Why would you ever want to live off campus when Binghamton University provides such economical housing? For about $10,000 a year, you are provided with a twin-sized bed, a desk lamp and a landline telephone.

With such a good deal available to students, you might wonder why the number of students living on campus has declined. In 2009, only one in five students who lived on campus their freshman year were still in the dorms in their senior year. Just 10 years ago, it was one in three.

According to an article from last Tuesday’s issue of Pipe Dream titled ‘University to promote on-campus residence,’ the school chalks up the student exodus to a heightened desire for privacy. I personally don’t think that this is an honest assessment. And it’s definitely not a complete assessment.

By citing privacy as the major reason for this change in numbers, the University is either asking students the wrong questions, or not disclosing everything they know.

I moved into a house on the West Side, and I’m happy about it. But it was not for my own room ‘ it was to save thousands of dollars every year. About $4,000, actually. This is a significant amount of money, and to save that much I’d sleep in a sleeping bag on broken glass, or with four other roommates.

But for $4,000 less, I have a room that is larger than a double room on campus, and privacy as a bonus. The privacy was by no means the driving force for my push out of the dorms, but rather just a side benefit.

When it comes down to it, living on campus is safer and more convenient than living off. But living in a dorm is in no way worth the huge price tag that comes with it.

But the safety is nice, sure.

When I moved into my house, all of the windows on the lower floors had two sets of locks: one that looked like it was already forcefully broken and another newer lock.

To add to the feeling of comfort I had about where I live, a few weeks ago a robbery suspect was tasered 20 feet from my front porch. And last week, I think I even heard a few gunshots early one afternoon.

So, from an objective perspective, do you think that I would subject myself to all of this for privacy?

It all comes down to the money. The reason I moved into Binghamton was to save money, and the reason the University wants us to stay living in the dorm communities is so that they can make money.

Realistically, I don’t imagine seeing a reversal in the number of students moving off campus until the price of living in dorms is lowered.

I, for one, would risk a gunshot wound to save $4,000 a year.