Director wants all residents in dorms by next
month
By Angelita Caudillo
The Collegian
Students are temporarily being
housed in the University Inn until dorm rooms free up on campus.
Students who turned in applications late for the 2005-2006 school year
are the ones who got stuck in the hotel on Shaw Avenue across from Fresno
State.
There are 22 students in the temporary housing at University Inn and only
one student who remains on the waiting list. Students staying at the inn
are considered to be residents and not a part of the waiting list.
Director of Housing Karen Johnson said the University Courtyard dormitories
started out with 65 students in University Inn at the beginning of the
fall semester.
“The thing that happened this year is we did not get as many cancellations
as we typically get,” Johnson said.
She said University Courtyard received its typical 1,500 applications
it does every year and even had students showing up the day of school.
On-campus housing applications become available to those who attend the
university’s open house in October and then become available for
everyone in February. Students who fill out the license agreement at the
open house in fall, at University Preview Day in the spring or before
March 29 are guaranteed a bed. All other students are encouraged to apply
by April 1 for the best opportunity to receive a bed.
At University Inn students are being charged for half the price of a two-bed
room Johnson said. The students are not being charged the same rate University
Inn is charging, which leaves University Courtyard paying for the difference.
University Courtyard is paying on a month-to-month basis because they
do not expect to keep students at the hotel the whole semester.
“In exchange I think the students are getting a great deal,”
Johnson said.
Students at the University Inn get some benefits students on campus do
not get, she said. University Inn students receive cable television, free
Internet service, daily housekeeping and all their bedding.
Johnson said University Courtyard is paying for the difference in cost
for students.
“So even though we are asking for a little bit of an inconvenience
from them, there are some amenities that they are getting provided that
campus students aren’t,” Johnson said.
“My ultimate plan is to have them (University Inn students) all
on campus by the end of October.”
Johnson said. Students who are
moved from the University Inn to on-campus temporary housing are chosen
by the date their application was received.
“The priority is that they need to apply early.” Johnson said.
With 100 students in temporary housing on-campus, Johnson said she hopes
to have these students in permanent housing by the end of October.
In order to accomplish Johnson’s goal the University Courtyard is
advertising to the Greek system.
“We are asking that anyone that is in a Greek fraternity or sorority,
that if they have the need or would like, to move to their house,”
Johnson said. “The house has to be a recognized house for the student
to be released from their housing agreement. At one time we moved 30 (students)
on campus.”
In the past University Courtyard has contracted with University Inn and
Super 8 Motel for a full semester agreement. In 2002-2003 80 students
were placed in the hotel, 118 students in 2003-2004 and in 2004-2005 no
students were placed at the hotel.
Although no students wanted to comment, Johnson said the students have
been very patient.
“The majority knew,” Johnson said. “They applied late
and unfortunately this is what they had to deal with.”
Students were still accepted the week of school because Johnson said University
Courtyard knew they could place the students at the hotel.
University Courtyard now has 16 students on the waiting list for the spring
semester.
Johnson said University Courtyard does not make any student’s application
a higher priority than any other student’s.
“I would just highly encourage students to apply early,” Johnson
said. “It’s the procrastinator that gets caught.”
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