Rowan University has admitted the largest freshman class in its history for the 2025-2026 academic year, welcoming roughly 3,400 students. With this huge enrollment of students, the demand for on-campus housing was at a record high. Rowan University’s housing department had to make a tough decision to ensure everyone who wanted to live on campus was able to.

The ultimate decision the department came to was to transform some dorms in Holly Pointe Commons from doubles into triples, holding three students in a room instead of two. Barry Hendler, assistant dean of residential learning and university housing, provided some insight on how the housing department came to this decision to satisfy everyone involved.

“To meet that need, we converted some rooms in Holly Pointe Commons into triples through our consolidation process. We chose Holly Pointe because those rooms are generally more spacious and have air conditioning, making them better suited for three students than our traditional residence halls,” said Hendler. 

Holly Pointe Commons is also the largest first-year resident building on campus, making it more suitable for a larger capacity of students. Many students have had mixed opinions on this situation. Emma Abrahamian, a first-year student in Holly Pointe Commons, finds a positive outlook on the triples in Holly Pointe.

“I think it’s a great way to meet new people,” said Abrahamian. 

While most students only get paired with one other student roommate, those placed in triples now have two roommates. This opportunity gives students the chance to meet more people and build more connections. On the other hand, many students have voiced that they believe three people in a Holly Pointe dorm does not leave enough room for students.

When asked what her opinion was on rooms being transformed into triples, Jamarie Jean, a freshman law and justice studies major, was concerned about the new residence hall changes. 

“[The rooms] are spacious, but not like that. I feel like that’s too many people,” said Jean. 

Mia Ramsburg, a first-year elementary education major, also chimed in on the conversation.

“I can see how it’s a totally different dynamic than a double. With one roommate, you already have to make compromises. If you have two roommates, that just makes things more stressful,” said Ramsburg.

According to Hendler, the housing department at Rowan University plans to make changes for the future to possibly add new construction for housing. 

“We understand that living in a triple isn’t what every student imagined, and we’ve heard both concerns and positive feedback… Looking ahead, we’re working with a consulting firm on a comprehensive housing study this academic year to explore potential new construction to expand our capacity. We also encourage all students, both returning and new students alike, to stay on top of housing deadlines, since applying and selecting on time gives the best chance of securing your preferred space,” said Hendler.

In the meantime, Hendler provides insight on how those living in triples can make the most of their experience this school year. 

“To support students in these spaces, we provided information about layouts and amenities, and a commitment to reassign them as space became available…Our priority is making sure every student has access to safe, supportive housing as Rowan continues to grow,” said Hendler. 

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