13 July 2008

Javier Gutierrez, residential life

ENG 1800 Professional Writing & Rhetoric
Hamline University
1536 Hewitt Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55104-1284
Feasibility Report
Dear Mr. Gutierrez:
On October 13, 2015 I requested permission to conduct research on the feasibility of building a
new apartment on the Hamline University campus. My feasibility has been approved and the
study will be completed by December 2, 2015. Since receiving approval I have been researching
for this project.
The reason why I chose to research the feasibility of constructing a new apartment building on
Hamline University campus is because the Universitys has a plan to increase the amount of
undergraduate students. Which in affect will increase the demand for living space on campus.
The general opinion form the Hamline students is more on campus living space is needed. To
research this project I used the Hamline website, Library database, online searches and created a
survey that was distributed to 16 Hamline students.
In conclusion I think building a new Hamline University apartment would be feasible. From the
research that I have conducted shows that Hamline Universitys enrolment has increased each
year. Hamline University goal was to have an undergraduate class of 2,500 students by 2013, the
goal has not been accomplished. If Hamlines plan is to increase undergraduate students then
they would also have to plan for increasing on campus housing. In 2008 Hamline University had
a five and 20 year plan. With the 60 acers that Hamline owns they plan to add more dorms and
classrooms in their 20 year plan. I think Hamline could use that area for a new apartment
building.
Sincerely,

Jessica Goldberg

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Building a New Hamline University Apartment Building: A Feasibility Study

Jessica Goldberg
Hamline University
November 16, 2015

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Abstract
This paper examines the feasibility of constructing a new Hamline University apartment
building on campus. Research that has been conducted is from the Hamline library database,
Google Scholar, Google, and a survey of students attending Hamline University. It was
discovered that this project is feasible because it was already in Hamline Universitys 20 year
plan to add more living space on campus. Due to the increase in the undergraduates each year,
students agree that more living space is needed on campus.

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Table of Contents
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 3
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Research Method ............................................................................................................................ 7
Criteria........................................................................................................................................ 7
Results ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Students interest .......................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 1 .................................................................................................................................. 9
Figure 2.. .............................................................................................................................. 10
Figure 3 ................................................................................................................................ 11
Affordability ............................................................................................................................. 11
Competitive Universities .......................................................................................................... 11
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 13
Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 14
Reference Page.............................................................................................................................. 15

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Introduction
Hamline Universitys enrollment of upper classmen is 2,120 students, the total
undergraduate enrollment has been increasing on average 2.6 % per year over the past five years.
There is not enough student housing for upper classmen (juniors and seniors). Hamline
University needs to meet the upperclassmen housing needs. Hamline University currently has six
dorms buildings, Osborn, Peterson, Schilling, Drew, Sorin and Manor. Osborn, Peterson, and
Schilling all are in an area Hamline University calls the Heights. These buildings are the
freshman dorms and every floor is co-ed, and 100 students live on each building. Drew Hall was
originally built for men only, and now it is a co-ed dorm, housing 200 undergraduate students.
Also, Drew Hall has a floor designated for new incoming transfer students. When Sorin Hall was
originally built in 1958, it was designated to be a womens dorm. Now Sorin is single gender by
floor and can house 100 students per floor as a total of 300 students. Manor Hall was built in
1922 originally only housing women, today it is co-ed, housing 150 students. Manor Hall is
meant to be for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Adding all these dorms together equals living
space for 950 full time students. Hamlines current enrollment is 2,120 undergraduates leaving
more than half the student no on campus living options.
Hamline University also has apartments that are available to students. The eligibility for
an apartment is to be a returning upperclassmen, law student, graduate student, married, students
25 years of age or older. Hamline University does not own any residential homes to rent to
students but will provide help to find a renal home in the nearby neighborhoods.
Each year the undergraduate program grows at Hamline University. In the year 2000 the
undergraduates had a total of 1,698 full time students. In 2008 there was a dramatic jump to

