Student opinions mixed on Wingate policy to assign housing based on GPA

By: Tyjelin Jones
Triangle Contributor

Wingate University continues to use cumulative grade-point averages (GPA) to determine residential assignments every April for returning undergraduates, but not all students are satisfied with the policy.

“Based on my GPA, I don’t consider it to be fair because I shouldn’t have to be determined by my GPA, especially since it’s low,” said Katlyn Bowman, a freshman Nursing major from Mount Holly, N.C.

Officials at the university say this approach is a fair one used as an incentive to help students perform well academically. “This requirement enforces positive reinforcement,” said Jacob Willis, the assistant director of Residence Life at Wingate.

“More specifically, a higher GPA gives students a better opportunity to acquire the residence space they want. Consequently, this desirable outcome fosters an environment where students remain inclined to perform well academically throughout the entire current and future academic years.”

Opinions on the policy are mixed around campus. Some students are concerned about fairness, while others see it as a motivating measure that provides everyone equal access.

“I think it makes it fair for everyone because a lot of students want a specific place, but there are limited rooms, meaning not everyone will get the place they want,” said freshman Maria Cahill, an Exercise Science major from Rocky Point, N.C.

Freshman Ayanna Martin, a Biology major from Charlotte, likes the fact that the policy encourages students to work harder in order to have a higher GPA.

“I feel like it can be unfair to some but also pushes students to do their best to get what they want,” Martin said.

Another aspect of the housing-assignment policy that gets the attention of returning upperclassmen is the fact that first-year students are automatically assigned to the university’s newest and perhaps most coveted dorms.

Wingate uses four designated residence halls—Alumni, Cannon, J.M. Smith and Northeast—to house newcomers as part of an effort to retain incoming students.

“All first-year students are only placed in those four residential locations,” Willis said. “Northeast was built for retention reasons, as it was the newest building constructed. We are permitted to switch buildings from first-year [students] to upperclassmen depending on our occupancy needs.”

The housing-assignment period opened April 4 and will continue on through this month.