Spring Break
Students shortchanged by RLO
Editorial Board
Issue date: 8/22/08 Section: Ed-Op
Generally, crashing in a living room denotes a rough night, a nice visit or a pity stay. In any case, crashing is usually free. Now imagine your first time getting to Drexel, a time that should be marked by excitement, and having to live in the "living room," or lounge, of your new dorm while paying the same exorbitant fees as students living in regular private dorm rooms. If you submitted your housing application late, you might not have to just imagine this scenario.
Students who applied for housing after the deadline may be moving into Kelly, Myers or Calhoun Halls this upcoming school year. According to an Aug. 14 e-mail sent from the Residential Living Office management to resident assistants, this is being done "in order to accommodate as many students as possible," but we must ask if this is really the best way to house students.
Some have said Drexel acts more like a business than a academic institution. In this case, we think a little business sense would go long way. If RLO truly valued their "customers," students would not be paying full price to live in the lounge of Drexel's dorms. It's not like those assigned to the lounges just showed up after a night out. They applied for housing, although late, and Drexel happily took their housing fees.
What's worse is that this is not the first time Drexel is housing students in lounge spaces. Students were also overflowed into lounges in 2005.
While Drexel is not the only school to do this - Texas Tech, Indiana University and University of Arizona all have a history of temporarily housing overflow students in dorm lounges - it should be able to step up and find another solution that makes students feel like they are receiving better accommodation for the amount of money they are paying, roughly $16,000 for the 2008-2009 school year.
As Drexel continues to carry out its master five-year plan, including a new dormitory, it should plan more accordingly for incoming students. We urge the University to establish a better living situation for the overflow of students; though they did apply after the housing deadline, they should still receive the same comfort of coming back to a private room each day, instead of taking up the "study area" on each floor.
The Triangle tried to get more details, including the number of student living lounges and if these students had been notified of the situation. Several administrators promised they would reply; however, we received nothing at the time of publication. It is doubtful that Drexel's Division of Student Life and Administrative Services will change the policy, but we wish they would at least respond to our questions.
Students who applied for housing after the deadline may be moving into Kelly, Myers or Calhoun Halls this upcoming school year. According to an Aug. 14 e-mail sent from the Residential Living Office management to resident assistants, this is being done "in order to accommodate as many students as possible," but we must ask if this is really the best way to house students.
Some have said Drexel acts more like a business than a academic institution. In this case, we think a little business sense would go long way. If RLO truly valued their "customers," students would not be paying full price to live in the lounge of Drexel's dorms. It's not like those assigned to the lounges just showed up after a night out. They applied for housing, although late, and Drexel happily took their housing fees.
What's worse is that this is not the first time Drexel is housing students in lounge spaces. Students were also overflowed into lounges in 2005.
While Drexel is not the only school to do this - Texas Tech, Indiana University and University of Arizona all have a history of temporarily housing overflow students in dorm lounges - it should be able to step up and find another solution that makes students feel like they are receiving better accommodation for the amount of money they are paying, roughly $16,000 for the 2008-2009 school year.
As Drexel continues to carry out its master five-year plan, including a new dormitory, it should plan more accordingly for incoming students. We urge the University to establish a better living situation for the overflow of students; though they did apply after the housing deadline, they should still receive the same comfort of coming back to a private room each day, instead of taking up the "study area" on each floor.
The Triangle tried to get more details, including the number of student living lounges and if these students had been notified of the situation. Several administrators promised they would reply; however, we received nothing at the time of publication. It is doubtful that Drexel's Division of Student Life and Administrative Services will change the policy, but we wish they would at least respond to our questions.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Anonymous
posted 8/22/08 @ 11:21 AM EST
Isn't it Drexel Housing that makes these decisions? Not RLO?
Jim
posted 8/22/08 @ 4:16 PM EST
I wish the person who wrote this would get their stories straight befor publishing such rubbish.
Yes, Firstly, University Housing is the department that would handle assignments, and not RLO. (Continued…)
Former "Lounger"
posted 8/23/08 @ 12:24 PM EST
I was one of the students who did live in a lounge back in 2005 back in Myers Hall. At first, I was a little bit nervous and upset about living in a lounge. (Continued…)
Jay
posted 8/24/08 @ 8:35 PM EST
I was a former lounger in Calhoun back in 2000-01. I have to say if you get a lounge in Calhoun you tend to make out better for a room than the rest of the building. (Continued…)
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