Left Out, Priced Out
Four Proposals for Reimagining student accommodations at UCLA.
In Fall 2022, UCLA reached a historic milestone: four years of housing in university-owned residences will be guaranteed for incoming freshmen, and two years for incoming transfer students. The construction of several new major residential projects has made it possible for UCLA to reach this milestone, and with university rental rates averaging 30% below market rates, the residences present a relatively affordable option for students. This achievement, combined with the university’s multi-year initiatives to secure more affordable transit options to and from campus, is a major step towards making the full UCLA experience more accessible to all admitted students.
Yet there is still much the university can do to increase affordability for students and meet their basic needs. While the ‘beds guarantee’ is a major improvement, many students are still likely to find living on campus financially out of each. For those students who experience multiple barriers to completing their education, the university must expand its range of services to meet their needs. This report highlights four ideas for reimagining accommodation at UCLA.
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Over the past 50 years, so-called “nontraditional students”--students whose socio-demographic characteristics differ from those who have traditionally participated in higher education–have steadily increased in numbers. While the university’s approach to produce more residential halls builds overall bed capacity, the halls remain unsuited to students who, for example, commute over an hour to campus, hold multiple jobs across the city, live with dependents off campus, all of whom are more likely to find university housing, tuition, and meal plans unaffordable to begin with. In short, participating in academic life at UCLA remains an overwhelming challenge for many financially insecure students and students from historically marginalized backgrounds.
| Project Type: | Housing, Research, Design |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Dr. Dana Cuff Gus Wendel Rayne Laborde Ruiz Evan Brutesch Katie Angen Alexis Winarske |
| Collaborators: | Student Affairs UCLA BruinHub Steering Committee Recreation First Year Experience |
| Timeline: | 2022-2023 |
| Themes: | Affordable Housing, Postsuburban city, Student Housing |