UPDATE: Freshmen housing requirement pulled from BOR agenda

An informational item requiring freshmen to live on campus starting in fall 2015 has been removed from the Aug. 20 Board of Regents agenda due to mixed reaction from the community.

According to a statement released Aug. 15, UH would require first time in college freshmen to live on campus starting fall 2015. Waivers to appeal the mandatory housing would be available to freshmen that demonstrate financial difficulty, medical or ADA need or have a reason that deems it counterproductive for them to live on campus. The requirement would not apply to students who live with a legal parent or guardian within 20 miles of campus or to students who are married or have a child. The presentation, which the regents were not planning to vote on, was posted to the Board of Regents website on the afternoon of Aug. 14.

“The University of Houston continues to engage the community in discussions about ways to improve student success, while providing an affordable and high-quality education,” Executive Director of Media Relations

and Digital Programming Richard Bonnin wrote in an email to The Daily Cougar. “After receiving mixed feedback from the University community, the University administration has removed an information item to discuss requiring freshman to live on campus from the Board of Regents upcoming meeting agenda.”

The presentation cited sources that mandatory freshmen housing increases academic success, and participating students are more likely to graduate within four years. Other universities that require freshmen to live on campus include Texas State University, University of North Texas, Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University.

UH has 8,008 beds on campus, more than any university in the state except for Texas A&M University.

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