A change in Longwood University’s housing policy was made on September 23, 2021, stating that students must choose housing options managed by the university for their first three years of college instead of two.
When asked how long this policy had been decided on, Jennifer Fraley, Dean of Students, said, “We have been talking about it for quite some time, and it’s returning to a policy previously in place.”
This policy was previously in place nearly a decade ago and changed in 2013. Fraley noted that, back then, both Sharp and Register Hall didn’t exist, and Lankford was the Student Union.
“At that time, we didn’t have new or upgraded facilities to be able to offer students, so we made that decision.” Fraley stated, “It’s been a real big push to make significant plans and updates to our current renovations.”
In the past couple of years alone, there have been multiple buildings remodeled and newly built that serve a function for campus life.
One of the most recent buildings was the Upchurch University Center that opened in October 2018, and currently functions as the Student Union on campus. More recently, the two 10-story high rises, known as Johns and Moss Halls, were finished in the summer of 2020.
As a result of these and other building renovations, Fraley commented, “We’re now in a position to change that policy back.”
Responses to this housing update has been speculated across campus since it was announced to all students via email. Fraley weighed in on this, stating, “I have gotten some responses, and I think it runs a spectrum of people who are just fine with it and those students who don’t agree with that decision.”
Fraley also mentioned how this housing policy has encouraged communication between students who were unfamiliar with the policies and herself about what the housing policy actually means.
In regards to the benefit of this policy update, Fraley explains, “I have always believed that we have a residential college experience, and that structure only makes Longwood better.”
“Students that live on campus that have immediate access…it’s better for retention. It’s just better for students,” She elaborated.
Like with most rules, however, there are some exceptions for the policy. Fraley provided some examples of an extraordinary circumstance, such as if a student is married or the guardian of a child.
In addition, Fraley discussed the three-year plan to renovate all of the living areas in Lancer Park and the Landings. This past summer, a third of the living spaces in the Landings and Lancer Park were renovated, and a third of the spaces in those apartment areas will be updated again over the next two summers.
For more information about housing policy, please visit www.longwood.edu/housing.
