OPINION
The frustrations of completing the
housing process, on or off campns
APRIL 13, 2012
Cries of outrage across campus,
frantic and melodramatic Facebook
status updates, blood, sweat, tears.
It can only mean one thing: it's time
for the housing selection process.
While there are those who leave the
process jumping up and down with
excitement because they got into the
exact room they wanted with the exact
roommates they wanted, it seems that,
this semester more than ever, students
were unsatisfied with where they
ended up.
Sophomore Will Landis is one of
these students.
"Guilford housing should allow
all (rising) juniors and seniors to
have first choice with housing," said
Landis. "I was unable to get into the
new apartments because they all were
full of undeserving rising sophomores.
If I had the chance to live off campus,
I would gladly take it. It would save
money for both my parents and
myself."
After not renewing the lease with
Hodgins Retreat Apartments, there are
now fewer living options on campus
that offer single rooms and a kitchen
area. While the South Apartments and
North Apartments on campus are nice
spaces, many students can't afford
the ridiculously high price of either
of them, and students either want
to get off campus or feel forced to
live in a space without the freedom
and privacy that single-roomed spaces
offer.
As a first-year, I was expecting to
share a room with someone and live in
a typical college dorm room, but now
that I've had that experience, I want to
feel like an adult and not be babysat
by an RA while sharing a small room
with another person.
It seems outrageous to pay about
$1,000 a month to live in an apartment
where I can't have incense or candles,
I have to be quiet during certain times.
and I'm not even allowed to stay
during breaks.
Rishona Hines, a rising senior, has
enjoyed having the opportunity to live
off campus.
"The biggest reason for me living
off campus is because of the over
priced student living options and
being forced to have a meal plan,"
Hines said. "The price of living in
North Carolina does not coincide with
what they're making us pay here. I pay
one third of what people pay to live
on campus per semester. Even with
spending money on gas to get to and
from school, I still end up saving tons
of money."
Junior Adelaide Ayres looks
forward to the experiences that living
off campus will bring her next year.
"Living off campus will allow me to
make connections outside of Guilford
and develop a sense of responsibility,"
said Ayres. "It will be a helpful
transition into life after college, and
it will be nice to have more freedom
and not have to worry about Campus
Life and Public Safety invading my
privacy."
This all makes me want to live off
campus, where I would be saving
money while enjoying more freedom
and privacy at the same time.
Of course, this option isn't available
to me as a rising junior, so I am forced
to either continue to pay an extreme
amount of money for something that I
don't even really want or save money,
but live in an environment where I
would be unhappy because of a lack
of privacy.
So, it's a lose-lose situation.
As I was looking into the option of
living off campus, I realized that my
academic scholarship was contingent
on me living on campus.
This is ridiculous. My personal
living preferences should not pose a
threat to my scholarship.
My academic standing has nothing
to do with where I live, unless,
ironically. I'm forced to live in a room
with someone else on campus, where
it could probably hinder my academic
performance.
Kris Gray, residential living
coordinator, values the aspect of
community that on-campus living
provides.
"As a residential liberal arts college,
we seek to have the highest percentage
of students on campus," said Gray.
While I can respect and understand
this sentiment, it still doesn't seem fair
or realistic to force students to stay on
campus in order to achieve a strong
sense of community.
In addition to complaints about the
expenses of living on campus, I have
heard many students express their
frustration with how often the housing
selection process is being changed.
Gray explains that these changes are
necessary because our community is
constantly changing.
"What may be true today may
change next year based on the
facilities, student feedback and what
we feel is the most fair to everybody,
even though some students may not
feel that way," said Gray. "Our office
more than extended every effort to
insure that students were aware of
the process, the deadlines and the
procedures. If students failed to
read any of the information they
were sent, then that is their personal
responsibility."
Junior Taylor Shaw did not feel
like the new process was made clear
enough for students.
"There was poor communication in
reaching students," said Shaw. "If they
did such a great job communicating
a new housing process, why are so
many students not living where they
want to live? Why are there so many
students on waiting lists? This will be
my senior year and I wanted to live
with my friends in an environment
that would be compatible with my
lifestyle."
First-year Allison Hewitt thinks that
a new housing process is necessary.
"I just don't think it's fair with
the lottery because it's literally a
50/50 chance that you'll get what
you want or you'll end up completely
screwed," said Hewitt. "They need
a newer, better system for picking
housing because the one they have is
ridiculous."
While both the Residence Life
department and the students have
reasonable concerns on both sides, it
seems that further discussion about
creating the best possible living
situation would benefit everybody.
"The biggest reason for me living off campus
was because of the over-priced student living
options and being forced to have a meal plan.
Tne price of living in North Carolina does not
coincide with what they are making us pay
here. I pay one third of what people pay
to live on campus per semester. Even witn
spending money on gas to get to and from
school, I still end up saving tons of money."
Rishona Hines, senior
"There wos poor communication in reaching
students. If they did such a great job
communicating a new housing process, why
are so many students not living where they
want to live? Why are so many students on
waiting lists? This will be my senior year
and I wanted to live with my friends in an
environment that would be compatible with
my lifestyle."
Toylor Show, junior
Stafl Editorial
Let them speak! Our
renewed commitment
to community
journalism
"2011: The Year of Global Indignation," read
a retrospective article published in the Financial
Times. Similar headlines broke across a wide
range of publications as the year came to a close.
If the media is any indication, it would seem
that 2011 entered the popular vernacular as "the
year of revolutions."
Here at Guilford, we were also thinking about
change. As an institution we define ourselves
by our social engagement. But how often do we
live up to those expectations, and where do we
fall short?
The Guilfordian has sought new avenues to
deepen our commitment to social justice in the
2011-12 school year. Our outlet has been GuilCo
Sojo, the social justice journalism blog that we
introduced last December.
When we first began GuilCo SoJo, the
intentions of the blog came under scrutiny.
People asked how social justice journalism
could be objective. People asked why we
needed a separate site to address social justice
articles. "Isn't every story a social justice story,
especially at Guilford?," it was asked. We took
these questions to heart. We in turn scrutinized
our intentions.
In response to these questions we developed
an expanded mission for the blog. Rather than
setting up the blog as another platform to post
articles (albeit articles related to social justice)
we attempted something much more ambitious:
to create a news site that also develops and
deepens community.
On the surface, GuilCo Sojo is a blog that
deals with social justice stories, but it is much
more. The blog is a forum to explore how
we can redefine our sense of community by
changing the way we tell stories. It is a space
to share ideas and open dialogue. From readers
voting on the banner to posting information
about upcoming events, GuilCo Sojo is meant
to be a place for you: the reader.
Now the year is coming to a close, and though
we are proud of our progress, we are equally
aware of how much more work needs to be
done. We hope that next year will see an increase
in community participation as we continue to
work towards making GuilCo Sojo as reflective
of our readers as possible. We hope you will join
us in making GuilCo Sojo a place that reflects
the needs and passions of our community.
The EDRORIAL BOARD OF-THE GuiLFOROIAN CONSISTS OF
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pEB COPY e»T0R, 50C1AUUST1CE EDITOR, MANAGING EDITOR,
^DEDtTOR-IN-CHlEF.
pEPCECnfc-^LFORD CaiEGE’S CORE QUAKER VALUES^,'
tee TOPICS AND CONTENT OF STAFF EOfTORIALS ARE CHOSEN
tmcm CONSEl&rlf ..AU. 16 EDITO.