”
SAM RINK THE DAILY ILLINI
Members of Pi Beta Phi welcome new members into their house on South Wright Street during Bid Day on Sept. 15.
OPINION
UI offloads climate initiatives on campus community
SENIOR COLUMNIST
GRAYSON HODSON ghodson2@dailyillini.com
In August 2023, after being shuffled around in State Farm Center, I waited anxiously for the New Student Convocation. It was moments away from starting. As a freshman, like many at the time, I didn’t know what I was doing in college. But it was the speech they played for us from the University’s first regent, John Gregory, from his 1868 address at the inauguration of the University, that affirmed why I was here.
“The hungry eyes of toiling millions are turned, with mingled hope and fear, upon us, to see what new and better solution we can possibly offer of the great problems on which their well-being and destiny depend,” Gregory said.
This University promised me something more than other universities: a commitment to produce the extraordinary. Yet, as I now understand, our administrators insist on abdicating this commitment, placing it solely on students and faculty.
Often, first impressions are the most important, and these were mine. From this impression, I knew that this institution would offer me and the thousands of students around me with the tools needed to change the world.
For me and many other adolescents, there is a reasonable dread for the future that awaits us. Rebuilding
our neutered political system, creating economic justice for all and solving the climate crisis particularly come to mind as our society’s “great problems.”
In the microcosm of the Champaign-Urbana community, we can observe how the University perceives its role in addressing these problems — more specifically, the climate crisis.
Housing over 60,000 students, it’s reasonable that the University would attempt to reduce each student’s environmental impact. To this end, the Illinois Climate Action Plan recommends initiatives increasing the use of sustainable transportation,
reducing waste and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. However, progress toward these goals is lacking.
The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District is a crowning achievement of these goals. According to a 2019 report, 61% of daily MTD ridership comes from University bus stations.
With this consistent use and support for MTD from the University, as well as its funding from student fees, MTD developed more sustainable infrastructure. MTD is the first in the nation to order 60-inch articulated hydrogen fuel cell buses.
Yet, this initiative, like the others in iCAP, relies
solely on students to lead to these changes.
Students, faculty and administrators produce the iCAP throughout the process of writing, evaluating and gaining approval from the chancellor. However, these recommendations are just that: recommendations. Because of the document’s nonbinding nature, the University has no incentive to develop a more sustainable campus.
Again, most — if not all — of the progress under the iCAP is accomplished by students and faculty, rather than top-down initiatives from University administrators.
This progress is accom-
Students passionate about the environment paint signs on Sept. 10 to prepare for the upcoming rally to protest the University’s investment in fossil fuels.
RUHI HARYADI THE DAILY ILLINI
plished through funding iCAP projects, which is provided by the Student Sustainability Committee. The student-led board evaluates and funds grassroots projects, distributing funding paid by students through the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee and the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee.
As a result of this student outsourcing, yearly progress toward iCAP goals is depressing.
Our University promised to be different, which is why I, and many others, chose to enroll here. Yet, when it comes to this particular issue, it avoids taking the most obvious and tangible steps toward change.
The University receives roughly 75% of its energy from its Abbott Power Plant. This plant does not rely on renewable energy.
Instead, it utilizes natural gas, coal or fuel oil in its boilers and combustion turbines. Prairieland Energy Inc. purchases the remaining 25% of our energy
This University promised me something more than other universities: a commitment to produce the extraordinary.
Grayson Hodson, junior in LAS
consumption, which is solely owned by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. As of 2024, only 13% of our total energy comes from renewable energy sources —
wind and solar power.
We should, and could, have solar panels on the roof of every campus building. These panels would offer us a reliable stream of renewable energy. Even for those who cite aesthetic reasons, there is no excuse for this University to be on some of the flattest land while not having acres of solar panels and wind farms supplying energy.
If the University was actually committed to being carbon neutral as soon as possible or by 2050 at the latest, as it pledged by signing the Second Nature Climate Commitment in 2008, we would be developing sustainable energy infrastructure now. Yet, there is no plan for this.
Even if implemented now, these infrastructure changes would take years to complete. However, we have actions that
could be taken now. For example, divestment from fossil fuel companies would reduce the carbon footprint, not just in the C-U community but for the entire nation.
Doubtlessly, there will be those who claim the funding doesn’t exist, to which I reply by asking where the sum of our exorbitant student fees goes. Regardless, the funding certainly could exist. After all, if we have $170 million to invest in fossil fuels, then we have the money to develop renewable energy for our campus.
With that, I would like to remind the University of the words from its first regent who realized our great commitment to the millions watching “to see what new and better solution we can possibly offer of the great problems on which their well-being and destiny depend.”
Grayson is a junior in LAS.
