Summer housing is nothing new at St. Ambrose University. However, this summer’s housing for St. Ambrose students will feature a big change, as students will go from living in apartments to dorms. Residence Life Area Coordinator Steven McConnell says this is a change that needs to happen.
“For two and a half decades, [the apartments] have been in constant use. There hasn’t been any time for repairs, renovations, or updating. It’s been trying to put a bandaid on a leaking sink”, quoted McConnell.
Even though the space for summer housing is being downsized, the prices will remain the same. “That’s only because we’ve never increased or decreased that depending on where people are staying”, said McConnell.
Despite the need for apartment repairs, SAU students are not pleased. One student, junior Sydnee Horstman, expressed, ““It’s just a little frustrating that it’s my last summer going into my senior year and I have to deal with all this”.
As St. Ambrose enters finals week, there is a lot up in the air. Horstman does not even know the specific room she will be staying in over summer. She is also frustrated with the pricing, discussing the annual increase of tuition costs: “when you just start adding all those extra fees it’s almost not worth it.”
Another junior, Jesse Lopez, is in a unique situation this summer. After living in a off-campus house, and having the same house next year, Lopez must move to a dorm this summer.
““We have couches, we have animals, we just have a bunch of stuff we have no idea how we’re going to fit into a dorm”, said Lopez. He expressed the idea that living in his house over summer shouldn’t be a big deal.
Another issue with this year’s summer housing is availability of food. While living in dorms, students will no longer have access to a kitchen. Thus, the university is offering brand new meal plans. With three options, students can pay $18/day for lunch and dinner, $7/day for meals to go (lunch only), or not have a meal plan.
Horstman has another issue with this concept, I’m going to be in an office all day, so I’m not going to be having the lunch that is provided by Sodexo. That leaves dinner, and I just can’t afford spending 18 dollars a day on just dinner.”
In all, the summer housing fiasco this year is leaving students in a scramble. Finding space, having sustainable meals, and pricing are only some of the major issues faced. As the university attempts to make summer housing an enjoyable experience, students continue to scratch their heads.
