Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 43

situations where enrollment is over or under the projected numbers. In addition to ever-changing numbers, the demands for speciﬁc types and styles of housing also change from one year to the next. Over-Enrollment. In situations of over-enrollment, many colleges and universities simply add capacity to existing rooms. While this tactic is known by different names (force tripling, extended housing, overﬂow housing), the goal remains the same: to increase a regular occupancy room by at least one bed space. Knowing which rooms are suitable for this can be difﬁcult. Certainly city, county, and state laws may require minimum square footage ratios per resident which must be met at all times. Additionally, ﬁre safety codes and security access concerns need to be addressed before placing students into extended capacity rooms. Other strategies used to address overenrollment include utilizing lounge space as overﬂow housing, converting ofﬁce space into bed space, and leasing space from private landlords or nearby colleges or universities and hotels. For an occupancy manager with a keen eye, many unassuming spaces on campus reveal themselves as viable housing opportunities. While over-enrollment poses inevitable challenges in terms of the available inventory, it can have a strategic beneﬁt in terms of business operations. For many occupancy managers, it is desirable to have over-capacity going into the start of an academic year. Though this requires a ﬁne balance, the intent is that overcapacity will be compensated for by the natural attrition often experienced within the ﬁrst few weeks leading up to and after the start of an academic term. If calculations are accurate, target housing occupancy will be near 98 percent (or higher) after the attrition period has ended (usually 8-10 weeks after the beginning of the year). This scenario is ideal

because it provides for the greatest ﬁnancial contribution to the institution and accords with the residence life department’s mission, which is to provide housing to residential students. When occupancy is less than what is needed for full capacity, the same attrition will generally occur, thus decreasing the revenue stream from housing and, in extreme cases, leading to ﬁnancial instability within housing departments. However, there are many ways that institutions can diminish this burden.

Under-Enrollment. While overenrollment can be difﬁcult to manage, under-enrollment also poses its own set of unique challenges. In these situations, occupancies in select rooms can be lessened, which has the advantage of giving students more personal space. Many schools also allow students to pay more to maintain a double occupancy room as a single. Furthermore, seeking alternative populations (graduate
CONTINUES 52

Showers for Life...
Meridian Solid Surface
Custom Shower Bases for Remodel Applications Standard Shower Bases Shower Wall Panels Shower Accessories

...College Life ...Dormitory Life ...Daily Life

MASSILLON,OHIO

330.837.2216

Durable Renewable Stain-Resistant Solid Throughout

www.TowerShowers.com
SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2011

http://www.TowerShowers.com http://www.TowerShowers.com

Talking Stick - September/October 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - September/October 2011