By Rohan Jhaveri, Newswire Intern and William Coffman, Local & National Editor

Effective for the class of 2030, Xavier has increased its two year on campus living requirement to a three year requirement. 

The change had been announced earlier in the semester, though attention to it rose dramatically over the weekend. News of the change was received negatively by students, who have critiqued both the policy itself as well as the rollout of said policy. 

“I think this will set back students mentally” junior nursing major and off campus resident Kaleigh Cunningham said. “I mean we don’t have home economics classes anymore, when you are off-campus you learn how to pay rent and manage a household.” 

“I think it’s in bad taste, I mean with the cost of everything going up, it seems like a bad time,” senior psychology major Lucy Spangler said.

Despite the initial reaction from students critiquing the decision, the administration stands firm, believing it to be the best way forward for the school. 

“From a residential life perspective and from a university perspective, this is a very positive thing,” Dean of Student Affairs Lori Lambert said. 

Lambert stated that one of the major pros of the three year living requirement would be a new program that was not mentioned in any of the prior messages to students and is intended for the class of 2030 exclusively. Lambert labeled this program a “post grad readiness skill development program.” She believes that the new policy will help enable this program and develop those skills. 

“This is going to be a three-year process to build and design a distinctive third year program. We will communicate the details as they become available and invite current students to inform the program’s development,” Vice President of Student Affairs and Chief Student Success Officer Dr. Kimberly Moore said, expanding upon the idea of the post grad readiness program.

Lambert pointed out other schools that have a three year living requirement. Boston College, Duke University, Georgetown University, Butler University, John Carroll University and the University of Notre Dame, were listed as universities that implement the three year living requirement. Most of these universities have a wealth of applicants that ensure a positive cost-benefit analysis.

“I think it is important for students to know that the decision to phase in a three-year residency requirement, starting with the class of 2030, was not made lightly… This decision is about cultivating a more connected campus community.  One that builds on our current campus culture, not that replaces it as many have suggested,” Moore said.

One such reason for the frustration among the student body seems to stem from the idea that this is a mere scheme for the administration to use to increase revenue.  Lambert stated that among the Office of Student Affairs, “money wasn’t mentioned once,” when talking about the decision process. The focus was rather on retention and student welfare. For the class of 2030 and further incoming classes that fall under the new policy, waivers to the policy can be submitted based on financial need, medical reasons, commuting status, marital status and other special considerations.

Students have also been considerably upset about the communication of the new policy. Many first-years were initially confused by an email believing that they would have a three-year living requirement. The email sent to them was telling them housing their third year was a guarantee, not a requirement. 

“From what I understand there was zero consultation with any student groups for a policy that’s going to affect, you, future freshman classes, but really our entire school and off-campus living as well as the off-campus culture, I think that’s unacceptable,” senior Philosophy, Politics and the Public major and Student Body President Jake Galvan said. 

Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management Scott Clyde also spoke on this by acknowledging that while there was a significant lack of communication there will be a new push coming out shortly seeking to clarify things. The need for conversations, questions and criticism in the Xavier community was emphasized by Clyde.