By: Hannah KanferVia Mason Creative Services
In the middle of last semester, we all got emails about the closing of the Student Apartments. We all grieved but finally moved on with our lives, not giving it a second thought (let’s be real, it was time for them to go). Yet what none of us were prepared for, and what housing very precisely covered up, was the shit show that would be housing selection for the 2018-2019 school year.
If you are or know a rising senior, then you are probably aware most of the rising senior class has been waitlisted, with no guarantee that they will get housing. Not to mention the expanded triples that have been forced into almost every type of upperclassmen building. This makes any plans of having a snug double with your BFF unlikely, especially as an upperclassman.
So why did this happen? Other than the unfateful demise of Student Apartments, it’s a perfect storm of admissions accepting too many people and the freshman requirement to stay on campus. Via GMU Housing
This isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. There is no way everyone is getting off the waiting list, and surrounding off-campus housing definitely cannot accommodate an influx of students this size. Mason parking services is DEFINITELY not able to accommodate an influx of new commuter students either.
Mason housing has been very quiet on these subjects. They’ve commented very little on not only the massive waitlist, but also the expanded triples on campus. When asked about these concerns back in December, they seemed to dodge questions or underplay just how big of a problem this would become. Obviously they want to avoid anger among the public, but is instilling false hope really the best method?
Related: The Economics of Your Roommate Situation
So what should we do? If you’ve been waitlisted, start looking for off-campus housing NOW. If you haven’t been waitlisted, be sure to group up and get everything in order ASAP. Housing is more competitive than ever so there is no room for mistakes. As a community we need to voice our concerns so that something like this doesn’t happen again next year.
This has been an overall stressful experience for everyone involved. Let’s hope the housing office can fix it.