For the second academic year in a row, non-Emerson students will call the Little Building home. 

This year, Emerson College will partner with Wentworth Institute of Technology to provide a “mutually beneficial housing arrangement,” according to a communication sent to community members in August. According to an email sent by the college to faculty and staff, Emerson experienced an enrollment shortfall this year, leaving vacancies in the first-year dorm building. 

Last year, Emerson housed students from Boston Architectural College in the Little Building. While financial figures are not yet clear from the BAC housing partnership, Emerson pursued a similar partnership with Wentworth this year due to Emerson’s ability to accommodate other students, according to Christie Anglade, vice president of student affairs at Emerson.

“This initiative aligns with Emerson’s commitment to supporting the broader educational community in Boston, and ensures that all students have access to safe and comfortable living arrangements,” the communication said.

Housing and Residential Education at WIT could not be reached for comment.

Wentworth has eight on-campus housing options, but the institute needed additional beds to accommodate its students this year, the announcement said. Similar to the housing initiative with BAC last academic year, Wentworth students will live on a dedicated floor in the Little Building and be overseen by an Emerson resident assistant. It is not yet clear the number of Wentworth students who will be in the Little Building. WIT will continue providing all academic and student support for its students who reside in the Little Building, but these residents will also be expected to uphold Emerson’s community standards and policies, the announcement said.

Wentworth, one of five colleges and universities in the Colleges of Fenway Consortium, is located two miles away from Emerson in the neighborhood of Fenway, nearly a 20-minute-commute on the Green Line. The institute had almost 4,000 undergraduate students in 2022, with areas of study in architecture, data science, and engineering.

Wentworth students living in the Little Building will be billed by Wentworth for housing costs. In addition to providing housing, Emerson will also provide supplemental dining access with a meal plan option—similar to what is provided to Emerson students—that is a combination of meal swipes and Board Bucks. Wentworth students’ Emerson IDs will only grant them access to the Little Building and general admission spaces, like the Dining Center. Wentworth has its own dining program on campus, as well as a fitness center, study rooms, and other student services that the Wentworth students living at Emerson will still be able to utilize.

“The arrangement with Boston Architectural College last year was positive on both sides; their students enriched the residential community, and we received feedback that they felt welcomed and included during their time here,” Anglade said in a statement to The Beacon. “Last year with BAC and this year with Wentworth, we are in a position to consider extending support once securing housing for our own students. Given our strong relationship with Wentworth, we are confident in our ability to accommodate them.”