Record enrollment alters housing plan

By Michelle Hagopian
May 9, 2008

Despite plans for it to be converted to office space, Cramer Hall will remain open for incoming students next year. The Department of Residential Life made the decision this week after realizing next year’s freshman class will likely be a record.

The Department of Residential Life has decided Cramer Hall will house students instead of offices next year.

Due to an increase in incoming freshmen and the number of current students who chose to live on campus next year, the department said it needed the residences.

Residential Life Director Frankie Minor said in an e-mail that the size of the freshman class cannot be determined until early summer, but there is an increase from last year’s class.

“The freshman class size will likely be larger than any class that has ever attended MU,” he stated.

He said the increase in freshman students will increase demand for campus housing next year. Because of the demand, Cramer house students both semesters next year.

According to an MU news release, as of May 1, the number of freshmen who have been admitted and paid an initial enrollment deposit to MU has increased by more than 26 percent from the same time last year.

More than 5,700 new students have paid the deposit for the fall semester and if the number doesn’t change, it will represent the largest freshman class on record, the news release stated.

Student Life Director Mark Lucas said the increase can be credited to a successful recruiting drive, MU’s academic reputation, improvement in campus facilities and last year’s successful football team.

“A number of factors have collectively made an impact this year on the number of people interested in coming to Columbia,” he said.

He said the improvement of facilities such as the Student Recreation Complex and the future student center are attracting interest from prospective students.

“The renovation of our campus facilities has certainly played a role in the increased number of freshmen,” he said.

Lucas said the number of students returning to residence halls is difficult to estimate every year, but next year’s group is larger than in previous years.

“We try to have a variety of students in the residence halls, not just freshmen students,” he said.

Typically, about half of the students who apply to MU will enroll the following fall. For the past decade, the rate has remained stable, but this year’s rate is higher, Lucas said.

Minor said Residential Life has also appointed undergraduate Hall Coordinator Brent McCauley to the building.

The Pershing Commons front desk will remain in its current location to serve residents in the area, he said.

Residential Life also plans to leave additional washers and dryers in the Pershing laundry room, though an original plan called for a decrease in machines.

Residential Life is not able to honor any requests for current residents to relocate to Cramer next year, as it will be used for new students, he said.

Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Ann Korschgen said the increase in freshmen also increases student diversity.

“It appears that our enrollments from African-American, Hispanic and international students will be increasing if the current trend continues over the summer,” she said.

She said the influx of students speaks volumes about MU’s credibility.

“It says that students and their families see the Mizzou experience and degree as very worthwhile,” she said.

Lucas said Student Life offices affected by the Brady Expansion project will be relocated, as they were expected to move to Cramer next year. Student Life will announce the new locations early next week.

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Record enrollment alters housing plan

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