Housing-related shock took on new life last month. In an email, Tulane Housing and Residence Life announced juniors must live on campus in fall 2025. 

All talk and excitement of moving off campus with friends after sophomore year ended in a single moment. The decision not only restricts student choice but also reduces living preparedness beyond graduation. Imposing an extremely stringent requirement in the name of “university goals” over student interest is deeply revealing — the university is putting students last. 

Framed as an “exciting” announcement, administrators portrayed the update as beneficial to students, citing greater campus engagement and an opportunity to “enjoy” easier access to facilities. 

Fogelman and Bayou Halls, new additions to “The Village” will add 780 new beds, supposedly capable of housing the junior class. Administrators also briefly cited the goal of working with New Orleans in order to pressure and “sustain the integrity of neighborhood communities.”

Limited exemptions are offered for students to opt out of housing: students abroad, in recognized Greek life housing, commuters, those over the age of 22, those who are legally married, those who are guardians and those with qualifying disabilities. For the most part, it is difficult for campus juniors to qualify for such exemptions.

Juniors living on campus can enjoy close access to classes and new facilities. But the disadvantages significantly outweigh the benefits. 

To add on to the high housing cost, students living on campus are also required to purchase a dining plan. The most popular options, unlimited and TU 15, are both $3,875 per semester and $7,750 annually. A kosher meal plan charges $5,240 per semester and $10,480 annually. 

Considering the suite-style housing for upperclassmen averages around $10,000 to $13,000 per year, the expected cost of housing will be $17,000 annually at the minimum. Considering average rental prices in New Orleans are $990 to $1,675 per month, the maximum students could pay is around $13,000 for eight months, and many options are cheaper. 

The university should not pass unnecessary and heavy financial burdens onto upperclassmen who would have lived on and engaged with campus for two years already. Barring the ability to save on living costs when possible demonstrates tremendous greed and misguided intention.

Another major flaw in the new housing requirement is its shortcoming in preparing students for living beyond graduation. Previously, Tulane students lived two years on campus and two years off. The first two years on campus builds familiarity and connection with the environment, while the last two years off campus introduce students to living and maintaining a residence independently. 

There are no residence halls beyond college — individuals interact and conduct business with landlords, cook or provide their own meals and practice good residential hygiene. Students learn all of these skills through living off campus and renting a place for themselves and their roommates. 

One academic year is simply not enough time to gain the experience and knowledge of how to best live independently. If the entire point of college is to prepare students for their life ahead, and one of Tulane’s goals is to “enrich the capacity of individuals,” then it is incredibly foolish to hinder our ability to gain basic living skills. 

College is nothing like high school: students tailor and discover their own educational experiences. Freedom and choice are central to a great collegiate experience and are what separate college from secondary education. 

Universities should strive to trust, empower and grant the liberty for students to decide what is best. The decision to restrict student choice should only be for severe circumstances when it is necessary to keep students safe. Money and university goals should not be a priority, students should.