Schools
Johnson & Wales University To Require Freshmen To Live On Campus For 3 Years
A lack of housing in the Providence area and better access to student support services were among the reasons for the change at the college.
PROVIDENCE, RI — Beginning in fall 2024, Johnson & Wales University will require all freshman students to live in on-campus housing for their first three years, school officials said Wednesday.
University officials said the new policy will apply to all incoming undergraduate students, including international students. Currently enrolled students will not be affected by the new policy.
"More than 50 percent of students at JWU’s Providence Campus call one of the on-campus residence halls home,"Vice President of Student Affairs Melanie Tucker said. "Living on campus allows our students to experience the best of Providence in a close-knit community."
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University officials said Johnson & Wales is adopting the new policy for several reasons, including student retention and engagement, better access to support services on campus, encouraging a stronger culture of involvement and Wildcat pride, and concerns about the lack of housing in the Providence area.
"Community partnership is a pillar of Johnson & Wales' mission," Providence campus President Marie Bernardo-Sousa said. "Here in Providence, JWU is committed to working with the city by freeing up community housing and allowing more options for those who live and work in the Providence area, contributing to an overall vibrant city for our students to call home."
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