In recent years, the number of student admissions at Alcorn State University (ASU) has exceedingly increased. Although admitting more students gives an opportunity for them to earn a college degree, sometimes this can result in the overcrowding of the campus. In lieu of this situation, Alcorn made sure to accommodate students the best way they could while still providing an education to all of them.
According to Aimee Reynolds, the Director of Housing at ASU, once the campus began to fill up, students were placed into the overflow dorms which are Robinson and Albert Lott Hall. In addition, when those dorms began to overflow the students were then placed on Alcorn’s Student Nursing campus in Natchez, Mississippi. After placement the Natchez campus also became full and for this reason, the remaining students were situated at the Days Inn Hotel in Natchez. However, the hotel is only a temporary solution for the students who could not receive online classes and stay too far away to drive home. They will not be in the hotel for more than a few weeks after the final registration period closes which will be on September 9th.
Alcorn recognizes that not all students have the opportunity to own a vehicle. The University’s transportation department has been transporting students living on the Natchez campus and the Days Inn. These services occur during the week as well as on the weekends. The transportation schedule is as follows, the students get picked up from the Student Nursing dorm and the hotel at 6:15 am and 6:30 am to ensure that they will be on the Lorman campus for breakfast. The shuttle departs from Lorman at 6:00 pm and on Monday through Wednesday, the bus runs late for the students who have night classes. The bus departs the Lorman campus at 9:15 pm on the late days.
Reynolds also stated that when registration closes and rooms become available “students staying in the Days Inn and on the Natchez campus that still wish to be on the main campus will be notified as rooms become available.” Residence Life is constantly working around the clock to make sure that students are taken care of and attended to whether they are living on or off of the Lorman campus.