ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is making a “suite” deal even more “suite” for degree-seeking students choosing to live in university housing on the Indiana campus.
In addition to continuing to offer a $1,000 housing scholarship ($500 each semester) to students living in one of IUP’s eight suite-style residence halls for the first year, starting in fall 2025, the amount of housing scholarships for students choosing to live in university housing for the second and then for a third or fourth year will increase to $1,500 and $2,000 per year ($750 and $1,000 per semester), respectively.
“We know that finances continue to be a challenge for our students and our families,” IUP Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Segar said. “We also have data that tells us that students living on campus have stronger academic performance, more involvement in campus organizations and activities, and increased retention and persistence rates,” he said.
IUP’s Strategic Plan has a focus on increasing student retention (continued enrollment from first to second year) and persistence (enrollment to graduation). In fall 2024, retention of new, first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students from fall 2023 to fall 2024 increased by more than four percentage points.
This fall 2024 increase in retention follows a 90.1 percent retention rate of new, first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students for the fall 2023 to spring 2024 semester, the highest fall-to-spring retention rate for a group of new, first-time students since 2010.
Nationally, living on campus has been shown to increase student retention and engagement rates. Additionally, students who live on campus are more likely to persist to graduation.
“It is our hope that these housing scholarships not only provide financial support to our students, but increased access for students who want the convenience and opportunities that on-campus housing offers, including the layers of support that students in university housing can access on a 24-7 basis,” Vice President Segar said.
IUP began its first-year housing scholarship in fall 2021, providing more than $8 million in housing scholarships over the past four academic years.
A total of 2,724 students are in university housing for fall 2024, up from fall 2023 occupancy of 2,694, and 42 percent of students who lived on campus during the 2023–24 academic year are continuing to live in university housing.
“This increase tells us that students do want to be in university housing,” Segar said. “Continuing and augmenting our housing scholarships are part of our ongoing commitment to student-centeredness, providing what our students want and need,” he said. “Having second-, third-, and fourth-year students in our residence halls also creates a richer and more diverse community for all of our students,” he said.
Students do not need to live in on-campus housing for consecutive years to qualify for the second-, third-, and fourth-year housing scholarships.
“If a student decides to return to university housing after a year or two of living off-campus, the housing scholarship for that second, third, or fourth year still applies,” said Associate Vice President for Student Life Valerie Baroni.
“In addition to the convenience and proximity to classrooms and services, students in our residence halls feel a true sense of community and friendship,” Baroni said. “Living with people who have different backgrounds and experiences is a great learning opportunity, and students tell us that it enriches their academic and personal experiences in very positive ways. Our graduates also tell us that they made friends for life in their residence halls.”
To be eligible for a housing scholarship, continuing students need to sign up for housing by January 30; new (first-year) students need to sign up for housing by May 1, 2025.
The housing scholarships are part of IUP’s commitment to addressing the financial needs of students and families. During the 2023–24 academic year, IUP students were awarded more than $26 million in scholarships from the university in addition to state and federal aid. A total of 89 percent of fall 2024 new, first-time students were offered renewable merit scholarships averaging $3,494. IUP has frozen tuition, fees, and meal costs since 2018, and housing costs have remained steady since 2016.
IUP has also reduced the overall cost of enrollment for dual enrollment students; under this new pricing structure, the per-credit cost (tuition and fees) for dual-enrolled students is $100 per credit.
IUP’s housing includes a number of suite arrangements for one, two, or four students in its eight buildings. The current buildings were developed as part of IUP’s $245-million, four-phase Residential Revival and include and , opened in fall 2007; the , , and , opened in fall 2008; and the , opened in fall 2009; and , opened in fall 2010. The Foundation for IUP owns the buildings, which are managed by the university.
Several of the buildings include campus services in the first-floor amenities area, including a nursing simulation lab, Information Technology Support, the Office of International Education and the Office of Social Equity and Title IX in Delaney and Putt halls; the Center for Health and Well-Being in the Suites on Maple East; and the Office of Community Standards and the Office of Housing and Dining in Ruddock Hall.
Putt Hall, Suites on Maple East, Suites on Pratt, and Delaney Hall will offer a pet-friendly community. The Suites on Maple East will have upper-division housing, including graduate student housing.
All of the buildings offer computer labs and gathering spaces that can be reserved by students for meetings or events.