2008 Woodie Awards
219 students wait-listed for housing
Stephanie Sidak
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News
As the school year begins to wind down, 219 students at Saint Louis University have been left wondering if they will have a roof over their heads when they return this fall-and, if not, what will become of their $2,000 housing scholarships.
Housing appointments for the 2008-2009 academic year began Thursday, March 27, and, after all available spaces were filled by midday Saturday, March 29, many students, including freshman Paige Pedersen, were frustrated.
"I feel kind of cheated by the University, because it seems like they accepted more deposits than they have space for," she said.
Pederson was told during her appointment on the evening of Saturday, March 29, that she would be placed on a waiting list for housing.
The $250 deposit was just one component of the housing application requirements. Each student had to submit his or her application by Feb. 29 and meet for individual appointments, which were assigned in late March and held in the Reinert Hall ballrooms.
Pedersen was not the only disgruntled freshman. The class of 2011 makes up the majority of the 219-person waiting list. The list also includes some upperclassmen and graduate students, said Susan Fanale, associate director and interim director of the Department of Housing and Residence Life. While this list is shorter than last year's waiting list of 261, some students feel that it is still unacceptably large.
Freshman Tim Lemieux, who was put on the housing wait-list as soon as he arrived for his appointment, said that he is disappointed in the system.
"You really depend on the school to be there to help get you housing, get you someplace to live," Lemieux said. "And to be told about a month before finals that they don't have housing for you, it's really frustrating."
The on-campus housing scholarship that has been awarded to many SLU students has also raised problems beyond the housing itself.
The $2,000 housing scholarship is awarded as part of most SLU-sanctioned scholarships, according to Cari Wickliffe, director of Student Financial Services.
Housing appointments for the 2008-2009 academic year began Thursday, March 27, and, after all available spaces were filled by midday Saturday, March 29, many students, including freshman Paige Pedersen, were frustrated.
"I feel kind of cheated by the University, because it seems like they accepted more deposits than they have space for," she said.
Pederson was told during her appointment on the evening of Saturday, March 29, that she would be placed on a waiting list for housing.
The $250 deposit was just one component of the housing application requirements. Each student had to submit his or her application by Feb. 29 and meet for individual appointments, which were assigned in late March and held in the Reinert Hall ballrooms.
Pedersen was not the only disgruntled freshman. The class of 2011 makes up the majority of the 219-person waiting list. The list also includes some upperclassmen and graduate students, said Susan Fanale, associate director and interim director of the Department of Housing and Residence Life. While this list is shorter than last year's waiting list of 261, some students feel that it is still unacceptably large.
Freshman Tim Lemieux, who was put on the housing wait-list as soon as he arrived for his appointment, said that he is disappointed in the system.
"You really depend on the school to be there to help get you housing, get you someplace to live," Lemieux said. "And to be told about a month before finals that they don't have housing for you, it's really frustrating."
The on-campus housing scholarship that has been awarded to many SLU students has also raised problems beyond the housing itself.
The $2,000 housing scholarship is awarded as part of most SLU-sanctioned scholarships, according to Cari Wickliffe, director of Student Financial Services.
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