By As you may have been able to infer from the busy atmosphere this semester, there are a record number of students living on campus this year.
Why is campus so crowded?
There are approximately 807 students living in residence halls and 94 in the apartments, according to Carroll’s Housing director Zack Eckerdt, who says that numbers have steadily been going up for a few years now. These numbers are record-breaking for Carroll, having never housed this many students on campus.
If numbers have steadily been going up, what caused this influx of on-campus housing?
“The three-year live-on requirement change and housing market has encouraged students to live on campus and students enjoy the community and accessibility of living on campus,” says Eckerdt.
In 2022 Carroll made the decision to change the live-on (campus) requirement to include Juniors also, making this year’s Juniors the first to be required to live on campus. Eckerdt also mentions amenities such as the dining hall, library, and other campus spaces that draw students to choose to live on campus, and that through talking to many students he’s found that students living on campus sometimes do better overall than students who do not.
With there being so many students, you may have noticed that the housing department is very busy. While it could be a positive thing to have such a large number of students on campus, of course, it creates its own set of challenges.
Eckerdt says that they have “made certain that we can provide housing for anyone who applies for it. Apartments and suites are most requested and one of the biggest issues is making sure everyone is getting the amenities they need.”
Is the school planning to make adjustments going forward, assuming the pattern will continue with rising numbers of students living on campus?
“We are constantly working with campus leadership and (listening to) student feedback.”
Working with students and other leadership to make housing as smooth and painless as possible will certainly be important this year and in following years.
With everyone returning to classes and dorm life, Eckerdt highly encourages students to use campus resources and reach out to faculty to get their needs met.
“We have two great area coordinators that are here to help and connect, the Saint Success Center is a great hallway and there’s no wrong door to pop in,” said Eckerdt. “Everyone here is working to make sure everyone is supported on campus.”
Dorm life can have its challenges, however, using campus resources such as Eckerdt and his team can be helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and advocate for yourself!
