2008 Woodie Awards
Housing rules newly remodeled
Danielle Cloyd
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Samford welcomed a class of 723 new students this semester.
Coming from 25 different states, the freshmen class is one of this largest ever on Samford's campus.
The growing number of students resulted in several changes to campus life. The most notable transformation occurred within the Residence Life office.
In preparation for this year's sizable freshmen class, the university has had to turn several dorms inside out.
"Assigning students to housing is like working a new puzzle each year. We have to fit all the pieces together, such as the number of students desiring campus housing, gender of students and the gender break-down of buildings, roommate/room requests, etc.," Residence Life Director Lauren Taylor said. "The challenge each year is making sure that all the pieces fit together."
The changes began when the formerly all-male Pittman dorm returned to female housing because 80 female students could not be accommodated in Vail.
Freshmen males who were originally assigned housing in Pittman were relocated to Mountain View, forcing many upperclassmen to reside in other areas of West Campus. The change particularly affected Ramsey, traditionally a co-ed dorm, which became solely a male residence hall.
Samford gave some displaced upperclassmen the option of moving off campus, even if they were not 21 years of age.
In order to move off campus, however, students had to meet Samford's criteria.
The standards included having a certain grade point average, birth date and length of time spent living on campus.
Junior nutrition and dietetics major Amanda Harshman is one of the students who had the option of moving off campus or to Beeson Woods. For Harshman, the decision was simple: she chose to leave campus.
"I love it, love it. Living in Wildwood apartments is convenient. I have my own kitchen, no meal plan and my very own bedroom," Harshman said. "It was good to live on campus freshman year, but now as a junior I feel that I am responsible enough to be independent and pay the rent on my own place."
Other students said they agree the new policies are beneficial to the student body, and they hope that Residence Life will continue to look out for students' needs.
"I'm very glad that Residence Life let me move off campus, and I hope that they will do the same for those who have legitimate reasons for wanting to be off campus," junior biology major John Carson said.
Because of the high number of students, a new rule was created and added in the student handbook. Starting fall 2008, any student who has lived on campus for four academic semesters, with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and are in good standing with the university can petition to live off campus.
Taylor believes this will make campus housing a much easier process if the same problem occurs next year.
Coming from 25 different states, the freshmen class is one of this largest ever on Samford's campus.
The growing number of students resulted in several changes to campus life. The most notable transformation occurred within the Residence Life office.
In preparation for this year's sizable freshmen class, the university has had to turn several dorms inside out.
"Assigning students to housing is like working a new puzzle each year. We have to fit all the pieces together, such as the number of students desiring campus housing, gender of students and the gender break-down of buildings, roommate/room requests, etc.," Residence Life Director Lauren Taylor said. "The challenge each year is making sure that all the pieces fit together."
The changes began when the formerly all-male Pittman dorm returned to female housing because 80 female students could not be accommodated in Vail.
Freshmen males who were originally assigned housing in Pittman were relocated to Mountain View, forcing many upperclassmen to reside in other areas of West Campus. The change particularly affected Ramsey, traditionally a co-ed dorm, which became solely a male residence hall.
Samford gave some displaced upperclassmen the option of moving off campus, even if they were not 21 years of age.
In order to move off campus, however, students had to meet Samford's criteria.
The standards included having a certain grade point average, birth date and length of time spent living on campus.
Junior nutrition and dietetics major Amanda Harshman is one of the students who had the option of moving off campus or to Beeson Woods. For Harshman, the decision was simple: she chose to leave campus.
"I love it, love it. Living in Wildwood apartments is convenient. I have my own kitchen, no meal plan and my very own bedroom," Harshman said. "It was good to live on campus freshman year, but now as a junior I feel that I am responsible enough to be independent and pay the rent on my own place."
Other students said they agree the new policies are beneficial to the student body, and they hope that Residence Life will continue to look out for students' needs.
"I'm very glad that Residence Life let me move off campus, and I hope that they will do the same for those who have legitimate reasons for wanting to be off campus," junior biology major John Carson said.
Because of the high number of students, a new rule was created and added in the student handbook. Starting fall 2008, any student who has lived on campus for four academic semesters, with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and are in good standing with the university can petition to live off campus.
Taylor believes this will make campus housing a much easier process if the same problem occurs next year.
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