The term “University Housing” often evokes images of many young, rowdy freshmen living together during the academic year. But University Housing isn’t strictly dedicated to providing residency for the “traditional” 18- to 22-year-old undergraduate student.
The University offers three apartment complexes designed to accommodate student families. These buildings offer more than just a place to live and study — they also provide a community that fosters family life.
The concept of family housing at the University began at the close of World War II, said Frank Gaddini, Family Housing area director for the East Campus and Spencer View complexes.
After the war, Gaddini said, old army barracks were disassembled from Vanport and shipped down the Willamette River to Eugene to use as “married student housing” for returning GIs. Those barracks were reassembled on the land that is now Spencer View, at 22nd Avenue and Patterson Street.
“The old army barracks sat on that spot for 50 years before rebuilding,” Gaddini said.
Now, 55 years later, Gaddini said Family Housing has more than 2,300 residents. Of those 2,300, Gaddini estimated that 900 of them are students. The approximately 1,400 other residents, Gaddini said, are partners and children of the students.
Times have changed since the 1940s, and the definition of a family has also changed, said Candice Cardiff, Westmoreland Family Housing Area Director.
“We don’t have any stipulation about couples having to be married,” Cardiff said. “Now it’s whatever you define as a family.”
Cardiff said the previous rule, which said couples had to be married to live together has changed from the past, when only legally married couples were allowed to live in Family Housing. She said the rule was changed about five years ago.
“We pride ourselves in trying to stay current with how people define a family,” Cardiff said.
In order to live in Family Housing, a registered University student must be 21 or older, Cardiff said. She said highest priority is given to households with children, second priority is to graduate students and then undergraduates.
Melissa Franzen’s situation is considered in the highest priority category with Family Housing because she is a single parent working towards a master’s degree in middle-secondary special education.
“There’s not enough legitimate time in the day to spend with kids,” Franzen said. “I’m a parent first, but I also have to provide by earning a degree, and it becomes a balance.”
Her experiences are what Gaddini calls “typical” struggles of a student trying to maintain a family.
“It’s an incredible balancing act,” Gaddini said, “balancing their child’s needs … and doing laundry and studying and going to classes. They (single parents) really have a major challenge, given they do it all alone.”
Gaddini said 20 percent of the parents in Family Housing are single parents such as Franzen. University Housing tries to help these students out — socially, financially and academically.
Family Housing offers many social programs and activities that encourage families to do things together, Gaddini said.
“We have activities for all ages, from toddlers to seniors,” he said.
Cardiff said activities include crafts, after-school sports, storytelling, movie nights and holiday parties.
“It’s more than just money and affordability,” Cardiff said. “It’s a community of students trying to accomplish the same things.”
Franzen said that the University helps students with families by offering financial relief.
“They make education really conducive to student parents,” Franzen said.
She said the University was the only school she knew of that provided child care subsidies, which pays up to 50 percent of a parent’s child care tuition, depending on need.
The apartments are also a bargain, Gaddini said, calling Family Housing “the best deal in town.” Franzen said she pays $510 a month, which covers rent, utilities and an ethernet connection.
Academically, University Housing provides parents with resources necessary to succeed, Gaddini said.
“Above all,” Gaddini said, “We create an environment for households with children to achieve academic success.”