The cost of playing house OPINION
SENIOR COLUMNIST
RAPHAEL RANOLA rrano2@dailyillini.com
The process of moving into my house for my final year of college was pretty seamless. My friend’s three roommates were moving on, and he needed to find folks to live with, lest he give up a beautiful house — a regular changing of the guard.
Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to live in a house I’d come to associate with good memories, and I brought some friends aboard.
It’s a beautiful house, by the way. Gloriously situated in historic Urbana, I’ve been enjoying my east-facing windows and accompanying small army of plants that thrive despite me (and not because of me).
The location grants me
easy access to Common Ground Food Co-op if I’m ever fiending for brie cheese. And my roommate has a vinyl record player on which I’ve been playing crooner classics like The Platters and The Fleetwoods because it just seems right. I say this to give you a taste of my recent domestic bliss.
The house has two spots to drink coffee and contemplate. There’s a nice woody back porch and a front porch with a swing.
From the front porch, I can see the family across the way, a household marked by children’s chatter.
They’re putting down roots, while I’ll be gone in less than a year. They want a quiet, brick-lined neighborhood to raise their children; my roommates and I want a place near campus where we
can live cheaply and maybe make a little noise.
The clash practically writes itself: negative externalities. Two parties with different priorities sharing the same block — permanent residents investing for the long haul, students passing through.
On a first pass, one could easily dismiss this proximity as a standard market failure — a spatial mismatch. Economic theory usually assumes that students cluster with students and town residents live by town residents — so-called “self-sorting” behavior in urban economics — but this setup doesn’t quite fit that mold.
If this was also your first instinct, you’re definitely not wrong. I’ll use the house show scene as an example, as it’s a characteristic of my neighborhood. Even though
they’re an institution that keeps Urbana weird and fun, it’s hard to imagine DIY shows are always a welcome aspect of the neighborhood for residents, even if they end at a reasonable time — and especially if they don’t.
This has a name in the literature: “studentification,” a term coined by Darren Smith, professor of geography, at Loughborough University to describe the urban change sparked by concentrations of students. In other words, it’s like gentrification, if the gentrifiers were overwhelmingly broke college students whose presence is heralded by an increase in rental houses and not by a Starbucks.
There are some real concerns associated with studentification, notably how rising property values and increased demand for student
CONNOR STOLMAN THE DAILY ILLINI
West High Street in Urbana is shaded by trees and lined with brick paving on Sept. 15. West Urbana, which borders the University’s campus, is home to long-time residents of Champaign-Urbana and student renters.
rental housing could drive up rent and displace long-time residents. At the University of Maryland’s National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, researchers tracked how this plays out in College Park, where owner-occupied housing fell by 21% between 1980 and 2023 as rentals expanded.
However, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Champaign-Urbana’s cost of living is about 9% below the national average, with housing more than 30% cheaper — so this story doesn’t track. In College Park, that’s displacement. In Urbana, the dynamics are subtler.
The best way to talk about studentification in the C-U case is through thinking about the quieter trade-offs between students and permanent residents. My roommates and I pay what I like
to call the “far tax” — living away from campus action in exchange for trees, brick streets and a quieter neighborhood that’s still close to the house show scene. It’s bliss, but bliss is an irksome 15-minute bike ride away.
My neighbors pay the “noise tax.” They get the upside of living near the University and all that brings: sports, festivals, concerts and being surrounded by higher education as an institution, instilling the importance of learning (hopefully). But the tradeoff is real: less peace and quiet and the constant risk that a weeknight will be hijacked because someone decided to throw a “BRAT” night.
There’s a kind of symbiosis here. We enjoy neighborhood amenities; they enjoy the amenities we provide just by being here. These are byproducts of existence, not
personal favors.
But the human element matters. And the onus ultimately falls on us college students to conduct ourselves appropriately when student activities bleed into residential neighborhoods, whether it’s house parties or DIY shows. There’s no observable friction as I write this, but what would us being worse look like?
In my head, I imagine the destruction of property — knocking over mailboxes, trampling gardens and increased general obnoxiousness — as the escalation. This disrespect for people’s lives can displace people who were here first and whose world we’re guests in.
History is full of stories where temporary settlers mistake themselves for permanent ones. For our scope, the worst it gets is the odd
busted mailbox and someone deciding to move away. Elsewhere, it’s a matter of lives and forced migration.
I don’t usually think about the audience when I write these columns, but this one feels especially inward. As graduation nears, I look across the street and feel the contrast. I’ve spent more time in C-U than in my hometown these past three years, but I wouldn’t deign to call it home.
Still, I don’t feel bad for playing house in my last year here. That comes with the territory. From my porch, I watch the family across the street settle in for a lifetime, while I settle in for a season. Almost a life — and for now, that’s enough.
Raphael is a senior in ACES and should probably water his plants.
