The year is almost over and most sophomores are looking forward to next year, a year in which the sophomore class has traditionally been given a number of certain privileges, including the opportunity to choose what specific room in a residence hall and with whom they would like to live.
Next year, with Regis and Jogues both becoming all-Freshman dorms, things are going to be different for a percentage of the class of 2006.
“We used to save only 500 spots in housing for the freshmen,” said Fran Koerting, director of Residence Life, “but because Jogues and Regis are going all Freshmen we have to save 830 spots instead.” This means that more rising sophomores will have to wait until the summer to find out their specific housing assignments.
Rising sophomores with the 100 worst lottery numbers will only be asked their housing preference (suite or traditional residence hall) and their roommate choice. “During the summer some students transfer, others get accepted into abroad programs while others decide not to return,” said Koerting. When these spots open up during the summer, rising sophomores will be placed in those rooms according to lottery number and request.
Some current freshmen are upset that incoming freshmen are being guaranteed quad living when they may be placed in Kostka/Claver. Mike Dickinson, ’06, isn’t pleased with the administration’s decision. “After a year of building friendships we now may not have the possibility of building on those in the year to come. I know that I would like all my friends and I to live on the same floor next year. Now I am not sure if that can happen.”
Gary Stephenson, director of Housing, believes that the new housing situation is a plus. “It’s an identity that Fairfield University has taken towards freshman housing and it has been a success,” said Stephenson. “I have seen a lowering in vandalism and security problems and a rise in class unity in Jogues this year. We hope that next year this success will continue.”
Residence Life is trying to build unity among the upper classes as well by not allowing freshmen to live in Kostka/Claver next year. Administrators hope that this will make these dorms more desirable to upper class students and will tempt them to live in Kostka/Claver.
“If all of the upperclassmen are grouped together then they will be easier to accommodate. We would like to offer programming that is designed specifically for them,” said Koerting.
Michael Wong, ’06, who lives in Jogues this year, doesn’t understand the logic used by Residence Life.
“I don’t think that it is fair,” said Wong. “Freshmen are getting Regis and Jogues, and Loyola is filled with Ignatian College residents. That doesn’t leave me and my friends many opportunities to live on the same floor. And I don’t want to wait until the summer to find out that I am living on a floor with people that I don’t know.”
Mark Reed, dean of Students, believes that students shouldn’t be worried and that things will work out fine. “Every year there are students who do not know their exact room location before the summer,” said Reed. “So this will be no different. Sure, there may be a few more students than had been the case in the past, but this isn’t exceptional.”
When all three administrators, Reed, Koerting and Stephenson, were asked about another residence hall being added to the Fairfield campus they all responded similarly not seeing the need in the near future.
“I am not aware of any plans to build another residence hall on campus, or other student housing,” said Reed, “I would also strongly disagree that we have a housing crunch. The Class of 2004 posed some interesting challenges, but that class will be seniors next year, and if there are no additional surprises like that (which there shouldn’t be), housing is in very good shape.”
Reed also stressed that this is not meant to inconvenience students in any way and hopes that things will go smoothly.
“I would also ask students what would they prefer, selecting a room now, only to have it changed over the summer…or wait until things are certain. All in all, we hope to minimize student anxiety, not increase it.”
Leave a Reply