VPSA Submission 01-23-2013
Residence System Governance Report for 2013-2014 Academic Year
University: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
1. FIVE YEAR PLANS FY14 – FY18 – Please include an explanation of any variances from prior plans in the executive summary.
Five Year Plan Executive SummaryDepartment of Residence
Iowa State University continues to experience strong enrollment. Due to a record freshmen class size and solid retention rates to on-campus housing, the DOR opened the fall 2012 semester with 10,426 residents – the highest occupancy since 1986. Since 2005 enrollment has increased 21.9% (from 25,462 to 31,040) while on campus housing occupancy has grown 28.5% (from 8,112 to 10,426).
For fall 2012, this increase in occupancy required that Wallace Hall, with the exception of the tenth floor, be converted from single occupancy to original design double occupancy. Additionally, 428 bed spaces were set up in residence hall dens, configured primarily as triples and quads, to house residents on an interim basis.
Future enrollment is anticipated to remain stable, with a fall 2013 class size similar to that of fall 2012. To accommodate this enrollment level and the projected retention of current residents, while at the same time attempting to eliminate the use of dens as student housing, the DOR put forward a plan to increase capacity in the Frederiksen Court area by 720 beds. This plan was ultimately approved and 240 of these bed spaces will be available fall 2013 with the remaining 480 being available spring 2014.
ISU Dining
ISU Dining continues to focus on providing meal plans and retail services that meet the students’ desire for value, choice, flexibility and convenience. Feedback was sought in a variety of ways:
· Food Committee meetings
· Residential Managers attending house meetings
· Inter-Residence Hall Association (IRHA)
· Government of Student Body (GSB)
· Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS)
· Text and Tell in the Union Drive Marketplace dining center
· Suggestion boxes/forms.
Feedback received indicated that the FY13 addition of Guest Meal passes and the adjustment of various service hours were seen as positive by students. As a result, no significant meal plan changes were necessary for FY14. Feedback also indicated that students desired a 0.0% meal plan rate increase for FY14. Based on a review and adjustment of expenses, ISU Dining was able to present to students that a 0.0% increase could be achieved with no appreciable changes to services or program quality. These adjustments, detailed in section 1.B, include reduction in scope of the Linden Training Center Services, replacement of high priced, high end menu items, and refocusing of the Farm to ISU program
ISU Dining continues to follow the Capital Investment 10-year Plan to improve and maintain facilities. The Capital Investment 10-year Plan has been augmented by the finalization of a facilities life cycle plan. Detail regarding the investment in facilities can be found in section 1.C.
In FY14, ISU Dining will examine the impact of enrollment on dining to facilities and the potential need for additional lunch services.
A. Enrollment and Occupancy Projections – see Excel “Five Yr Plan” tab
· Enrollment (headcount) projections per year
· Total operating capacity for residence halls and apartments (current and planned changes including any new construction)
· Residence hall, apartment, and total occupancy projections per year
· Occupancy ratios
Five Year Plan - Enrollment and Occupancy Projections (See attached Forecasts and Five Year Plan.)Official enrollment projections are provided by the Office of Admissions and are the basis for DOR occupancy projections. Admissions numbers currently indicate flat, stable enrollment for the next five years. DOR occupancy projections are based upon historical capture rates of projected NDHS (New Direct from High School) and New Transfer student enrollment and historical retention rates for current students. By fall 2017 occupancy is anticipated to drop by 8.58% to 9,544 – a decrease of 882 occupants when compared to fall 2012 numbers.
B. Significant Policy and Program Considerations
· Strategies to increase/maintain occupancy and if applicable, plans to address occupancy in excess of capacity.
· Potential new programs that may impact policies and/or business practices
· Other policy considerations
· UNI Only – provide an update on the Two-Year Advantage Plan
Five Year Plan - Significant Policy and Program ConsiderationsDepartment of Residence
The mission to provide an on-campus living experience that supports and enhances individual and collective student success has positioned the DOR favorably with students, resulting in robust occupancy. Strong demand from new student enrollment and solid retention of continuing students is a testament to the DOR’s ability to fulfill this mission and continues to increase occupancy.
The DOR opened fall 2012 with 10,426 residents – an increase of 466 residents from the previous year. As a result, all permanent residence hall and apartment spaces were maximally occupied. Additional requests for on-campus housing were accommodated through the use of 428 den spaces converted from community space to resident rooms.
