Guided by the Cal Poly Master Plan and with the support of partners in Administration and Finance, University Housing recently finalized a Future Housing Plan that will provide campus housing for 65% of Cal Poly students by 2035. The Future Housing Plan calls for adding more than 7,000 beds over the next 12 years to support student success and retention.
“Living on campus just makes everything easier,” computer science student Briana Lonappan said. “You get the benefit of using campus resources and amenities whenever you want. If I need to cram for an exam the next day, I can use one of the study rooms in my dorm or Hub 24 in the library.”
Students who live on campus benefit from 24/7 access to live-in staff, with after-hours support for their needs, as well as flexibility to accommodate cancellations without penalty for academic reasons such as study abroad and internships. Additionally, Housing’s Residential Learning Communities are set up to connect residents to new friends and campus resources. Proximity to services such as Campus Health and Wellbeing, Career Services, the DRC, Student Diversity and Belonging, the library, advising, and labs is also a significant benefit.
“There are many facets of campus living that we believe benefit our students and our campus community,” said Jo Campbell, associate vice president for Student Affairs and executive director of University Housing. “Studies show that increased campus residency can have a significant positive impact on retention and academic achievement. By providing a well-rounded, nurturing support system, we can positively impact academics also student life; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and health and wellbeing."
The addition of new housing will enable Cal Poly to extend its two-year housing program to all second-year students. Some of the first developmentscampus will see are a two-phase construction project that will replace the North Mountain residence halls, and a seven-building residential community proposed for a portion of the R-1 parking lot. These communities will provide more housing for first- and second-year students.
The Cal Poly Campus Master Plan also includes another major student housing development, Creekside Village.
There also are plans to renovate some existing campus housing, starting with the South Mountain or “red brick” residence halls.
University Housing will share details of the Future Housing Plan on a new website, next academic year.