Housing Solutions Address Record Enrollment

As Nichols Enrollment Tops 1075,
Modulars and New Residence Hall to Be Used for Housing Solutions

Due to a 46% increase in fall 2007 applications and day enrollment at a record 1,075 students, Nichols College plans to use three modular units purchased from Vanguard Modular Building Systems of Malvern, Penn., a company known for its award-winning educational space solutions.

Each module of approximately 3870 square feet will be configured with students rooms on a perimeter surrounding common rooms, including bathrooms, a laundry, a lounge, and mechanical closets. The "North" and "Center" residence halls will be located between Remillard and Budleigh Halls, and "South" residence hall will be located in front of Kuppenheimer Hall.

"We are completely gutting each unit to ensure building code compliance and fitting each room with the University Loft Furniture used in all our dorms," says Robert LaVigne, Nichols director of buildings and grounds. According to Pat Allen, director of residence life & judicial affairs, buildings are either all male or all female. In total, the three modules will provide one triple, two quads, 39 doubles for first-year students and four single rooms for the resident assistants.

While Nichols has plenty of classroom space, the large number of applicants, 97% who wish to live on campus, has pushed Nichols campus housing to its capacity. "More students are interested in Nichols because of our successful graduate outcomes," says Vice President of Enrollment & Marketing Thomas Cafaro. "We just received results on our 2006 graduates. Their average starting salary was close to $40,000 and 96% were employed within six months of graduation. Obviously, we are pleased with this increased interest in our career-focused business education."

Nichols is in the process of building a new 60-bed apartment-style residence hall for upper classmen on the existing lacrosse field (image left). It is scheduled for occupancy prior to fall 2008 and will feature apartment-style accommodations in two layouts: 2 bedroom/1 bath or 4 bedroom/2 baths. Each suite will have a full kitchen and living area.

In addition, almost every residence hall on campus is going through some type of renovation this summer. Winston House on Center Road is being extensively renovated, whereas Olsen Hall is being outfitted with new bathrooms and Remillard Hall restructured for rooms and offices for resident assistants.

Reporters, interested in touring these ongoing construction projects on Wednesday, August 15th, may contact the communications director at 508-213-2219.