Dorm
Debate
Table of contents
iii
Table of contents
Table of contents ......................................................................................................................................... iii
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... v
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. v
Content ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Comparison ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Methods ...................................................................................................................................................... 18
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Glossary ....................................................................................................................................................... 21
Index............................................................................................................................................................ 25
iv
Dorm Debate
Executive Summary and Introduction
v
Executive Summary
We are reporting on three dorms on this campus: Kerr, Bruce, and West. Students are most likely to pick
one of these three dorms when they chose where they will live. Each dorm was critiqued on a number of
criteria and each dorm has their own perks. However, our report has come to the conclusion that Bruce
Hall is the best of the three. Bruce stands out in a number of ways that sets the hall above the other
two. Kerr and West are both very good dorms, but Bruce is the best of the three.
Introduction
Every new school year, freshmen must make the important decision of choosing what dorm to live in.
The dorm is the most important next to the student’s education because it is going to be the student’s
new home. This dorm must be as comfortable as possible because it is going to be the student’s new
home for the next 9 months.
In order to help students decide which dorm is right for them. We have created a comparison list
between three different dorms that will help students choose the right term. The three dorms that will
be in this feasibility report are Bruce, West, and Kerr.
We will go over things such as bathroom size, bedroom size, bathroom, cafeteria, amenities, etc. After
reading through this, you have an idea in mind of what dorm is the right one for you.
Go Mean Green!
Content
Content
9
Content
Overview
The three halls (Bruce, West, and Kerr) because we have personal experience living at these dorms and
could provide information from our knowledge of living there. We picked these three halls because they
are all spread throughout the campus. This prevents any area bias in our testing. We are testing the
three dorms based on these criteria.
Criteria






Location – Location of the dorm is important because of the travel distance from one place to
another
Dorm size – The room’s size is crucial because everyone wants a spacious area to live in
Bathroom – The bathroom comparison between community is suitemate is crucial due to the
privacy level of each person
Cafeteria – The type of food and the location of the cafeteria
Amenities – Some dorms have events for the residents to bond and be social. Some people
find it important to connect with others that they are living with
REAL communities – The most popular majors could help a new student feel at home
because of the similar majors all around
Comparison
Comparison
13
Comparison
We are comparing Kerr, Bruce, and West Halls on the following criteria:






Room Size
Location
Bathroom Style
Cafeteria
Amenities
REAL Communities
Room Size
The room sizes do not vary significantly among the dorms; however, some students may want
that extra space no matter how small it is. We did some research on the UNT website to find out
the exact specifications so you, the student, do not have to.
Kerr
Figure 1-Depicts a typical Kerr dorm
Out of the three dorms that we are comparing, Kerr is the one with the least amount of square
footage. The small footage is made up by the private restrooms installed between every two
dorms. Kerr also is the only dorm that does not provide a dresser.
14
Dorm Debate
Bruce
Figure 2- Depicts a typical Bruce dorm
Bruce, unlike other dorms, comes with a large shared dresser instead of the separate dressers
included in Kerr and West. This dresser has substantially more space than the other dorms. The
only drawback is that it is a shared dresser.
West
Figure 3-Depicts a typical West dorm
Comparison
15
A West dorm has the most square feet per dorm room than Kerr and Bruce. This dorm is also
unique in that it comes with a couch. This could be a perk for some students. However, other
students may not want a couch taking up their living space. Also unique, West comes with three
dressers because there are double and triple room at West.
Location
Kerr
Kerr’s location is not in the best location on campus; however, there are worse locations on
campus. The one perks of living at Kerr is that it is close to the Business Leadership Building
and Willis library.
Bruce
This dorm, by far, is in the best possible location on campus. Bruce is strategically placed in the
middle of campus. It is close to all the major school buildings, Willis library, and the Food
Court. Out of the three dorms we are comparing, Bruce has the best possible location.
West
West’s location is the least convenient one for students to travel to because of the dorm being in
the outlier of the campus. However to make up for its far walking distance, West is close to
many restaurants, gas stations, and other amenities.
Restroom
Kerr
Kerr is the only one on this list that has a private restroom. The private restroom is great because
of the privacy associated with it. However, the maintenance and cleaning of the restroom must
be done by the resident. With private restrooms, you have to wait to use it if someone is in there.
Some people genuinely prefer their own restroom instead of a community one.
Bruce and West
Both Bruce and West have community restroom. Community restrooms are great if you want to
avoid the hassle of cleaning in a private restroom. Community restroom also has the perks of not
having to wait because there are multiple toiletries and showers.
16
Dorm Debate
Cafeteria
Kerr
Kerr has one of the most elegant cafeteria on campus. The glass dome provides a great
atmosphere. The cafeteria at Kerr also has the longest hours of operation. Kerr is open to 11p.m.
every day. As a result, Kerr’s food quality is compared to Bruce or West because they do not
have to mass produce their food. However, the longer hours are always a perk.
Bruce
This dorm is rated by most students as having the best quality of food. The Bruce cafeteria also
offers a unique sandwich bar that other dorms do not have. Out of the three dorms we are
comparing, Bruce is also the only with a vegan bar for the vegetarian students.
West
Similar to Bruce, West does not have an extended hours of operation like Kerr. The food at West
is considered decent (not too good but not too bad either).
Amenities
The list offered by UNT pretty much covers all the amenities that each dorm offer. For your
convenient we have all placed them here for you to compare.
Kerr










