Morgan State University, one of two historically Black colleges and universities in Baltimore, has seen a surge in student enrollment as of late. The university has a total of 14 facilities that house students, including off-campus apartments in both the inner-city and downtown.

Institutions of higher education all over the United States are constantly enrolling new students, and although HBCUs have had their share of fluctuating enrollment numbers, Morgan’s upcoming fall semester is set to be its most populated to date.

The school saw record-breaking enrollment numbers in 2022 as the university’s student population hit 9,101 in the year’s fall semester. Today, the number has risen to over 9,200 for the 2023 academic year, a number that may rise to 9,600 according to a speech from President David Wilson.

As time progresses, we may continue to see a spike in enrollment numbers at all HBCUs following The Supreme Court’s banning of the use of affirmative action in university admission processes. Historically Black institutions could be left to accommodate students that previously benefited from the use of the diversity tactic at predominantly white institutions.

However, the Maryland Board of Public Works has continued to offer relief for Morgan’s growing pains as the school has received the go-ahead to continue its use of off-campus housing this year and beyond. This includes the use of hotels and apartment complexes.

University residence halls like Baldwin, Cummings, Harper-Tubman, and O’Connell can only house up to 2,400 students. Although the university’s five off-campus apartments– HH Midtown, Nine East, Altus Towson Row, Morgan View, and Towson Town Place–have adequately housed students in years before, they have since been filled to capacity as they’re shared between Morgan students and those from surrounding universities.

According to the Maryland Board of Public Works, Morgan has agreed to continue the use of several different off-campus housing facilities in downtown Baltimore.

“The university will be using 180 rooms with 348 beds at the Lord Baltimore Hotel at a cost of $4.3 million, and the school will also be expanding housing units with Towson Town Place which will cost $1.9 million, and lastly Morgan’s Varsity Midtown Apartments will have an extended lease that will be valid until July of 2029,” The Maryland Board of Public Works ruled.

Some students have said that the process of obtaining on-campus housing was something they weren’t prepared for.

Senior biology major Erykah, (who declined to give her last name) had plenty to say about the university’s housing protocols.

“I’m glad that they are [pushing for] more units for students, since they are always accepting so many without them knowing where they will live,” she said. “Most of the students feel overwhelmed especially when they have to wonder where they will lay their heads at night.”

Incoming freshmen and returning students logged onto Fizz, an anonymous social media app that is connected to their student email addresses, to voice their grievances.

“How is Morgan going to rush me to give them money but took their time when it came to my housing, financial aid, and answering my emails,” one user wrote.

Eneesa Abdullah-Hudson, a senior elementary education major, believes Morgan should begin renovating its current on-campus housing before turning to options across the city.

“I believe that we need to improve the housing we already have before we decide to build anymore,” she said.

Students Jaiheim Codrington and Marcel Monmouth, both junior multimedia journalism majors, say that new housing units would be a positive asset to the campus.

“I think to some degree it definitely would  help decrease the amount of students that are in the process of being waitlisted,” said Codrington. “One thing I liked about being a resident on campus was meeting new people, and there were always special events that were happening.”

Monmouth agreed with his sentiments as she reflected on her time living at Morgan View, an off-campus student apartment complex. She said living there helped to give her a sense of independence.

“I know a few incoming freshmen and returning students that are in desperate need of housing, so new units would help lessen the burden for them.”