Magazine Article Summary
II. What is the main idea of the article?
Colleges and universities have begun to build university linked housing for older alumni. This offers the alumni the ability to take part on campus, but it also creates revenue for schools needing more funding.
III. How does the author support his main ideas?
Dan Kadlec, the author of this article, interviewed representatives from UCLA and Ohio State University about the creation of university linked retirement villages. Both representatives were quite excited about the idea, with David Kane from UCLA hoping to create at least a dozen areas that could hold all ages of UCLA graduates. Bonnie Kantor, from Ohio State, looks more toward the wealth of knowledge that older students will bring to classes and dreams of the impact that building assisted living facilities around medical and nursing schools could have. Fifty facilities have been built around the country, some of the most notable being at Penn State, Notre Dame, and the University of Florida.
Care has to be taken that the facilities don’t resemble retirement homes, because if they do it is likely “Baby Boomers” will not want to move in. Much more important than the input of older students on classes is the money that they will add to the schools’ bottom line. Adequate funding is becoming difficult to get, and private schools have become too expensive for most students. Building these villages is not cheap, but neither is the rent. Schools also hope that alumni who are deeply involved with the school will be willing to give bigger and better donations as well. Of course, there are the naysayers.
There is worry that allegations of abuse from an assisted living facility could ruin the schools both financially and in reputation. There is also the concern that small schools might build facilities and not have enough interest to make them profitable. The search for funding does not end at retirement villages, however. Some schools are offering burial on the campus grounds.
IV. New Vocabulary
1. Gerontology – (n.) the comprehensive study of aging and the problems of the aged
2. Fizzle – (n.) an abortive effort, faliure
3. Boomers – (n.) a person born during a baby boom
4. Assets – (n.) the entire property of a person, association, corporation, or estate applicable or subject to the payment of debts
5. Auditing – (v.) to attend a course without working for or expecting to receive formal credit
