Due to changes in housing taking place at West Chester University, there are a few shocks that few expected: McCarthy Hall is going to be co-ed starting in fall 2009. Other changes include the removal of room retention and the starting of a lottery system in order for students to choose their room.
The biggest question students want to know is “why?” Susan Visoskas, assistant director of Housing said she has your answers. “McCarthy is going to be co-ed simply because the demand from the students for all female housing is greatly declining over the past 10 years.”
In the school year of 1998-1999, 106 returning female students requested to live in all female housing. However, in the year 2008-2009 only 31 females requested to live in McCarthy Hall. Other numbers show in one year the number of incoming first-year students who requested all female housing has dropped from 32 to 20.
For those women that do still want to live in an all female area Visoskas noted, “It is likely the third floor of McCarthy will be all female to accommodate those students.”
This means the four singles located on the first and second floors will now be open for men to occupy.
“I have no strong feelings as to what the student’s reactions will be,” Visoskas said. “However, since the complaints have increased over the years as well, I can guess the students will be happy.”
Elise Glunz, McCarthy’s RHA president said she is pleased with this change however she noted it will cause the hall to vote on a new mascot.
Carla Madirl, a junior who has requested McCarthy since her first year at West Chester noted that she is, “open to the idea, but am very shocked to find the news out.” She also said McCarthy will lose some of its uniqueness because it will be, “just like all the other dorms now.”
Other changes to housing also shocked some students. The reason for the elimination of the room retention process is because those students who currently live in a building that will be knocked down, no longer have that option. In order to “keep things fair” Susan Visoskas said each student will get a lottery number based on the number of credits the student has obtained. That lottery number will then be used by each student to go online and choose the room they want for the upcoming school year.
If students have any questions about these changes, or any questions about housing in general on Jan. 12 all information on housing will be posted on the Residence Life and Housing webpage.
Rebekah Balmer is a second-year student majoring in history with a minor in women’s studies. She can be reached at RB649636@wcupa.edu