no room at the inn

The building of the new women's dorm (started in late January and slated to be completed in October) couldn't have come any sooner.  With more than 700 students registered for classes and research work this semester, the UAC-CP is busting at the seams.

Land is being excavated for the construction of the new women's dormitory on Campus Leahy.

One is hard pressed to find an empty bed on either Campus Leahy or Campus Manning.  For the first time that I've ever seen, there is an overflow of young women in the Pre-University program. The Pre-University dorm room has always fit 40 young women (picture 20 bunk beds squeezed together in a giant room), but this year the College had to quickly transform two administrative offices into dorm space for about 15 Pre-University female students.  It's a quick fix though--the room, filled will about eight bunk beds, has no bathroom.

Members of the "mini" food cooperative on Campus Leahy (there are two food cooperatives on that campus) eat lunch outside because there isn't enough room to eat in the dining hall

The lack of space isn't just in the dorms.  Yesterday I ate lunch in the "mini" food cooperative, which isn't so "mini" anymore.  Standing room only, I used my clout to secure a place to sit down in the kitchen and held my bowl in my lap.

This semester, there are 734 students registered at the UAC-CP--621 students taking classes and 113 students working on their theses projects.  A far cry from the 54 young men and women who studied at the College when it first opened 15 years ago!