Some students hoping to live in residence halls next semester are uncertain about the status of their living situations, as the undergraduate on-campus housing standby list implemented March 5 continues to expand.
As of Friday afternoon, 222 students are on the standby list — 117 female and 105 male, said Jay High, Residential Life communications manager.
The list has continued to grow, as there were only 82 students on it as of March 10, Renee Snider, ResLife associate director of operations, said in an e-mail.
Students on the standby list will be placed into rooms as cancellations are made throughout the summer, High said.
ResLife has no way of knowing the number of additional applications or cancellations it will receive, but High said based on last year he does not expect to be able to find housing for everyone on the list.
High said ResLife will accept applications throughout the summer and continue making room assignments even after classes begin.
“We don’t have a set date to tell students that they won’t be guaranteed a spot,” High said. “Unless they have nerves of steel, we encourage them to have a backup plan.”
Last year, the standby list peaked at 1,000 students, and ResLife was able to find spaces for about 300, High said.
Steve Waller, ResLife director, said the number of applications received has increased by 25 percent, compared with last year.
“Either more people are applying for housing than last year or they got our word and are applying earlier,” Waller said.
High said ResLife plans to create a more responsive standby list by notifying waiting students via e-mail and a call center as soon as rooms become available.
“We’re trying to communicate with students through every single step,” High said.
ResLife encourages students on the standby list to have housing alternatives, know their options and monitor their e-mail and the ResLife website.
“We’re doing everything we can so everyone who wants a place on campus can have one,” High said.
Students on the standby list are required to pay a $150 deposit that will be refunded if the student is never removed from the list or does not accept a room assignment, High said.
 
 
 
_____
contact Emily Herrington at [email protected]