Blog Archive

It Just Feels Right to Me

What matters most to the campus community?

I often ask students why they chose to come to Penn State. Perhaps much too often the answer is something like "The moment I set foot on campus, I knew this was the place for me."

How so?  As faculty and administrators we expect to hear that students choose college on the basis of academic reputation, the quality of the faculty, the match with their particular academic interests, or some other compelling explanation that goes beyond aesthetics.

But I've learned that how a campus looks and feels carries a lot of weight in the decisions of many students.  The fact is that campus aesthetics are important to faculty and staff as well.

I've come to believe that people are happier and more productive when they work in a place that looks nice to them ñ a place that is well maintained and has no litter, graffiti, or vandalism.  And it has become important to me as well. 

To me, adequate facilities are an essential part of a student-centered university.  To get there, campuses must develop master plans, make campuses more pedestrian-friendly, emphasize sustainable buildings, create open green spaces, and focus on efficient land use.

This past summer, The Chronicle of Higher Education published the results of a http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i45/45b01201.htm on the things that college employees value most about their jobs. Guess what? The physical environment was at the top of the list. College employees said "they were concerned not only that their spaces met their needs but also that their campuses had a pleasing appearance." They also stressed the importance of spaces that capture the sense of belonging to a campus community.

There are many reasons people choose to live and work on our campuses. Some choose a college because it's close to home, some because it is away from home. Others choose on the basis of where a boyfriend or girlfriend is studying.  Tuition and scholarship support are important to many.  And, yes, some even choose us because we have outstanding professors and academic resources.

But I suspect many will continue to look for a place that "just feels right."