A record 2,921 students applied to live in South Campus Commons and University Courtyards for the first time next fall, leaving Resident Life Department officials pessimistic about the chances of many students securing housing in the complexes.

The number of applications is a 444 person increase from the amount received for Commons and Courtyards last year. The increase came despite measures announced by Resident Life last December aimed at increasing the chances of rising sophomores leasing on-campus. Administrators say they are worried about the number of people who may be left without the apartments as a housing option.

“There’s going to be a lot of disappointed people, unfortunately,” said Kathleen Blankenship, the Resident Life official who oversees Commons and Courtyards. “They don’t have the same guaranteed options that they did last year.”

Blankenship attributed the almost 18 percent increase in new applications to the “uncertainty” of securing on-campus housing. The complexes have a total capacity of 2,529 residents – with approximately 1,080 vacancies left for new applicants.

Last April, seniors were told that they would not be able to live on-campus, resulting in a mass “tent city” protest. In response, Resident Life Director Deb Grandner announced new measures last semester, which included prohibiting rising seniors from being pulled into the complexes and converting two bedroom deluxe apartments in Courtyards to accommodate four tenants.

New applicants will know whether they will be eligible to participate in the leasing process by March 12. Blakenship said the majority of students who applied – 64 percent – are rising juniors and speculated that almost all of the vacant spots would go to those students.

In the meantime, many students are scrambling to find backup housing options.

Sophomore letters and sciences major Remie Dagher is already making plans to find a room off-campus in case her application to the complexes is rejected.

“I don’t have high expectations to get in, that’s why I applied at other places,” she said. On-campus housing is also out of reach. “My priority number is 1479 out of 1517. Basically I’m at the very end.”

But for some students, the thought of not securing a spot is not even on their radar.

“I haven’t thought of that yet,” said sophomore bioengineering major Charlie Sun. “I’m pretty much banking on this.”

Andrew Casavant, a sophomore landscape architecture major, said off-campus housing would be very inconvenient, as he sometimes works in the architecture studio until 3 a.m.

“I don’t really know any people who have a car,” he said. “I need a flexible way to get there, where I don’t have to be restrained.”

Emily Williams, a freshman marketing major, said she had a better chance of getting housing in a traditional dorm, but applied anyway to keep her options open. She said the thought of not securing housing in a dorm or in Commons or Courtyards is “terrifying.”

“I probably won’t get in, but I thought I might as well apply and see what happens,” she said.

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