Michael Braud, a mass communication freshman, spent his summer struggling to find out if he had a place to live on campus for the fall 2010 semester.
“I didn’t know if I had a place to live until two weeks before school started,” Braud said.
Although Braud applied for housing before the deadline, his application was lost and he was placed on the standby list.
Braud was one of more than 1,000 students on the standby list for housing last fall that was implemented March 31, 2010.
ResLife expects another standby housing list this semester, as the demand for on-campus housing exceeds availability, according to Jay High, communications manager for ResLife.
Fall 2011 housing for on-campus residence halls is 75 percent full as of Friday, according to ResLife’s website.
This number does not include residential colleges and is not entirely precise, but is a good representation of availability, High said.
Based on last fall’s data, High anticipates the remaining 25 percent of available on-campus housing to fill up by mid to late March.
“We were able to get in about 300 students,” High said. “Our goal is to provide housing to as many people that want it.”
Brett Percle, a biology freshman who was also on the standby list, advised future residents to apply for housing as early as possible.
“I was put on the standby list even though I applied in February,” Percle said.
ResLife hopes to improve communication with students by creating a more responsive standby list, High said. Students on the waiting list will receive notice as soon as cancellations arrive.
Another means of alleviating housing stress will be the temporary re-opening of Kirby-Smith Hall, which has been out of commission since 2006.
The first seven floors will be available for students to live in, High said, adding 350 beds to ResLife’s housing arsenal.
High said ResLife plans to keep Kirby-Smith open for five years, while renovations are being made to other residence halls. After five years, Kirby-Smith will be dedicated to year-round conference housing.
Kirby-Smith is currently undergoing more than $1 million in renovations, High said.
The building will have new paint, lights and furniture, and renovated suite bathrooms. It will no longer be a male-only dorm, but will be co-ed separated by floor, High said.
“We’re expecting Kirby to be popular, especially once people see it,” High said.
About 75 percent of on-campus housing already full for fall
January 25, 2011