BOWLING GREEN - Western Kentucky University cannot house all of the students coming in for the fall semester.

        Director of Housing Operations Kit Tolbert said her department has told students who registered to live on campus after June 1 that there is no housing left.

        About 250 to 300 students could be affected, and about 150 to 200 are freshmen, Ms. Tolbert said.

        A school policy that states all freshman and sophomore students must live on campus is being suspended for the fall semester.

        Director of Housing and Residence Life Brian Kuster said sophomores who already have an on-campus living assignment but want to live off campus will be allowed to do so. Mr. Kuster said only the first 100 sophomores asking for the change will be eligible.

        The problem stems from the renovation of Bates-Runner Hall and Bemis Lawrence Hall.

        That loss, along with Western's increased enrollment, have caused the crowded conditions, Ms. Tolbert said.

        In all, 300 more beds were available this year than last year, but the school received 500 more renewals this year than last, she said.

        “That was a huge factor,” Ms. Tolbert said. “We knew we were going to be tight.”

        Compounding the crisis is a potentially record-setting freshman class.

        Registrar Freda Eggleton said registration is ahead of where it was this time last year, when the university set a record enrollment of 16,579.

        About 600 beds will be back in service in August when renovations of the directional halls are completed.

        Dorms open Aug. 15, and fall classes begin Aug. 19.

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