GREEN BAY -- Officials at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay expect to notify individual students within a week as to fall housing options in the wake of a major fire June 25 at the Residence Life complex on campus.
Fire destroyed the building at 3334 Walter Way, also known as Building 109. The two-story structure with 17 units and 63 beds was unoccupied for the summer. No one was injured. No other structures were damaged.
Sue Keihn, associate provost and dean of students for UW-Green Bay, said she is "optimistic" the University will nonetheless be able to accommodate all of the 2,000 students currently holding fall-semester housing contracts.
Keihn began discussing options with Glenn Gray, director of Residence Life, even as the emergency-response phase was winding down Thursday. They and others will make a recommendation to University leadership on how best to proceed.
"We'll take a day or two to evaluate things," Gray said. "Our continuity plans spell out a number of different options."
Fall-semester classes begin Sept. 3 at UW-Green Bay. About 2,000 of the school's 6,200 students reside on campus. Housing demand is intense for fall semester, but typically declines for spring as mid-year graduations, study-abroad trips and other departures free up capacity. There is currently a waiting list of 220 applicants for fall occupancy.
Neither Keihn nor Gray would speculate on a front-runner among possible options for dealing with what is now a 63-bed shortfall. As of late Thursday afternoon, possibilities under consideration included reconfiguring existing units to allow for additional beds (at reduced rates for renters); arranging for temporary, modular housing on site; or contracting for temporary housing with off-campus providers.
Keihn says the University will make a priority of informing students as soon as possible, and minimizing any disruption.
There are a total of 25 halls or residential buildings in UW-Green Bay's Residence Life complex. The structure destroyed Tuesday was one of nine "traditional" or original apartment buildings completed in 1970.
