NC State Announces First-Year Student Live-On Requirement

Beginning with the Fall 2017 semester, NC State University will join several peer institutions in requiring all students to live in university accommodations and purchase on-campus meal plans during their first year.

A university report found that research spanning at least three decades has shown students living on campus are more involved in campus activities and are more likely to persist after their first year. Data shows that students who live on campus at NC State have higher GPAs and graduation rates than students living off campus. The report also states living on campus connects students to the campus community in ways that those who live off campus do not experience.

“The on-campus living experience at NC State promotes greater community and creates a sense of citizenship within the Wolfpack family”, said Dr. Mike Mullen, vice chancellor and dean of the Division of Academic and Student Affairs at NC State. “Living on campus also provides greater proximity to university life, including access to student organizations and recreation opportunities, greater access to academic resources, wellness resources, and participation in learning communities.”

According to Mullen, about 78% of NC State’s incoming freshman students currently live on campus, and about 45% of those participate in one of the university’s 16 Living and Learning Villages, interest-based residences that pursue learning experiences outside of the classroom.

“With this move, we expect to have increased demand for first-year student accommodations on campus, and we anticipate that this will also increase the demand for the village experience, which is also associated with increased student success,” Mullen added.

Students who live in university housing will acquire skills to enhance their academic success, be actively engaged in the campus community, develop their ability to interact with others in a civil manner, develop competencies necessary to become contributing members of diverse and multicultural world, and develop and strengthen individual leadership ability according to the report.

First-year students living on campus are also required to have a meal plan. “We are fortunate to have one of the nation’s premier on-campus dining programs at NC State; its efforts to bring healthy options to our campus have drawn recognition as one of the top 25 dining experiences in the country by College Rank, the top 25 healthiest colleges in the country by Greatist, and the top four gluten friendly universities  by Udi’s,” said Mullen. “Yet, our meal plan prices are among the lowest of our peer institutions, offering great value to our students.”

Students who have transferred to NC State are exempt from the live on requirement, as well as those who are military or veteran status, married, domestically partnered, with legally dependent children, over 21 years of age or not yet 17 by the start of classes.

The Division of Academic and Student Affairs and Campus Enterprises look forward to bringing more first-year students onto campus in 2017 and know it will positively impact student engagement and connectivity with NC State.

For more information on university accommodations and Living and Learning villages, visit housing.ncsu.edu.

For more information on meal plans or other dining services, visit dining.ncsu.edu.

Contact for the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, University Housing
Chris Dobek
Associate Director, Housing Operations, Assignments and Marketing
919.515.4339

Contact for Campus Enterprises, NC State Dining
Jennifer Gilmore
Director, Marketing and Communications
919.513.3017