BY: ALONDRA DAVIS
University housing, a convenient change for any college student not able to commute to campus. Students may not be able to commute to campus, that still doesn’t mean they enjoy housing. Here at the University of Montevallo students have been known to have complaints about housing. Complaints can span out from falling ceilings to broken down elevators.
LIVING IN THE DORMS
On campus at UM living in the dormitories a lot is described as living in a “beat-up apartment.” Whether it’s the similarity of living in a bad hotel, there still is some light positivity in describing the dorms. A lot of times students or even faculty will tell you that the historic factors are what makes the dorms.
Historic factors such as in that most of the dormitory buildings here at UM are known to be named after important figures. Important people such as the ones who had hands in making the University. Sure, enough students compliment the historic factor of the dorms, however, does not mean updates cannot be made.
Complaining to the University Housing never really does anything. If you happen to, they will just repeat the same thing “doing the best, we can.” But when is doing the best we can enough if even sometimes complaining to Room Advisors doesn’t even benefit students.
Though, anyone can admit history plays such a big part in why university housing isn’t looking into upgrades. If it’s not history it’s more so that renovations would take entirely too long, longer than a summer. Students have expressed to housing they enjoy the historic factor as well but not when mold is growing in their living spaces.
STUDENT OPINIONS
Jayla Bester, a freshman here at the University living in Main Hall, has explained that “The single rooms are not big enough.” Which could be referring to the fact that a lot of the private rooms for students in certain dorms are incredibly small compared to doubles. But In Jayla’s case most people who want are single room are looking for more space not smaller.
Moving on to another student’s opinion Jayden Presley, a sophomore here on campus living in Tutwiler Hall, another prominent girl’s dorm. Jayden said, “I think the university has done better with timely maintenance orders,” Jayden continues to go into further detail saying, “It isn’t perfect but some students I have talked to have better service when there are problems with dorm furniture.
Jayden said: “Our campus residence halls are pretty old.” This is a common opinion by many students on campus. Jayden continues saying, “I think investing time and money into fixing what they can into housing buildings that have structural problems will help students have a better living experience.”
Parrissa Williams, a freshman at the university living in Brooke Hall has also come forward in giving her beliefs about housing. Parrissa has said that “Room Advisor’s do not respond a lot of the time when paying attention to resident’s needs, or simply tell you to ask housing. “Parrissa has also explained “the elevators are also a huge problem with the constant getting stuck between floors.”
CEILINGS AND COMMON AREAS When going around campus not only common in most girl dorms but also male dominated and unisex as well a lot of ceilings have numerous holes. Holes that RA’s have referred to as ’historical rusting damage’. If it’s not the growing holes in the ceiling, it’s more so the spreading mold coming with it.
Meanwhile in the common area kitchen itself, it comes with the fact of it never being clean. Unclean spaces for students can result in spreading germs. Not just germs can point out the fact about how good it is to keep a space clean for everybody.
Students have constantly spoken out if there is a group kitchen in the dorm how unsanitary they really are.
ELEVATORS & LAUNDRY AREAS The Elevators and Laundry Room are a very different story in the many complaints. Elevators are ranked among students as one of the most common complaints due to the simple fact of them working on and off. With the Laundry Room being a close second common complaint only because washers are constantly breaking and there are not enough washers and dryers.
EXTRAS In expressing the many complaints or some of the few by students around campus. It’s also good to know how help can be given in solving these issues on campus. Many emails to housing are one thing but making an actual statement is another.
Students may complain about UM’s housing a lot but why hasn’t that pushed housing or even the university itself to work on it? The simple thing to say would be that maybe students aren’t heard enough about these obvious housing issues. The only way to make this stop being a recurring issue would possibly be for the student body themselves to make a stand.
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