Each fall, thousands of students move within the 7.3 square mile town of Farmville, VA to attend Longwood University. Generating mass exposure for its “small and close-knit community” according to its online history and overview page, Longwood has experienced an enrollment increase with over 4,399 undergraduates, leaving residential life a major concern.
As of four weeks ago, incoming students, specifically freshmen, were checked into their designated residence halls and may have been met with the realization that packing light may have been for the best.
During May of 2018, one of the largest residential halls on campus, Frazer Hall, began its renovation process, yet is set to reopen by Fall of 2019.
However, in “May of 2019 Curry Hall will be renovated and set to reopen by fall of 2020”, according to Longwood University Director of Housing Jean Wilwohl.
“There are complaints toward lack of space…there’s just less space to work with,” said Resident Assistant (RA) Sophomore Dina Ching.
According to Ching, Sept.7 the room freeze ends and students may move to singles that are currently in triples.
Yet the question remains, how will individuals adjust to these accommodations?
The university has recently implemented a permanent solution that incoming students could perhaps adhere to. Over this past summer, the university took the initiative to expand Arc Hall by transforming the dorms into triple occupancy rooms.
Prior to renovations, Arc Hall held 199 students.
Ching said before the renovation there were 20-25 students on each floor whereas now there are 40-45, doubling the space.
Prior to permanently transforming into a triple residency, the 13’5 x 18’8 dorm rooms were once double rooms that solely housed female residents.
Arc has remained the same, now becoming an all-freshman female residency.
According to Wilwohl, Longwood already had the furniture to furnish the spaces to transform them into triples.
"From a furnishing stance, at some point, it cost us money to have furniture, but we already had the furniture here on site so it didn’t cost us money to buy new furniture at this point," said Wilwohl.
Wilwohl said the rooms are large enough to accommodate three students
Ultimately these living arrangements have produced an outcome meant to fit for all.
