Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Problems Persist with Housing Shortage

Problems Persist with Housing Shortage

SDHS Deadline Passes, Off-Campus Search Continues

By Andreas Andrea Hoya Staff Writer

Leaders of Students Demanding Housing Solutions received a response from the administration yesterday regarding university measures addressing the housing shortage that has left 237 sophomores without accommodations for next year. However, the school offered little more than was released at a Feb. 10 housing rally while reassuring students that the university is working on the issue.

The administration has not told the sophomores denied their preferred third year of on-campus housing when they can expect the announcement of the locations of the alternative housing to be provided by the university. Executive Director of Facilities and Student Housing Karen Frank said Thursday that there is no timetable imposed on the search for housing solutions. “There is no deadline. We will continue to look for spaces all through the summer,” she said.

Frank also said that students electing to live in university-arranged off-campus housing will have to exercise their third year of preference.

“If a group accepts off-campus housing from the university, then it counts as a preference year,” Frank said.

While students agree that the letter from Frank was part of the demanded response, it is not exactly what they were looking for. “We want something more concrete; at least they responded to us. A letter is great, but we want to see what will be done,” said aurice Perdreau (SFS ’02), one of SDHS’s leaders.

Fellow SDHS leader Andrew Beaton (COL ’02) is more optimistic about Frank’s response and the university’s efforts. “I was pleased to have heard from them. We were prepared to not get a response. I believe they are being very conservative in their response and they are playing it safe. I believe they are working on it. We are going to keep tabs on them, however, we don’t want to be an annoyance to other students, “he said.

Beaton said he would be concerned if the university has nothing concrete for students by spring break but said, “At this point, I don’t feel inclined to second guess them.” He also said that SDHS’s demand for an apology is part of a “delicate situation” and believes that the university is trying to “express concern but not liability.” Beaton said SDHS is going to emphasize that Frank follow through on her call for town hall meetings with students to discuss the issue.

Frank described the progress of the search for housing solutions as “not new” but “ongoing” and said, “I cannot tell anyone when an owner or manager is ready to sign.”

In response to student concerns that they may be forced into less practical housing situations due to the time to university is taking to offer alternatives, Frank said, “I did not promise anyone that I would go out and take them by the hand and get them a space. What I am doing is developing opportunities so students will have choices as to where they live.”

The university, according to Frank, is not responsible for each student’s specific housing situation since what may be good for one student is not necessarily good for the next. “I am not going to find a space for every student individually. I am going to create a list of opportunities and students can make any choice they want to,” she said. “What is important is the effort put in,” Frank said in regards to the search.

In terms of location, Frank said the university is “looking for reasonable locations on our GUTS routes, and if they are not on GUTS routes, then we would look at feasibility of extending routes. It’s hard for me to be specific when I have no location to talk about,” she said.

Frank said she has received some reaction from parents on the housing issue. “I had two letters from parents that were angry because they did not have full information. They thought we were turning our backs on their sons and daughters,” she said.

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