Jneanne Hacker, director for Business Operations and Conference Services, emailed students informing them that the university is unable to offer them housing for the 2016-2017 academic year.
Most Ohio University upperclassmen begin their search for the next year’s housing early, with many signing leases in September or October. Others forego the search and opt to spend the following year on campus.
For current OU sophomores and juniors, spending another year in the dorms may not be an option.
Early Monday morning, Jneanne Hacker, director for Business Operations and Conference Services, emailed some students to inform them that the university is unable to offer them housing for the 2016-2017 academic year.
“Upon reviewing all applications submitted from students who are eligible to reside off campus but expressed an interest to return to campus fall semester, I regret to inform you that we are unable to offer housing at this time,” Hacker said in the email.
An initial email was sent to 3216 students on Nov. 10 explaining space would be limited for the next academic year. Only 121 students completed an “Intent to return” Application, according to Pete Trentacoste, executive director of residential housing, in an email.
Of the 121 applicants, 41 were approved for on-campus living, Trentacoste said in an email. The other 80 upperclassmen received the email from Hacker.
“The majority of students who were denied did not provide information regarding why residing on campus is important and how they might benefit from doing so,” Trentacoste said in an email. “Therefore, the questions on the appeal process were selected to ensure that we had an understanding of why a student might benefit academically, socially, or financially from living on campus and how they will continue to be successful by doing so.”
Students receiving the email have the option of appealing the decision by sending in answers to five questions, according to the e-mail from Hacker. The questions center around why the student wishes to live on campus.
Students were also advised they could call Hacker directly.
Trentacoste added that students not approved for housing or who missed the deadline could be added to a waitlist.
“We will be working with the Office of Off-Campus Living to coordinate an off campus resource fair and will invite local landlords and apartment complex representatives to attend,” he said in an email.
The housing restriction sprung up due to planned renovations for Jefferson Hall, which will take 309 spaces out of play, Trentacoste said.
Because OU requires students to reside on campus for four semesters, spaces had to be cut from the upperclassmen, Trentacoste said.
“If we did not cap the number of upperclass students allowed to stay on campus next year we could find ourselves unable to meet the needs of our first and second year students,” he said.
Though housing is tight for the 2016-2017 academic year, Trentacoste said “there are no plans at this time to significantly expand on-campus housing capacity.”
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