Freshmen, sophomores at Slippery Rock University will be required to live on campus going forward

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Starting this fall, both freshman and sophomore students at Slippery Rock University will have to live on campus.

Rachel Russman and Lindsey Linsenbigler who will both be a sophomore said they wish they had the option to live off campus.

”It just feels like the college experience is kind of being taken away in that sense,” said Rachel Russman.

”Having your own bedroom and personal space because we are like all crammed all in one and have a little bit more freedom,” said SRU student, Lindsey Linsenbigler.

The SRU’s chief student affairs officer said they made this requirement because Sophomore year is so important academically.

”Students perform better and they are retained at higher rates at the university so we know that Sophomore year is a critical year,” said David Wilmes, SRU’s chief student affairs officer. “Students that complete the first two years of their schooling are more likely to go on and graduate.”

However, David Wilmes said they expect to be over capacity by either 1% to 3%.

”What we do in that situation is we have selected rooms out of our stock that are bigger and have the capacity to be converted into triple rooms,” said Wilmes.

He said they will address alternatives and temporary accommodations.

Rachel and Lindsey said they don’t mind living on campus again but this is concerning.

”I know when we first moved in, they had so many students they had to put people in hotels and there is a dorm on my floor that has six people in it,” said Russman. “It’s not even a dorm, it’s an office they converted into a bedroom.”

The university plans to renovate some buildings on campus to create more dorms for the next school year.

For any junior and senior students who want to live on campus but no longer can due to limited availability, the university plans to help with off-campus housing.

There are several exemptions including students with a permanent housing address within 60 miles of campus.

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