Does anyone know how our # of on campus students compare to other schools?

[Costa]

Everyone is right. We have a ton of students that live around the campus area but are considered "commuters." The difference between USF and say FSU or UF is that USF does not provide a good shuttle system to all the student apartment complexes around campus, forcing students to drive or "commute" to campus, even though they live one or two miles away from campus. I live in a brand new apartment complex that is right by campus and is affiliated with the university, yet there is no bull runner that comes by here. But the bull runner will go down 22nd where no students live? They need to fix the bull runner routes to pick up more students instead of going to the mall and down 22nd street and picking up people who bring guns on campus. There is a much larger number of student who drive to campus and park at USF then UF, and the difference being that UF has a better shuttle service that will pick students up from ALL student housing apartments.

Really? In all my years off campus I hardly ever bothered to drive in and opted for the shuttle instead. It may require you to walk a bit but if you expect a stop in front of each apartment you're lazy.

That's not what I am talking about. There is no shuttle service ANYWHERE on my road. I also know of several other areas around campus that have ZERO stops around them. No one lives down 22nd and by the mall, but that is the only bull runner route off campus beside going down 42nd. So basically 42nd street loop is the only off campus useful route. That is not the only area around campus that students live.

Honestly, I'd consider those students "off campus" I'm not sure how wide you want the shuttles running bu the only reason it even goes to the mall is because there's classes there. Though, I'm not sure why there's the stop by the sweet bay-ish area.

The only other location that is adjacent to campus is what, 36th for whatever? I forget what street that is now...

Precisely. Although I dont think there are any clasess being held at the mall anymore, and if their is, will be eliminated soon with all the new facilities being constructed. But what I am saying is that students in gainesville who are considered "off campus" that live almost to the oaks mall still ride the shuttle. Thats a wide range. If the bull runner would have routes off campus that go down McKinley, down Bougainvillea, and come back up 50th street back onto campus would be good. I know there is a stop on 42nd right out front of cambridge woods complex, but if the runner went through there and down 37th back onto fletcher, there are some more student apartment complexes through there that have no shuttle stop around them. They are missing large chunks of students around campus with the way the routes are designed. Here is a link that shows the current routes:

http://usfweb2.usf.edu/parking_services/maps/Bull_Runner_map.pdf

[Costa]

As you can see from the map, there are no routes off campus that are to the south and to the east of campus. There is a good amount of students that live on those sides of campus.

[The Great 8]

As you can see from the map, there are no routes off campus that are to the south and to the east of campus. There is a good amount of students that live on those sides of campus.

Fair enough. I think as long as they cover 42nd, 46th, and 50th that covers many of the students that would actually use the shuttle. If you have to start going any further the shuttle rides get irritating (even going to 42/46th is irritating in the afternoon).

As far as being adjacent to the university and being south/east of the campus there are virtually no houses adjacent you have to go down Fowler/Bruce B. Downs and then proceed to your destination. If you want to do that then take a bus.

If other schools do this, it seems like a waste of money. That, or they're the only thing in town (i.e. in the case of UF and FSU).

[Costa]

As you can see from the map, there are no routes off campus that are to the south and to the east of campus. There is a good amount of students that live on those sides of campus.

Fair enough. I think as long as they cover 42nd, 46th, and 50th that covers many of the students that would actually use the shuttle. If you have to start going any further the shuttle rides get irritating (even going to 42/46th is irritating in the afternoon).

As far as being adjacent to the university and being south/east of the campus there are virtually no houses adjacent you have to go down Fowler/Bruce B. Downs and then proceed to your destination. If you want to do that then take a bus.

If other schools do this, it seems like a waste of money. That, or they're the only thing in town (i.e. in the case of UF and FSU).

No way in hell I ride a HART bus unless they clean those things up. Not really a safe option at night riding those things considering who rides those buses around campus...not very safe.

[Mama_Bull]

Didn't USF implement a new policy last September requiring ALL freshmen to live on-campus? If so, do any of the other public Florida universities have that same policy?

[Costa]

Didn't USF implement a new policy last September requiring ALL freshmen to live on-campus? If so, do any of the other public Florida universities have that same policy?

Yes, but of course USF gave students the option of opting out if they live in the surrounding counties. Stupid idea. But yes with the new dorm that opened this past fall, they implemented that rule, although very weakly. I also heard that "The Edge" which used to be Fontana Hall had no management to begin this past fall...USF should look into repurchasing it and using it for dorms.

[Mama_Bull]

Didn't USF implement a new policy last September requiring ALL freshmen to live on-campus? If so, do any of the other public Florida universities have that same policy?

Yes, but of course USF gave students the option of opting out if they live in the surrounding counties. Stupid idea. But yes with the new dorm that opened this past fall, they implemented that rule, although very weakly. I also heard that "The Edge" which used to be Fontana Hall had no management to begin this past fall...USF should look into repurchasing it and using it for dorms.

My son spent his freshmen year at Fontana Hall, even though we only lived a few blocks away. LOL

[Oldsmobull]

In the mix of things with the number of "official" on campus resident students at USF's Tampa campus is USF's long term goal of attaining AAU membership.  USF has it right in its Vision Statement in its current strategic plan to position USF for AAU membership.  The AAU likes to see a minimum of about 25% of an institution's students "living on campus."  This might seem at first blush unrealistic in having that number of students living on campus at a modern metropolitan university like USF.  If you look at the numbers--it is easily possible getting to 25% though.  For illustration purposes, figure 40,000 enrolled students at USF-Tampa, meaning 10,000 must live on campus for AAU requirement.  USF already has about 5500 dorm beds.  USF will probably add another dorm in coming years getting up to 6500 beds--still 3500 students short of 25% deal.  What USF will probably do within next couple of years is offer to students housing in "affiliated" private apartment complexes near campus that will qualify as  "on campus" housing by offering USF paid resident advisors/supervision at the affiliated private apts., along with other services like USF police protection and also Shuttle transportation.  Doing all this could get USF's official "on campus" resident student number over 10,000 (25% ratio) and once and for all allow USF to shed its "commuter school" reputation and also meet the AAU criterion.

[813knight]

The surrounding area of USF(city council, etc) need to also help to eliminate your 'commuter' stigma. There needs to be stuff to do right by campus so students don't want to live 30 minutes away, several USF people I knew didn't want to live by campus b/c lack of entertainment options for a school that big. Over a year ago, some UCF guys that own a very successful college bar by UCF wanted to open the same model across the street from USF but were denied by the city council, that would have added another nightlife option where students could walk to. So adding beds is not the only hurdle, students need places to party where they don't have to drive to Channelside and want to live by USF to get classified as a residential campus like UCF, FSU, and UF.

[SattyBull]

The surrounding area of USF(city council, etc) need to also help to eliminate your 'commuter' stigma. There needs to be stuff to do right by campus so students don't want to live 30 minutes away, several USF people I knew didn't want to live by campus b/c lack of entertainment options for a school that big. Over a year ago, some UCF guys that own a very successful college bar by UCF wanted to open the same model across the street from USF but were denied by the city council, that would have added another nightlife option where students could walk to. So adding beds is not the only hurdle, students need places to party where they don't have to drive to Channelside and want to live by USF to get classified as a residential campus like UCF, FSU, and UF.

That would've been nice. I like UCF's set up with FUBAR, Deko, Library, etc all in the same plaza/area.

USF is way more spread out.