Matthew Murphy, Campus Carrier Deputy News Editor
In the past six years, Berry has seen record-breaking numbers of freshman enrollment. Bryce Durbin, Registrar and Director of Institutional Research, released statistics about the freshman class from 2008 to 2012.
From 2008 to 2013, the size of the Berry freshman class has increased by approximately 34 percent. In 2013, not only has the number of freshman students increased, but also the number of male students.
With a projected freshman of class of 680 and a projected 2180 total students, housing became an issue. Lindsey Taylor, Assistant Dean of Students for Residence Life, explained that the residence halls are filled to the brim with students.
Measures had to be taken by residence life to ensure a living space for all students this year, including some gender re-designations of floors in Dana .
“We had to change some floor designations from female to male” Taylor said.
Though this created some tension between certain students and residence life, Taylor said residence life tried to figure out which floor could change designations while impacted the least amount of female students.
Six study rooms, three in Dana and three in the Ford buildings, were converted into living spaces for students. In addition, seven male students not participating in the WinShape Scholarship Program were housed on Berry’s mountain campus, an area usually exclusive to WinShape students.
Also, the Thomas Berry apartment, formerly used by a staff member, was converted to hold six male students, and the cultural house is also being used for student housing.
When addressed about the idea of future new housing construction, Taylor said new housing would eventually become essential.
“ We’ve tapped out almost every additional space on this campus, so until we can stabilize our numbers for the fall, we’re going to have to do something different” Taylor said.
Taylor discussed a trend in housing that shows that though the dorms may be filled to the brim in the fall semester, but in the spring semester open beds become available. This can be costly to students in the long run.
“Empty beds are very expensive to pay for, filled beds is the best way to be” Taylor said.
According to Taylor, there is a need for stability in student numbers between the fall and spring semester.
“Until we can stabilize our numbers from fall to spring semester we’re really kind of…in between a rock and a hard place” Taylor said.
The fear is that by over-constructing, the financial burden will be left on the backs of the students. Taylor explained that non-traditional housing options were also being explored, which would still provide the extra living spaces needed without having to construct an entirely new dorm.
“We’re looking at some different concepts of how to build so maybe we’re not building a mass building like a Morgan/Deerfield” Taylor said.
In addition to the sheer size of this year’s freshman class, this class also breaks the record for the most male students in the past five years, with an approximate 45 percent of males in the class, adding over 100 more males when compared to the previous year’s freshman enrollment statistics.
In an interview with Debbie Heida, Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean Heida discusses the new male to female ratio of the freshman class.
Heida said the new Vikings football team had its part in bolstering the number of male applicants, not just the players themselves, but also the excitement and energy that the team brings to campus.
When asked about the affect of this large male presence on housing, Heida did not place all of the blame on the large amount of males, but instead said the problem was also related to the sheer size of the freshman class.
Heida said the housing issues arose because of an issue with gender prediction numbers.
“It’s hard to predict where you’re gender balance is going to come out particularly when you’re the midst of a change” Heida said.
These prediction issues are what caused the housing issues. Heida said there were some factors such as returning students that were under-estimated, leading to housing complications.
There were several complaints issued to residence life this year about students being moved between different residence halls. Heida made it clear that their decision was not intended to hurt anyone’s feelings, but every one had to be housed.
“We wish we could do something other than that, but you have to make a decision that houses everybody”, Heida said.
Heida said that the actual numbers of students enrolled or coming back is not in their control.
Even though the number of males may have affected housing for the current semester, Heida said the increase in the male population should not be so drastic in the future, though a gradual increase is hoped for.
Heida attributed this year’s housing issues as strains of a growing college, but maintained a positive attitude about the year.
“Growing pains are never easy, whether that’s for individuals or a colleges,” Heida said, “we’ve got some growing pains this year, but it’s going to be a good year”.