Housing changes concern 'U' regents

Claiming they are being taken away from their families, members of the Residence Hall Association voiced concerns to University Housing officials last night about limitations being put on upperclassman housing options.

RHA members said the new housing policy takes priority away from the students who deserve it most. Housing plans to restrict most juniors and seniors wishing to live in University Housing to Baits, Oxford, Fletcher and Cambridge Housing.

"If I were a junior or a senior, I'd feel sort of betrayed because you'll cater to people who aren't even students yet, while we've been students for two years," said Engineering sophomore Roderick Thompson, as students applauded and snapped in the background to show support. "Coming into the University, we've been told that we were members of a community. Now we can't even live with our families."

RHA members also expressed dissatisfaction with the timing of the announcement.

"We're going into Thanksgiving break and finals and to have to look for an apartment at this time would be incredible stressful," said Engineering senior Lisa Keyser.

Members of the University's Board of Regents expressed similar concerns when Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor) brought up the issue at yesterday's regents meeting.

"It's wonderful to have living-learning environments, but if you don't have the space to house the students, you're sending them out into the market, creating a stress level," Newman said.

Newman equated the short-notice change in policy to the split-season football tickets that first-year students received in late August.

"This will have the same level of emotion," Fisher-Newman said.

Regent S. Martin Taylor (D-Grosse Ile) said he never has heard anyone say Housing amenities are adequate.

"There's little doubt in my mind that we don't provide appropriate housing," Taylor said. "(Students) have enough other problems. You don't need that on the plate."

Regent Olivia Maynard (D-Goodrich) said Housing's new policy is "a little problematic."

"I could see how if I were in that situation, I would be a little panicked," Maynard said.

In addition to worrying about where they'll rest their heads next year, RHA members expressed concerns about the impact the new policy will have on the few upperclassmen seeking to return to their halls.

"I would personally find it hard knowing that it was just me and one other senior in the hall," Keyser said.

Taylor suggested surveying students to find out what they want in terms of housing. "Let's find out what their druthers are in regard to housing," Taylor said.

Regents and RHA members both inquired about the possibility of building a new residence hall. The University hasn't built a residence hall since it erected Bursley in 1968.

But Housing Director William Zeller pointed out that the bed spaces created by a new residence hall would cost nearly $50,000 each.

"This is the main reason we haven't moved into building a new residence hall," Zeller said.

RHA members called University officials greedy and criticized them for accepting more students than the University is equipped to handle.

"I don't see a larger freshman class as being of any benefit other than bringing in money," said Engineering junior Jason Stonehouse.

But Director of Housing Public Affairs Alan Levy said the larger incoming classes are a result of an inability to predict the number of students who will enroll at the University.

Levy said Housing plans to send a letter informing students who currently live in the residence halls about the new policy before Thanksgiving break.

Maynard said she remembers a period of time when students didn't want to live in the residence halls.

"It's fascinating that it's sort of cyclical," Maynard said.

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