On-Campus Living Requirement No Big Deal

By Chris Walker on July 15, 2012
Louisville Hall

Louisville Hall is one of the many dorms that will be seeing more residents in the coming fall semester

Dormitories on the University of Louisville’s campus may be a little more crowded this semester as campus housing policies have changed for incoming freshmen. The approaching semester marks the beginning of a new on-campus living requirement for students enrolled in UofL for the first time this semester. While there is an exemption process (located on the same page) for a broad selection of students, off-campus living will surely be less prominent.

The university claims that students who live on campus were retained at a higher level. Meaning these students are less likely to drop out or switch schools. Only after restructuring the campus with additional housing, beds, enhanced food service, increased library hours and redesigned student space could the school appropriately house the additional student population living on-campus with this new rule.

Some students may cry foul about the university trying to squeeze more money out of freshmen, but what students may not be fully aware of is that this expansion to on-campus living is merely part of the university’s commitment to its 2020 Plan. The 2020 Plan is an outline of goals to bring the school to national prominence by the year 2020. This plan replaced the university’s Challenge for Excellence policies ending in 2008. One such goal of the 2020 Plan is to increase the graduation rate from 43.6% to 52.4% by 2014 and to 60% by 2020. A means to that end goal is reach the goal of increasing the number of first time entering students living on campus from 19% to 32% in 2020. Now the plan is taking shape.

Considering this on-campus housing requirement as a piece of the 2020 Plan, President Ramsey sees no significant negative impact on students. He wants this decision to be reflected on as a positive step for the university. “Research suggests that students who are engaged on campus, with support services and advising counseling will do better,” President Ramsey said. “Retention and graduation rates are higher. This policy is to attract more students.”

This new housing requirement does not affect all freshmen or first year students. Through an online form on the University of Louisville’s housing website, students can request exemption from mandatory on-campus living. If a student is: residing with a custodial parent or guardian for the academic year, 21 years or older, a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, married or a custodial parent or guardian of a child they can request exemption. Also, students starting in the spring semester will only be required to live on-campus for one semester, but the summer semester will not count towards this requirement.

“Everything we do every day is to improve campus life such as relocating health services, adding a number of psychologists, and we’ve done things to improve academic sports,” said President Ramsey. He mentioned the university’s efforts to reallocate of resources to meet the goal of increasing the number of per-year graduates from 1,600 to 3,300 by 2020.

As of right now, the university has no plans to move to a two-year requirement like other universities in the state. President Ramsey has stated that the school is not ready for capacity but the debate for such as a policy is still active. He said, “I’m not one who likes to impose rules and regulations on how people spend their money. I thought this [policy] was the right thing to do and we’ll see where we go from there.”

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