The Aldersgate apartments will reopen applications to male students beginning in the Fall 2026 semester, returning to a mixed-gender housing model after two years of exclusively housing female residents.
According to Aldersgate Residence Director Emily Leininger, the decision to reopen housing was made by Vice President for Student Life Joe Bruner. Leininger said the move was driven by changes in enrollment patterns and housing needs across campus.
“The change was based upon having a higher number of men enrolling again in Asbury and having more space for men,” said Leininger.
She added that the decision reflects an effort to provide equal apartment-style housing opportunities for men and women.
“It was not complaints-based or anything like that,” said Leininger. “It was more a logical decision to make more space for men that won’t all fit in the traditional dorm.”
Leininger, who is in her fifth year as a residence director, said Aldersgate has historically housed both men and women and that the recent women-only model was temporary.
“This is my 5th year, being an RD, and three out of my five years have been with guys and girls,” Leininger said.
While the apartments will reopen to male applicants, not all Aldersgate buildings will be available to them. Bellevue, a newer addition to the Aldersgate complex, will remain women-only for the Fall 2026 semester. Leininger said the decision was made due to considerations for the resident life staffing.
At this time, it has not been finalized which Aldersgate buildings will house male residents next fall. Leininger said housing assignments will depend on application numbers and enrollment closer to when applications open up.
Leininger also noted that enrollment trends at Asbury University have begun to shift toward a more even gender balance between
“Instead of been more 60/40 [women to men] split, it’s been like 55/45,” said Leininger. “So, the gap’s closing a little bit.”
With incoming classes becoming more evenly divided, Leininger said that expanding options for male students is a necessary adjustment. Opening apartment-style housing to men allows space to be reserved in traditional dorms for incoming first-year students.
For many students, the appeal of apartment-style housing comes from the option of a lower meal plan among other things. The apartment-style dorms allow students to make more of their meals there, instead of eating at the cafeteria.
“The open-dorms hours there would be awesome,” said sophomore Caleb Cablish, a current Johnson Hall resident.
Cablish also expressed a preference for smaller apartment units.
“I’d prefer a four-person apartment, not an eight, because I would have more of my own space,” said Cablish. “I couldn’t handle seven other guys.”
Leininger said the return to mixed-gender housing reflects both enrollment needs and the University’s goal of offering fair residential opportunities to both male and female students.
Applications for Aldersgate apartments will open through the standard housing selection process. University housing officials expect to release additional details regarding specific building assignments and capacity later in the semester.
