Moveable lofts

[Frederick Langley]

I recently came across the following (an extract from the regulations ÿverning student residences in the University of Mississippi):

"Students are no longer able to bring their own lofts into the halls in the fall of 2001. Lofts will be available for rent. Please do not purchase a loft from another student, as you will not be able to use it this fall."

I have tried the obvious dictionaries of American English without success. Can anyone tell a puzzled Englishman what these transportable "lofts" might be?

Yours in anticipation,

Frederick Langley

Dr Frederick Langley
Department of  Modern Languages
University of Hull
England
Tel: +44 (0)1482 465206
Fax: +44 (0)1482 465345