With Monroe Hall closed for renovations, the surplus of students living on the south side of campus has forced the school to assign triples to corridor style buildings.
Since the end of last semester, Monroe Hall has been closed so that the facilities department may install an updated fire alarm system and renovate the building as outlined in what Director of Facilities Planning and Construction Jeffery Kaplan, called the "north campus master plan." Because of this construction, there are nearly 200 more students than usual living in the South Village. To accommodate these extra students, many of whom are freshmen, Residence Life has assigned many students to tripled rooms, especially in Onondaga Hall.
Kevin Hahn, interim assistant director of Residence Life, said that the college originally assigned about 38 triples, but as spots open up around campus some rooms have been de-tripled.
"We've already extended offers to 15 to 20 groups," he said. "It's ongoing as we get spaces and people leave Geneseo. However, we don't force them to leave. They are allowed to stay in triples if they want to."
According to Hahn, the Office of Residence Life department expects to extend offers to all tripled groups by November. This will continue to be an issue throughout the next few semesters, however, as Monroe Hall is not scheduled to reopen until 2012. "We're doing a renovation of its interior and adding fire alarms and sprinkler systems," Hahn said.
Several resident assistants from Onondaga Hall said they haven't had many roommate confrontations relating to students living in triples.
Junior Jon Shultz, a RA on the second floor of Onondaga, said that the triples haven't had a dramatic effect on his position. "It's the same as it's always been," said Shultz, noting that one of the three triples on his floor has already been disbanded.
Senior Amanda Leonard, another Onondaga RA, is in charge of "at least four or five" triples but has experienced "no negativity" as a result.
"There hasn't been a direct effect as a result of the triples. I went in knowing that this is the largest freshman dorm and that there would be more students this year," Leonard said. "I'm impressed that [the tripled students have] been utilizing the space so well."
Freshman Michael Garone, a student living in one of the triples on Leonard's floor, said that he doesn't mind living in a triple. "When I came in I thought it'd be difficult, but it's comfortable."
At Red Jacket Dining Hall, Assistant Manager Steve Mitchell said that the increased amount of students has created "some good problems."
"We've had an increase in the volume of food purchasing and an increase of students at the all-you-care-to-eat dining section," he said. Mitchell also said that the dining hall has had to purchase more food to accommodate the extra students, but that it has not raised the price of brunch or dinner as a result.