Friday, October 2, 1998
Speaks Out
This year, 70 percent of on-campus residents live in
triple-capacity rooms, 12 study lounges have been converted into
rooms housing six residents each, and many double rooms are being
used as triples instead. Students, however, were given the
opportunity to cancel their housing contracts without having to pay
the mandatory fee. How should students be compensated? What else
should the housing office do to alleviate the situation? What
should students do to ease their own situation in overcrowded
quarters?
‘I think the environment that you’re living in has a huge impact
on your studies, and if you’re living in a lounge or something,
that’s going to create a significant impairment on your ability to
get things done. If they’re admitting this many students, they
should be building more accommodations for them, and in the future
they should be accounting for this many students and just not allow
housing to so many. Students can always go to the community housing
office; they always have heaps of signs up for roommates.’
Erica Bose
Graduate student
Law
‘I don’t think there really is a way to compensate with the
numbers of students coming in, maybe the university should build
another residence hall somewhere. For some it might be kind of
difficult, but I lived in a triple one year, and I didn’t think it
was that bad. A triple is a livable situation, maybe a little
cramped, but it’s not that big of a deal. Just deal with it.’
Jacky Choi
Third-year
Biology
‘I think if somebody paid for a triple, they should get a
triple, not a double transformed into a triple. If they advertise a
triple room, then they should either give the students what they
signed up for or build a new facility.’
Janet Lalabekyan
First-year
Physiological Sciences
‘I don’t really think there is a way to compensate students.
It’s just one of the downfalls of public school. Maybe the
university should just let less people in. Last year, the dorms
were really crowded, but it was fun and social. You can always look
on the bright side: the more, the merrier.’
Grace Lin
Second-year
Electrical Engineering
‘I think it would be cool if the school rented the apartments
and charged the same fees as they would for the residence halls. I
don’t have too much trouble with my triple, though; I guess it just
depends on your roommates.’
Masa Lino
First-year
Undeclared
‘Some people who were supposed to live in doubles but now are in
triples are living in situations that they had no expectations that
they would be in, and that’s really unfair. For a short-term
solution, UCLA should provide some housing, rent some spaces, take
over a building, use some of their money to alleviate the
problem.’
Daniel Callender
Graduate student
Law
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© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board