SCSU Preparing for Residency Requirement Change

ST. CLOUD -- Freshman enrolled at St. Cloud State University will be required to live on campus this fall. The change in the residency requirement was announced by the school last October.

Jennifer Matzke is the Associate Dean of Students and Executive Director of Residential Life. She says a majority of first-year students were already electing to live in the dorms, so this isn't going to be a big change.

We typically housed 70 percent of first-year students prior to the live-on requirements, so we're going to see a slight increase in students who live on campus as a result, but it's not going to blow the doors off by any means.

Matzke says some of those exemptions include veterans, students who already live within 35 miles of campus, and married students.

First-year students can choose to live in one of the recently renovated halls including Shoemaker, Lawrence or Case-Hill or the Coborn's Plaza apartments.

Occupancy in Shoemaker and Case-Hill has been around 85 percent, in Lawrence Hall we've been around 75 percent, so we absolutely have space for students given the new requirements.

She says by requiring the new students to live on campus they will have better access to school services and activities.

Other Minnesota State schools like Bemidji State and Southwest Minnesota State have already had the residency policy in place for several years.

Move-in weekend at St. Cloud State University starts on August 22nd.