If you have heard rumors that the housing policy requiring students to live on campus until they have reached senior status is changing, you heard wrong.
According to both Tracy Benner, director of Residence Life, and Laura Farley, administrative assistant to Residence Life, there have been no recent changes to the policy. Farley said she has “no idea” where the rumors of a change in policy came from.
Farley also said that there have been more students in housing each successive year since the policy change, but campus housing has not yet reached capacity.
She says that the potential for the policy to become problematic in the future depends on the number of students. Currently, 1,351 live on campus.
She also notes that theme houses count as campus housing. Greek houses do not, but students of sophomore status and above are permitted to live in them.
Students have varied opinions relating to this policy.
“I understand why they do it,” Drew Garlitz, a junior business major and resident adviser said.
“They need to have more people on campus filling the rooms,” he added. “I don’t particularly enjoy living on campus for a third year, but I’ve come to terms with it. It’s not really something worth complaining about.”
On the other hand, sophomore early childhood education major Christy Burgess brings up a complaint that students have with the policy.
“It’s more expensive,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to live here through junior year.”
Base-level campus rooms cost $4,576 per year, and board costs $4,108, according to Otterbein’s website.
