Robbie Slivinski, Staff Writer

Utica College has come across a problem with student housing on campus. With a record-breaking freshman class, students are upset about the current living conditions. In order to keep the students coming in, UC has offered students to stay at the Ramada Inn on New Hartford Street.

“It does not really affect me because I live in a single dorm, but in my cluster I know of three or four foreign exchange students all in one room,” junior Dan Alfeo said. “I have also heard kids complain about the transportation bus never being on time and the fact of being distanced from the school.”

Students staying at the Ramada have to worry about making it to school on time for class. For the students still left on campus, getting to class is much easier because they can walk from class to class. Students have other things on their mind on top of schoolwork and lack of student housing makes it even worse.

“I could use a lot more space. It would make stuff much easier to do and take away clutter that stresses everyone out,” freshman Justin Feldman said.

The lack of space can effect one’s education if they are not focused. Extra space can give an individual the comfort of being on their own and work to their full potential. They would not have the extra burden of trying to find a quiet, clean place to study.

“The school should definitely do something about this situation otherwise they are going to lose people’s interest in Utica College,” graduate student Sean Murphy said. “If they do not have room to stay they will most likely not want to end up coming here.”

UC now has 77 percent of freshmen living on campus.

With such a large population, it is difficult to house everyone happily. The total undergraduate enrollment at 3,084 students is difficult to split up into eight dorm halls. That is close to 400 students per dorm.

“I think something should be done,” sophomore Seamus Mchugh said. “It is ridiculous to not have enough space for paying students.”

The construction of the dome will drive student athletes to come since UC is one of the only colleges with such a facility in the region.

The tuition drop is another lure for students to come to Utica. They may have to reconsider if there is not enough space for them to even attend the college. If people knew about the situation before they come to Utica, it may have an effect in future enrollment.