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U P C L O S E 6 THE THIRD DEGREE Spring 2004 Home sweet home By Bill Armstrong Photos: Audio/Visual Services For many students, oncampus living is more than a way to get to class quicker—it's quite simply home. Whether it's finding a three-foot-long iguana in a student apartment, staging hot tub parties on the roof, or following people’s lives through romances, engagements and weddings, residents of the student residences on the University of Regina campus have just about seen it all. Luther College, College West and La Résidence each has its own characteristics and distinctive history written from the memories of the people who call the residences home. Now, a new chapter is set to begin as the trio of established residences is about to be joined by a new kid on the campus block – the 692-bed student residence opening this fall. For thousands of current and former students pursuing postsecondary education, on-campus living provides the best alternative for combining accommodation and study. It's also a great way to widen social circles and meet a lot of new friends.
A NEW PLACE TO CALL HOME What happens when you cut the ribbon on a new residence building housing a population equivalent to a small town? The University of Regina is about to find out. In just a few months the first wave of students will begin moving into a new 12-storey, 692bed residence. The building is easily the tallest on campus, and will be much more than just a physical presence. "The number of students living on campus has remained the same for a long time," observes Hilary Horan, associate vicepresident of Student Affairs at the U of R. "The rule of thumb across Canada is to have about 12 per cent of students in residence. The new building will bring us up to about 10 per cent. I (Opposite) La Résidence has been providing U of R students with all the comforts of home since it opened in 1991. (Above) With its impressive views of Wascana Lake and the University campus, the new 692-bed residence building is expected to be filled in time for the start of the fall semester in September. The residence offers students a choice of either apartment-style (insert) or dormitory-style rooms. expect we'll see more activity after classes, in the library, recreation centres and the food courts." Horan says the new residence will give students more opportunities to get to meet new people. About 65 per cent of firstyear students coming to the U of R live within an hour drive of the city, and their circle of family and friends consists mostly of Saskatchewan people. For those newcomers, living on campus opens new doors. "The number of international students has grown significantly in the past five years," says Horan, "so there are more opportunities, in residence and in the classroom, to share different cultural perspectives with people from other parts of the world." Horan also anticipates that the new residence will help students make the transition from high school to university. About twothirds of new students coming to the U of R are the first in their family to attend university. While their parents are supportive, Horan explains, the community created in residence can provide peer support for learners in a very new environment. "For these students, being away from home is a totally different way of living," he says. "More experienced students in residence can help them adjust, and that contributes to their academic success." The new building offers 166 apartments with one to four bedrooms, and 132 dormitory-style rooms, which include a meal plan. Every unit has telephone, cable TV and high-speed Internet access. The new residence allows the flexibility to move toward what residences manager Judy Amundson calls a theme-based approach. "Students will find groupings, such as a quiet lifestyle floor, an international floor, or a health and wellness floor, which would be of particular interest to students in Kinesiology and Health Studies." The new residence is expected to be filled by the beginning of the fall semester. LUTHER COLLEGE "We were all from smaller places around Saskatchewan," recalls former Luther College resident Mike Fedyk, "so it was like a small town, except everybody was the same age." Fedyk, who now manages marketing and communications for Partners in Planning, lived in Luther College from 1980 to 1985, while he earned degrees in history and education. It's no accident that the college has a small-town feel. It was founded as Luther Academy in Melville in 1913, to prepare students for a university education in teaching and the ministry. In 1926 it relocated to the outskirts of Regina, where Luther College High School stands today. Luther College on the University of Regina campus opened in 1971. As a federated college at the U of R, it offers a small school atmosphere, while providing access to all the resources of the University. "I loved having people around all the time," says Fedyk. It appears he was in the right place, as he eventually became president of the Luther University Students' Association. Part of what gives Luther College its distinctive social atmosphere, Fedyk believes, is the college cafeteria, where all residents gather for meals. In addition, while most other residences offer apartments, Luther provides private, furnished rooms for its 219 residents, with shared washroom and shower facilities. (Each room is now equipped with a high-speed Internet connection, a "must have" feature for today's students.) Another major difference is the way the Since its opening in 1971, Luther College has been both a place to learn and a place to live. space is organized. Rooms on each floor are organized into "quads" around a central lounge. In his day, says Fedyk, some of the men's quads – located on the first two floors – were like little fraternity houses. "My quad, first south, once declared itself an independent nation," Fedyk remembers. "We appointed a Queen, a Queen Mother and a Leader of the Opposition for life. Another time we parodied the Oscars by staging "sleaze" awards. We even held a Spring 2004 THE THIRD DEGREE 7
Page 1 and 2: UNIVERSITY OF REGINA ALUMNI MAGAZIN
Page 3 and 4: Editor Greg Campbell ’85, ’95 E
Page 5 and 6: photographer of the moving image, i
Page 7: Choose the card that supports the e
Page 11 and 12: Birth? Marriage? Promotion? Volunte
Page 13 and 14: Ken Mitchell BA’65, MA’67 One o
Page 15 and 16: Tim Lilburn BA’73 Award-winning p
Page 17 and 18: Peter Leavitt, Department of Biolog
Page 19 and 20: BERT FOX/FERGUSON ENTRANCE SCHOLARS
Page 21 and 22: Two grads go flat-out for Grey Cup
Page 23 and 24: king connections | Alumni making co
Page 25 and 26: GROUP HOME INSURANCE for Members of
Page 27 and 28: for all human beings. Maintain your
Page 29 and 30: LAST WORD WORD Reminiscing about re
Page 31 and 32: If it's crowded up the middle … G

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