ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey and UNC-Asheville Chancellor Nancy J. Cable reached a late-night agreement that will allow students to move into their dorms immediately.

• Students are now able to move into new dorms at UNC-Asheville.
• The dorms were not able to open earlier in the week due to fire safety concerns.
• The university has agreed to take actions to improve fire safety. 

The agreement addresses fire safety concerns that originally prevented five newly constructed residence halls from opening. 

“I want to thank Chancellor Cable for her diligence and patience in working through the process with our attorneys, and for her concern for the safety and well-being of students, faculty and first responders,” Commissioner Causey said. “She and her staff were very cordial, and she kept a calm demeanor under a lot of stress.”

PREVIOUS STORY: New UNC Asheville residence halls unable to open

The university has agreed to:

• Reposition valves on water supply pipes in the stairwells so that fire hoses can be attached without causing obstruction to evacuating residents.
• Install sprinkler systems in the attics of each dorm. 
• Allow the Asheville Fire Department to park a fire engine with a 35-foot ladder near the dorms.
• Allow four Asheville firefighters to live in one of the dorms free of charge.

Classes start at UNC-Asheville on Monday.