New apartment living glitches handled

Southern University students moved into the first ever on-campus apartment housing complex on Jan. 6.

Krystal'Lynn Ricard, a senior political science major from New Orleans, was impressed at the layout and design of the apartments.

"All the apartments are really nice. Since I did not attend the open house last semester, I did not know what to expect, but I was really impressed with the housing."

Built by the SU System Foundation, the apartments were a hot topic among many students who felt as though the administration was not as forthcoming with information as they should have been.

This prompted Student Government Association president Carey Ash to write a letter to interim-chancellor Margaret Ambrose in hopes of clarifying many questions the students had that were not getting answered.

Dated Dec. 18, Ash marked six points he felt were most important to the student body. These included the inclusion of university staff, rent, maintenance, co-education housing, leasing and security.

"As president, I believe I am responsible in preventing problems. My job is to represent those students who do not have an accessible voice to the administration," started Ash. "This is the first time for campus apartments and I am well aware that we will have a feel glitches, but my first concern is providing for the safety and security of all Southern students."

According to SU System Foundation president Ernie Hughes, many of the concerns have been taken care of.

"Co-educational housing wasn't realized until late November. We then asked the chancellor and president their views on the matter and decided that since college is the next step into adulthood, then the students should be treated as adults." Hughes added the first and second floors are for the females and the third floor is for the males.

Ricard, a resident of the third floor said she had not noticed the mixture of the sexes.

"Everyone is really quiet and keeps to themselves. As far as I know, no one has had a problem with security or boys being on the floor. I went home for the weekend and everything was fine."

According to Hughes, the Foundation will handle the logistics of the apartment complex until Southern's Residential Housing takes over. Which they want to happen within the next year.

Ricard, who said her refrigerator, which broke twice, was quickly fixed then replaced by the Foundation.

"We (Ricard and roommates) called them (Foundation) and everything was taken care of faster than I've ever seen. When I had a problem in the dorms, it would take Housing forever to come and fix it."

Ricard said she hopes that if Housing takes over, they hire more workers to meet the needs of the students.

"Nobody likes to be underpaid and overworked. SU needs to watch, listen and learn. An outside management firm can hit the ground running and also gives time for Residential Housing to hire and train more staff," said Ash who has suggested that the Foundation hire a private firm to handle the apartments inside of Housing.

"The purpose of the Foundation is to raise funds, not manage the campus." Hughes also noted before female dorms S.V. Totty and Camille Shade Halls were erected, there have not been any new living facilities since the 1960s. He also added that the Foundation is in the process of working on the intramural complex, baseball field house and A.W. Mumford's north end zone stadium enclosure.

Since the residents of the apartments have to still abide by Southern's rules, many students feared they would have to vacate their homes during the winter and spring breaks.

"The students may stay in their apartments if they wish," said Hughes. "They just need to notify Housing that they will remain in the building during those periods."

Given that the apartments were opened in the spring, many students had to come out of pocket for the extra expenses. In his letter, Ash believes having students pay a monthly rent to the university instead of upfront would increase their experience in becoming adults.

"Because financial aid is awarded on a yearly basis (fall) there were no monies available for students to pay upfront and many of them had to reconsider leasing an apartment."

Although only one building is open for now, Hughes said he hopes to have all four buildings opened by the fall.