Residents of NKU’s East Residential Village received an email on March 20, informing them that their current housing option would no longer be available starting Fall 2026. The East Village will permanently close starting next academic year and students who had reserved spots to live there have been offered other options.
Reasons for this change include the current occupancy rate of these residential halls, with Northern Terrace at less than 40% occupancy and Callahan at about 50% occupancy, according to Brandon Thompson, NKU’s VP of Student Affairs. Many students in these halls are without dorm neighbors, missing out on the community of a traditional college dorm setup. With such a low occupancy, maintenance issues in vacant rooms often go unnoticed longer than they would in fully occupied spaces.
In addition to occupancy, the distance of East Village from most of the campus offerings, particularly dining services, has also been an issue. According to Thompson, some students had expressed a desire for a dining location in the East Village, but after Callahan Bistro closed in 2022, occupancy rates have not allowed for this to be an option. This change will instead consolidate all students living near the existing dining hall.
“This decision was truly made with the students in mind because of the feedback that we were getting about the experience living in East Village,” says Thompson.
All student employees of NKU Housing have been offered to continue their positions in Boothe Village, where all of the housing will now be concentrated, ensuring that none of them lose their jobs.
Any students who had requested a spot in East Village housing for the upcoming fall will have the opportunity to select Boothe Village housing or to cancel their housing contract free of charge.
Students who may have preferred the group living opportunities offered in Callahan Hall are also encouraged to look at the Norse Neighborhood, located on Clearview Drive. Added in Fall 2025, these houses have three to four bedrooms with residents on a residence hall contract but without the same meal plan requirement as other campus residential options. For this option, students may reach out to NKU housing directly.
Some student accommodations in Boothe Village will be getting a facelift this upcoming summer, going into Fall 2026. Kentucky Hall will see renovations to the outside, including a new facade and some Norse Hall units will also be renovated.
The buildings in East Village will remain standing for the time being, operating as storage for additional housing furniture. They will continue to be maintained until their long-term future is determined.