In an effort to convert Niedfeldt Residence back to a male dormitory for next school year, and due to the femaledominated rising junior class, the administration has allowed fewer men to move off campus and increased the girls’ allowance from last year.
As of Feb. 28, 51 men and 106 women were newly permitted to leave campus housing, joining the 109 men and 48 women who will return to offcampus housing this fall. This equals 314 Hillsdale students that are projected to live offcampus next year.
This number could change, depending on the number of admitted freshmen in the fall.
“The end variable is the admissions number,” Dean of Women Diane Philipp said. “There are usually slightly more women than men, by our projections. We have to house the freshmen, and 10 bodies make a difference. Sometimes in May we ask if students want to live offcampus, and it seems as if the office is disorganized, but really, we accepted a few more freshmen, and we need to house them.”
Offcampus status is determined by the number of Hillsdale College credits a student holds. The deans’ office, in cooperation with the registrar’s office, ranks students in order of most credits to least, in an effort to honor seniority.
If students turn down the option to live off campus, the administration notifies the next students in line that they are granted permission. Because of this and fluctuations in admitting the freshman class of 2018, the process of notification could go on until May.
Philipp said it has never been a problem for seniors to live off campus. Not all juniors and sophomores are always allowed to leave college housing, even if they were granted permission the previous year, or one of their potential housemates was granted permission. However, for collegeowned houses, she said that returning residents may choose underclassmen to move in with them.
“The key to housing is making sure friends can stay with friends. All residence halls are different, but as long as we can keep friends together they seem to be happy,” Philipp said.
Niedfeldt Residence was converted from a men’s dorm to a women’s during the 20122013 school year, when the number of freshmen girls far outweighed the number of freshmen boys. The deans said they feel that men need another dorm option on campus, in addition to Galloway and Simpson Residences. Koon Residence, which houses about half as many students as Niedfeldt, will return to housing women next year.
The late L.A. “Red” Niedfeldt and his widow, Phyllis Niedfeldt, donated the funds to build Niedfelt in 1990. Dean of Men Aaron Petersen said it is important to them that Niedfeldt be a men’s dormitory. Both deans said that Phyllis Niedfeldt was very understanding about the school’s housing imbalance; however, the administration wants to honor the couple’s original wishes.
For years, Phyllis Niedfeldt would host the men for a dinner and a brunch, and inspect the condition of the dorm upon visits.
“She talked to us, gave us stories about her life, encouraged us, and talked about her husband and why they started the dorm,” said threeyear Niedfeldt resident Greg Barry ’12. “She came through and inspected the dorm, which was interesting. It was cool seeing the interest she took in us. She wanted us to be doing well and be having a good college experience. It was very clear she cared strongly about us.”
The deans encourage all students to see for themselves the list of ranked students, which is available in the deans’ office.
“We have to fill beds on campus,” Phillip said. “The college needs to be able to have the means to keep the buildings running smoothly and maintain them. I’m responsible for filling beds.”
