Low enrollment leaves empty EIU dorms

CHARLESTON — Several floors of a major campus dorm will be closed when school starts at Eastern Illinois University later this month because enrollment has been down the past couple of years.

Eight of the 17 floors at Carman Hall will be empty and kept closed because the university doesn't need the space, The Mattoon Journal Gazette and Charleston Times-Courier (http://bit.ly/oEZTjf ) reported.

University officials say they want to use resources efficiently while enrollment is down.

"Our mantra is 'deliver the very best service to our residents at the very best price,'" said Mark Hudson, the director of university housing. "We really work hard to make sure we are delivering good value."

No layoffs are planned but open positions on the dorm's staff will remain unfilled for the time being.

The university's freshmen enrollment dropped by approximately 200 students in fall 2010 after declining by about 100 students the year before.

EIU officials hope enrollment will level off this fall but could go down a little again, Hudson said.

The university is trying to add to enrollment and has cut tuition for students from surrounding states, but those efforts are relatively new, Hudson said.