Twenty-seven students were placed in Parkland Hotel on High Point Road due to application issues with housing.

Most of the 27, all continuing male students, were “walk-ins” who waited too late to complete the housing application, which as a result, required them to stay in temporary housing at the hotel, said Linda Inman, executive director of the Department of Housing and Residence Life.

“If they do what they are supposed to do with the application process, we’re obligated to provide those students with a bed,” Inman said. “I will do my best to work with the walk-in crowd.”

During the spring semester, students are required to pay a $150 deposit, and complete a housing application online and sign a housing contract if they plan to live on campus. 

New students, mainly freshmen, are guaranteed housing before anybody else to ensure their safety and enjoyment of the college experience. Last year, there were about 150 extra beds available, so housing officials offered to create more single rooms for continuing students on campus, decreasing the amount of rooms that would usually available.

Dejon Caldwell, a sophomore management information systems major from Greensboro, was a brief resident at Parkland Hotel. Caldwell could not be placed in a dorm because he was not able to pay his $150 application fee on time. 

“I would come up to the school every week during the summer and try to pay the fee. I was told that housing was full,” said Caldwell. 

Although Caldwell is a Greensboro native, his situation was different from other students’. He explained that his family lives off Lawndale Drive near Battleground Avenue, and because he didn’t have transportation to classes, he needed campus housing immediately.

“My mother couldn’t take me to school every day. The H.E.A.T. bus didn’t travel all the way out to where we lived so I couldn’t stay at home,” said Caldwell. “My situation was pretty urgent.” 

The Department of Housing and Residence Life was able to place him in the hotel where breakfast and transportation were provided for the students. A van comes to the hotel every hour to take students to and  campus starting at 7 a.m. until 11 p.m., according to Caldwell. Security guards were provided for students as well, just as in campus residences.

After about a week and a half, Caldwell received housing in the Village dorms. 

The Department of Housing and Residence Life urges A&T students to pay attention to the emails that are sent in regards to housing availability to make sure they have secured a spot for the following school year in addition to application tutorials and updates with dorms.

As of Tuesday, nine students are still temporarily staying in Parkland Hotel. Housing officials hope to have the remaining students out of the hotel by the end of this week.

Karmen Robinson contributed to this report.

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• Kenyotta Boone & Asha Brown, Contributors