Even with the new option of Main Street Commons, more underclassmen will live on campus next fall.
“Nine hundred and fifty students are currently registered to live in residence halls, which is slightly up from last year,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Alan Galsky.
Galsky said Bradley historically houses 94 percent of freshmen students. This number was at 92 percent this past year, but is back to 94 percent for the 2011-2012 school year.
“Last year there were less freshmen living in residence halls because many were from the Peoria area and were living at home,” he said. “We had that factor going for us.”
Even though a smaller percentage of the freshmen class applied for housing last year, the university faced an obstacle housing students because of the large size of the class. The Scout reported in the Sept. 12 issue that all but one bed on campus was filled on move-in day.
“The fairest thing to say is that we are watching housing assignments very closely,” said Nathan Thomas, the Director of Residential Living. “Models are showing us right at capacity but things still have to play themselves out.”
Instead of living in residence halls, Galsky said 40 sophomores have chosen to live in Main Street Commons. He said this will open up more beds and may decrease the chance of a freshman being assigned to live in singles, which is where most of the empty beds would be.
“It buys us beds, and if a large number of transfer students choose to live in Main Street Commons it would give us enough flexibility not to put freshmen in singles, which is not a great place for freshmen,” Galsky said.
Galsky said it is still too early to determine if there will be any difficulties finding beds for students in the fall.
“We think at this point we will probably be okay,” he said. “A lot depends on transfer students. Although numbers have changed, we still don’t know how many transfer students want to live in the dorms.”
Even though the university is unsure of any difficulties that may arise, Thomas said a plan has already been established.
“Right now we’re projecting that we will be full,” he said. “If we are short one or two beds that will be easy, but if it is 100 beds it will be much more difficult.
There are plans in place, they are not great options but we will fulfill our commitment to house everyone who wants to be.”
