News

UNK Housings Sees Changes for the Upcoming Year

Posted: 4:32 PM Aug 6, 2012
Reporter: Kim Eiten

Housing Changes on UNK's Campus - Kim Eiten Reports at 9

Some dorm rooms at the University of Nebraska at Kearney could get a little extra company this fall.

Students are overflowing into already tight quarters.

"I don't think quality of life will be significantly more different. It will be a little bit more cramped," UNK Residence Life Director Tony Earls said.

The college is bringing three students, instead of two, into some dorm rooms.

It comes because of renovations at the university taking one residence hall out of commission for the upcoming school year.

"Each one of those buildings holds nearly 400 students, so we have plenty of space generally, but when you take 400 beds out of your mix there's going to be impact," Earls said.

But, some students said that impact isn't a bad thing.

"It would be good to get to know another person except just your other roommate," UNK Junior Tara Nienhueser said. "You get to know that many more people."

Earls agreed.

"I think some of our students are going to turn this into an opportunity," he said. "They'll make more friends and will enjoy themselves a bit more."

The college can then get a jump on the long term plan to rotate halls through a series of renovations.

And, Earls said, some rooms are already equipped to handle that extra body.

He said in the past, certain dorm rooms did house three students at a time.

"The rooms are just a little bit bigger," he said. "We haven't used them that way in a long time because we didn't need to, but now we need to. We're going to give it a try."

Because of that, he said overcrowding isn't an issue.

"They'll be 2,000 students living in the residence halls and we're talking about 50 or 60, so safety will not be a concern," Earls said.

Students said what could be a concern is just getting used to the change.

"I think people might get irritated by it, but they'll get used to it," Nienhueser said. "They'll see in the long run it's a good experience and it will be good to have that extra dorm renovated."