Though Towers Residence Halls are not generally among the top choices for residence, some students feel strongly about the community atmosphere Towers creates.

Some of these feelings were expressed in an article in Sunday’s Des Moines Register, which quoted Director of Residence Randy Alexander as saying “there’s not really anybody who wants to live in this place.”

Alexander was out-of-town and unavailable for comment.

Some residents have reacted strongly to the article, saying misconceptions about the dormitory are too prevalent.

Jonathon Weaver, Storms Hall resident and freshman in history and education, disagreed with the article, which reported that 90 percent of dorm residents did not like Towers.

“If you asked around the people that actually live here, I think that 90 percent would actually say they enjoy living here,” Weaver said.

However, Jon Wheeler, Wallace hall director, said Towers does not have a glowing reputation.

“Most people on campus don’t like the Towers and have a bad opinion about Towers,” Wheeler said. “It’s had a long history of people thinking it’s a rowdy area, loud and with lots of parties.”

Wheeler said this negative view of Towers can make residents defensive about their home and bond together, creating a close community.

However, most residents agreed that Towers was not first on their lists when requesting university housing.

Wheeler said Towers has a “pretty low” request rate, with less than 30 percent of total students choosing Towers.

“It’s last of three associations,” he said.

However, Wheeler said Towers retains about as many returning students as Maple-Willow-Larch each year — which is about 40 percent of current residents.

“Once they get out there, they like it,” Wheeler said.

Some students said the primary reason why they originally did not want to live in Towers was because the buildings are far from campus.

Nicholas D’Amico, Knapp resident and sophomore in agronomy, said living in Towers is “a double-edged sword” because the distance from the campus can be a nuisance, but it also is a way to escape from the academic environment at night.

“I kind of like that it’s not on campus because you can get away from school,” said Darci Septer, Storms resident and freshman in music.

Wheeler said Towers is actually not as far away from campus as some students believe.

“The distance from the two southern-most Towers to campus is actually the same distance from Willow to campus,” Wheeler said.

For some residents, the distance only adds to the community atmosphere of Towers.

“[There’s a] sense of community here; everyone helps everyone out because it’s separated from the rest of the student body,” said Jason Silbaugh, resident assistant for second-floor Storms and sophomore in journalism.

Though it was her last choice for student housing, Septer now enjoys living at Towers.

Septer also said she does not mind that Towers eventually will be torn down. The Department of Residence Master Plan calls for the demolition of the Towers within the next few years.

However, others have grown more attached to their “home away from home.”

“I love Towers the way they are, and if I had my way, they would never tear any of them down,” Weaver said.

Weaver, who has lived in Towers for two years, displays a sign on the window of his second-floor room stating his opinion: “Let ’em stand, Weaver loves Towers.”

Ideally, Weaver would like the university to restore the current Towers, even if it would cost extra.

“To me, it’s less important to have a sink in my room than it is to have the community environment we have here,” Weaver said. “I really like the community atmosphere of living on a floor with 60 other guys.”

Weaver said the demolition of Towers to build more apartment-like housing will destroy this kind of close-knit community.

“[The building of student apartments] is going against the actual definition of residence hall life,” he said.

“I see them moving more towards small communities and away from bigger community atmosphere,” Weaver said.

Silbaugh said he plans to take a chunk of Towers after it is torn down.

“It kind of upsets me because it’s my home,” he said.

Wheeler said he would not be surprised if some students take pieces of the buildings after they are demolished.

“Their alma mater is going to be destroyed; several want to come back and get a piece,” Wheeler said.

Though the year for the demolition has been set, some residents hope they retain the community aspect Towers provided.

“If I thought it would accomplish anything, I would do anything to keep the Towers standing,” Weaver said. “I don’t think they’re worth giving up on.”