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1,953 full time undergraduate students. Currently in 2015 the undergraduate class is still
increasing and the full time students is now 2,120. As I added up before there is only about 950
student that can live in the dorms. There are many student who do not have the option of living
on campus because simply there is no space for them. Three of the six dorms (The Heights) are
for incoming freshmens. The upper classman do not have as many options for living space as
the freshmens do. As the freshman class continues to grow the overflow is being housed in the
dorms that are designated for upper classman. The overflow is taking away options for upper
classman to live on campus. The upper classmans most likely find housing nearby or commute
to campus. Do they really want to live off campus or do they feel their living space is being taken
away? I think Hamline University needs to add another apartment building for the upper
classmen to increase their options for on campus living space.
Hamline University has a five year plan and a 20 year plan. This plan was developed in
2008 so some changes have been made already but much of the long term plan need to be
completed. Hamline University has about 60 acres and the goal is to increase housing and
parking so they can handle a larger undergraduate student body. Within five years from 2008
(2013) the plan to increase the growth of undergraduates by 25 % totaling 2,500 undergrads.
Currently in 2015 Hamline Universitys student enrollment is 2,120, 15% short of goal. In
Hamline Universitys five year plan suggest extending campus one block south of Minnehaha
Avenue and replace the residence hall at Minnehaha Avenue and Pascal Street. The plan has not
been started but shows constructing a new dorm in that area which is located behind the current
Hamline University apartment building. Instead of constructing another dorm in that location
why not add another apartment building? Hamline University already has six dorms, I do not feel
another dorm is necessary.

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Hamline Universitys 20 year plan (2028) idea is to convert the corner of Snelling and
Minnehaha Avenues into a plaza, expand the student center and add more housing, parking,
classrooms and offices. This portion of the plan has not been accomplished but we could also use
this area to construct another apartment building. The reason for having another Hamline
apartment would be beneficial for the students, providing more economical options then living in
off campus homes, accessibility to the school, socialization increases, and event participation.

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Research Method
The following research conducted was using these methods:

Online search started with Google scholars. Search term Hamline University
apartments.

Applied same search phrase to Google, obtaining more relevant information.

Searched the Hamline University Library database for general information and funding.

Searched local newspapers for articles pertaining to the Hamline University area.

A questionnaire was created and distributed to 16 Hamline University students.

Criteria
Here are the criterias I used to gather my information and to make my recommendations:

Is there enough on campus housing for the current enrollment?

Is there an ideal location to build a new apartment building?

Would students recommend more apartment living on campus?

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Results
This research proposal is focused on building a new Hamline University apartment
building on campus. Each year Hamline Universitys undergraduate class is has continued to
grow. Hamlines five year plan (2013) wanted an undergraduate class of 2,500 students. As of
today (2015) the undergraduate class is at 2,120, Hamline still has not exceed their goal. What is
Hamline University going to do with an undergraduate class that size when only has housing for
950 full time students (not including Hamline Universitys apartments)? Hamline currently has
six dorms and one apartment building.
Hamlines five year plan not only do they plan to increase undergraduate students but
they also plan to extended campus one block south of Minnehaha Avenue and replace the
residence hall at Minnehaha Avenue and Pascal Street. Hamline has not extend that far yet but
on the corner of Pascal and Minnehaha they plan on building a new dorm which is located
behind the current Hamline University apartment building? Instead of putting another dorm on
campus why not add another apartment building. As mentioned before Hamline University
already has six dorms. Hamline Universitys 20 year plan (2028) their idea is to convert the
corner of Snelling and Minnehaha Avenues into a plaza, expand the student center and adding
more housing and parking. The 20 year plan has not yet been started but that area could also be
used to build more Hamline apartment living.
Students interest
A questionnaire was distributed to 16 Hamline University students. The questionnaire
was taken by six males and ten female students in Professor Sorias professional writing &
rhetoric class. The goal in figure one was to determine what state students are from and their
campus living status. This pie chart shows the percentage of students who are originally form

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Minnesota or from out of state. This chart show that 25% of Hamline students live in Minnesota
and also lives on campus. 44% of Hamline student live in Minnesota and off campus. 32% of
Hamline students live out of state and off campus.

CAMPUS LIVING STATUS

MN- on campus

MN- off campus

Out of state- on campus

out of state- off campus

25%
31%

44%

Figure 1. Students home state and campus living status.

As the results of this pie graph showes that 75 % of students live off campus. That is a
high prectage of students living off campus, they may be commuting but not very far from
campus (walking distance). This is an indicator that another apartment building on campus may
be beneficial assuming that the large percentage that is living off of campus is because of
housing availibity.
Another goal of the survey was determine commuting distance for Hamline University
students. The criteria in figure 2 ws to determine the average distance students travel to campus.
The bar graph shows that 56% of students are within walking distance to campus. That could
mean they live on campus or a nearby renal home off campus. Students traveling distance, 13%
travel less than 10 miles and 31% grater than 10 miles.

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10

Commuting Distance

9
8
7
6
5

4
3
2
1
0
Walking distance

Less than 10 miles

Greater than 10 miles

Figure 2. Students average commuting distance to campus.

