WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Living on campus in Purdue’s University Residences is in high demand once again, and the university is offering housing options to those waiting for room assignments.

This will be the third year in a row with more than 100 percent occupancy for University Residences. Purdue students are not required to live on campus, but nearly 94 percent of first-year undergraduate students have chosen to do so, along with an increasing percentage of sophomores through seniors.

“It’s fantastic that so many of our first-year students elect to live on campus, and many upperclassmen also want to return to live on-campus. We believe this is in part because of successful academic alignment, the new Honors College for high-ability students and our new popular First Street Towers and Third Street Suites,” said Barb Frazee, executive director of University Residences. “And, thanks to being able to hold room rates flat since 2012, and combining that with two previous years of 5 percent reductions in board costs, this year’s rates will be lower than they were in 2012-13.”

Beth McCuskey, vice provost for student life, says an increase in the number of first-year students also has contributed to the higher demand.

“We are thrilled that we are expecting more than 7,400 freshmen this fall,” she said. “Living on campus has been proven as a significant indicator for retention and success, and we will continue to work to assist all students with finding acceptable housing, whether on campus or off.”

To accommodate the 7,325 first-year students who applied for on-campus housing before the May 5 deadline, University Residences has implemented a number of initiatives to ensure they have a place to live at the start of the school year, such as adding temporary spaces in the Union Club Hotel at the Purdue Memorial Union and converting some double-occupancy rooms into triple rooms.

University Residences also is master-leasing space at two commercial apartments near campus and is working with Purdue Research Foundation to secure additional on-campus apartment-style housing. In these locations, Purdue Residences will provide all of the same services as a residence hall, including a resident assistant, residential life programming and meal plan options. A dedicated transition coordinator is helping students and their families with these non-traditional and short-term housing situations.

An additional 267 students who did not meet the May 5 deadline are on waiting lists, and University Residences and the off-campus housing office will work to help the students find accommodations for the coming year.

University Residences provides more than 13,600 beds at the West Lafayette campus. Purdue Dining & Catering offers meals 18 hours a day, and professional staff members live in residence halls to provide support to students and their communities. In addition, access to buildings is monitored, and security policies are enforced to help ensure student safety. The University Residences system is financially self-supporting, and no state funds or general student fees are used for construction, maintenance or operations.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Barb Frazee, 765-494-1000