The University of Maine faces ongoing housing challenges as it welcomes a record number of students for the 2024-25 academic year. Amid an ongoing housing crisis on and off campus, students expressed mixed reactions to the University’s temporary housing measures and how Estabrooke Hall’s closure was communicated.
The 2024-25 academic year at UMaine Orono welcomed its largest student body to date, with 10,600 students enrolled (including 2,100 first-year students).
“We have had an unprecedented demand for housing on campus from first-year and upper class students,” said UMaine Vice President of Finance and Chief Business Officer Kelly Sparks. “This year, UMaine is housing 3,576 students, meeting our commitment to housing all first-year students. Overall, enrollment is up by approximately 13%…[Our student body is] the largest in the System.”
The pressure for students to secure adequate housing before the semester began only intensified with this higher student population. In light of anticipated housing challenges, students shared concerns of how the closure of Estabrooke Hall —a newly-renovated dormitory converted into an office space after closing in Spring 2024— has contributed to what some deem to be inadequate rooming accommodations offered to students.
Beyond navigating a busier campus and housing crisis, many students are preoccupied with the challenges of full-time enrollment while working part-time jobs. According to the 2023 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), a student taking 15 credits should plan to “dedicate 30 to 45 hours per week to academic tasks.” Approximately 87% of UMaine students are enrolled full-time, according to the UMaine’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.
Besides their academic commitments, 42.4% of full-time college students worked part-time jobs during the previous academic year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With rising inflation and Zillow reporting Bangor’s median rent at $1,650, more students than ever are working part-time to cover living expenses.
The data highlighting student realities begs the question: “Where do students in overflow housing sleep after a long day of attending classes and working?”
“I figured it would be the topic of the night…the housing situation on campus. Currently, there are 23 rooms that are tripled, which is 69 students. They have 109 students in temporary lounges, 10 undergraduates temporarily at Hotel Ursa, 20 permanently housed at Orchard Trails and eight students still unassigned, though all were offered housing,” said President Keegan Tripp at the Sept 10 UMaine Student Government (UMSG) meeting.
The closure of Estabrooke Hall reduced residential spaces by 96 beds, prompting UMaine to implement various last-minute solutions to accommodate affected students.
“Students who applied after June 1, and/or paid the housing deposit after July 12, were assigned to overflow housing,” said Sparks.
For some students, these solutions and how they were communicated fell short of expectations.
“We were told nothing. The University just decided to close down the building… no one reacted because it was done out of the blue,” said an anonymous student Resident Assistant (RA).
The source added that Estabrooke’s rooms were some of the most desirable on campus, stating, “Everyone wanted to be in that dorm. It was newly renovated too.”
Despite ongoing conversations about the adequacy of new housing assignments, students allegedly received a discount for being placed in overflow accommodations.
“Any student assigned to overflow housing in a triple or lounge — found in Knox, Oxford, Somerset, Androscoggin, Gannett, Cumberland, Hancock, Hart and York Halls — will receive a discount on their housing costs,” said Sparks.
The anonymous RA also reported that they believed students would be refunded 33% of every night they have to stay in the temporary housing.
“Essentially, what I was told is that students affected by temporary housing placements will be getting a 33% refund for their housing–for however many nights they’re in a temporary situation,” confirmed Tripp at the Sept. 10 UMSG meeting.
UMaine administrators, such as Sparks, seem optimistic and promote the benefits of communal campus living.
“While these are not our normal housing conditions, it has been exciting to hear about students who have met roommates in their triple or quad that they enjoy— forging relationships that will last a lifetime,” said Sparks. “We’ve had several students from lounges reach out to share that they hope to stay together as long as possible. That is what we see living in campus housing as—creating lifelong friendships, forging communities and discovering your people!”
In contrast, some students remain unconvinced.
“I know many people who signed up for singles, got confirmed in a single, and then, right before the year started, the University forced their single to become a double,” said the anonymous RA.
“During RA training, when we were being told about the housing crisis, an RA asked ResLife, ‘Will the university be bringing back Estabrooke to alleviate the housing shortage?’ A director responded, saying: “’I was on a phone call and asked that same question, and it was dismissed.'”
As UMaine grapples with its largest student body and a lingering housing crisis, students are left wondering when the University will find a sustainable solution to ensure that all students —including those who apply late or request single rooms— have secure and comfortable housing before more administrative spaces are prioritized.
The Maine Campus wants to encourage continued student and faculty feedback on developments regarding the housing crisis on campus and in our communities. Please reach out to news@mainecampus.com with your thoughts.