Double rooms available
Basketball court and sand volleyball court
Entertainment equipment available for checkout (DVD player, board games, etc.)
Ping pong, foosball, air hockey and pool tables
Laundry facilities on each floor
Kitchenette for public use
Computer lab, wireless internet available building-wide
Study rooms, TV lounges, and art studio
Courtyard with BBQ grills
On-site dining with coffee shop
Bruce


Double rooms available with community baths
Music practice rooms and concert hall
Comparison







Entertainment equipment available for checkout (DVD player, board games, etc.)
Ping pong, foosball and pool tables
Computer lab, wireless internet available building-wide (including courtyard)
TV lounge and kitchenette for public use
Laundry facilities
Courtyard with BBQ grills and fire pit
On-site cafeteria
West










Double rooms and triple rooms available
o Triple rooms are offered at a discounted rate due to the fact that the triple and double
rooms are equally sized. Triple rooms contain adequate furniture and closets to
accommodate three residents
Community baths
Entertainment equipment available for checkout (DVD player, board games, etc.)
Ping pong, foosball, air hockey and pool tables
Computer lab, wireless internet available building-wide (including courtyard)
Large lobby and study room
Kitchenette for public use
Laundry facilities
Landscaped outdoor meeting areas
On-site cafeteria
REAL Communities
REAL communities (Residents Engaged in Academic Living) is basically what is the most
popular majors at the dorm are.
Kerr
Art & Design, Business, Exploring Majors, Hospitality Management and Tourism, Journalism,
Merchandising, RTVF, and Engineering
Bruce
Jazz Studies and Music
West
West does not have any major REAL communities so it is more of a blend of majors.
17
18
Dorm Debate
Methods
All of the information we used was taken from the Housing page on unt.edu. For judging the quality of
the cafeterias, we surveyed ten students on what their preference was between the three. Our
conclusion was decided based on which dorm seemed to have the most features and students seemed
to favor. The dorms of Kerr, Bruce, and West were picked because the group was composed of students
living in those dorms.
Conclusion
Taking in everything that has been discussed, we decided that Bruce Hall is the best of the three.
Bruce has the best cafeteria, the best location, the best room situation, and overall the best
experience. The positives far outweigh any negatives that students can place on Bruce. Kerr and
West are both very good dorm halls, and they both still cater to their students’ needs. However,
Bruce is above the other two halls when the facts are laid out in front of us. Simply put, if you
are unable to decide on where to live on campus next year, Bruce is your best bet.
Glossary
Glossary
Glossary
Bruce Hall: the oldest dorm at UNT
Community bathroom: a bathroom where many people share
Dorm Hall: student housing on campus
Kerr Hall: the second newest and the largest dorm at UNT
REAL communities: the most popular major at that specific dorm.
Suitemate bathroom: a bathroom where only the people living in that dorm has access to
Vegan Line: the line in the cafeteria that has all vegetarian food
West Hall: The economy dorm of UNT
21
Index
Index
25
Index
Bruce, v, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21
cafeteria, v, 9, 16, 17, 18, 21
Community bathroom, 21
Kerr, v, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21
REAL communities, 9, 17, 18, 21
Suitemate bathroom, 21
Vegan, 21
West, v, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21