Student Life verifies there will be
enough beds for next year's students
By Ali Destrempe, Staff Writer
St. Michael’s students will not be placed at the Days Inn across from campus due to lack of housing next year, said Sheryl Fleury, housing coordinator.
Those students who do not yet have a housing assignment should not worry, because St. Michael’s may not be able to guarantee a townhouse or suite, but can guarantee a bed, said Lou DiMasi, director of student affairs.
“This happens every year. People don’t see it because it’s different students on the list every year,” Fleury said.
The school is about 50 beds short. Fleury said the school has not been nervous about not having enough beds.
“No one is reacting to the number, because it has been reported that the number of unavailable beds have been a lot higher in past years,” she said.
Class sizes are becoming larger and housing has been problematic for underclassman. Students from the class of 2009 and 2010 have not been guaranteed the housing that most would prefer as a rising sophomore or junior.
“The sophomore class needs to understand it is a big class,” Fleury said. “Even if converting townhouses, we could still fill them. Students need to open their minds to other options.”
“When students don’t have a bed, it’s a nerve-wracking experience,” said Dave Cutler, director of facilities.
Fleury said she tries her best to gear towards student satisfaction, rather than placing them in whatever is available.
“I try to give them at least some happiness into where they are living, not just give them a bed,” she said.
St. Michael’s has taken different approaches to solve housing situations and to offer student satisfaction. The incoming first-years have been guaranteed the three first-year dormitories located in the Quad. Admissions must stay on target for accepted students for there to be no further housing problems.
The biggest housing change is the school’s plan to build kitchens in the 400 townhouses in the summer of 2008.
“More desirable housing for upper class students will be offered,” said Brian Lee, assisstant director of residence life. When the 400s were built in 1988, the one-bedroom downstairs was equipped for the installation of kitchens, Cutler said. The class of 2009 and future classes will be able to choose those houses in room lottery their senior year.
Another way the school tries to solve the bed situation is by offering “specialty housing,” DiMasi said. These include Ambassador, GREAT and Honors Housing. DiMasi said he believes students should take up these housing venues and get housing they prefer. “They are good options that go by the way-side, because students do not try to get those venues,” he said.
Fleury said the Days Inn is the school’s very last resort if there is a crunch in housing.
“It’s a financial burden to have to rent rooms,” she said.
The Days Inn was used several years ago, but not since the suites were built, Lee said. Before the suites were constructed, St. Michael’s could not guarantee beds to students, and some were asked to live at the Inn.
St. Michael’s is now an all-residential campus. Housing questions may not be able to be answered at this point in the school year, but the housing staff can verify all students will have a bed.
“There are a lot of ‘ifs’ I can’t answer until August 26 comes around. A lot of things can change with housing, but everyone will have a bed,” said Fleury
Contact Ali Destrempe at adestrempe@smcvt.edu
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