For a handful of students who didn't have a dorm room last semester because of an unusually large freshman class, nothing said home like a hotel room.
And now, according to UB administration, students can expect the same for next year as well.
"We think we can house everybody, but we will probably have to go back to one of the two hotels for overage," said Dennis Black, vice president of student affairs.
Last year, overcapacity on UB's North and South Campuses led to alternate housing options that included local hotels and the conversion of Michael Hall to student housing.
Dan Herrling, a junior electrical engineering major, was part of the hotel housing crowd last semester.
"Living in the Super 8 had its ups and downs," said Herrling, who transferred to UB as a second-semester sophomore. "For the most past though, I enjoyed it. My roommate never showed up, so I kind of had the place to myself. It was also nice having your own bathroom."
However, Herrling said he wasn't too impressed with the UB staff in the hotel.
"The staff was the only real problem," he said. "They weren't that acceptable and it always seemed like the RAs were always busy. The hotel staff was helpful, though."
For Herrling, one semester in the hotel was enough.
"I live in Hadley now," he said. "It was an option when we were going to move out of the hotel, and if you were eligible, that had single spaces open in the apartments and contacted you. It's a lot more convenient living here."
According to Black, UB will offer students who end up in alternative housing the same types of benefits as last year, such as security, bus transportation, Internet access and meal drop-offs.
Last year, UB had to deal with fitting one of its largest ever freshman classes into the dorms. And now, as the huge freshman class becomes a huge sophomore class, the chances of being assured an apartment request are even slimmer than before, administrators said.
"We house the people who said they want to be here, but we disappoint a lot of people who want apartments," said Black.
Although UB has 25 percent more housing than it did four or five years ago, no new apartment or dorm projects are planned, said Black.
For students who want a space in the dorms guaranteed, they will have to give a definite answer by May 1.
"At this point, we can accommodate all who want to return, as long as they have said so by May 1," said Black.
Although students stayed at the Super 8 Motel on Flint Road in Amherst, and the Microtel on Hospitality Center Way in Tonawanda, there are no definite plans which hotel will be used in the upcoming semester.
"Understand that as part of New York State, we have to go out for competitive bids to hotels in the region in order to know which, if any hotels, would meet our specifications and our fiscal concerns," stated Joseph Krakowiak, the director of University Residence Halls and Apartments, in an e-mail.
As far as university apartments go, the application numbers were about the same as in previous years, according to Beth MacEachin, assistant director for URH&A.
"More people are retaining their apartments, which leaves less room for people coming in," she said.
MacEachin said it is hard to determine how many spots there will be to fill for the fall semester.
"It is interesting, because we never know our projected numbers through admissions," she said. "If you look in all the newspapers, it says SUNY schools are up in numbers, but we don't know how many people will want to live on campus."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
