Housing issues arise as University of Central Arkansas welcomes potential biggest freshman class

CONWAY, Ark.- President Houston Davis is saying goodbye to Summer 2024 graduates this Saturday as he prepares to welcome what he believes could be a record-breaking enrollment for this year’s freshman class.

“Yes, today we had graduate commencement for the Summer; we had 247 masters and doctoral students that received their degrees; it was just a wonderful celebration,” Davis said.

“We do know at this point it likely will be the largest increase that we’ve ever seen in freshman classes year to year,” Davis said.

Last year, enrollment numbers were over 1,700; this year’s numbers are expected to supersede.

The increase comes from the university’s natural, expected growth and the launch of the UCA Commitment.

“These are things that we certainly have been planning for for a couple of years as we ready for our UCA Commitment Program to begin,” Davis said.

Data that the university has already obtained show that more than 400 students have registered for residential housing this year compared to last year’s numbers.

The UCA Commitment program is a new debt-free pathway for students, and the first cohort includes almost 760 students.

Then, there is also an increase in returning students wanting to live on campus.

While the university has dorms and apartment-style living, the huge increase was causing housing issues.

“It was a good problem to have to be able to pick up the phone and call the edge,” Davis said.

During times of need, UCA partnered with The Edge Apartment Complex, located near campus, but this year, they needed 96 beds.

“We left the door open to have even more next year for those returning upperclassman students,” Davis said. “I can tell you that we were really glad to be able to say that all the freshmen are taken care of, and between The Edge and our apartment-style living at Bear Village, all those that made the application deadline for housing are taken care of as well.”

Two dozen returning students still need to make their application deadlines, but the university is working to find solutions for them.

“Then the really fun puzzle is going to be thinking about what it is that UCA needs to do as we look to the future,” Davis said.

Davis says adding more dorms and on-campus apartments would be a potential option, but it is a long-term decision that must be taken seriously and continuously worked on.

Until then, he is gearing up to welcome that incoming class on Sunday, August 18th, for move-in day.

“We need to be ready for them, and we need to make certain they’re having a special experience once they get here,” Davis said.

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