Only three dorms open for Wintersession

Students returning for winter session may find their residence halls locked and inaccessible this year. Due to budget cuts, all residence halls will be closed except for Bates, Freeman and McAfee.

Students will need approval to stay. Students who remain on campus must be employed in a job considered essential to the college's operations, involved in academics such as honor theses, programs such as the Albright Institute, athletics, or theater.

In light of a smaller budget, a small committee comprised of four members, two from the senior staff, evaluated the winter session housing situation in consultation with the Housing and Transportation Office and proposed the new housing policy.

"It was a decision that was made by the smaller committee...and the senior staff was asked afterwards, to ensure that everyone was comfortable with the decision," Dean of Students Debra DeMeis said. The decision was made more difficult by the lack of empirical data. Because the residence halls were simply opened to anyone who returned last year, there was no method of tracking the number of students who returned, their reasons for staying and the duration of their stay.

Finally, the new dorm complex was the choice housing option, because it is more energy efficient than the older complexes. This decision is not considered a temporary measure by any means, but the mechanics have yet to be worked out.

"At this point we think it will be on-going," DeMeis said.

All students will be housed in the three new dorms, even if the rooms are occupied by year-long residents. This will necessitate students moving in for winter session to move in and year-long residents to move out. The most common suggestion to minimize the inconvenience is to find a friend already living in the new dorm complex and stay in their room. As of yet, however, there is no clear policy in place to receive specific room requests.

Dean DeMeis acknowledges that students are worried about the lack of clear and timely information.

"The students who are living in [the new dorm complex], where people will move into their rooms – they're wondering how this is going to be handled, which is a very reasonable thing. Similarly, students who are staying are wondering how they can request to stay in a friend's room, the process for that, and when they will be notified. The biggest concern I have heard to date is a question of just more information," she said