August 17, 2007

Purdue University Residences experiences full house

Freshman move-in day
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More than 5,100 beginning students moved in last week prior to Boiler Gold Rush, a multi-day orientation program for new students. Nearly 90 percent of beginning students elect to live in University Residences.

"University Residences is attractive to beginning students because it fosters a positive transition to college and provides easy access to the full benefits of campus life," said Barbara Frazee, executive director. "Popular dining options, convenience and community-building activities are the main reasons they choose University Residences."

Frazee said University Residences will accommodate all students who desire to live on campus. Temporary housing has been arranged for students who applied after late-spring deadlines.

Residence halls have created 130 overflow spaces, including in guest apartments in Shreve and Earhart residence halls and in study rooms that will serve as single-bed bedrooms. Additional space, if needed, has been reserved at the Union Club Hotel.

"We do our absolute best to accommodate every student who wants to live in University Residences," said Robert Heitert, director of administration for University Residences. "Students who applied late in the process were told that if they want to stay on campus, they would be housed in converted spaces."

The number of students assigned to temporary housing peaked at 115. That number fluctuates daily but fell to 97 by Tuesday (Aug. 14). Heitert expects the vast majority of students in temporary housing will be in permanent housing by October break. The remaining handful will receive permanent housing no later than January.

"Students living in temporary spaces will be provided the same residential life services and dining options as those in regular spaces," Frazee said. "Only their living spaces will be different."

With nearly 12,000 residents, Purdue University Residences is the largest on-campus housing system in the nation among universities where no students are required to live on campus. About 30 percent of all Purdue students live on campus.

University Residences is currently building a new residence hall, its first to feature all single-bed resident rooms with a private bath, which will open in August 2009. Wiley Dining Court, which features a variety of freshly prepared cuisines, including South American barbeque, will open in summer 2008.

Purdue University Residences is entirely self-supporting and receives no tax or tuition dollars. More University Residences information is available online at https://www.housing.purdue.edu.

Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jscehenke@purdue.edu

Sources: Barbara Frazee, (765) 494-1000, bjfrazee@purdue.edu

Robert Heitert, (765) 494-1000, rheitert@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

PHOTO CAPTION:
Rachel Beetz, a resident assistant at McCutcheon Residence Hall, answers questions at the check-in booth on freshman move-in day Saturday (Aug. 11). With nearly 12,000 residents, Purdue University Residences is the largest on-campus housing system in the nation in which participation is voluntary from the freshman level on up. (Purdue News Service photo/Brian Zink)

A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2007/beetz-movein.jpg

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