By Tribune Staff
NASHVILLE, TN — Tennessee State University has housed over 5,100 students despite being criticized for lack of housing. The University told the Tennessee Tribune the focus now is to move students into housing from its waitlist. To date, over 150 students have been removed from that list to an assigned room. TSU has worked to resolve the challenges that accompanied an unprecedented demand for housing due to over 3,300 first-time students and the lack of off-campus housing for upperclassmen who ordinarily would live off campus.
TSU is not the only school facing an overflow of students in need of housing and used hotels to meet the demands. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville experienced the same challenge and used the same remedy as TSU. Using hotels to house students is a common practice for universities and colleges.
“As of Sunday, all students who applied for housing by the well-communicated July 1 deadline and paid their deposit has been housed,” said Frank Stevenson, associate vice president of Student Affairs. “We are bringing in outside experts who can help students on our waitlist, identify housing options.”
The University said it has housed all students who applied and paid the required deposit prior to the portal closing and returned all forms. An individual could experience a delay in housing for nonpayment of the deposit, not returning the intent to enroll form and submitting an application after the housing portal has closed. Students falling into any of these categories were placed on the housing waitlist.
The University also announced the TSU shuttle application that will help students tract when the free transportation arrives and departs for campus. All TSU students have a full-time schedule for classes and can ride the shuttle from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Students needing transportation after hours should make arrangements with Residence Life.
“Having a shuttle for the students is honestly the best thing that could have been put in place,” said Starr Branch, a junior mass communications major. “With the app, you know how to navigate through your day better by knowing.”
