As the quarter comes to an end and many students consider a
move, they should be aware of what kind of commitment they are
making for the next year.
A letter was mailed late last week to students living on campus,
notifying them of their housing renewal deadline for next year.
Residents on the Hill must decide by April 2 whether or not they
want to continue living on campus.
Incoming freshman must make this same decision in the upcoming
summer months.
Even thought most first-year students, and a portion of
second-years, choose to live on campus, a great number fail to read
the fine print of their University Housing Contract.
The contract is sent to students to be signed before the next
school year and is made between them and the Regents of the
University of California.
The longest and most important portion of the contract is in
regard to termination of the contract.
Students are not allowed to terminate their housing contracts
unless circumstances beyond their power occur. They are allowed to
move only within on-campus housing.
Even though each student’s case needs to be brought to the
attention of the Housing Assignment Office, valid cases for
termination of housing are as follows:
“¢bull; Dropping out or being dismissed from the university.
“¢bull; Being excluded from university housing as a result of
disciplinary action. If a student intentionally violates the terms
of the contract in order to be evicted from university housing, he
or she will be financially responsible for the remainder of his or
her contract ““ or at the very least, must pay until the
university finds a replacement.
“¢bull; Personal or family financial hardship. Appropriate
documents are required to prove this.
“¢bull; Inability to live in a community atmosphere due to a
medical condition. A letter from a physician is required in this
case.
“¢bull; Marriage. In this case, a marriage certificate is
required and marriage must occur during the term of the
contract.
The main reason for these tight regulations is housing’s
auxiliary funding status, meaning it is not eligible to accept
money from the state of California. Therefore, the money from
student payments is needed to cover maintenance and other housing
expenses.
In instances where residents are allowed to terminate their
contracts or switch rooms within on-campus housing, their remaining
roommates are responsible for changing the status of their rooms
and shelling out a higher housing payment.
Despite the fact that only about 1 percent of university housing
residents terminate their contracts every year, there are a lot of
moves within the system, which cause the same problems for the
roommates left behind.
Julie Bernier, a first-year student, experienced this first-hand
during the beginning of fall quarter when her triple room became a
double after her roommate moved to a different floor.
“She just moved out. We had to wait and see if they could
get another person in here to make it a triple again,”
Bernier said.
“We waited a long time before they told us that we
wouldn’t be getting a third roommate. Then, we had to go to
the housing office and declare a double and start paying the new
price,” she added.
Bernier said at the time, she was upset she had to pay more for
her room, but now she enjoys the extra space.
Some students who would like to move have second thoughts once
they find out how it will impact their roommates.
“Its not fair that by signing a contract, we are
responsible for and to people that we are yet to meet,” said
Jennifer Riley a first-year English student living in Rieber
Hall.
Riley briefly considered moving this quarter. She wanted to move
to one of the openings available in her residence hall, but she
didn’t feel it was fair to make her roommates pay the higher
price for a double room as a result.
Michael Foraker, director of Housing, said his office will try
to accommodate students in these situations. If there are students
on the housing wait list, housing will place them in recently
vacated rooms at the request of the remaining residents.
The details of housing contracts are explicitly spelled out in
the “On Campus Housing Handbook.” This handbook is made
available at the start of the year and informs students of all the
rules and regulations.
Some students still don’t feel well-informed.
“I really wish that we were made aware of all these rules
in a better way. When you really need a place to live, you
don’t read what you are signing.” said Riley.
Foraker said it is the students’ responsibility to read
any documents they sign.