Virginia State University To Provide Additional Student Housing On Campus For Fall 2023

Temporary Housing Annex Units to help provide affordable housing options for students who want to live on campus.

Virginia State University will join universities nationwide in providing a creative temporary solution to the campus housing crisis. Effective fall 2023, ten clusters of Annex Units will be on campus. Each Annex will contain modular units providing on-campus housing options to an additional 268 VSU students.

According to the Urban Institute Initiative, enrollment has exceeded on-campus housing growth over the past decade, and institutions have struggled to provide sufficient, quality campus housing for their students. This challenge is most acute for public institutions….which educate low-income students.

Last year, Virginia State University enrolled the University's largest incoming class of new students in more than three decades. This growth created the need to be creative in serving the housing needs of our Trojans.

"We are an opportunity University. We want to provide every student who wants to attend VSU the opportunity to do so, "said VSU President Dr. Makola M. Abdullah. "However, there is a nationwide shortage of affordable off-campus housing. Therefore, the temporary Annex units allow us to offer more than 260 additional VSU students an affordable on-campus housing option."

The Annex Units are being delivered and set up over the next few weeks and will be located in three areas on campus:

  • Two Annex Buildings west of Gateway Residential Hall
  • Four Annex Buildings east of the Quad Residential Hall
  • Four Annex Buildings north of the Quad Residential Hall

Each single-sex building will contain between 12-20 individual rooms. The rooms are set up similar to a traditional residence hall. Each room has two beds, two desks, two wardrobes, a dresser, and a double closet. In addition, each building is equipped with a kitchenette, a study room, and a shared bath/shower room with multiple stalls and showers. A resident assistant will be on-site at each building.

"We have worked hard to ensure that the Annex Units have the same interior look and conveniences as our other on-campus housing facilities, "said Dr. Alexis Brooks-Walter, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. "They are conveniently located on our campus, which prevents more than 260 students from having to seek off-campus and more expensive living options."

The Annex units began arriving on campus this week. They are being set up with furnishings and other conveniences. Most should be ready for occupancy by fall 2023.

VSU TEMPORARY ANNEX FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are the Annex units the same as trailers?

  • The units are temporary and were pre-constructed before delivery. They will contain the same amenities as our traditional residence halls.

What amenities are included in the Annex units?

  • The rooms are very similar to a traditional residence hall room containing two beds, two desks, two wardrobes, a dresser, and a double closet. In addition, each building has a kitchenette, a study room, and a shared bath/shower room with multiple stalls and showers and will have a resident assistant on-site.

How many Annex units will be on campus?

  • There will be 10 clusters of individual rooms on campus. In total, the 134 rooms will house 268 students.

Where are the Annex units located?

The ten clusters are located in the central residential areas on campus:

  • Two clusters are west of Gateway Residential Hall
  • Four clusters are east of the Quad Residential Hall
  • Four clusters are north of the Quad Residential Hall

Are the Annex units for first-year students only?

  • No, any VSU student may be assigned to the Annex Units.

Are the Annex Units co-ed?

  • No, each building is single-sex only.

Is there a difference in price to live in the Annex?

  • The Annex units have rooms similar to those in a traditional residence hall with similar amenities. Therefore, the cost will be the same as other on-campus housing options.

When will students be notified if they are assigned to an Annex Unit?

  • Students will receive the Annex assignments at the same time as other housing assignments.

Are there options if a student doesn’t want to live in the Annex?

  • The Annex is a viable option for students who desire on-campus housing at an affordable cost. The Department of Residence Life and Housing makes all housing assignments.

Will some VSU students still be housed at area hotels or Richard Bland College (RBC)?

  • It is possible that some students may be temporarily assigned to a local hotel until the final Annexes are set up. Some students may also be housed at RBC.

What security measures will be in place in the Annex?

VSUPD and RMC Overnight security will monitor activities in and around the Annex units. Only residents assigned to the unit will have access to entry doors. VSU Visitation and Guest policy will be enforced.