Winston-Salem State to put students in hotels
WINSTON-SALEM (AP) - Some universities in North Carolina are facing their own housing crisis.
Officials at Winston-Salem State University don't think they will be able to fit all new students this fall into dorms. East Carolina University and Elizabeth City State University expect similar problems as enrollment could hit records levels, school officials said.
Winston-Salem State expects to have about 1,200 freshmen this year, which would break the school's record of 1,083 freshmen in 2005. The school is expected to need 260 hotel rooms off campus for this year's new students.
Chancellor Donald Reaves told the Winston-Salem Journal the school has been adding housing, but this year's surge caught officials by surprise.
"We didn't know that this was going to hit us this quick," Reaves said. "People will say it's the economy. During bad economic times, people gravitate to colleges and universities so they don't have to look for a job. Some of that could be going on here."
The 16-campus University of North Carolina System has warned its colleges that 80,000 more students than usual are likely to enter its universities by 2017, said Kemal Atkins, the vice provost for student affairs at East Carolina in Greenville.
He said the school is expecting 4,600 freshmen in the fall, a 400-student increase over last year that would mark an enrollment record. Elizabeth City State also will feel a housing crunch.
But it isn't just freshman pushing up demand.
Upperclassmen are choosing to stay on campus where housing is closer to dining halls and health care facilities, and offers shorter walks to class. Dorms also offer amenities such as Internet and cable television, Atkins said. Rising gas prices also may be dissuading students from living off campus.
Enrollment increases are affecting more than housing. At Winston-Salem State, officials are trying to find faculty to teach additional classes. Parking areas, library space and other campus services must also adjust, officials said.
"It's a good problem to have but it's a management challenge," Reaves said.