It's winter break at Buffalo State, but the news has spread quickly among the few students still around campus.
“Not everybody can live in an apartment type situation. Sometimes people got to live on campus whether you're a freshman or a senior,” said Tommie Wagstaff.
Tommie and his friend Armauni Allen are juniors at Buffalo State who live off campus, but some of their friends live on campus. They just learned starting in the fall of 2017, all seniors will be asked find housing off campus.
“What we must do first is make sure those students who are required on campus may do so,” said Hal Payne, the VP of Student Affairs at Buffalo State.
Housing has long been a problem at Buffalo State. Students are often housed at other college campuses around Buffalo.
The school says fewer than 150 seniors live on campus. They are trying to make sure there is enough space for incoming freshmen. There could be as many as 1,800 next year, and most are required to live on campus.
To help house everyone, Buffalo State has teamed up with Greenleaf developers. They're building an apartment complex, right across the street. It's designed for students and the school recommends seniors look there for housing.
“The majority of the facilities that we have are about or over a thousand dollars a year cheaper than STAC which is the most comparable option on campus,” said Jim Swiezy, the general manager of Greenleaf.
In a letter, the president of the United Students Government said, the school should "provide priority to upperclassman for on campus and Greenleaf housing."
The VP of Student Affairs says a waitlist will be provided for any seniors still looking to stay on campus. Not something soon to be seniors want to hear.
“Being on a waiting list is the worst feeling. And I feel like a college student that is paying hard earned money should never have to go through that. Especially when they're trying to find housing,” explained Allen.
According to the VP of student affairs this isn't a long term solution. The plan, right now, is within 5 years to turn one of the academic office buildings on campus into additional housing.
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