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Student Housing sees occupancy rise this fall as capacity increases
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Boise State University has increased its campus housing capacity by 63 percent with the new University Square apartments and Keiser and Taylor residence halls opening in 2004. For the first time in history this fall, BSU expects more than 1,000 students to be living on campus.
This is good news for BSU Student Housing director Craig Thompson, who says the increase occupancy is due to a mass marketing campaign that included presentations to students and parents at the Freshmen Adventure Program.
“We’ve been marketing like crazy trying to sell the positive aspects of living on campus,” Thompson said. “We’re seeing some positive reflections [from] the marketing.”
Thompson says current trends lead him to believe that around 850 to 900 students will be living in the six residence halls at BSU this fall. That number is up from approximately 730 last year.
Apartments are experiencing growth in occupancy too. Last year, 180 students lived in the University Square Apartments. This year, Thompson anticipates 250-300 students will reside there.
Heights and Manor apartments are at 90 percent occupancy, and there is a waiting list to get in because they are reasonably priced —$450 a month for a two bedroom apartment, Thompson said. There are still openings available at Village Apartments.
Two new residential colleges open this fall after a test run last year. According to the housing Web site, at residential colleges, students with similar interests are clustered into a resident hall or apartment with a faculty member who coordinates lectures and community service projects.
All three this year are either full or near capacity.
Still, BSU is seen as a commuter college and Thompson says that has been the culture of the institution.
But in light of that, he says he has to remain optimistic.
Most schools that build new facilities fill up those facilities in two years. Thompson says BSU is close to that goal.
“We’re doing OK. . . . This is our second year, and by the end of the third year, we should be at capacity,” Thompson said.
Thompson wants students to know that there still is time to sign up to live on campus this fall.
“There’s still room, and it’s not too late to apply,” Thompson said.
Randall Post
