Overflow Housing

We are approaching fall semester with excitement, and we’re eager to welcome you, spending the rest of the summer preparing for your arrival.

We know that many of you are also preparing – for a new place and a new year – and we want to offer our best wishes. However, this fall is a bit unusual: More students accepted offers of admission to Whitworth than the housing office was anticipating. While this is great news overall, it may also mean you’ve recently received notice that you’ll be living with two roommates in a space typically designed for two. Understandably, you likely have questions about that and other aspects of campus life.

Here’s some information in response to frequently asked questions. We hope you find it helpful!

Why are more students than usual enrolling at Whitworth this fall?

Each year, we carefully estimate how many admitted students will choose to enroll at Whitworth. Some years our projections are spot-on – and in others, like this year – we're thrilled to see more students than expected saying yes to becoming Pirates. It's a “good problem” to have, and we’re excited to welcome such a strong and enthusiastic class.

Whitworth’s 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures that, even with a larger incoming class, you’ll still enjoy small class sizes and receive the personal attention from faculty that we’re known for.

One area impacted by our larger class is housing. Our residence halls will be full this fall, and a small number of students will begin the year in overflow rooms – three students in a space typically designed for two. Students in overflow rooms will receive a housing discount, and we anticipate that many will be offered a space in a standard room as openings become available throughout the year.

Our residence life team is dedicated to making sure every student feels welcomed, supported and at home in their hall – especially those starting out in overflow housing.

What does this mean for classes?

We remain committed to offering high-quality classroom experiences. Class size matters, and we’re addressing this by hiring additional faculty and offering more course sections. Our four-year graduation path remains fully intact.

We want your classes to be relatively small, with learning anchored in relationships. You’ll also receive academic advising from a faculty member with a personal interest in your development. These commitments are unchanged.

How does the housing office determine who is placed in overflow? How were overflow rooms selected?

While most housing assignments are made on a first-come, first-served basis, we also considered room size and layout in these cases. Housing staff evaluated every room and identified those that could comfortably accommodate an additional resident, including necessary furniture. Rooms were prioritized based on suitability.

Students are assigned housing based on the submission date of their housing preference form. We prioritized placing students with later submission dates in overflow rooms. However, the volume of overflow this year meant some students with early submission dates were also affected. We’ve done our best to maintain fairness despite the limited space.

How are students in overflow compensated?

Each student in an overflow room accrues a weekly credit of $35, added to their student account when their overflow is resolved. The credit begins to accrue the first week of classes. Students will have access to the sum of the credits only after it has been added to their student account.

How much should students bring if they’re in overflow?

Less is better. With limited space, it’s best to bring fewer belongings to make the room more comfortable. That said, many students find that with creative setup, they can still bring most of what they want.

What furniture is provided in overflow rooms?

Whitworth supplies extra furniture for overflow rooms, including bunked beds for two of the beds and a loft kit for the third bed. Additionally, we’ll supply an additional dresser and desk. Our goal is to ensure these rooms remain both comfortable and functional.

How does the housing office decide who moves out of overflow first?

If the opening occurs before the students move in, the housing office will handle the new assignments, moving the person who had the most recent housing preference form submission date. However, if the opening occurs after the students have moved in, the opening is first offered to residents of that building, then to residents of other buildings. Within each overflow room, all roommates must agree on who will move. If multiple students both want the spot, the space is offered to the student with the earliest housing preference form submission date.

If no one accepts the opening:

• If the opening is in the same building community where the residents are currently living, the overflow credit stops its weekly accrual and is added to each student's account. Additionally, the housing office will no longer seek options to resolve the overflow. This is surprisingly common – many of our overflow students bond very quickly and would rather stay together three-in-a-room than move to another room.
• If the opening is in a different building community, the credit continues to accrue and the housing office will continue trying to resolve the overflow. This happens frequently, too. Many residents don’t mind living in overflow, especially if it means they’re earning a weekly credit for it with fingers crossed that there will be another opening in the future.

What are my chances of moving out of overflow?

We’re working hard to open space and move students out of overflow as quickly as possible. Priority is based on the original housing form submission date. However, since the university doesn’t know yet for sure who will be here in the fall versus who has not yet canceled their housing deposit, there’s no way to know anyone’s chances of moving out of overflow. As soon as a reassignment is made, we’ll be certain to email residents who are moving rooms.