As part of the ISU brand, the DOR strives to provide on-campus housing for any ISU student who desires an assignment. Previously, the DOR accomplished this by maximizing occupancy where possible and converting community den space to resident rooms. Residents assigned to dens have expressed high levels of satisfaction with their assignment. Remaining residents on each floor/house have been welcoming of these students, but they have officially demanded, through their elected IRHA leaders, that DOR plan to permanently accommodate future occupancy without using dens. At the same time, IRHA has requested the DOR to establish 5% vacancy rates in permanent housing so residents have the flexibility to move around within the system.
As a result the DOR requested and received approval for a 720 bed expansion of the Frederiksen Court apartment community. 240 beds will be available for the start of the fall 2013 semester with the remaining 480 beds ready for occupancy January 2014.
For fall 2013, in addition to the new Frederiksen Court spaces, the tenth floor of Wallace Hall will be converted from single occupancy to double occupancy, creating 27 additional spaces. Should additional space be required, the 428 den spaces previously used as interim housing will also be available. Beyond these spaces, the DOR has no additional on-campus capacity for fall 2013.
Above all, DOR expenditures have focused on providing student experiences that affect higher levels of academic and personal success while concurrently addressing longstanding deferred maintenance issues. The reinvestment in infrastructure (HVAC, windows, building envelopes) and life safety (updated heat & smoke detection, sprinklering, surveillance systems), coupled with enhanced student comfort (student room furniture, restroom renovations, community gathering spaces) has been enhanced and accelerated as a result of the net income generated by higher occupancies. The appropriate balance between infrastructure and student comfort reinvestment has contributed significantly to our overall success.
ISU Dining
ISU Dining is making no significant changes to the meal plans offered for FY14. The Semester Plans have been successful based on positive student feedback and a significant increase in the meal plan participation rate (percent of meals offered that were used). Fall semester meal plan participation rose from a fall 2011 average of 70% to a fall 2012 average of 76%.
During the rate development process, based on a review and adjustment of expenses, ISU Dining was able to present to students that a 0.0% increase could be achieved with no appreciable changes to services or program quality. The following changes were necessary:
· Reduction in scope of the Linden Training Center. The scope of the Linden Training Center has been reduced to concentrate on the Dining Student Staffing Office functions, ServeSafe Training, On-Boarding, and Orientations.
· Replacement of high price, high-end menu items. To control costs, menus have been adapted to replace high-priced, high-end items with moderately priced items that maintain a high level of food quality.
· Refocusing of the Farm to ISU program. Previously, the Farm to ISU program was partially funded through an IDALS grant that supported sustainable farming education for local farmers and the University community. ISU Dining will no longer receive this grant. As a result, the education portion of the Farm to ISU program will be suspended and the term appointment of the temporary Sustainability Coordinator will not be renewed. The focus of the program will now be on the purchase of local products when not cost prohibitive.
Students continue to express a desire for quick meal options. As such, satisfaction with flexible take out options remains high. These options include the meal bundle options offered in seven retail operations, the To-Go container program available in the residential dining centers, the WebFood® on-line ordering system, and the kiosk ordering locations. These programs have increased the speed of service in several areas, resulting in a significant increase of daily sales.
Vending sales continue to decline. This has been impacted by the quick-serve improvements in retail services, extended service hours in dining centers and retail locations, and extremely mild weather – which promotes students leaving their buildings to travel to a dining center or retail location. ISU Dining has also rebid the beverage contract for vending resulting in Coke being the vendor on campus.
Overall ISU Dining revenues remain strong despite the lower than expected vending sales.This can be attributed to larger than forecasted enrollment and occupancy resulting in a higher than projected customer base for ISU Dining.
ISU Dining continues to be challenged by large lunch crowds in the residential dining centers and retail establishments. Previously established initiatives (to-go-containers, continuous service in residential dining, WebFood®, and meal bundles in retail areas) will be continued. In addition, ISU Dining is investigating other options to mitigate student wait times such as educational marketing campaigns targeted at encouraging students to come to lunch during less busy times. Signage is also being developed to inform students how long the wait time will be from various points in the entry lines. Finally, ISU Dining is also opening the Curtiss Hall Kiosk in the fall of 2013 and plans to open the ABE Café in the fall of 2014 to provide more locations for customers to choose from.
C. Plans for Renovation/Construction of Facilities
· Provide update on current and planned construction projects.
