Homeless Massachusetts college students offered dorm rooms

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts is launching a program to give homeless college students a place to live.

The Boston Globe reports that under the initiative, students under the age of 25 who are enrolled full time in a public college or university and are in good academic standing will be guaranteed year around room and board in a campus residence hall.

So far 20 homeless students have taken up the offer.

The $120,000 pilot program announced Thursday by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker initially includes state universities in Bridgewater, Framingham and Worcester, and the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. It could expand with additional funding in the future.

While state officials say they don’t know the full extent of the problem, they cite cases of college students being forced to commute to classes from homeless shelters.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com