Mark Hudson, director of Housing and Dining, is an overachiever.

In 2002, the first year the Residence Hall Satisfaction Survey was held, 84 percent of students surveyed said they enjoyed living in the residence halls.

In 2004, the number rose to 90 percent.

In last year’s survey the results came back at 93.4 percent.

But Hudson is not satisfied.

“The critical piece for us is making sure everyone’s needs are met,” Hudson said.

And he means everyone.

“We approach it kind of like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,” said Hudson.

He said Eastern is not just about providing food and water, but also a place for learning and fostering companionship.

Like Hudson, Gary Reed, director of facilities planning and management, and Steve Shrake, associate director for design and construction, are concerned with pleasing their “customers” and have initiated a new online maintenance request system.

Reed and his team work closely with Hudson and Shrake to maintain the campus and to make improvements that will not only last but also be economically and environmentally smart for the university. The goal is not just to make quick fixes.

The directors and planners draw their construction and design plans in large part from results of the Residence Hall Satisfaction Survey.

The survey is a 165 question online survey given to random third of those who live on campus every other November.

The survey is directly proportional to the population on campus and covers all aspects of the residential experience such as common areas, RAs, and dining.

The results are tallied and distributed to the relevant departments in January.

Each department creates action plans to fix lower scoring areas.

Next, the departments work together looking at the plans and trying to work them into the big picture through an administrative process.

Hudson said with the help of information gathered by the survey, the percentage of returnees living on campus has gone up every year for the last five years.

“Half of our population is new incoming students, the other half of that is returners. After that first year students can pick, ‘Where am I going to live?'” he said. “So we have to be very sensitive to making sure that we are delivering service at a level that’s working for them.”

Hudson also said his staff are excited by the numbers, especially with the increased competition off campus with the addition of Campus Point and Millennium Apartments.

He also values the surveys for their encouragement to his staff.

“What’s challenging sometimes about working in this environment is you spend your time working with the small percent of students who have problems. It’s easy to forget that 94 percent feel like it’s rocking for them.”

Hudson attributes the increases to a hard working staff, physical improvements on campus such as residence hall refurbishments, but also the more personal aspects of campus life like continually updated RA training

While You Were Out: What’s new on campus this semester?

Dining Halls:

Thomas Food Service extended their hours and will now be open straight through lunch into dinner, adding 3 hours a day.

The Java Beanery and Bakery has also added hours and is now open 7:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday.

Furniture:

Andrews hall – second and third floor

Lincoln hall – third floor

(now half finished with room renovations)

These updates bring the room renovation goal for campus to 65 percent complete.

Siding:

Giffin of University Court

Windows:

Giffin of University Court

Laundry and Lounge:

Lincoln Hall

Douglas Hall

Carpet:

Lincoln Hall

Andrews Hall

Carman Hall

Giffin of University Court

Wiring:

Carman – entire building

Tile:

Union Food Court

Paint:

Lincoln Hall

Andrews Hall

Carman Hall – men’s tower

Giffin of University Court

Sigma Kappa and Sigma Sigma Sigma student rooms

Union Food Court

New fire suppression sprinklers:

Andrews Hall, lobby and rooms

This will be an on-going update process for the residence halls over the next five years.

Cable:

Negotiated a New TV contract. Eastern cable will now have 2 Spanish channels, 8 HBO channels, and more channel guides at no additional cost to the students.

Flat Screens:

Lawson Hall – lobby

Carman Hall – lobby

“Smart Classrooms”:

Carman Hall

Efficency lighting:

Andrews Hall

(This lighting in the lobby near the windows turns off when the room is light from sunlight but kick back on when the environment darkens.)

Fire Alarm System:

Andrews Hall

A new “addressable system” has been installed in Andrews hall. The system is equipped with a speaker in every room, which is connected to the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service can trigger announcements in case of severe weather and the system can also be accessed by a microphone to inform students of emergency updates by someone in the building.

Recycling Room:

Douglas Hall

All rooms have recycling bins for mixed recyclables. The students are encouraged to bring the bins to the recycling room on their floor and sort it themselves into the correct receptacles.

Security Cameras:

Union

Rec Center

Outdoor Lighting:

Area by tennis courts

Area near West Stadium parking lots

Crosswalk areas

Parking:

35 new spaces added in lot where Alpha Phi house stood

For the Future:

Security Cameras for the South Quad

New Furniture in remaining areas

Recycling Rooms

New Bathroom floor plans for Lincoln/Douglas

New seal coating and crack repair will go on all semester in the lots of Pemberton,

McAffee, and others.