· Include an update of deferred maintenance and fire safety issues (include update on sprinklers)
· Explain any significant changes from prior plans presented to the Board
Five Year Plan for Renovation/Construction of FacilitiesOfficial enrollment projections indicate flat, stable enrollment for the next five years. However, campus conversations have recently begun that indicate the possibility of enrollment growth. As such new surplus cannot be fully committed to additional projects until the need to expand housing capacity to meet this projected growth has been studied. In addition to funding increased capacity, restroom renovations, student room furniture additions, window replacement, HVAC upgrades are all potential projects for surplus funds.
Department of Residence Projects Summary
· FY13 – Birch/ Welch/Roberts – Upgrade Heat and Smoke Detection System to an addressable system and replace battery operated detectors in student rooms with hard wired units.
· FY13 – Linden Hall – Upgrade Heat and Smoke Detection System to an addressable system and replace battery operated detectors in student rooms with hard wired units.
· FY13 – Wilson Hall – Sprinkler Installation
· FY13 – Wilson Hall – Kitchenette installation
· FY13-FY16 – Installation of a sprinkler system in Friley Hall is planned to begin summer 2013 and scheduled for completion fall 2017. Following the completion of these projects, all residence halls will be fully sprinklered.
o FY13 – Friley Hall – Sprinkler Installation-Phase 1 of 4
o FY14 – Friley Hall – Sprinkler Installation-Phase 2 of 4
o FY15 – Friley Hall – Sprinkler Installation-Phase 3 of 4
o FY16 – Friley Hall – Sprinkler Installation-Phase 4 of 4
o In conjunction with sprinkler installation, all T12 hallway lighting will be replaced with higher efficiency T8 fixtures.
· FY13 – Installation of Increasing Big Belly Solar Trash compactors by 20%
· FY14 – Replacement of all Frederiksen Court shower heads with low-flow units.
· FY14 – Retrofit all drinking fountains to include water bottle fill stations.
· FY13-FY17 – DOR has allocated funding in upcoming years for student comfort and retention. Specific projects will be based on identified needs in each year.
· FY13 – Apartment Community Storage Building - The proposed construction of a new facility or addition to existing facility will provide the needed space to combine custodial and maintenance services in one location. This project will return 4 apartments in Schilletter Village and 1 apartment in Frederiksen Court back to rentable units.
· FY13 – Frederiksen Court Expansion – An addition 720? Spaces will be added to on-campus capacity. 240 spaces will come on-line for fall 2013 and the remaining 480 will be available for spring 2014.
· FY13 – Friley Hall-1927 Addition Roof Replacement
· FY13 – University Village-Building 200 Addition
· FY13 – Maple/Willow/Larch Hall Desk / Hall Director Office Remodel
· FY14 – Friley Hall – DOR and ISU Dining are exploring the consolidation of administrative offices in the former Friley Dining space. This would provide better service to students and increase occupancy by returning office space back to student rooms (a gain of 32 bed spaces). A project place holder was added to FY14 and FY15, but thus far a feasibility study has been the only action taken.
ISU Dining Projects Summary
ISU Dining Funded Projects
· FY13 – Additional cooler and freezer space is being added at the Knapp Storms Complex to handle commissary and bakery production resulting from increased retail sales and Storms Dining Center.
· FY13 – ISU Dining is focusing on current infrastructure in order to maintain equipment, improve flooring, and improve table and chair options.
ISU Dining Partner Funded Projects
· FY14 – Curtiss Hall Kiosk – construction fully funded by the College of Agriculture
o ISU Dining was asked to incorporate a food option in the renovated Curtiss Hall Student Success Center. Originally scheduled for FY12, this project has been phased for funding purposes. An expanded vending option similar to a staffed airport style kiosk is scheduled to open for the fall of 2013 semester.
· FY15 – ABE Café – construction fully funded by the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
o The ABE department is building a major expansion into a new building and is including a cafe in the new location. This project is now scheduled to open for the fall of 2014 semester.
Five Year Breakdown of Reinvestments
Improvements / FY13 / FY14 / FY15 / FY16 / FY17
DOR - Fire Safety / $ 9,178,220 / $ 3,972,402 / $ 3,357,620 / $ 2,502,986 / $ 0
DOR - Building / $ 13,336,209 / $ 3,617,748 / $ 3,236,590 / $ 2,684,050 / $ 3,507,172
ISU Dining / $ 1,761,996 / $ 605,128 / $ 626,373 / $ 700,000 / $ 724,000
By FY17 all Fire Safety improvements, including sprinklering of all resident spaces, will be complete. No additional projects have been identified at this time.
D. Financial Forecasts for the Next Five Years - see Excel “Five Yr Plan” tab