Jenn Sterger (sorta) slams USF

[Joe]

speaking as somebody who was here 6 years ago, we were a communter school then, we have added at least 4 new dorms to the campus, plus a lot more parking.

That does not change it from being a commuter school though. You can build dorms and parking for every student and that won't change the fact that they can still leave on the weekends. The school with the least amount of on campus dorms in the state? The University of Florida.

I lived in a dorm my last semester and about 50-60% of the students would leave for the weekend for a multitude of reasons (jobs, family, visiting friends) and usually it was the same culprits. Which the RA told me was way better than when she was a freshman.

USF can rid the commutter image by getting more entertainment options around campus (namely bars...and I don't mean the bar inside a Bennigan's);  giving the students a reason to stick around (OCS, etc.), and most improve their academics. You get more kids in from around the corners of the state (Panhandle, Jax, Miami) and nationally/internationally, you leave them with very little option to drive home compared to those who grew up in the Bay area (including Sarasota) or Orlando.

USF is getting there, they are not fully rid of the "commuter" image. But they will be, it takes time.

[Guest wildrover]

You can tell we're headed into the dog days of summer when a topic like this gets the most attention in one day.

During football season all kinds of reputable sports columnists say all kinds of divisive things about USF football or the university and those article don't generate this kind of attention.  

[Brad]

Boredom...

[USFan]

You can expect commuters if 1) your school is public and/or 2) your school is in a large city (please refer to UCF, FAU, FIU, UNF, USF, etc.).

If you live at home with mom and dad then everything is still the same as HS (with the exception that your commute may be longer)

I would have done the same.  However, she could have changed her "tone" in her article.

[PitBull]

That does not change it from being a commuter school though. You can build dorms and parking for every student and that won't change the fact that they can still leave on the weekends. The school with the least amount of on campus dorms in the state? The University of Florida.

I lived in a dorm my last semester and about 50-60% of the students would leave for the weekend for a multitude of reasons (jobs, family, visiting friends) and usually it was the same culprits. Which the RA told me was way better than when she was a freshman.

USF can rid the commutter image by getting more entertainment options around campus (namely bars...and I don't mean the bar inside a Bennigan's);  giving the students a reason to stick around (OCS, etc.), and most improve their academics. You get more kids in from around the corners of the state (Panhandle, Jax, Miami) and nationally/internationally, you leave them with very little option to drive home compared to those who grew up in the Bay area (including Sarasota) or Orlando.

USF is getting there, they are not fully rid of the "commuter" image. But they will be, it takes time.

personally, i think USF will always have that commuter image simply because of the way the campus is situated and how it is built.  everything is so spread out and there is ample amount of parking lots around most of the buildings-- which is good for commuting students, but bad for maintaining the whole commuter image.  because of this, the campus doesnt get that "busy" feel when walking between buildings, because most people just walk to their cars vs. walking through the campus in order to get to places.

i think college is what you make of it.  USF is a public school located in a city, so a lot of people make it a commuter school.  however, you can live in a dorm or the apartments around the school and make it a true college experience.

the truth is, a lot of people from UF/FSU/UM "commute" to school, in the technical sense, because they live off campus and park in parking lots on their way to class.  I think the reason why we get the label is because the design of our campus.  for instance, i was walking through campus today and noticed the unnecessarily large amounts of lawn just west of the marshall center and student services building.. it doesnt "feel" busy.. it "feels" like people get outta class, hop in their cars, and get the hell outta dodge.

[Joe]

Actually the definition of commuter school isn't that you have to drive to get to campus, because the majority of large schools cannot offer enough houses these days.

University of Houston did a whole presentation on it. It has a lot to do with student life, participation in school events, time spent on campus, etc.

I'll see if I can find it later.

[E.T.]

Far from a slam.

Go BULLS !!!

[Bull Dozer]

I could really care what she says when it comes to USF (and what she said isnt even that bad people here have VERY thin skin).  She got famous via facebook and her sweater puppies and shes a sub par sports writer.  Her opinon matters about as much as that Ryan Hamilton cat.  

[bulls96go]

no harm no foul

USF keeps getting better and better

[MikeG]

I lived in dorms (not at USF) and I thought it was so-so. Living in an apartment was 100 times better.

I also lived with my folks during my sophomore year while going to USF and it was somewhat like she described (we're talking 1985 though)-- it felt a little like a commuter college. But I took it upon mself to make the most of my experience. Back then-- there was an actual lively bar scene around the campus (countless bars) . That scene seems to have relocated to Ybor and more recently Channelside. things change.

If that is her experience-- what a shame. We could have done without that comparison to a commuter college but I doubt this will be the bible for prospective students at USF anyway.