The University of Connecticut received over 62,000 applicants during this year’s application process, a record-breaking number. Last year’s application season followed a similar pattern, with the 58,000 applications that were received holding the record for just one year. Storrs, UConn’s main campus, has received an increase in applications, but so have the regional campuses of Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, and Waterbury. As competition ramps up between universities, this upward trend is promising in terms of prestige and reputation, but it is causing problems with housing.
Housing applications opened on Jan. 1, 2025, but emails were sent out prior, warning students of the possible shortage. On Dec. 17, 2024, students were warned that “although all students may apply for housing, eligibility to live in residential housing is not guaranteed and is based on multiple factors including space availability, primary campus designation, academic standing, and academic status.” The email went on to explain that there is a waitlist process for students who do not receive housing right away, and students should be prepared for that outcome because of the high demand.
For upperclassmen, the housing situation is becoming an increasingly frustrating situation. Many of them were promised eight semesters of guaranteed on-campus housing when they applied, but given the number of students being admitted in the two most recent classes, this promise can no longer be upheld. Parents have taken to parent pages and even the news when expressing their frustration. One parent, Karen Haueisen, spoke to NBC Connecticut, expressing frustration with the fact that her daughter, a rising junior at UConn, was placed on the housing waitlist. While there are nearby on-campus housing options in downtown Storrs, these options are not cheap, and for students who receive aid, this is an even more dire situation. Other housing options that may be more budget-friendly are often much farther from campus and would require students to have a car or access to a bus. A tough decision is being posed for students who are unable to secure on-campus housing or an off-campus location that fits their needs. Taking a semester off or transferring to a different university may be what these students have to do.
UConn’s President, Radenka Maric, announced a new initiative in January of 2025 called the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan. This plan expresses a desire to maintain and improve UConn’s reputation. “The goal of the SEM Plan is to create a holistic, data-informed framework that will guide UConn’s ongoing efforts to: attract and enroll a diverse and talented student body… Ensure that UConn remains a leader in a competitive higher education market.” While these goals sound all well and good, placing a growing reputation above the needs of current students in areas such as housing is a problem. It is worth noting that many campuses across the U.S. are facing similar problems. However, as a UConn student, I have seen these issues on campus firsthand, and the impact cannot be ignored.
Looking to the future, UConn leaders must recognize the broken promises that were made to their students and remedy them. Reputation is, of course, something to consider, but loyalty to the students who have already chosen to enroll in your institution is equally as important. More off-campus housing has already started to be developed, and some will even be available as soon as the fall of 2025, but off-campus housing is not a viable option for some. UConn should aim to increase on-campus housing options for its student body, especially in the wake of more students applying and being admitted.