Atomsphere Of Jester Affecting Students

Atmosphere of Jester Affecting Students

Do you see moody students at the University of Texas walking around? They probably live in Jester, the largest public dormitory in the nation. Why the long face you ask? Well, the need for a high-density dorm caused the University of Texas to build a dormitory with the atmosphere of a prison. Jester’s resemblance to a prison affects the mood of students and the overall well-being of students.

Waking up to loud, obnoxious banging and screaming are the mornings of an overcrowded prison. Small windows allow for just a glimpse of the reality of the world. The built-in furniture adds to the uniformity that is present in all prisons. The width of the hallways prohibits much space between neighbors. All of these attributes plague prisons as well as Jester.

Beauford H. Jester Center, built in 1969, is a co-educational residence hall that houses 2,912 students in two towers referred to as Jester West and Jester East (Jester Center 1). The large dormitory was built by William Clark Craig. The need for student housing was high because of the demand to want to attend the University of Texas. Since a prison holds a lot of people in a small area, it is not a mystery on how Jester obtains its prison-like appeal. The lack of lighting in Jester causes a melancholy type of mood which gives the impression of a dark, sullen area. The University of Texas campus does not have room to spare since it only consists of 40 acres. Little did the UT Board of Regents know the construction of Jester would eventually lead to an overcrowding and the largest enrollment in the country.

As a result of the largest enrollment in the country, the sizes of the rooms of Jester are very similar to those of a prison. In an interview with Lindsey Jones, a resident of Jester, explains, “I can’t study in Jester. It feels like I am trapped. I like being able to move around.” The measurements of the Jester rooms compared to that of a prison cell are very similar. A Jester room is 13’2” x 16’ with built-in furniture (Jester Center 2). A prison cell is about 14’x 14’6” with built-in furniture (CAD drawings). Below is a diagram of a Jester room:

(Jester Center 2)

The hallways in Jester are barely large enough for one person to walk through.