Housing shortages have proven to be a continuing problem for Penn State during the past few years.

This semester has seen little change with 744 students remaining in supplemental housing at the advent of this new term.

This number represents an increase in students living in supplemental housing from previous spring semesters, and it illustrates not merely a lack of housing space, but also illustrates the problem with shifting students around mid-semester, especially when those students are freshmen.

Leaving home can be a very emotional experience for students. Incoming freshmen are searching for new friends and a new place to call home.

After moving in and bonding with their roommates, students may grow accustomed to their housing situation and develop friendships. Others may feel the cramp of living with three, four or five other people and want to switch to more traditional dormitory rooms with a single roommate.

After spending months living with other students and developing relationships with them, some individuals may want to stay in supplemental housing, but the quality of life for other students rooming in the dormmay be lowered, especially because those students will not have a study lounge on their floor.

In either case, Penn State is a university with an incredible amount of resources at its disposal. Surely a portion of the funding should be spent to construct additional student housing. Building additional housing such as Eastview Terrace is a positive step, but single-room housing may not make the most efficient use of available space in the long term.

Quite frankly, it is difficult to reconcile the rising number of freshmen with an infrastructure that is not expanding at a rate that provides ample housing.

Expanding housing infrastructure should be regarded as a priority on par with renovating classrooms and constructing new buildings.

For the university, the problem of trying to provide housing for all freshmen is daunting one and providing housing to sophomores, juniors and seniors who want to live on campus is even more difficult.

Therefore, basic as it may seem to suggest building additional housing, Occam's Razor may be applicable in this situation -- the simplest solution may be the best.

The housing problem is one without an easy solution; however, moving students around leads to a culture of transiency among students, especially freshmen.

It is important to the development of students to become acclimated to their dorm floor, which will not be possible if they are constantly moving.