As San Diego State gears up for the new Sophomore Success Program beginning in fall 2018, there will be many changes to on-campus living for particular SDSU students.
According to the SDSU official website, the program will be implemented in two phases.
2018-19 sophomores who are student athletes, out-of-state or international students, Guardian Scholars or students in the Nursing program or Honors College will be required to live on campus. Then, in fall 2019, the requirement will be extended to all non-local sophomores.
Kara Bauer, SDSU’s director of residential education, discussed the university’s plan for the two phases of the Sophomore Success Program.
“When we get to the 2019-2020 academic year, we will house the entire population of non-local sophomores,” Bauer said. “Throughout both phases, local sophomores are welcome to apply to live on campus as a part of this program as well, even though they are not required.”
Since there will be more students living in on-campus housing, SDSU is in the process of making increased living accommodations to the campus.
This will include specific housing for just freshman students and just sophomore students.
According to the SDSU Housing website, the Montage on College, located on College Avenue, is currently under construction and will open fall of 2018. This complex will be a housing option for sophomores in the Sophomore Success Program.
A new student residence hall is also under construction near Chapultepec residence hall. It’s expected to open in fall 2019, and will house freshmen.
In fall 2018, freshmen will be placed in University Towers, Tenochca, one of the South Campus Plaza buildings, Zura, Chapultepec and Cuicacalli.
Some freshmen will also move into Olmeca residence hall in the fall, then switch to Maya as renovations conclude for that buildings and begin for Olmeca.
The SDSU housing website says that there will be 10 living options for sophomores in the program for the 2018 school year.
Students in the Sophomore Success Program will be placed in Granada, Piedra del Sol, one of the South Campus Plaza buildings, Montage on College, Villa Alvarado, Tarastec, Toltec and part of Cuicacalli.
The SDSU housing website also says that other living options for sophomores next year are the Huaxtepec and the Zapotec apartment buildings, located near Tarastec and Toltec on-campus living facilities.
Resident Advisor Amy Moussa said residential staff are excited for the new program.
“We have the opportunity to help more students and we can serve more as a resource for sophomores and have more time to assist them with the transition into college,” Moussa said.
Kinesiology reshman Jillian Langer said she’s not sure what the benefit of the Sophomore Success Program would be.
“I don’t know how it could help you academically,” she said. “Ultimately it is up to the student to decide how involved (they want to be) or well they want to do in school.”
She said she doesn’t think living on campus causes students to study more or get more involved.
“It is all about how much you put into it and how social or outgoing you will be,” she said.
