The Northern Star mistakenly reported NIU made $31 million from students living in residence halls a semester. However, NIU makes $31 million annually from students living in residence halls.

DeKALB | This year, 3,724 students signed up to live in residence halls this year, which is 449 less than last year, following a three-year downward trend.

Eric Weldy, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, proposed NIU expand its Living-Learning Communities to better engage students and encourage students to live in residence halls.

In 2013, 4,378 students signed up to live in residence halls. In 2014, this dropped by 123 students, and again dropped by 82 students in 2015, according to data provided by Amy Franklin, assistant to the vice president.

NIU generated $31,574,928 from students living in residence halls this year, and Alan Phillips, vice president of finance and administration, said this equates to about 13 percent of NIU’s $400 million budget.

“We’re always thinking of what Living-Learning Communities we can create,” Weldy said. “Getting students engaged on campus really increases their chances of continuing on with their education and graduating.”

Weldy attributes the decline in students living in the residence halls to the decline in freshman enrollment, which took a hit of 457 fewer students this semester, adding to NIU’s five percent enrollment decline.

“There was a slight decline in students who live in residence halls because of the enrollment,” Weldy said. “NIU was down in regards to enrollment in freshmen but came flat with transfer students living in residents halls and did well with students returning to residence halls.”

Weldy said NIU markets Living-Learning Communities well to incoming freshmen students. This fall, 2,018 freshman, 775 sophomores, 527 juniors, 346 seniors and 31 graduate students are living in residence halls, according to data provided by Franklin.

Of the 3,697 students living in residence halls this semester, 1,014 students are a part of a Living-Learning Community, as of Sept. 10. Students participating in Living Learning Communities are not required to live in the residence halls, however, it is encouraged.

NIU offers 14 Living-Learning Communities, which are communities build within a residence hall to gather students with similar interests such as the Foreign Language Residence Program. The program, located in New Hall, is a collection of students studying Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Sign-Language who get to practice the language with natives living in the residence hall.

Weldy said the Living-Learning Communities “fill quickly,” however, only two have no bed spaces available-Second Year Experience Community and the ROTC House. Three communities have one to five bed spaces available, according to NIU’s website.

“For students, I think that cost may play a role in the decision [to live in a residence hall],” Weldy said. “I think it could also be personal preference as well.”

Residence halls range from $4,845 at Neptune Hall to $6,685 at New Hall per semester, according to NIU’s website. Southern Illinois University, which has similar enrollment and qualities to NIU, charges $5,093 for a double and triple room per semester and $6,817 for a single room per semester, according to its website.