The staff of Marshall University Housing and Residence Life has decided to allow all residence halls to remain open for 2014 fall break. In previous years, Housing and Residence Life only offered specified halls to be open during fall break. There is no additional cost for staying in the residence halls during the break.

Tracey Eggleston, assistant director of Housing and Residence Life, said this was a last minute decision among the residence life staff because of the growing population of students who will utilize the halls during break.

“We have more students who we know do not have anywhere to go,” Eggleston said. “We will have more athlete, band and international students who will need to stay on campus for some or all of break. Looking back historically on all the students who apply for break housing, we see more of these types of students than before. We are now trying to accommodate that, so that was leaving halls open.”

Britt Frye, Twin Towers West residence hall director, said a lot of students might also wish to stay in Huntington to work.

“Many students may have a job working retail at the mall or other places,” Frye said. “We know Black Friday is a holiday that many students choose to stay for because they know the stores will be busy.”

Students who would like to stay in their dorm during break must fill out an application by 4 p.m. Nov. 19. Applications can be found online at marshall. edu/housing or at any residence hall front desk. Students living in First Year Residence Halls are exempt from having to fill out an application, as these halls will stay open over the break regardless.

Residence Halls close at noon Nov. 22 and reopen at 9 a.m. Nov. 28. Only students who have been accepted to live in the residence halls during break will be permitted to go in the halls Nov. 22-27.

Eggleston said the halls re-open Nov. 28, just in time for the football game against Western Kentucky.

“People do not have to fill out an application to come back on this day,” Eggleston said. “Students are always wanting us to be open on this day for the football game.”

Break housing is only free for fall break, and students will be charged at a daily rate for winter break, Dec. 15 – Jan. 11, 2015.

Kelly Pate can be contacted at [email protected].