U. hits 99 percent capacity, repurposes residence hall lounges into housing

Residence hall lounges have been converted to expanded housing due to the high demand for on-campus accommodation after the University broke a new record in applications.

This year, the University saw more than 76,900 applicants — a jump of more than 20,000 from the previous year, due in part to the University's recent adoption of the Common Application.

Lounges can house between two and four students each, the housing announcement read. The University currently rests at 99 percent capacity, according to a University spokesperson.

Revised housing accommodations are intended to be temporary, and students residing in these spaces will likely be moved into permanent housing within a matter of days or weeks, the University spokesperson said. But some may remain in lounge housing for the entirety of the semester.

Those who live far from campus were prioritized in housing decisions, and those assigned to three-person lounges pay half the daily rate and retain access to all amenities associated with the given residence hall.

The University has seen housing stress in the past, particularly in 2008 and 2009, when students resided in Somerset's Crowne Plaza Hotel due to insufficient space, and in 2014, when 400 students were unable to be housed on campus.