Sixty students received a letter from Residence Life on May 6, notifying them of the opportunity to obtain the 75-meal block plan for both the fall semester of 2003 and the spring semester of 2004. The offer was made in order to create additional housing for the incoming class of 1,739 freshman students, according to Dean of Residence Life Jim McMahon.

“It was a one-time deal and it is not going to happen again,” McMahon said. “We were trying to prepare for a class of 1,950 students. The idea came up at a brainstorming session with the University Council. But this was a one-time deal, it is not going to happen again.”

McMahon said the university has taken steps to avoid offering the exchange again.

“We have asked the university to become more selective with their admissions process,” McMahon said. “We are also going to convert some rooms in Mashuda to triples. We are going to move the resident (assistant) rooms in Cobeen to doubles. Our goal for next year is to not need any temporary housing.”

Students were given until June 10 to respond to the letter, according to McMahon. Of the 60 students contacted only “two or three” students accepted the offer, he said.

One of the students who benefited from Residence Life’s offer, junior Jane Wierzbicki, is enjoying living off campus.

“I really love living off campus,” Wierzbicki said. “It’s great. My room is still the same size as a dorm and now I have a living room and a kitchen. Plus I’m saving a couple thousand dollars too. I have laundry facilities as well. It was a great deal. It made my decision to move here.

“I think it’s a great thing for the university to have so many students coming into the university right now,” Wierzbicki said.

Jennifer Grier, a senior living at Humphrey Hall, decided not to take Residence Life up on its offer and not to remain in the residence halls.

“I was planning to move out anyways,” Grier said. “Overall, I like Humphrey Hall. This is very comparable to off-campus housing. There are three of us right now splitting rent at $1,100, which is pretty comparable to off-campus housing. And we have room for a fourth person if we want to bring another person in which would lower our rent even more.”

A Milwaukee lawyer not affiliated with the university said the incentives did not violate any laws.

“As long as the incentives were given to the students, that is perfectly legal,” said Tom Herzog, an attorney with Herzog and Semanick S.C. in Wauwatosa. “There is nothing wrong with offering those incentives as long as they were given to the students. In fact, it is a common thing to do in scenarios like that one.”

The incoming class of freshmen were dispersed to all of the residence halls except Schroeder, with the bulk living in McCormick, O’Donnell, Cobeen and South halls.

“We believe the residence hall experience is a valuable one that students should have in their lives,” McMahon said. “We want them to experience the convenience, care and space of Marquette halls, and as the situations change we will adapt to them.”