Main freshmen concerns about college include finding roommates, declaring a major and figuring out whom to hang out with for the next four years. Essentially these concerns boil down to one question: Where do I get plugged in at this university?
The MSU Department of Housing and Residence Life seeks to help answer that question with the new university mandate requiring freshmen to live on campus.
While it is common for universities to require freshmen to live on campus, this is the first year MSU has done so.
Director of housing and residence life Ann Bailey said many universities are moving toward learning communities, which are residence halls focused on cultivating academic facets.
“As more institutions commit to a learning community concept and they desire to bring the academic aspect of the university into the residence halls,” she said, “the only way to truly be effective with that is to require freshmen to live on campus so that everybody gets their feet on the ground at the same time.”
Associate director of housing and residence life Mike Green said the response to the requirement has been mostly positive, especially from parents.
“Several of the parents that I’ve talked to [said] it took the pressure off of them from having to make the decision for their student,” he said.
Despite their initial reactions, most freshman students seem to have adjusted to living on campus and enjoy it, associate director of housing and residence life Calvin Mosely said.
“I think once students get to campus — even those who may not want to stay on campus – they realize that it’s much more convenient,” he said.
The advantage of proximity to classes is a main draw for students year after year.
“Even though they’re reluctant at first, after that first year, we have some of those who still elect to return even though they previously wanted to live off campus,” Mosely said.
A quick glance at the parking lots of the 14 housing facilities reveals campus housing is clearly full.
Herbert Hall, which contains residence life offices, is also being used for overflow housing, Green said.
Typically, the rooms in Herbert are used as guest rooms.
There are 15 rooms in Herbert, Cresswell and Hathorn with triple occupancy, meaning three people to a room instead of two.
As residence halls organize these rooms may be adjusted back to two student occupancy, Green said.
Students who want a room on campus must go to Herbert Hall and meet with directors about assignments, he said.
Green said there are still students waiting for rooms to open up, and the department is still sorting through cancellations and making adjustments daily.
Additional beds are being placed in apartments in Aiken Village, Bailey said.
Aiken Village typically houses families and graduate students, but several upperclassmen have been moved there for this year.
“Our goal right now is for anyone who wants a bedspace to get a bedspace,” Bailey said.