As the first day of classes approaches at the University of Utah, some incoming freshmen students are still waiting to see if they'll have a place to live.
The institution, which guaranteed on-campus housing for first-year students who applied by its May deadline, is struggling to meet its promise, with nearly two dozen freshmen still on the waitlist this week, school spokesperson Ana Belmonte told the Salt Lake City Tribune.
"I understand for parents, if you are out of state, this could be stressful," she said. "We're working super hard" to get it resolved.
Belmonte added that the university is addressing the backlog and expects to house all freshmen, though some may experience delays. She emphasized that the guarantee is for housing on campus, though students may not get their preferred room assignments.
"Our housing guarantee is not something we are hoping; we are 100% confident in meeting it," she told University Herald on Friday. "Our priority is to provide excellent service to our students, and we look forward to receiving them on campus next week."
University President Taylor Randall's goal of increasing dorm capacity to 11,000 students by 2027 has been complicated by a surge in demand and delays. The recent issues with the FAFSA financial aid form have further complicated the situation, causing delays in housing assignments as the university waited for accurate financial aid information.
Despite the opening of the new Impact & Prosperity Epicenter dorms this fall, campus housing currently offers just 5,500 beds, with 3,700 reserved for freshmen, Belmonte said. However, 4,400 freshmen applied, leaving 700 more applicants than available beds.
Belmonte attributed some of the delays in assigning dorms to issues with FAFSA, which pushed back the process for months. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that financial aid applications would be delayed for a second consecutive year, with availability pushed back to December.
Parents like Anna Smith, who lives hundreds of miles away in Montana, are frustrated by the ongoing uncertainty and logistical challenges. Smith worries that her son might not have a room until the day classes start on Aug. 19, making it difficult for him to transition smoothly to college life.
"It's just been a nightmare," she told the outlet.
Correction: An earlier version of this story listed the number of freshmen without beds at 100. That number has since been reduced to 22 as of Aug. 9.
