Purdue faces another year of on-campus housing shortages
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – The new Honor College and Residences on Russell Street will open this fall. Despite the 804 new beds, some Boilermakers will have to live in temporary housing.
“Living on campus is a pretty popular thing right now at Purdue,” said Purdue University Residences Administration director Mike Shettle.
That popularity has led to a lack of available on-campus residences for students.
“We had about 350 students last year that were in that situation, and we’ll have a similar number this year,” Shettle added.
He said students who signed up by the May 5 deadline will have a place to live come fall, but it could be a temporary home.
“We’re not putting them in a storage room somewhere or behind the boiler down in the basement,” explained Shettle. “These are actual rooms that they’re living in.”
Brazilian exchange student Marina Pazeti spent last fall living in a makeshift residence in a Wiley Hall study room.
Although she enjoyed the perks of living alone, there were also some drawbacks.
“It was kind of lonely at first because I was new here and didn’t know anyone, and then I arrive and I don’t have a roommate,” explained Pazeti. “So, that was the hard part.”
Although students are offered transitioning assistance, Hillenbrand Hall residential assistant Rob Baker said it can be difficult for students to make the change to a permanent residence.
“It’s hard on the students,” said Baker. “Now, you’re coming in halfway in a semester and you’re meeting all these new people who have already kind of formed those relationships from the beginning.”
Shettle said temporary housing can include the Union Club Hotel, residence hall lounges, study rooms or guest apartments.
Depending on availability, it can last anywhere from a few days to the entire semester. However, Shettle said it’s worth the wait.
“Students that live on campus have better GPAs,” he said. “They come back for their sophomore year at a high rate. They graduate in four years at a higher rate.”
Shettle said the university is looking to build new residence halls, but those are just in the beginning stages.
Students will find out their assignment later this summer.