With goals of fostering an intellectual atmosphere, building relationships, and increasing students' involvement on campus--and, ultimately, their rates of retention--universities around the country, including Elon, Michigan State, and Southern Methodist, are looking to residence life. House systems, residential neighborhoods, and living-learning programs, they hope, will connect students' learning in and out of class. The idea is to make the campus feel more intimate and to foster an intellectual atmosphere and increase students' involvement.