QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Will the housing process change in the future?

Erica Lewis, Assistant Vice President for Residence Life, said in an interview that the Housing Team is taking the process very seriously. Earlier this year, they conducted a survey that was sent to students. They received over 1,000 responses. The goal of the survey was to get a better understanding of how the majority of students felt about the housing process. She explained that the results of the survey will determine how they pursue the housing process in the future.

"The goal is to have a process where the majority of individuals are happy." ~ Erica Lewis, Assistant Vice President for Residence Life

Why did the school admit so many freshmen?

Erica Lewis said HPU was well aware of the influx of incoming students. More bed spaces were added to campus. Most of the spaces added were off-campus, university-owned houses.

"A sweet spot has been 5,000 undergraduate students," Lewis said. As the university continues to create more majors and expand campus, students and parents can expect more incoming students. The Housing Team wants to assure students that anyone who wants or is required to live on campus will receive a housing assignment.

Why are graduate students allowed to live on campus?

Erica Lewis has been working for the university for 13 years. She said that the graduate student system has stayed the same throughout the years. Undergraduate High Point University students pursuing a graduate education always gets first choice for housing because their undergraduate credits transfer to their graduate years. They are allowed to live on campus. Graduate students coming from other universities will have zero credits starting graduate school. They are the last to choose housing.

Graduate students are not required to live on campus. They may opt to live off campus. However, this past year, more graduate student opted to live on campus because of the 5th year free program. Dr. Nido Qubien announced after the devastation of COVID-19 that he would offer any students affected by it a 5th, free graduate year. In order for students to receive the full grant, they must live on campus. This has resulted in a large number of graduate students taking single and suite rooms on the main campus. This left sophomores, juniors, and some seniors forced to live in off campus university housing.

Learn more about the graduate program here.

Why are undergraduate students required to live on campus?

The Housing Team does not decide if undergraduate students can live off campus. Dr. Qubien and the HPU Board of Trustees made the decision to require undergraduate students to live on campus. Research shows that students who live on campus graduate with a greater connection to the institution, are more successful, and are more rounded students. All of which are key components to the university being a life skills university.

Students who live on campus graduate with a greater connection to the institution, are more successful, and are more rounded students.

Why are certain dorms used for homesteading versus others?

Homesteading is open to upperclassman only. You can homestead in any upperclassman dorm, but University Owned House, Caffey, and York.

Homesteading: is the process in which a student has the choice to live in the dorm they are currently living in the following year.

There are many options for storing items near the school. Storage Scholars, is a company that helps students move out of their dorms and provides storage facilities and packing materials.

Erica Lewis said that the homesteading process was different last year due to the loss of houses on Panther Drive. A lot of students lived in the houses on Panther Drive, but were forced to move out as the school announced they would be tearing them down. The Housing Team decided that they would not allow homesteading in university-owned homes.

York and Caffey are the two dorms that are never allowed to be homestead in. York is occasionally used to house a small number of freshmen. The school keeps those rooms open so they have space to hold all freshmen on the main campus. Caffey is the newest dorm with the highest tiers. Lewis said that higher tiers are requested more than lower tiers. By not allowing homesteading in Caffey, it gives students a better chance to live in a higher tier dorm for at least one year during their time at HPU.

Lewis also added that those who homestead cannot leave their belongings in their room over the summer due to liability. The school is not liable for any stolen or broken items. During the summer, rooms are renovated and having personal items will make it harder to flip rooms for the fall.

Why is it so difficult for students to room with their friends?

The Housing Team is not trying to make it difficult for students to live with their friends. However, due to the homesteading process, most rooms are already occupied by one person. When students are placed at the end of the list, it makes it harder for them to get a room with people they know because limited bed space is left. The Housing Team has to fill spots that are left. Students have the option to room swap with others so they can try to get a room with someone they know.

Student Life also explained that a survey to put together students who are similar would be too difficult to execute because students are placed into rooms at all different times. They also have a limited amount of spaces and housing reservations change constantly.

Freshmen parents have also requested a more elaborate survey for roommate placement. The Housing Team explained that they would not be able to do this as a computer generates roommate compatibility. The questions have to be kept simple for the computer. Longer surveys have also shown that students have "survey fatigue" where they do not finish the survey.

42%

of students were not placed with their friends.
~ Research Poll on the Housing Proccess

What will the university do to help students' mental and physical health?

The Housing Team knows that every student has different personal needs. Their door is always open if a student has concerns about their health.

If a student has a specific health condition that has to be accommodated they should contact the Office of Accessibility and Resources. OARs will provide students with the accommodations they need upon receiving and reviewing medical records from a doctor.

“I reached out to them about health concerns including mental health, I was accommodated but after a strenuous process of multiple calls and emails.”

Why were students placed in hotels?

Every year rumors surface that students will be placed in hotels. However, at the beginning of this year students were indeed placed in hotels. About 15 students were placed in hotels. Those students had a housing assignment in university-owned houses. The houses were not yet finished due to the lack of materials. COVID-19 has made it hard to get a hold of materials, including furniture. HPU was aware of the situation and were placing students in hotels until the houses were finished. The houses are now all finished and students have moved into them.

lived in a place other than a university-owned home or dorm

14%

When will the university break ground to build new dorms?

In an interview with Barry Kitley, Vice President for University Relations, explained that the school has plans to break ground very soon. The school is planning to add 15 more houses in the neighborhood across from the new Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Confrence Center and Hotel. Kitley called this area Northwest Housing. This will add 80 new beds. Another project is "Panther Commons" which will be a new building built on Panther Drive. It will be a five-story building complete with retail, dorms, and a new hibachi restaurant. The school is anticipating it will be done by 2024.