UA gives top officials dorm tour

University administrators, led by two Undergraduate Assembly representatives, toured High Rise East yesterday in an attempt to see dormitory problems from a student's perspective. UA Vice Chairperson Ethan Youderian and UA representative Eric Palace escorted Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson and three other facilities administrators through various High Rise rooms, floors and the High Rise East rooftop lounge. During the hour-long tour, Youderian and Palace explained that more and more students are moving off-campus because of the high cost and low quality of the High Rises. The increase in off-campus living is reflected in the University dormitories' 96 percent occupancy rate and over 200 empty beds, according to Deputy Vice Provost George Koval. Koval said the occupancy rate will drop further when English House renovations are completed next fall. University officials are searching for new ways to make on-campus housing more attractive. Morrisson stressed the safety and convenience of University housing. Youderian agreed that the safety in the High Rises is "excellent," but added that students also desire an aesthetically pleasing living environment. Pointing to the dim lights in the 11th floor's hallway, Youderian told the administrators that dark and sterile hallways are two reasons why the High Rises are partially empty. Youderian took the entourage to his 11th floor room to point out a leaky faucet, flimsy walls, 23-year-old furniture and torn rugs. One High Rise resident told the group that his stove caught on fire last semester after water from the small kitchen's sink splashed onto the burners. Despite the fact that the elevators yesterday came for the group almost immediately, UA Residential Living Committee Chairperson Palace told the group that the elevators in the High Rises are sometimes out-of-order and are usually very slow. Morrisson, Koval, Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone, and Residential Maintenance Director Lynn Horner listened intently and asked questions about student needs. But, according to Koval, all of the problems administrators studied last night were cosmetic deficiencies which University officials have been aware of for a long time. Koval said that the University, which pays over $3 million in service payments for the three High Rises, currently does not have the funds to cover the cost of new renovations. Horner said that the dim incandescent hall lights, which replaced brighter flourescent bulbs eight years ago to lower energy costs, would cost $50,000 per High Rise to replace. The University would also have to pay another $700,000 per High Rise to buy new furniture. "When you build something new, you tend to think it will last forever," Koval said. "That's why we are $93 million in debt." The $93 million debt includes loans accumulated for all residential renovations and costs the University nearly $6 million yearly. Koval said that the University's budget for residence halls has also been sapped by routine maintenance costs and increases in utility costs which now run as high as $6 million yearly. "We get over 40,000 work requests each year," Koval said. Youderian, who plans to move off-campus next year, afterwards dismissed administrators' claims that they simply do not have the money to finance high rise renovations, adding that the University must stem the tide of students moving into off-campus housing. "The main purpose was to show them how to keep people on campus and fill the dorms," Youderian said, adding that he thought the tour was successful.

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