22
September 2012
Penn State admits even more freshmen by Jessica Beard This fall, Penn State University Park is preparing to bring in its second-largest undergraduate freshmen class on record. To put the numbers in perspective, it will admit about as many students as all of the 19 branch campuses combined. “We expect to welcome a first-year class of about 7,600 to University Park,” Anne Rohrbach, Executive Director for Undergraduate Admissions said. Though final enrollment numbers won’t be available until October, some numbers are already in the books. With first-year undergraduate application and admission rates at an all-time high, Penn State students are facing the national trends of isolation in larger-than-ever classrooms and overcrowding in scarcerthan-ever housing. “First-year baccalaureate applications
for University Park is at a record high,” Rohrbach said. “University Park received 4 percent more applications from first-year students for Summer/Fall 2012 compared to 2011. Penn State received almost 78,000 undergraduate applications, which is over 2 percent more compared to last year at this time.” According to Rohrbach, University Park’s 2016 class is about 55 percent Pennsylvania students. “Commonwealth campuses as an aggregate of 19 campuses enroll 77 percent of their first-year class from Pennsylvania,” Rohrbach added. Jennifer Garvin, Director of Ancillary Services at Housing and Food Services in University Park, says that Housing Services will have to make do with current campus housing. “No new buildings...not until next fall!” Garvin said. “Plus, we have two
buildings offline for the renovation.” As of 2010, 37 percent of University Park students lived in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 63
“Penn State received almost 78,000 undergraduate applications, which is over 2 percent more compared to last year at this time.” Anne Rohrbach percent of students lived off campus. “To accommodate the freshmen, we increased capacity in certain rooms [and] are using every available space that is
possible,” Garvin said. “We did have some ground floor lounges planned to be used, but were able to avoid that space.” In 2009, two Penn State students posted a YouTube video called “The Real Fake Supplemental World.” Juniors Brad and Rebecca (“Chuck” and “Juicy;” no last names given) open the video with, “This is the true story of eight strangers forced to live in one loft and not even have their lives taped. This is the true story of supplemental housing at Penn State.” Brad said that in the lounge, “All Rebecca has is a bed, a dresser and a desk. She doesn’t even have a closet.” “It’s really, really awful,” Rebecca said. “I don’t have real walls because it’s a lobby.”
see
Freshmen, pg. 24
Off campus meal plan provides options by Tara Richelo Penn State University has created another food service plan specifically for students living off-campus and receiving a financial aid package. This Commuter Meal Plan has been added to the roster of options including the “Campus Meal Plan” and “LionCash.” The decision to create another meal plan was made by the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) and the University Park Food Services. The UPUA wanted to provide off campus students with the ability to purchase a meal plan that could be charged to their bursar account, thus easing the financial cost of food. The Commuter Meal Plan allows students to choose between $500 or $1,000 without a base cost. Students or parents can purchase the plan through the eLiving website before they have final-
ized their registration and submitted their
“This [plan] assures parents that their meal plan is going to be in the dining commons or in one of our eateries and is not being used for clothing at one of the merchants.” Lisa Wandel semester bill. The funds will be accessed through the students’ Penn State id+ Card. The due date for the fall semester passed on July 13. Students wishing to purchase a Commuter Meal Plan for the
spring must do so before November 9. Commuter Meal Plan purchasers will have access to a 10 percent discount at the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons as well as a number of other campus dining locations. However, just like the Campus Meal Plan and LionCash, the Commuter Meal Plan will not discount food items prepared by national restaurant chains. Similarly to the Campus Meal Plan, the remaining balance on a Commuter Meal Plan after the fall semester will roll over to the spring semester. Any funds left over at the close of the spring semester will be discarded. Once the student purchases the Commuter Meal Plan, the amount cannot be increased, decreased or cancelled at any point during the semester. This is a significant difference from the Campus Meal Plan. The Campus Meal Plan includes a
$1,275 base cost and rising incremental options. A Level 1 Campus Meal Plan costs $1,895 (base cost included) for $620 in available funds. A Level 6 Campus Meal Plan costs $2,390 (base cost included) for $1,115 in available funds. This plan gives students the option to add or subtract meal points throughout the year in the event they have either too many or too few meal points. Lisa Wandel, the director for Residential Dining, said that this plan is best for “the off-campus student who has a financial aid package. They have that money up front and they know it’s going towards a meal plan.” The Commuter Meal Plan also puts parents at ease. “This [plan] assures parents that their
see
Meal Plan, pg. 25