At the Sept. 20 Student Senate meeting, Dean of Students Derek Zuckerman presented the results from a spring Student Life survey that addressed concerns regarding current housing and parking.
According to Zuckerman, the survey, conducted in April using the EDI benchmarking instrument, garnered over 800 responses from students—representing about 30 percent of resident students. The results showed that students rated Roger Williams University highest in campus safety and security, a category where the university excelled compared to peer institutions such as Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, and the University of Rhode Island.
The area where students expressed the most dissatisfaction included the housing room-selection process and campus parking. Zuckerman said parking was the most common complaint among resident students, who often questioned why commuters and faculty received priority over them. In response, Resident Sticker holders are now permitted to park in Lot H, a change implemented following the survey results.
The meeting also touched on other student-life topics. Zuckerman noted future plans to make dormitory floor plans more accessible to students. He also referenced data on student smoking and drinking behaviors.
In addition, Senators discussed the technical challenges with the new JustIn Mobile system. Students have openly discussed the varied issues that occur when multiple Bluetooth devices are connected, forcing the system to override devices to unlock doors. This becomes problematic when it overrides devices like glucose monitors and other health related Bluetooth items. Manufacturers of the system are reviewing possible solutions, but none are currently available.
