2008 Woodie Awards
Upper-class students continue to get kicked off campus
Issue date: 3/6/08
Nearly three years ago, during spring break of my junior year in high school, I took a tour of Hopkins. Our tour guide gushed about everything the school had to offer - lacrosse, engineering, political science, lacrosse, the Writing Seminars and, yes, more lacrosse.
She seemed genuinely proud of her school, with its strong academic programs and, well, lacrosse. However, she had left one aspect of university life out of her talk - housing - and my mom wasn't about to leave Baltimore without making sure that her little boy would be housed safely for his four years away from the nest.
"Is housing guaranteed?" my mom asked politely.
"Well, no, not yet," our guide replied, as if reading from a script. "But housing is going to be guaranteed for the first two years, and we're almost done building Charles Commons!"
Ah, the messiah itself was coming: a dorm disguised as a hotel, equipped with a cafeteria, mini-gym, and even a Starbucks. Essentially, Charles Commons would serve as a city within a city, making braving the oh-so-dangerous streets of Charles Village that much more unnecessary. The Commons, our guide promised us, was the answer to all concerned parents' questions, providing us with the near-guaranteed housing that exists at many of our so-called "peer institutions."
But Hopkins, as I now know as an experienced sophomore, is not like its peer institutions. It is its own animal - as much a business as a university - and does what makes business sense. Three years ago, it appealed to me with promises of all-but-guaranteed housing but, as I found out in an e-mail on Feb. 21, leaves me on my own to find an apartment:
"Unfortunately, we are unable to invite you to attend?the upper-class room selection process ... Thank you again for your interest in University housing and best wishes."
Well, the wishes were thoughtful, but a worry-free place to live would've been slightly more preferable, especially given the assurances the University made me and other prospective students in the spring of 2005.
She seemed genuinely proud of her school, with its strong academic programs and, well, lacrosse. However, she had left one aspect of university life out of her talk - housing - and my mom wasn't about to leave Baltimore without making sure that her little boy would be housed safely for his four years away from the nest.
"Is housing guaranteed?" my mom asked politely.
"Well, no, not yet," our guide replied, as if reading from a script. "But housing is going to be guaranteed for the first two years, and we're almost done building Charles Commons!"
Ah, the messiah itself was coming: a dorm disguised as a hotel, equipped with a cafeteria, mini-gym, and even a Starbucks. Essentially, Charles Commons would serve as a city within a city, making braving the oh-so-dangerous streets of Charles Village that much more unnecessary. The Commons, our guide promised us, was the answer to all concerned parents' questions, providing us with the near-guaranteed housing that exists at many of our so-called "peer institutions."
But Hopkins, as I now know as an experienced sophomore, is not like its peer institutions. It is its own animal - as much a business as a university - and does what makes business sense. Three years ago, it appealed to me with promises of all-but-guaranteed housing but, as I found out in an e-mail on Feb. 21, leaves me on my own to find an apartment:
"Unfortunately, we are unable to invite you to attend?the upper-class room selection process ... Thank you again for your interest in University housing and best wishes."
Well, the wishes were thoughtful, but a worry-free place to live would've been slightly more preferable, especially given the assurances the University made me and other prospective students in the spring of 2005.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 7
Joanne Di Gennaro
posted 3/07/08 @ 10:20 AM EST
"Kicked Off Campus" is persuasive and very well-written. Glenwick is insightful. As a parent, I was confused when I received a letter telling me that my daughter, a sophmore, would not be guarenteed housing next year because it was reserved for next year's seniors. (Continued…)
Simon
posted 3/12/08 @ 5:27 PM EST
I understand where Michael is coming from, but I would urge him and others to look at living at off-campus housing as an opportunity, not a hardship. It certainly is more complicated than living within the nest, but it is also more liberating (not to mention less expensive, in some cases). (Continued…)
Simon
posted 3/12/08 @ 5:34 PM EST
And one other thing. The University should not, in fact, be responsible for providing you housing. It has only one responsibility: to educate. Everything else is a marketing ploy. (Continued…)
elle
posted 3/12/08 @ 10:42 PM EST
A student can always try to become an RA and stay on campus all four years. Also, I know upper classmen who live in Charles Commons.
Anon
posted 3/13/08 @ 1:13 PM EST
I agree with the above posters. Moving off campus is a good step towards independence. In fact, you'll be even more ready for the real world than your peers who had an RA for four years and now are shell-shocked when they realize the world isn't all luxury suites with gyms and RA's to take care of you. (Continued…)
JHU Mom
posted 3/13/08 @ 4:16 PM EST
Simon, I can understand how you feel about the independence you gain by moving off campus, and that may be fine for some students who CHOOSE to do that, but I think it is unfortunate for those who would prefer to remain on campus. (Continued…)
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