ELIZABETH VOGE | staff writer
More changes are making their way into on-campus housing for the next year. The Office of Housing Services is issuing changes in on-campus housing for the upcoming academic year, and many of the changes with the biggest impact will affect next year’s sophomore class.
Sophomores are now required to live in on-campus housing, similarly to freshman. However, there is an exemption policy that will let these students live off campus if they meet certain conditions, such as living with parents, being married, or being 21 years old.
Although some students are unhappy with this new policy, many understand the reasoning behind it and appreciate the changes.
“Students who live on-campus are more likely to graduate and are more satisfied with their college experience,” Associate Director for the Office of Housing Services Charlie Konoske said.
Among reason for this change is an attempt to help ease what can be an uneasy transition from moving out of college dorms and into an apartment for the first time.
“They are also closer to resources, and more likely to use those resources,” Konoske said.
Another big difference in the new housing policy compared to this year’s policy is the separation of class levels. The new policy specifies designated living areas for each class level.
Engstrom, Trinity, Adams, and Smith remain designated for freshman. The Shire Modulars, Bowles, University Park B-court, and two buildings from University Village for 12-month contracts will be designated for sophomores.
University Park A-court will now be the reserved living area for transfer students, rather than Bowles, which will be open to sophomores only. Juniors and seniors will have most of University Village reserved for them.
“The good thing about this year is there’s no competing amongst the class levels,” Konoske said.
Both upper and lowerclassmen are excited to have their own designated living areas.
“I think it’s good. My roommate and I wanted to live in University Village this year, but since everyone wanted to live there, and there was no seniority, we couldn’t,” junior political science major Gareth Simpson said. “I’m looking forward to having a better chance at living where I want for my senior year here.”
Many students, however, are expressing concern about space. The number of APU students living on campus jumped from last year’s 50 percent to the current 70 percent. Also, next year’s sophomore class is the largest sophomore class in APU history, which is why all sophomores living in a one-bedroom on-campus apartment will be required to triple. The money saved with a 33 percent discount for doing so is much larger than the previous discount of $200 off per year each.
Upper classmen living in University Village are also allowed, but not required to, triple in a one-bedroom and save 33 percent. Students also have the option of quintupling in a two-bedroom apartment with a 20 percent discount offered.
Although the different classes will have separately designated areas, any student who is eligible to live in an on-campus apartment is allowed to live in any area as an over-subscription. For example, a sophomore is allowed to live with junior and senior friends if that group decides to triple or quintuple. The sophomore is allowed to live in University Village as the extra third, or fifth housing member, with a 33 or 20 percent discount.
Some elements of the housing policy that will remain the same from this year are the freedom from a housing deposit and the 12-month summer housing option. But this year, students must have at least two people living together over the summer, in order to prevent students from living alone this summer.
Students can also choose the “Please Assign Me” option, which is a new feature for those not wanting to deal with picking a group themselves. There will still be priority based on the housing lottery outcome, but competition for space won’t be a free-for-all issue, because of the designated living areas. Priority will also be given to complete groups and 12-month contract groups.
For more information, students can pick up a housing brochure from the Office of Housing Services, and students who have not already should pick up a lottery ticket by April 20.
