FAYETTEVILLE -- A lack of available beds in University of Arkansas housing has caused 40 students to start the fall semester in temporary room assignments, a UA spokesman said Monday.
Classes began Monday at UA, with the students living in areas such as converted study rooms, UA spokesman Christopher Spencer said.
"They're big areas. They usually get converted to house three students," Spencer said.
No new housing has opened since 2013 on the UA campus -- though a new residence hall is being built -- while first-time, degree-seeking freshmen increased to 5,065 last fall compared to 4,339 in fall 2013. Most freshmen are required by UA to live on campus.
Freshman enrollment totals for this fall aren't yet available, but about 5,000 freshmen are expected, Suzanne McCray, UA's top admissions official, said earlier this month.
Last year, 57 students remained in temporary room assignments on the first day of fall classes, a UA spokesman said at the time.
Spencer said Monday that UA housing has a 5,732-bed capacity. Total on the UA website give the capacity as 5,726, but Spencer said the information hasn't been updated.
Gender plays a role in the housing crunch, Spencer explained.
While most residence halls have both male and female residents, some floors or wings are reserved for either men or women, Spencer said.
The 40 students without permanent room assignment are all men, Spencer said. All are on campus, with most living in Yocum or Humphreys halls, Spencer said.
Spencer said UA has 5,731 students in housing contracts, including 4,611 new students, 911 returning students and 209 transfer students.
The university in May denied an appeal by the suspended Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, so fraternity members cannot live there. The chapter was found responsible for hazing, among other student conduct violations.
Spencer said in an email the university has "no plans at this time" to use the Lambda Chi Alpha house for temporary housing.
UA requires single freshmen under 21 to live in a campus residence hall unless they are living with a parent or guardian, according to the university's website. The home must also be within 70 minutes of campus.
The university has said more than 700 students will live in the under-construction Stadium Drive residence halls, which are expected to open next fall.
Spencer said no decision has been made about whether any older residence halls will be closed to students when the Stadium Drive residence opens. In 2016, Chancellor Joe Steinmetz said there was a plan to convert two residence halls, Gladson-Ripley and Buchanan-Droke, into office space.
Students living in the temporary housing areas often get permanent room assignments within a few weeks as other students withdraw, Spencer said.
NW News on 08/21/2018