Rising Sophomores Cut Off From On-Campus Housing

What's all the commotion on Ole Miss campus? Due to the record breaking incoming freshmen class, Ole Miss has had to take drastic measures to expand. Crosby Hall has shut the doors for rising sophomores to live in the dorm next year and is now required that all upperclassmen to live off-campus. All on-campus housing will be available to freshmen in the fall of 2014.

 The University has decided to cut off all non-freshmen for living on campus due to another record incoming class of 2014. According to UM, "the University has enrolled over 22,000 students for the first time. 3.5 percent overall enrollment increase and more than 7 percent growth on the Oxford campus. That’s up 758 students from last fall, or 3.5 percent. Preliminary enrollment figures show a total unduplicated headcount on all the university’s campuses of 22,286." The increase in enrollment is expected to continue and has been for the past couple years.  

For many years on-campus housing has always given first priority to freshmen but also made it available for sophomores too. Crosby Hall has been an all-girls dorm for freshmen and sophomores for years. It is one of the first to be filled by both freshmen and rising sophomores. Crosby has 10 floors and 455 beds that will be given to the freshmen this fall.

Many debate of whether having Crosby all freshmen is a positive or negative. This decision has mostly impacted the sophomores which are the sorority women. The 12 sororities have had a contract with the housing of Crosby each year and every floor would reserve some spots for the girls. 

As many know finding housing for next year requires acting fast because of how quickly places fill up. The current freshmen had made plans with the department of housing that they would live in Crosby for next year. There had been many rumors of whether Crosby would be an option but the department insisted that it would not be a problem. Returning second semester many off-campus housing was filling up fast and it was not until a month or so in that the freshmen got the news Crosby would not be available next year. 

Current freshmen and active sorority member Hallie Knotts explains, "I was so stressed when I heard the news and disappointed. I really wanted to live on campus because of how convenient it is. Also because I had no idea I would have to hurry and find housing off campus."

Many girls that were planning to live in the dorm had to quickly make different arrangements so they would not miss out on good places to live. Molly-Bar Trails, Highland Square, and the Retreat still had many available spots but filled quickly after the dorm was not an option anymore. 

Although, not all students think the expansion is a bad idea and see the positive side to creating more space for freshmen. Current resident of Crosby and active sorority member Maggie Durnien explains, "I do think that not having Crosby as an option is unfortunate. I loved living in the dorm again, it was so simple and easy and so glad I was able to live in it before they made changes. But I do think this is a great thing that Ole Miss is getting bigger. They need more on-campus housing for freshmen, I mean the truth is in the numbers." 

 

Meghan Bunte Junior student 

Current CA of Crosby Hall for the past three years 

So why a sudden change? What can we see for the future? The plans to change student housing started in December when it was brought to Director Lionel Maten. Administrators were seeing a high increase in applications and projected that this could be another record for an incoming class. The expansion is leading to other on-campus housing that require room for freshmen. 

There are many changes going around campus due to the anticipation of the freshmen class. Ole Miss has drawn many in and the numbers are expected to increase.