Sacramento State students protest new on-campus living requirement
By Peyton Headlee
Click here for updates on this story
SACRAMENTO (KCRA) — Sacramento State students are protesting against a new university policy that requires them to live on campus for their first two academic years.
The university, which has long been known as a commuter campus, announced the change last month. The university said the new policy is aimed at “student success, community engagement, and academic achievement.”
“I’m sure a ton of you know why we’re here, and it’s because we don’t like the housing requirements,” Emma Beck said to the dozens of protestors gathered outside of the library on Thursday evening.
Beck, the student who organized the protest, highlighted the financial burden the new policy could impose on students who choose to commute to class.
“A lot of students have negative feelings about the requirement,” she said. “I chose to live on campus my first semester here because it was convenient, but then I chose to move away because it was too expensive. So, there’s two sides of the coin that they’re not really seeing.”
The university said it plans to offer a number of exemptions, including students facing financial hardships or those living locally.
Beginning fall 2026, students living with immediate family within 50 miles of campus will be exempt, but the distance will be reduced to 30 miles in 2027.
Other exemptions include those age 21 or older by the first day of classes, students considered independent on the FAFSA, active-duty service members, those required to live at their job site (like caregivers), study abroad students, and those with disabilities or medical conditions that cannot be accommodated in student housing.
Nadine Kelly, executive director of the university’s housing services, explained the policy’s focus on student success and community engagement.
“I think that there’s an opportunity to shift the direction and shift us to a residential destination. There’s something to be said about calling a place home,” Kelly said. “Students that live on campus tend to have higher GPAs, tend to graduate on time, and are having a different experience than students that live off campus.”
Despite the university’s stance, students continue to express dissatisfaction with the change, emphasizing their desire for autonomy in choosing where to live.
“The benefits to living on campus are fantastic, where you have better access to all the resources here. But the financial burden just outweighs everything else,” Beck said.
Sacramento State noted it would have expanded residence options when the new requirement goes into effect. That includes a new residence hall, Mt. Whitney Hall, which is set to open in fall 2026 and provide 335 new beds for first-year students. Riverview Hall will also have an additional 150 single beds converted from upper-division housing.
With the new policy, the university also indicated it plans to promote more programming tailored toward first and second-year students, aiming to build a sense of belonging.
This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.