By Mike Naughton

Even as Northeastern plans to open West Campus buildings G and H in Sept. 2004 and groundbreaking for building F is soon to begin, it is still unclear whether these buildings will satisfy the growing need for freshman housing, according to Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Ed Klotzbier. The class of 2008 holds almost 3,000 students, with many being housed in the 437 economy triples on campus. “The master plan for the university includes additional residence space, and freshmen housing is among the considerations,” Klotzbier said. Residential Director of Speare Hall Tanner Chesney explained that he has not had any complaints about the sizes of the rooms mainly due to the fact that the university had gone through a lot of the residence halls to make sure the rooms could accommodate three people. “The university was really good about it,” Chesney said. “They went through all the rooms and made sure the Internet hook-ups that had only two jacks would have three.” Some freshmen students have no problem with the size of their rooms. Nathan Fowler, a linguistics major in Light Hall, was one of the students that felt his room was, if nothing else, adequate. “I have enough room to sleep, study and relax,” Fowler said. “My roommates and I can live and work together comfortably.” Despite the university’s attempt to prepare the freshman residence halls, some students in the freshman class feel cramped and crowded. “I had to stack the dressers and we had to put a desk in our closet,” said freshman Ryan Baxter, a computer science major who was forced to live in a Speare Hall triple. “I would rather be in a double; there would be more room.” Harper Spero, a freshman general studies major, has similar wishes, especially since she was formerly under the impression that she would only have one roommate when she got to college. “I thought I was going to have one roommate but then found out months later I was going to be put in a triple,” Spero said. “I’ve seen some doubles in White Hall that are bigger and they have walk in closets.” With only two closets and little open space, students were forced to squeeze into their new accommodations. Ben Lentz, an undecided freshman from Speare Hall, was forced to live in a triple but is making do with his close quarters. “It took some getting use to,” Lentz said. “The upperclassmen have much better apartments.” Stetson East and West, Speare Hall and White Hall are among the buildings that hold economy triple rooms.