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| Becky Bush |
The Appalachian State University mascot is the mountaineer, not a sardine. So why does the university think they can stuff three freshmen into a 13-by-18-feet dorm room?
Every year, the university admits more freshmen than they can house, with the assumption that many of those students will decide to go elsewhere.
This year, that assumption was wrong. Too many students came to Appalachian, and now there are not enough beds for all the freshmen.
In turn, they are cramming three beds into regularly two bedrooms in Justice and East Residence Halls, and squeezing many others into dorm-floor lobbies converted into lockable rooms.
Although these students are getting a discounted housing rate of about 18 to 20 percent on a weekly basis, it is still unfair to give someone that little living space.
The students in triples may have to share wardrobes and desks. How does one share a desk? Divide up the drawers and share the chair?
Every freshman is guaranteed housing. I would not consider a bed and half of a desk and wardrobe, housing – more like a hostel.
According to Vice Chancellor of Student Development Cindy A. Wallace, the university considered buying out a hotel or a brand new apartment complex to house the left over students.
In addition, Wallace said the university sent out a group of e-mails to a select group of students offering bribes of $250 and a full refund of their on-campus housing payments to move off campus.
However, as of Aug. 19, Wallace said only four students took them up on the offer.
“People are saying we are like the airlines, deliberately trying to make money in an economic downturn,” Wallace said. “We would never deliberately overbook like this. This is a giant problem on a hundred levels.”
The point is, that somewhere along the lines of acceptance letters, algorithms and housing assignments, the university messed up.
Now some freshmen (who already stand out by wearing their room key around their neck, have that deer-in-the-headlights, clueless look in their eyes and drink too much at their first party) have virtually no living space or privacy.
It’s truly unfair to put any student in this position. The university should have come up with an alternate plan with adequate living space, and transportation if necessary, in order to accommodate students they claim to value so much.
Bush, a sophomore journalism major from Chapel Hill, is a news reporter. |
