Campus Cleanliness Emerges as Top Factor in College Selection

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/28/21

The results of a new survey from JLL have revealed that campus cleanliness and indoor air quality now rank among the top factors in college selection. JLL, a Fortune 200 commercial real estate and professional services firm, surveyed about 500 parents of tenth- through twelfth-grade students about their priorities while considering higher education destinations. The top three most important factors, according to the results, were quality of academics (75%), affordability (71%) and—in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—campus cleanliness and indoor air quality (48%).

Additionally, the survey indicated that about 59% of parents had never considered campus air quality as a decision-making factor before the pandemic, while 60% said they consider a vaccine mandate important. About 21%, meanwhile, said they would consider a school’s sustainability initiatives.

“Proper indoor ventilation and air circulation occupied the spotlight across most industries in the height of the pandemic, with 59 percent of parents never even considering campus air quality prior to COVID-19,” said Ron Gregory, Executive Vice President North America, JLL Higher Education. “As people are more aware of their surroundings that impact their health and safety with greater reason, we can expect that students and staff on campuses will continue to demand transparency and the highest standards around cleanliness and air quality.”

Among the survey’s other findings, 42% of respondents said that their opinion of campus cleanliness and air quality had changed due to the pandemic. About 88% said that the physical condition of buildings was either very important or somewhat important, and 86% said that they consider a campus’s look and feel.

“From simple fixes like upgrading lightbulbs to harnessing new technologies across a campus, preventative maintenance is key for schools empowering vibrant campus experiences—before the physical condition of buildings becomes a turn-off to prospective students,” said Kevin Wayer, President, JLL Public Institutions. “Savings generated from preventative maintenance can go back into facilities upkeep, creating an overall better, cleaner and more modern experience for students.”

The survey was conducted in June 2021 through a partnership with Engine Insights.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.

Featured

  • Fort Collins to Convert 1980s Office Park into Junior High School

    The Liberty Common School, a charter-public school in Fort Collins, Colo., recently broke ground on an adaptive reuse project that will convert an 1980s-era office park into a 45,000-square-foot junior high school for seventh- and eighth-grade students, according to a news release.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $2.5M Donation Toward Renovation Project

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently announced that it has accepted a $2.5-million donation that will transform Pence Hall into the home of the university’s College of Communication and Information, according to a news release.

  • Boosting Student Wellness and Safety Through Indoor-Outdoor School Spaces

    Engaging students through facilities designed for indoor and outdoor learning and activities reflects a growing awareness of how children learn and thrive, with educators recognizing the importance of getting outside and disconnecting from technology. And, as today’s youth grapple with the urgent mental health crisis of increased anxiety and loneliness fueled by both the pandemic and technology, along with a related crisis in youth physical health, the wellness benefits of getting outside have never been so palpable.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches Redesigned Website

    Spaces4Learning, the publication impacting K–12 & higher-education environments, a part of Converge360, a division of 1105 Media, is pleased to announce the redesign of its website, spaces4learning.com.