The Office of Residence Life and Dining Services (ResLife) will not require students living in a dorm for the first time to pay a $100 deposit, like students in the past. But, both entering and returning dorm residents will now have to pay a $200 rental prepayment in order to secure their rooms. While some students enjoy staying on campus, they have some concerns.
Kim Arnold, a freshman psychology major, currently lives in Richardson Towers and will move to Rawls Hall next year. Arnold said that she has enjoyed her experience living in a dorm, but was confused by the new policy.
Other dorm residents like, Christopher Suell, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice, thinks it is unnecessary to change.
"What is the sudden change for, and why is it so early?" Suell said. The deadline to pay the $200 rental prepayment is June 1, but Suell said that the date is still too early for college students. Because financial aid is not disbursed by June 1, those recipients of financial aid must pay the $200 themselves.
ResLife had been researching and surveying other housing policies and procedures of schools, who are controlled by The Tennessee Board of Regents. The University of Memphis has had one of the most lenient housing policies compared to other Tennessee Board of Regents School, according to Glenda Barton, the Residence Life Supervisor.
Under the new U of M policy if students do not pay the rental prepayment by the deadline, their room assignments will be automatically cancelled. Barton said this would help reduce the number of people who have to wait on a room.
The rental prepayment plan differs from the previous dormitory deposit plan that was required from students once they submitted a housing application. The $100 deposit was used to cover any housing fees, like keying in or late rental payments, that a resident had incurred. The new policy only covers the rental charge.
Barton said those students who signed a housing contract before Fall 2005, will receive their housing deposit back. Students do not have to make a request for their refund, but the date of disbursement is unknown at this time. Barton said there are many residents who would be receiving a refund and many departments who have to approve the issuance of a refund, which makes the process lengthy.
Some dorm residents believe that ResLife did a poor job of informing them about the new policy and getting their housing deposit back.
However, Kendall Jones, a resident advisor in Richardson Towers South, said that students were informed a number of times about the changes.
Along with the confirmation packet sent in early April, Jones said other resident advisors passed out information from ResLife. Dorm residents can talk with any resident advisor or the staff at The Office of Residence Life and Dining Services about any questions they may have.
