Policy Change Sparks Outcry from Upperclassmen
By Philip Jones

Early-morning bus rides and lengthy walks to class have long been considered rites of passage for underclassmen living on South Campus – but a new campus housing policy is about to change that.

A sign on the construction fence surrounding the Ram Village apartments on South Campus says rising juniors and seniors will get priority when this new housing complex opens in the fall.

But a housing-policy change designed to increase the number of freshmen and sophomores on North Campus has some rising upperclassmen feeling underappreciated.

Sophomore Elisabeth Pascale has lived on South Campus in Craige Dorm for two years, and she thinks a sweeping new housing policy could mean she’ll be there for a third.

“I’m just ready for a location change,” Pascale said. “I think that I’ve been for a good amount of time, and I’ve experienced this, and I want to experience all that UNC has to offer. And I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to.”
University housing officials plan on reserving half of the 2,500 rooms on North Campus for underclassmen, a five-percent increase over this year.

In addition, the real-time component of housing re-contracting will be eliminated, so room and suite assignments will be random.

Under the most controversial part of the plan, assignment priorities will be flip-flopped. Incoming freshmen will now get first choice of dorms, while rising seniors will choose last.

That’s where Ram Village comes in. Rick Bradley, assistant director of housing, says the new on-campus apartments were designed exclusively for upperclassmen.

“Obviously the new Ram Village apartment community that’s opening for juniors and seniors played a role in this, because we did build that property for juniors and seniors,” Bradley said.

That’s still not good enough for Pascale and the more than 400 other students who have signed an online petition (http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/unc/) seeking a reversal of the policy.

But since the housing department says the policy isn’t going to change, Pascale said she’s not sure where she’ll live next year.

“It’s not a very good position to be in,” Pascale said. “And, of course, I’m not happy about it. But I’m just going to try my best to see what I can do to change it.

“And I’m still going to try for North Campus, and if I don’t get it, I’m going to be disappointed. But I don’t know what else to do.”

Bradley said students like Pascale who will have last priority in re-contracting still have a chance to make it to North Campus.

They can be pulled in by someone who already lives on North Campus, sign up for theme-housing programs or apply to be a resident advisor.