Dear Student,

I write to make you aware of important changes in campus and downtown housing that will affect your living options by the time you are juniors and seniors. Please read this entire memo and take notice of the guidelines it describes.

As previously announced, in fall 2015 the University will open four new student residence halls and a student commons on the south end of campus. The residences, which together will house 340 students from the junior and senior classes, will feature apartment-style living for four students in each apartment with single bedrooms plus living rooms, kitchens and a private bathroom for suite residents, much like the popular Gateway apartments. Each of the four buildings will also have a themed lounge on the first floor, designed to increase the shared community space in the building.

The commons, which will be managed and programmed by students, will include a large hearth space, meeting rooms, room for student events and a full-service café. The new buildings will also feature an outdoor area with open recreational spaces. Together the indoor and outdoor spaces will create great new places for students to socialize and interact together.

These new facilities support the University’s historical commitment to residential learning. Our mission is grounded in the belief that a strong living and learning community, where academic excellence and extensive residential programming complement each other, prepares students for a lifetime of leadership and success.

The addition of these new residence halls comes at a time when downtown housing options will be decreasing. This change is an important development, as it will affect off-campus leasing arrangements. By summer 2014, the Borough of Lewisburg will raze a number of rental houses on the east side of South Sixth Street. These homes sit in a federally designated flood plain and over time have suffered from continuing flood problems. In their place will go an extended greenway aligned with Hufnagle Park to increase the recreational areas available to anyone that wants to enjoy them.

The availability of new on-campus housing and the reduction in downtown housing will affect future housing options. At this time, we want you to know in particular that it is most important that you not sign any leases for downtown housing before receiving approval from the Office of Housing Services to live downtown. Otherwise you risk being obligated to pay a downtown rental lease plus residential hall room fees.

As you consider whether to apply for downtown housing, please note the following:

• Beginning in fall 2015, the University will limit off-campus housing to approximately 200 students (closely divided between women and men).
  
  
• The approval and application process for living downtown in fall 2015 will begin October 1, 2014.
  
  
• Bucknell will only approve housing for downtown residences that have fully met the new code requirements. Those inspections will occur annually. By August 1, 2014, we will post on the Bucknell housing website the list of homes that have been approved.
  
  
• Because of local ordinance restrictions governing rental housing, downtown houses that will be eligible for student rentals will be limited to three or four students per house, depending on the residence.
  
  
• Due to the repetitive flooding, no rental units on the east side of South Sixth Street will be eligible for student housing.

We hope having these basic guidelines now is helpful to you as you plan for your future housing interests. Early in the spring 2014 semester we will address the details associated with applying to live downtown. We look forward to offering you the new residence halls and the expanded housing options they will offer as part of the residential learning experience at the core of Bucknell’s mission.

The Housing Services webpage will be updated as more details become available. http://www.bucknell.edu/x44781.xml. Questions or concerns may be directed to Housing Services and Off Campus Living at 570-577-1195 or by email housing@bucknell.edu.

Sincerely,

Susan Lantz
Dean of Students

Office of the Dean of Students
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA 17837
www.bucknell.edu

You have received this email as a result of your affiliation with Bucknell University.
If you do not wish to receive survey emails, please reply to this email unsubscribe ECA.