Moving time has come for the students of Runkle Hall as the university prepares to renovate the current double rooms into suites; however, there are mixed emotions over the transition.

Runkle Hall of North Halls will close this spring for renovations, and the 400 students now living there will have to relocate, said Lynn DuBois, associate director of Housing.

"Housing was able to accommodate students in the type of space they wanted, whether it was Nittany Apartments, Eastview Terrace, or a residence hall room," she said.

The timeline is based on each student's finals schedule, DuBois said.

"If [I were a student and] my last final's on Friday, I can call on Friday and see if the person in my room has moved out," DuBois explained. "If they have, I can move in, and if they haven't I can place my things in temporary storage."

This is standard procedure for supplemental housing, DuBois said.

"Students had double rooms to start and now they have a new room for spring," she said. "It's a win-win situation."

Laura Penny (sophomore-microbiology) -- who, at the beginning of the semester, organized a "Save Runkle Hall" T-shirt and petition campaign to postpone the renovations until the end of the school year -- said she understood the students in Runkle received supplementary contracts, but that everyone else on campus in supplementary housing had the option to stay in their room.

"I almost would have rather had an eight-person room. At least, I would have had the option to stay," she said.

In addition to not wanting to leave her dorm room in Runkle, Penny said that the moving process has been difficult, as well.

She added that Housing had not yet given several of the residents the name or number of the person whose room they will move into.

"I've talked to Housing a couple of times, and people on my floor have called every housing number on the Penn State Web site," Penny said. "The problem really comes from higher up. Penn State should build more housing or accept a smaller freshman class."

Justin Heisey (sophomore-biology), another resident in Runkle Hall, has faced similar confusion.

"No one's contacted me about when I can move or where I can store my things. I'm moving in seven days, but right now I'm just hanging here," he said.

For some students living in Runkle Hall, adjustment has come more easily.

"My experience has been good," Kellie Mooney (freshman-education) said. "If we wanted help, Housing has provided it."

She said that Housing gave students boxes for packing and hired a moving company to assist in the transition.

Mooney added that she was told there would be Housing staff members in Runkle until 4:30 p.m. tomorrow, and someone available every day next week until 7:30 p.m.

Mooney said she would have liked to stay in a residence hall, but that moving into an apartment was okay with her.

"It would have been nice not to do this," Mooney said, "but Housing's not making it very difficult."