University officials blamed poor weather and the Memorial Day tornado outbreak for pushing back the supply chain, materials, and labor for the project. They are projecting to start moving 235 students into the new dorm in September.
Future Jones, a sophomore at Central State, said some of his friends are living in other dorms, lounge areas, or common areas.
“They’re really devastated,” said Jones. “One girl was crying.”
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When asked about Jones’ friends living in less than ideal places, the university responded that students who claim to be living in common areas “weren’t assigned there.”
Last year, 2,099 students were enrolled at Central State.
Isaiah Booker, a sophomore at Central State, said he knows of as many as 30 students who do not have housing.
The university’s website states, “every student who received enrollment clearance by the university’s specified deadline and submitted a housing application was accommodated accordingly.”
“Unfortunately, those who did not, have experienced a delay in receiving a housing assignment. Those housing assignments will be communicated as available units are identified.”
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Doria Lee, a junior at Central State, is living in athletic team housing at Athletes in Action in Xenia.
On Aug. 8, she received an email explaining she would receive a temporary housing assignment, but did not know where she would be assigned until Saturday, the day she moved in.
Her room has one set of bunk beds that cannot be unstacked, one dresser and one desk.
Lee is concerned about her room being too small for her and her roommate, the inconvenience of transportation to and from campus, and compensation for the housing inconvenience.
Lee is from Chicago, so the housing situation was a lot to figure out when she arrived on campus.
“It’s so hard to know what to believe,” Lee said. “Stuff like this makes students transfer.”
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The university’s student affairs division sent an email to the students regarding the housing situation.
The email stated, “those affected by the delay will be assigned temporary housing and offered compensation for the inconvenience.”
Eighty students are living in temporary housing off campus and 155 students are living in temporary housing on campus, said Robert Vickers, director of University Public Relations. All 235 students will be moved to the new dorm when it is finished.
According to university officials, they will continue to monitor the housing situation.
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