 Rising University Enrollment Poses Housing Challenge
The steady increase in undergraduate enrollment at the University of San Francisco in recent years has presented a unique challenge for Residence Life staff: Where will all the extra students sleep?
In a university that requires all first- and second-year traditional undergraduates to live on campus, this year’s record-breaking freshman class size (approximately 850 students) brought excitement as well as a bit of nervousness to campus. Last year, less than 1,800 students lived in campus housing. This year, the number increased to more than 1,900.
“We knew it was going to be a larger class this year, but it tends to be a guessing game until the last minute,” said Kristy Vivas, assistant director of operations, facilities, and marketing for Residence Life. “We had to move quickly this summer. We wanted to be able to help people who want housing. In one way or another, we’ve been able to do that.”
With a little imagination, the University was able to find housing for all who needed it. Additional rooms have been added in the following locations:
 There are approximately 50 students housed in 41 rooms in the Lone Mountain Pacific Wing, which was vacated in July by the College of Professional Studies. The rooms in the Pacific Wing were used for housing before CPS occupied it.
There are 60 students housed in the Presidio, where just 15 students lived last year.
The University has leased a building at 569-571 Third Ave. to house 10 students.
The lounges in Hayes-Healy, Gillson, and Phelan halls were converted to rooms, creating beds for more than 30 additional students. The University has been moving students out of the lounges as traditional residence hall rooms become available.
The game room in Gillson Hall was renovated to create 14 rooms for 27 students, all wired and with new furniture and new carpet.
These efforts, Vivas said, have allowed the University to provide housing to all who need it and to keep all freshmen on the main campus. While the University expects to be able to meet housing needs for now, a long-term solution is required.
“Building a new residence hall is one thing we need to do to attract new students,” Vivas said. Fund-raising for a new residence hall is included in the capital campaign recently approved by the USF Board of Trustees.
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