Monday, December 01, 2008

Stan State's no home during winter break

By MICHELLE HATFIELD
mhatfield@modbee.com

last updated: December 22, 2007 10:25:40 PM

TURLOCK -- There's no place like a hotel for the holidays.

Some dormitory residents were scrambling for a temporary place to stay last week as California State University, Stanislaus, prepared to close the dorms for winter break.

Under a new policy, residents on Friday lost access to their rooms through Jan. 2.

Athletes, out-of-area students and those who must stay in town for work over the holiday break were looking for hotels, rooms for rent or other alternatives.

The dorms house more than 600 of the school's 8,800 residents.

"It's obvious that the dorms are not homes to students like they should be. It's like they don't want us there," said Johnny Padilla, 19, a political science sophomore and dorm representative in student government. "It's their home -- they should have full access."

Officials closed the dorms to save money on utilities and for student safety -- in the case of emergency, staff wouldn't be sure how many people to evacuate and secure, said Jennifer Humphrey, assistant director of housing.

Officials estimate a $7,000 savings in utilities, though power won't be shut off.

Most California universities shut down on-campus housing for the winter break.

Those that don't typically group students who remain on campus in one building because it's easier to monitor who comes and goes. Stanislaus State's dorm layout -- 12 two- and three-story buildings with a fence around the perimeter -- makes it too difficult to isolate access to only one building, school officials said.

The dorm closure is noted in the housing contracts residents sign, and dorm staff have been reminding residents of the closure for weeks, Humphrey said.

Of 663 on-campus residents last year, 18 registered with the front office to stay in the dorms over the break, Humphrey said. Students say many more -- nearly 100 -- stayed but didn't register. Humphrey couldn't estimate the number of those who had been hoping to stay this year.

UC Merced also closes

Student government leaders conducted an informal survey of about 60 dorm dwellers. Two-thirds of respondents said they'd use their dorms over the break if they weren't locked out.

The University of California at Merced closes dorms over the holiday break to its 600 residents. Dorms at Columbia College stay open for their 10 to 30 residents.

Housing staff at Stanislaus State were helping students find alternative places to stay, including hotels, rooms for rent or homes to housesit for traveling professors, Humphrey said.

Officials checked with student government, the dorm council and residential advisers before electing to shut down, Humphrey said.

Stanislaus State students pay $6,300 to $9,350 to live on campus for nine months. Residents argue they're being kicked out for those 12 days despite paying for that time.

Although Stanislaus State is a commuter school with the majority of its students coming from nearby cities, many depend on having dorm access over winter break. Athletes have practice. And even if families are near, not all students can go to their parents' house, students said.

'It's my home'

One unhappy resident said she doesn't feel safe staying with her mother, so she decided at the last minute to room with her aunt in the Bay Area.

"I like my home (the dorms). It's my home," said the resident, who requested anonymity.

One student from New York was going to remain in his dorm because he couldn't afford to fly home for Christmas, but had to find an alternative. A foreign- exchange student from Kuwait isn't returning home for the holidays and said hotels are too expensive.

As an increasing number of students work part- or full-time jobs to pay for college, they must stay in the area. Their work doesn't give them the same time off that school does.

One of Padilla's friends can't afford to stay in a hotel, so will be going to his parents' place in Southern California despite a full work schedule, possibly jeopardizing his employment, Pa- dilla said.

A benefit to closing over the break is allowing housing staff a vacation, residents said. Since officials are on call at all times, a complete lockdown allows them time off.

Housing leaders are testing the closure this year and said they might rethink the measure next year depending on reaction, Humphrey said.

Bee staff writer Michelle Hatfield can be reached at mhatfield@modbee.com or 578-2339.

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