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Frustrations Over New Housing Policy at Susquehanna University

SELINSGROVE–About 2,200 students attend Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. Around 100 seniors live off campus as well as some commuters, but next fall...

SELINSGROVE--About 2,200 students attend Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. Around 100 seniors live off campus as well as some commuters, but next fall, university officials say those rules will change.

"The policy basically says that we will not be releasing any additional students off campus," Chief Communications Officer Angela Burrows said.

University officials say in the past, students were allowed to live off campus because the school did not have the capacity to house everyone on campus. But now that Susquehanna University has additional residence halls, almost all students will be required to live on campus.

Susquehanna University is not the only school to implement these rules. Lycoming College and Bucknell University both have similar housing policies in place.

"We believe that learning takes place in the residence halls, on campus during activities, as much as it does in the classroom. It's part of the philosophy. We state it up front. Students are aware of that coming in," Burrows said.

Even so, many students say they think the new policy is unfair.

"I think they're hurting a lot of the older student body. I live off campus now and I've definitely learned the responsibility of preparing my own meals, paying my own meals and living on a budget," Andrew Doupe said.

"I've learned to cook, I've learned to do everything on my own, my laundry. Once I graduate I'm not going to have somebody holding my hand for the rest of my life," Daniel Kinney said.

Daniel Kinney says he signed an online petition protesting the housing policy change. So far that petition has around 550 signatures.

"I did sign it, just because I don't think it's fair that students don't have this opportunity anymore," Kinney said.

"Some of us can't afford to live on campus so I guess this is where the unfair comes in," David Kouf said.

According to Susquehanna University officials, students will pay just over $51,000 a year to attend the private school this fall, with close to $11,000 of that covering room and the meal plan.

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