It’s not just tuition that has increased.
Now that Shaw Hall has been shut down temporarily, more students are being put into other residence halls, meaning some of them have to deal with having two, three, even four other roommates.
Dave Wilson, a computer science freshman, shares his Akers dorm room with four other students although it is designated for three.
“The biggest problem with having five people in a room is the lack of space,” Wilson said. “We’ve unpacked very little and we’re still waiting for housing to relocate some of us.”
One of Wilson’s roommates, Brian Walsh, also a computer science freshman, said some positive things can come from having extra roommates.
“We have everything we need and then some,” Walsh said. “We have five TVs.”
Another roommate, Nick Poppe, an English freshman, said he could also see the upside of what some may consider overcrowding.
“With all these other roommates, it’s a lot easier to make friends and to meet new people. When (University Housing) told me that I would have four roommates, I just dealt with it. It’s not too bad so far because we know how to cooperate with each other.”
Angela Brown, director of University Housing, said the department tries to keep overcrowding in the dorms to a minimum, though the student population is constantly increasing.
“There hasn’t been too much overcrowding since we reduced the number of singles assigned to students,” she said. “Most students in over-assigned rooms will hopefully be spread out in the first to second week of classes after we know how many no-shows there are.
“The students who have been in over-assigned rooms will get the first priority to empty rooms.”
Brown said over-assigned rooms were spread out all over campus, with Akers, the Brody Complex, Yakeley and Gilchrist halls having the highest number of students per room.
She also said students in overcrowded dorm rooms will get rebates on room and board.
Finance senior Jessica Wilson, a student volunteer at the housing office in Akers, said the number of five-person rooms seemed to have increased since last year.
Most students in overcrowded dorm rooms are still waiting to be relocated, but for now, some seem to be taking their predicament in stride.
“It’s pretty cool living with a lot of people,” said Chad Sneller, a mechanical engineering freshman who ended up with four roommates in Akers. “At least I get to make a lot of friends while I’m here.”
