2006-2007

News Release

REF NO.: 132

SUBJECT: Residence changes will accommodate both returning and new students at Memorial University

DATE: March 20, 2007

Proposed changes to the allocation of student residence beds at Memorial University’s St. John’s campus have been adjusted to accommodate the needs of both returning and new students at the university’s largest campus.
The plan, which was worked out collaboratively between university housing officials and student residence leaders, will accommodate the return of more senior students in the residence complex while increasing the numbers of new students in the residence population.
“When we first announced our desire to make changes in residence to accommodate more new, incoming students, some leaders in our residences expressed concern about the needs of returning students for places,” said Dr. Lilly Walker, Memorial’s dean of student affairs and services. “We listened to them and now have worked with the residence student leaders to develop this compromise.”
The university has approximately 1,500 residence beds available in its Paton College and Burton’s Pond Apartments in St. John’s. Last year it received 2,800 applications for these spots with the greatest demand for residence spaces coming from new, incoming students. In addition to first-years, this group also includes transfer students from Memorial’s Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook and from the College of the North Atlantic (CNA) who had undertaken University Transfer Year studies at CNA campuses in the province.
The compromise plan reflects students’ suggestions for addressing the issue of providing more places for incoming students and supporting the current residence culture.   It calls for 786 beds to be set aside for new students to Memorial’s St. John’s campus, up from 481 the previous year. The remaining beds will be reserved for returning residence students. Priority for accommodating returning students will be based on a number of criteria including students’ grades and involvement in residence activities.

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