The results showed a large number of students traveling over 10 miles. This could be a
determining factor that there is not enough campus living space and only option is to commute to
campus.
Another objective of the survey was to see what students think about the availability
regarding campus living space. In figure 3 represents a yes/no question of the general opion of
students regarding the amount of campus living space on Hamline University.

Increase Campus Living Space

31%

69%

Yes

No

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Figure 3. Should Hamline University increase campus living space?
The question was asked, should their be more living space on campus and 69% of the
respondents said yes. This gives another indication that general opinion of the students that
Hamline university is not providing enough on campus housing.
Affordability
Hamline University already has a 20 year plan with campus housing in the plan.
Therefore Hamline University should already be budgeting money to execute these plans. If
Hamlines budget funds are short they will need to look for extra funding. Possible sources for
additional funding would be through alumni donations and grants from company like: McKnight,
Travelers, St. Paul Bigelow, and Otto Bremer foundations. These companies have provided prior
funding for projects within the Hamline Midways area.
Competitive Universities
One of Hamline Universitys biggest rival is St. Thomas University (aka The Tommies).
They are Hamlines rival in sports and academic. The reason why St. Thomas and Hamline are
rivalries is because they two institutions are not very far from each other. Therefore students are
most likely looking at both schools. St. Thomas is a few steps ahead of Hamline with executing
their future plans.
As I mentioned before Hamline has six dorms and one apartment building with an
undergraduate class of 2,120 in 2015. St. Thomas has an undergraduate class of 6,240 students
with seven dorms and five apartment buildings. In the article the value of living on campus by
Minnesotas Private Colleges informs the readers many campuses, St. Thomas included, have
added apartment and townhome-style living options for upperclassmen as demand has increased

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for this type of campus housing. St. Thomas has already recognized the trend and has built new
on campus apartments that are more appealing to students. Hamline University is behind the
trend in what students are desiring for on campus housing. Even though St. Thomas has a larger
class of undergraduates, Hamline can compete by adding another apartment building on campus
and that may also help Hamline reach their undergraduate goal of 2,500 students.

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Conclusion
After reviewing the research material, it is determined that the students opinion that the
Hamline needs more housing availability. There is a large number of students off campus and are
commuting more than 10 miles. I was unable to determine why there are so many students off
campus that were in walking distance. I am making the assumption that there is not enough
living space on campus. The expanding undergraduate on campus housing is a strong priority
within the Hamline 20 year plan. A location has been determine where more housing could be
constructed but from my results this space would be better used if an apartment building was
constructed. The biggest object in moving forward with this building plan is obtaining proper
funding. There are some suggestion on where to obtain these funds but the budget has not yet
been finalized.

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Recommendations
I recommend that Hamline University continues with the 20 year plan. In regards to
extending housing on campus. I recommend that changing the dorm in the 20 year plan to an
apartment building because it would be more beneficial to the students and Hamline University. I
recommend that Hamline does not increase tuition but to obtain funding grants from various
sources.

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Reference Page
Campus apartments buys students housing for $256 million. (2007). Mortgage Banking,
67(11),126

Hamline University (2015) Office of institutional effectiveness. Historical fall enrollment.

Retrieved from http://www.hamline.edu/offices/institutional-effectiveness/basic-data/

Hamline University (2015) Housing. Retrieved from

https://www.hamline.edu/offices/housing/residence-halls.html
Friedrich A. (2008) Hamline sketches its vision of a larger, greener campus. Retrieved from
http://www.twincities.com/ci_9078721
Nesterak, M. (2011). Forum raises questions, eyebrows. The Hamline Oracle. Retrieved form
http://www.hamlineoracle.com/961/news/forum-raises-questions-eyebrows/
n.a (2015). The value of living on campus. Retrieved from
http;//www.mnprivatecolleges.org/newsletter/septemver-2011-newsletter/value-living-campus
Thoemke, M. (2008). Looking to the future with an eye on the past-Hamline midway coalitionDistrict 11 planning council. Retrieved from http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/looking-futureeye-past-hamline-midway-coalition-district-11-planning-councilhtm/
University of St. Thomas (2015). Residence life. Retrieved from
https://www.stthomas.edu/residencelife/housing/
University of St. Thomas (2015). Off-campus student services. Retrieved from
https://www.stthomas.edu/offcampus/housing/listings/

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University of St. Thomas (2015). Quick facts. Retrieved from
http://www.stthomas.edu/aboutust/quickfacts/