University of Georgia officials are confident that enough students will accept cash incentives to move out of main campus dorms that all freshmen who want dorm rooms will find them.
Last month, the school announced a trio of incentives for students willing to give up dorm space to accommodate a larger-than-expected group of first-year students. Spokesman Greg Trevor said enough students are accepting the offers that the school will reach its goal.
“It has been quite positive,” he said when asked about the response. “Many students have expressed interest in those offers.” He didn’t have an exact number of students who have accepted the offers, nor did he announce an exact amount of money the school is going to pay.
The offers could be very generous. Freshman from the Athens area who had reserved dorm rooms were offered $1,000 to live off campus. The school expects most of those students to live at home. Returning students who are willing to live in Brown Hall dorm on the Prince Avenue camps can receive a $3,500 rent reduction. Other returning students who are willing to give up dorm space can receive a $3,500 cash grant.
With all of that, the school expects that no freshmen will be forced to find off-campus housing. “We are doing everything we can to ensure that every first-year student who wants to live on campus will be able to do so, and we are confident that we will be able to meet this goal,” Trevor said.
Dorm move-in week starts Aug. 6, and students must be moved in before the first day of classes on Aug. 14. Trevor said the school likely won’t have final numbers of the offer, or the cost, until then.
“Although final enrollment numbers won’t be known until the beginning of the fall semester, the university is eagerly awaiting a large incoming class with a higher-than-expected increase in the percentage of students accepting our offer of admission,” he said.
