Panelists say unit requirements and limited beds can exclude part-time community college students

A question from Public Advocates prompted panelists to discuss eligibility rules that can exclude part-time community college students from on-campus housing.

Chaitan Stevens, deputy director of higher education at Public Advocates, noted that many community college students attend part time and asked whether unit requirements for housing create barriers. An Orange Coast College representative said the Harbor program requires six units, which allows students with family or work obligations to live there. By contrast, panelists said many California State University and University programs require full-time enrollment (12 units) and in some systems first-year students within a specified radius must live on campus.

Panelists said unit thresholds and prioritization rules interact with severe bed shortages to produce long waitlists and inequitable outcomes. Speakers urged colleges to consider flexibility — such as lower unit thresholds or emergency housing — to avoid excluding students who need housing to remain enrolled.

The session concluded with a reminder that housing policy choices — unit requirements, eligibility windows and allocation rules — are administrative decisions that affect access and equity for nontraditional and part-time students.