Laila Swingle, a second-year exercise science major, works on her laptop in Smith-Steeb Hall on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Swingle moved to Smith-Steeb this fall after her former residence, Jones Tower, was closed for scheduled demolition. Credit: Dawson Dyer | Lantern Reporter
Ohio State placed some first-year students in residence hall spaces typically used by returning students this fall as three residence halls remained closed and a larger-than-expected incoming class increased demand for campus housing.
Drackett and Taylor Towers are unavailable for the 2026-27 academic year because of renovations, while Jones Tower is scheduled for demolition. According to Ohio State, most incoming first-year students on the Columbus campus must live on campus for their first two years, adding to demand for available housing.
Gabrielle Bockelman, assistant director of the Office of Student Life Housing and Residence Education, confirmed in an email that housing staff assigned some incoming freshmen to spaces normally assigned to second-year students.
The closures reduced the number of available residence hall spaces for students returning to campus this fall. With fewer spaces available and more first-year students than expected, Bockelman said housing assignments had to be adjusted.
Dave Isaacs, communications media and relations manager for student life, stated in an email that residence halls aren’t designated for only one class year.
“We do not designate any residence hall for the exclusive use of any rank of students,” Isaacs said. “Most halls have a mix of student ranks depending on enrollment numbers by rank each 测别补谤.”
Isaacs added that while certain buildings maintain priority placement for upperclassmen based on specific programming needs in each facility, overall housing assignments constantly adapt to annual class sizes and campus-wide enrollment numbers.
The changes have affected both incoming first-year students and returning second-year students.
Laila Swingle, a second-year exercise science major, lived in Jones Tower during her first year at Ohio State.
“Jones Tower was a great dorm for my first year and I am sad to see that it is getting demolished,” Swingle said. “It definitely will be a big change for this campus.”
Rocky Krishnan, a first-year computer science and engineering major, said he expected to live in a residential environment composed of students from his graduating class, but he is not.
“I thought I would be living around other freshmen, but even my roommate is a sophomore,” Krishnan said. “I don’t mind living with a sophomore, but it would be nice to be living with someone who is the same age as me and in the same 测别补谤.”
Krishnan added that living with upperclassmen has made it harder to meet other first-year students in his building, so he has been trying to meet first-year students through his classes and clubs instead.
