15-02-2025
Brookings mayor, students react to college housing bill
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Students who are enrolled in public colleges in South Dakota must live on campus for the first two years. However, House Bill 1193 in this year's legislative session is looking to change that.
Brookings mayor and SDSU alum, Ope Niemeyer sees the value in keeping students on campus.
TenHaken weighs in on prison funding bill
'I think it really makes a difference for student retention and success if they if they take two years on campus,' Niemeyer said. 'I know students are wanting to get off campus and I want to pay that extra amount. But there are a lot of other extra costs that sometimes aren't thought about.'
House Bill 1193 would allow students to choose whether to live on campus.
Alex Raether is a junior at SDSU and says he opted out of the dorms his sophomore year because of the living environment.
'There were a couple of other instances of just roughhousing and just this distaste for my roommates on the floor and I just was like, 'this is not the experience that I wanted to have living on campus,'' Raether said.
Chase Thedens and Dontaevian Aldridge, currently live on campus and say they would like the choice to live off campus.
'It'd save me a lot of money and go straight towards my tuition,' freshman Aldridge said. 'Not having to pay for a meal plan or paying for a dorm that I barely live in.'
'I would love to live off campus, be able to cook my own food and have my own bathroom. Sleep in a bed that's not a twin XL,' Sophomore Thedens said.
Renner coach on transplant list hoping for a heart
If the bill passes, Niemeyer says it could have some unintended consequences, including a possible housing shortage.
'We are kind of strapped for housing,' he said. 'We've got a lot of good things going on. We got more buildings that will be built, but that doesn't take care of, say, next year if this passes.'
No matter what lawmakers decide, Niemeyer says the city will make it work.
'One way or another, I think Brookings is able to accommodate the students,' Niemeyer said.
Click here for more info on the price breakdown of on-campus housing and meals at SDSU.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
