In the midst of heavy budget cuts and limited resources, North Carolina Central University is dealing with the largest enrollment increase in its 100-year history.
The freshman class grew from 1,035 to 1,347 students, a 30 percent increase from last year. The increase in enrollment has created a campus housing shortage and a need for more class sections
The enrollment surge comes on the heels of several achievements, such as the university’s entry into Division I athletics and its selection as the highest-ranked public historically black college or university by U.S. News and World Report, said Kevin Rome, vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management at NCCU.
Students may also be choosing to attend NCCU over other UNC-system schools because it is cheaper, Rome said.
The increase in students has forced NCCU to increase the number of general education classes offered by 25 to 30 percent, Rome said. The school also had to move off-campus at least 300 upperclassmen who requested campus housing.
They were moved to the nearby Millennium Hotel and 11 other sites in Durham to accommodate the freshman class, which also needed campus housing, said Jennifer Wilder, director of residential life at the university.
A request from NCCU to UNC-system President Erskine Bowles states that the hotel space is costing the university $1,960 per student — a total cost of $588,000 for the entire semester. The project will be funded with bonds rather than state money.
Students living in the hotel will be charged rates similar to those of students in on-campus dorms, which are between about $2,000 and $3,000 per year.
Millennium Hotel has been used as a de-facto residence hall on and off since 2003, when two of the university’s residence halls were infected with mold, said Wilder.
