By Laken Franchetti, Editor-in-Chief
Residential Education sent an email to students today detailing information regarding the availability of off-campus housing for the 2024-25 academic year.
The email began by detailing Gettysburg College’s belief that living on campus is integral to the campus community: “The College requires all full-time students to live on-campus during their four undergraduate years at Gettysburg. The four-year residential requirement is rooted in the values of the College, specifically that a living-learning community is a key part of a liberal arts and sciences education, as outlined in the College’s Mission Statement: Our conviction that a residential college best promotes the sense of community, central to a liberal arts education, in which personal relationships between students, faculty, and staff can flourish.”
The email shared that in the past, a small number of seniors have been permitted to live in off-campus residences due to there not being enough residential space on campus for all students. The email also revealed that the decision to hold an Off-Campus Housing Process is made annually and is decided based on two factors: enrollment and the number of residential spaces available through the College’s housing system.
After the College’s evaluations of housing inventory and project enrollment, an Off-Campus Housing Process has been approved for the 2024-25 academic year.
“Please remember that the number of students released from the residency requirement to live off campus is still determined based on student enrollment and housing inventory,” the email explained. “The exact number of students to be released for next academic year is yet to be determined, but it can be noted that it will be a smaller number than in the past, likely smaller than the current academic year.”
The email reminded students that they should not sign a lease to live in off campus housing until they have been formally approved to be released from the College’s residency requirement. The email also stated that the requirements for this spring’s Off-Campus Housing Process for 2024-25 will be forthcoming but some requirements were already detailed. An eligible student must be a rising senior, have a minimum GPA of 2.8 or greater, be in good standing with respect to student conduct and complete an Off-Campus Housing application that is submitted by the due date.
The email outlined what the process of approving students will be.
“Students will be grouped with the individuals they are applying to live with through the off-campus housing process (similar to the on-campus housing process and noted on the off-campus application),” the email said.
The email stated the importance that students must apply with the entire group that they will be living with off campus if they are approved.
“Students should not sign up in multiple groups with the goal of at least getting some of their potential housemates approved to live off campus,” the email explained. “This has not proven advantageous to students in the past couple of years, and it is reason to have your group removed from the off-campus application process and unable to be approved. Please include your entire group on your application as one group to avoid negative consequences.”
Groups will be selected in an order based on the average GPA of the group members, and this will be completed until the target number of students has been approved. Students that are not approved can place their name and group on a waitlist.
“We anticipate sending information to eligible students about the Off-Campus Housing Process for 2024-25 in early February,” the email said. “Please contact Residential Education at residencelife@gettysburg.edu if you have questions.”
