ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University is quickly growing, but the university is having a hard time keeping up with student housing.
OU is in the process of changing from a commuter campus to a full fledged division one University. Nearly 10,000 students go to the school and less than a third live on campus, but they're packing them into dorms. The school is so packed OU is overbooked for the fall.
"Nationwide it's a generalized practice to overbook because those final weeks of any summer we do have students who make last minute changes of mind," said Oakland's Housing Director Jim Zentmeyer.
Those who get to live at school, mostly transferring upper classman and women, will live at least initially, at a nearby long stay hotel.
It was 15 rooms last year, but this year they've already reserved 25 rooms, double occupancy for 50 students. They get a queen size bed, a kitchenette, plus something the dorms don't get, a once a week maid service.
While the hotel is just down the street, Zentmeyer says he would rather the students live on campus and to alleviate confusion he's letting students know what they're in for now.
"Much more in advance than last year we have notifications already out. We do have an extremely high concentration of demand and we do have the apartments as a fallback," said Zentmeyer.
December 9th of last year is when the last student moved out of the nearby hotel and went into campus housing.
The students who end up living in the hotel will not pay any higher rates for their housing than other OU students. It will cost the University between $5 and $10 per day more than it is charging.