Montgomery County Community College has long imagined providing student housing, says Dr. Steady Moono, vice president of the college’s West Campus in Pottstown.
“A lot of students want more than the commuter experience – they want the total college experience,” Moono said.
The college took a step forward this week in actually offering the service.
Its board of trustees authorized college officials Monday to negotiate a letter of intent with Cross Properties, Inc., of Lower Merion Township. The letter of intent would commit the college to working exclusively with the developer to continue exploring the feasibility of developing student housing in Pottstown.
Moono said many community colleges across the country are considering student housing or already have it.
“The time is right,” he said. “Community colleges are at the center of innovation and workforce development. When you think about America’s future, a lot of it is dependent on community colleges.”
According to data from the American Association of Community Colleges, nearly a quarter of community colleges nationwide offered student housing as of August 2013.
And while community colleges are still battling significant enrollment declines among part-time and older students, rates are better among full-time and younger students.
“Research shows that engaged students are more likely to persist and graduate,” Dr. Karen A. Stout, college president, said in a release. “At commuter institutions like ours, many students leave campus immediately after class, which makes it challenging to create a campus identity or to grow involvement. However, students who live on or near campus have a built-in support network that can help to keep them engaged and connected with their education.”
Community college enrollment for people ages 24 or younger declined just 1.2 percent in the fall 2013 semester. That same semester, enrollment dropped 2.9 percent for full-time students – certainly not good, but nearly half of the 5.7 percent drop the year before. Now with the economy recovering, Moono said community colleges are optimistic.
Montgomery County Community College began investigating in 2013 the feasibility of offering student housing in partnership with a private developer. Its research included focus groups, an email survey, an off-campus market analysis and an eight-institution analysis.
In Pennsylvania, Northampton Community College has student housing, Moono said, and the Community College of Allegheny County is in the process of adding it.
MCCC said its analysis found that community colleges with student housing report increased recruitment, particularly among international students and athletes.
According to Moono, MCCC chose Cross Properties over four other developers.
Moono emphasized the letter of intent poses no financial risk to the college.
“We just want to sit down at the table and have a serious discussion with Cross Properties,” he said. “I’m really excited about this, but we’re going to be pragmatic and deliberate as we plan this.”
The college hopes to negotiate the letter of intent within the next two months. Then it would negotiate a development and lease agreement and move forward with preliminary designs.
He said the “housing complexes” – not traditional dorms – would ideally be located adjacent to West Campus, just a few blocks away from downtown Pottstown.
Borough officials were unavailable for comment Wednesday, but Moono said housing would complement Pottstown’s economic redevelopment efforts because students are attracted to its establishments and parks.
“The borough has been great supporters of the college,” Moono said. “We’re in discussions with the (Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc.) and a number of other entities.”
Contact Andrew Wagaman: 610-371-5095 or awagaman@readingeagle.com.
