The Office of Housing and Residence Life is currently converting all expendable space in the residence halls to living quarters in preparation for the largest incoming freshman class since 1997.
"We are certainly going to be in what we call an overflow situation," said Kathy Bickel, associate director of Housing and Residence life.
Bickel said the university will house freshmen in study lounges for the second year in a row. She also said that some residence assistants, who traditionally live alone, will be forced to take roommates.
Students lived in study lounges in LaFollette and DeHority complexes last year. But with over 3,900 freshmen expected this fall, an increase of about 420 from last year, more halls are being converted in LaFollette and DeHority, as well Johnson and Studebaker West, Bickel said.
"Where it looks like it's conducive to living, we'll convert it," Bickel said. "We could use a whole new residence hall."
Each lounge will house up to four students and Bickel said the lounges will have ethernet, cable and phone hookups like any other room.
Due to the overload, the university might not be able to fulfill all roommate requests, Bickel said. The cut-off date for a request was June 1.
"At this point we are just looking for space," Bickel said.
Students will be moved out of the lounges and into rooms as space opens up, Bickel said.
Bickel said the increase will affect custodians, who will have more areas to clean, and RAs, who will have to adjust to the needs of students living in lounges.
"It's a big pull on everybody," Bickel said, "but it's one of those good problems to have."
In addition to the large freshman class, Housing and Residence Life must also accommodate a large number of sophomores and juniors returning to the halls. Bickel said the increased retention is due to the university's "Premium Plan," which offers students frozen housing rates if they sign a two-year contract.
Bill Kirkman, assistant to the city building commissioner, said the increase in hall occupants should not affect safety because the halls have so much livable square footage.
Director of Facilities Planning and Management Kevin Kenyon said the academic buildings will have no problems accommodating the large freshman class, but he did say the university is evaluating parking issues.
"We're doing everything we can," Kenyon said. "I can't say that we have enough. We never have enough. But we are doing our best."
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