A new proposal would require University of Nebraska-Lincoln sophomores who are struggling with their studies to live in dormitories.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - University of Nebraska Regent Tim Clare told the Lincoln Journal Star (http://bit.ly/Pu0WWf ) that requiring sophomores on academic probation to live in the dorms would help the students.
"Those students who are struggling, we need to do what we can to help them," Clare said. "This, I think, would help them."
Such a move would raise dorm occupancy in a year when there are fewer students taking classes, he said.
This fall's enrollment dropped to 24,207 at the Lincoln campus this fall, down 1.6 percent from year-ago figures. There are 156 fewer new full-time freshmen than in fall 2011.
The dorm issue arose during discussion of another issue at last week's regents meeting and has not yet reached the board as a full, formal proposal.
UNL spokeswoman Kelly Bartling said the university would consider the suggestion only as a way to raise academic performance and quality of life, not as a means of putting paying students into empty beds.
"We'll be looking at anything that benefits students," Bartling said.
Ohio State University is considering requiring all sophomores to live on campus by fall 2015. Ohio State officials have cited research that shows students who live on campus perform better academically and stay in school at a higher rate than those who live off campus.
At Nebraska for now, only freshmen must live on campus.
Last September, UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman set a goal of 30,000 students by 2017.
The university will continue to seek out-of-state and international students to make up for a declining pool of Nebraska high school graduates, Perlman has said.
Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com
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