Many campuses face student housing crunch

From The Kansas City Star: The tough economy has caused many college students to decide it’s cheaper to stay on campus and avoid utilities, groceries and transportation costs of private apartments. The University of Missouri in Columbia has paid $1,000 bonuses to returning students to give up their housing contracts to make space for freshmen, who are required to live on campus. Kansas State University in Manhattan has no vacancies in campus residence halls or apartments, and arrangements are under way to put at least 100 students in a hotel or have them rent off-campus housing.