An unexpected demand for housing on NKU’s campus has made for crowded living situations.
“We did not anticipate the demand that we got,” said Peter Trentacoste, director of University Housing. “We did not think it would grow as much in size as it did.”

The priority deadline for housing is May 1 every year. Students who apply before the priority deadline are assigned rooms based on the date they applied, while those who apply after the priority deadline are given rooms based on how far from campus they live.

“We did not want to turn any one down because we knew there would be cancellations,” Trentacoste said.

Freshmen and first-time students who live somewhere other than the 21 counties near NKU in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio are required to live on campus for their first year. Therefore, they are guaranteed a housing assignment on campus.

It is not guaranteed that the freshmen will be assigned a  room in the building that they prefer because upperclassmen get to choose their room first. Housing is starting to limit the number of available spots for returners in order to allow local freshmen to have the chance to live on campus.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate everyone as the campus continues to grow,” Trentacoste said.

The overbooking has resulted in students being placed in temporary spots as the university waits to see what rooms will become available due to those who were no-shows. The latest applicants were assigned to hotels, but did not have to stay for more than a week.

Other students were assigned three to a two-person room in Callahan Hall. Trentacoste does not like having to put three in a room because he knows that it is uncomfortable and expects to have the situation resolved in the coming week.

Freshman Lucas Sigmon was assigned to a room with two others in Callahan Hall until a spot opened in Kentucky Hall.
“It was a little crowded, but we made it work,” Sigmon said. “I am looking forward to living on campus.”

Overbooking has also led to freshmen having to temporarily live in the same room as RAs, who typically have a room of their own. It is anticipated that this will be changed in a few more weeks.

Moving one room over may not be so bad, but moving to an entirely different building or even floor can place an additional social stress on students. This situation is more than likely going to happen to freshman Brandon Fulton who is temporarily rooming with an RA in Kentucky Hall.
“I know all the guys on this hallway,” Fulton said. “When I get moved I will have to start that process over again.”

This is not the first time that the demands in housing increased. From 1997 to 2002 the students living on campus rose 20 percent. This led to the construction of the University Suites, which opened in 2003 and provided room for an additional 400 students. Since then, NKU has added Callahan Hall to accommodate 430 more students. The construction of another housing facility is not out of the question for the future.
Trentacoste does not want to build another housing facility until he knows it can be financed and he would like to see how many students apply for housing over the next few years before making a decision.

“I do not think building another building was necessary right now, but if in a few years the numbers continue to increase it will be taken under consideration,” Trentacoste said.

Story by John Minor