Friends,
A number of students let us know their concern with this year's housing selection process. In addition to our vendor's technology failure, there was additional concern about the availability of housing for returning students who requested housing as well.
We also heard other complaints. You shared with us that you show up to visit offices on campus, only to find no one there. You shared that emails to College personnel go unanswered. You complained about the tone of emails and messages circulated to students. We hear you and agree that the College needs to take steps to improve its service to students. You will be hearing from us within a week on what those steps will be.
For now, here is what we are doing in response to the
housing crunch. We have delayed work on Abby to provide 125 additional beds on campus. Restoring this number of beds to the system has allowed us to make significant progress on fulfilling requests for housing for the fall semester.
To date, the College is planning to offer 1597 beds, an increase of 240 beds, over the current year. Including 40 additional beds on campus, and 200 beds off campus.
Here are the results of the fall 2022 housing selection process to date:
Incoming First-Year Students: a total of 525 beds have been reserved for incoming first-year students.
Rising sophomores: a total of 439 rising sophomores, who requested housing, have been assigned on-campus housing. An additional 40 sophomores are assigned at Westmar, because nothing remained on campus.
There are 140 additional rising sophomores who expressed interest in housing via the housing application or waitlist form. With the addition of rooms in Abby to the housing stock, we will be able to accommodate these students with on-campus housing.
A total of 367 juniors and seniors expressed interest in housing and 167 were assigned to on-campus housing and 55 were assigned to Westmar. Additional spaces at Westmar will be extended to the remaining 109 juniors and seniors who are not yet housed.
A number of students pointed
out it was their understanding that conditions at Westmar were not adequate. The College will send a list of those complaints to Westmar's management and will follow up within a week to speak to students to determine if these complaints have been addressed.
To ensure Westmar's management maintains a safe, well-kept environment, the College is assigning a resident director to live in the complex to serve as an advocate and intermediary with management, to ensure that adequate living conditions are maintained. Because the College is leasing this facility, students will be able to use financial aid resources to pay for housing.
Sincerely,
Darryl Holloman, Ph.D.
Vice President, Student Affairs
