Housing on Butler University’s campus needs an upgrade. Ranging from the silverfish in Schwitzer Hall, the dilapidated state of Ross Hall and the undeniably loud water heaters for the showers in Residential College, a little bit of improvement would go a long way.

Freshman definitely get the shortest end of the stick when it comes to housing at Butler.

President Jim Danko mentioned during his address to members of Student Government Association Assembly in the Oct. 5 meeting that he wants to improve the condition of housing on Butler’s campus, and I couldn’t agree more.

Sure, there is a certain charm to old housing. It has a homey feel and the idea that so much history happened within it.

It has its drawbacks, though.

Ask anyone who has lived in Schwitzer in the past few years.

It is my hope that President Danko takes the initiative to repair our residence halls. They don’t need to be torn down and rebuilt in a fashion so modern that the Jetsons would be confused, but they do need to be better maintained.

After all, living in less glamorous conditions makes students that much more grateful when they get to live in a nice apartment, or rent a swanky house.

When students look back on their dormitory days, they shouldn’t be appalled at the dilapidated quality of the buildings they once called home, even if only for a short period of time.

“I remember on one of my first tours, I walked into one of the dorms that was built in the 50s and I quickly realized that I was also built in the  50s,” Danko said at SGA. “I know I need to be worked on every now and then.”

If Schwitzer, Ross and ResCo were improved in even the slightest capacity, it would greatly improve the living experience for underclassmen at Butler.

Freshman and sophomore residence halls aren’t designed to be glamorous and, frankly, I don’t expect them to be. What I do expect is that the quality of life in freshman residence halls becomes a bit better. Sinks in Schwitzer should not back up when used too often, and the showers should provide a consistent temperature instead of being either toe-numbingly cold or scalding hot.

While living in the Apartment Village, it is strange to think back through my residence hall days. I’ve lived in Schwitzer, with its occasional silverfish sightings and shoddy bathrooms, then ResCo, with its convenient, yet unpredictable elevator, slightly bigger rooms and disturbingly small showers. Now I’m living in the Apartment Village, which has private rooms, a pantry and a shower that can double as a bathtub if I so desire.

The prospect of better residence halls for freshmen is exciting, even if I won’t get to experience the benefits.

Perhaps a new president can bring the kind of architectural change this university has needed for years.