DU’s Department of Housing and Residential Education gave sophomores the option to live off campus this year, thus breaking from the traditional rule that all freshman and sophomores are required to live on campus for the first two years.

“Students who live on campus have a much higher rate of retention than students who don’t,” said Justin Price, executive director of Housing and Residential Education. “They… form better friendships with people they otherwise wouldn’t have met.”

Traditionally, exceptions to the two year requirement include the commuter concept, which releases students from the housing obligation if their home is located within 45 miles of campus.

Other exceptions include if a student lives in a fraternity or sorority or if there are medical conditions that need to be provided for.

Price said there was an unexpected spike in the number of English Conditional Admission (ECA) students this year. ECA is a program in which international students can learn English at DU and, upon their proficiency, be admitted to the university. These students are also required to live on campus.

To make room for the ECA students as well as the unprecedented number of first-year students, sophomores living in Centennial Towers and Nagel were given one week to decide if they wanted to be released from their housing contracts.

Not all sophomores accepted, however.

“It’s fair they are letting people choose, but I think it’s still a lot easier to live on campus,” said Tracy Ostrofsky, who lives in Nagel.

Price said it is unlikely that this option will be given again.

“This was an unusual year in regards to the number of ECA and first-year students, and even for sophomores, the communal aspect is important,” said Price.