Washington University Ended Faculty Fellows Program

The university announced the sunsetting of its residential faculty program on April 1, 2026.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Higher Education

Bold vector editorial illustration of cardboard moving boxes on a wooden floor, representing the end of a faculty-in-residence program. — Washington University announced the sunsetting of its Faculty Fellows Program, repurposing former faculty residential units to expand student housing on campus. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should universities prioritize faculty living in residential halls to improve student-faculty engagement?

Washington University phased out its Faculty Fellows Program, which previously placed faculty members in apartments within residential colleges. University officials announced the closure to the Residential Life community on April 1, 2026.

Why it matters

The university determined the program lacked consistent residential engagement and failed to provide sufficient quantifiable value. Leadership decided to repurpose the space to address the ongoing need for additional student housing on campus.

The university plans to convert each vacated faculty residence into approximately five student beds. Only three Faculty Fellows remained in the program at the time of the closure announcement.

The players

Washington University

A private research university located in St. Louis that manages various residential housing options for its undergraduate population.

Beverly Wendland

The former Provost of Washington University who participated in the decision-making process to end the residential faculty initiative.

The details

The program, which was administered by the Office of Residential Life, is being replaced by plans to renovate units in residential areas like Liggett-Koenig, Zetcher House, William Greenleaf Eliot Residential College, and Umrath House. The decision to sunset the initiative was finalized in 2023 by former Provost Beverly Wendland and the Division of Student Success.

2005-2008: Tili Boon Cuillé served as a Faculty Fellow.
2010-2013: Erin McGlothlin served as a Faculty Fellow.
2013-2017: Kit Wellman served as a Faculty Fellow.
2023: University leadership decided to sunset the program.
April 1, 2026: The Residential Life community was informed of the closure.

Roadmap

The pivot from faculty-in-residence models toward increased undergraduate housing capacity reflects a broader shift among universities facing record demand for on-campus living. This move positions the administration to prioritize student headcount density over traditional faculty-student engagement programs.

Students living in residential colleges previously housing faculty can expect increased room availability as these units are converted to student beds. The change marks the end of a specific communal living routine that had been a fixture of the residential college system.

The takeaway

The end of the Faculty Fellows Program signals a transition toward maximizing space for undergraduate students in the face of campus housing shortages. Residents should monitor housing application updates to see if these newly converted units become available for the next academic term.