Housing shortages have been a persistent issue at Arizona State University over the years, a challenge that arises due to the university’s consistently growing enrollment.
Between the Tempe and Downtown Phoenix campuses, ASU serves a student body of nearly 70,000 individuals. Of these, more than 15,000 students reside on campus. ASU encourages incoming freshmen to live on campus, as it allows them to acclimate to the college lifestyle and familiarize themselves with the wide array of resources available at the university. However, Vice President of Student Services, Joanne Vogel, acknowledges that the university is grappling with a shortage of available housing.
In her words, “We are at full capacity with our housing. Ensuring our first-year students can live on campus is a top priority for us. We believe it’s crucial for these freshmen to become acquainted with the resources available, receive the support of their community assistants, and engage with community directors.”
Despite these efforts, not every freshman manages to secure on-campus housing. Joanne Vogel reports that, on average, roughly 260 students each semester have had to be accommodated in local hotels during the past six years due to insufficient dormitory space. Arizona State University
Joanne Vogel drew a comparison, likening the situation to overbooked airlines. She explained that, at times, ASU faces an overbooked scenario, but through careful auditing and accounting, they manage to find solutions to bring these students onto campus. This approach serves as a short-term remedy while they work on accurately estimating the number of students who will ultimately enroll.
In addition to this, Vogel mentioned that some students actually appreciate the hotel life during their first year at ASU. Staying in a hotel comes with certain conveniences, such as a meal plan, laundry services, and cleaning facilities. It spares them from the responsibilities of maintaining a dormitory in the same way. Vogel highlighted the university’s need to offer incentives for students to transition from hotel accommodations to campus living.
However, it’s important to note that not all students share the same sentiment. Many of those we spoke to expressed a strong preference for the traditional on-campus experience, which was a key factor in their decision to attend ASU. Tyler Cho, a freshman student, emphasized the importance of the dorm experience in meeting new people and forging lasting friendships. According to Cho, living on campus is essential for truly immersing oneself in the college lifestyle. He recounted the experience of a friend who stayed in a hotel during a past semester and found it less fulfilling due to the lack of opportunities to meet new people and the logistical challenges associated with not residing on campus.
ASU says it currently has no students in hotels, as students are usually put in rooms at the beginning of the semester. ASU also says it’s building more dorms. There is a new 500-bed facility opening on Tempe’s west campus next fall. Then, an 800-room facility will open in Tempe, as well, in 2025.