Single room, double occupancy
Until mid-August, Trevor Pike figured his residential situation for the coming school year would be just like the last two.
The senior anthropology major was signed up to live in the same room again in Hill House by himself. However, his expectations were suddenly in need of adjustment when he received an e-mail just two weeks before school started.
The e-mail was from the university housing department, informing him that he would have to share his room, which was designed to be occupied by one person.
Pike was just one of many students signed up to live in Hill House, Anibal House and Fitzgerald Hall to receive a similar e-mail. Fortunately for Pike, a friend of his helped ease the transition.
“Since I’d signed up for my single already, they gave me the option to choose my roommate. A friend of mine lived a few doors down so we’re rooming together for now,” Pike said. “It’s convenient, but we would both really like to have our single rooms back.”
Deborah Middlebrook, interim director of University Housing, said an unexpected spike in housing applications caused a shortage in housing, necessitating doubling up the rooms.
“This year we had an overwhelming number of students that wanted to reside in the Residence Halls,” Middlebrook said. “In order to accommodate the number wishing to live on campus, we doubled up the these halls. The students with singles were given the opportunity to select who they would share a room.”
The students forced to double up their rooms are now paying the rate for a double room of $3,675, down from the single room rate of $3,975.
The rate is identical to the rates for Hamlin and Vandenberg halls, where the rooms were designed to house multiple students.
A standard room in Hamlin and Vandenberg is about 11 feet 2 inches by 12 feet 3 inches with 9 foot ceilings, whereas standard single rooms only run 10 feet 10 inches by 11 feet 2 inches.
For Ashley Page, University Housing’s decision was unacceptable. The sophomore from Goodrich, a Flint suburb roughly 45 minutes north of campus, decided it wasn’t worth living on campus if she had to share a room.
Page, who lived in Hamlin Hall during her freshman year, decided instead to stay at Beacon Hill Apartments across from campus on Walton Avenue, which she says is cheaper and preferable to living on campus. Page said she felt that not getting a single room she signed up for was a violation of an agreement.
According to Page, the whole situation could have been prevented with more thoughtful planning.
“I just think they need to expand the dorms if they’re going to have that many people that want to live on campus,” Page said.
Middlebrook said that, despite being frustrated, most of the students were not resentful of the housing department.
“The responses that I have heard were mostly understanding of the situation,” Middlebrook said.
Middlebrook also said that the current housing issues are only temporary.
“We are, currently, in the process of un-doubling the single halls as space becomes available.”
Pike said that, while he is not happy with the situation, he is looking to make the most of it in his last year on campus.
“It’s my senior year, and I’m not going to waste the chance make friendships and whatnot,” Pike said. “That’s why I don’t feel like making a big deal about it.”
Though OU’s housing contracts increased 21 percent, students may not see more dorms in the near future.
The Board of Trustees voted to increase housing costs in April due to the increased interest in campus housing.
“The university student apartments represent the first phase of developing modern campus housing for students,” Middlebrook said. “This year’s application increase indicates support for our future housing plans.”
– Photo courtesy of Oakland University