LGBT Housing at UCSC

<p>I just found out that UCSC has gay housing; who knew!? And just in time too, because I'm applying for housing tomorrow.</p>

<p>The question I now have is, which LGBT community should I go with? There's one at Cowell, one at Merrill, and one at Porter. I decided either Porter or Cowell would be best. I personally think Cowell is beautiful, and I love the views over East Field. However, the dorms I'm looking at are smaller than the ones at Porter. For example, the triples at Porter are about the size of Cowell's quads, AND they have balconies.</p>

<p>So now I'm in a dilemma. Help me out, which gay community is the best one to live in, Cowell's or Porter's? Which one is larger/more active? Are either of them considered to be the "center" of UCSC's gay community? Also, what is the living arrangement at each college, does the gay housing comprise a floor? Building? What?</p>

<p>Kudos for anyone with experience.</p>

<p>Amaaaazing advice, everyone. Thanks.</p>

<p>But seriously, I went with Porter. From what I saw they had more events centered around the LGBT community than anywhere else on campus. It seemed reasonable for me to assume that they had the largest and most active gay community. Plus their dorms are larger and newer, which seemed like a cool bonus. And, you know, Porter actually does look quite pretty. I love how that new quad looks in photos. I haven’t been on campus since Porter was under construction, I can’t wait to see it.</p>

<p>No need to be sarcastic and rude. Perhaps people did not give advice because they had no direct experience with it. I’ve only lived in coed and substance free halls. I haven’t even been to the annual queer fashion show because I just don’t have the time for anything outside of school work.</p>

<p>Good luck getting housing in Porter, though, even if you have access to the TC. It looks like next year will be another round of displacing affiliated students around the campus because of not enough beds. Not sure how this is going to affect the TC, but they did add the Village and UTC as options again… tells me there’s not enough room in the TC either for all students allowed to live there.</p>

<p>Next year is going to be interesting…</p>

<p>The phrase “but seriously” usually implies that the preceding statements are not to be taken seriously.</p>

<p>I’m not a “new transfer”, just a regular junior who’s never lived on campus before, but I missed the priority housing deadline, so I was told I’d just get my assignment along with the rest of the new students. I don’t really know how in-demand the LGBT housing is, if it is at all.</p>

<p>Obviously I didn’t take it seriously that I pointed out the sarcasm was unnecessary ;)</p>

<p>I know you’re a reentry student. You’ve mentioned it previously, but to my knowledge we never confirmed if you would be able to access the TC as you would have access to STARS (it’s for both reentry and transfers). They’ve been making up some crazy new rules in regards to the TC so who knows. Perhaps I missed where you said you would not have access to the building. I’m also aware you missed priority housing, you mentioned it previously in another thread.</p>

<p>The LGBT Housing is just a theme designation for hallways. In fact, officially it’s something along the lines of “LGBTQ and Allies” for the official title. I saw the openings there when I was choosing my room during room selection. There were not many rooms available in any of the hallways regardless of theme. I do not know how many (if any) are being held back for reentry students. Most of the rooms are being held for frosh.</p>

<p>Themes do not always mean much (but they can if you have an active hall). If you want to be involved, become involved with the QSA.</p>

<p>A friend of mine who is going to be a sophomore informed me that when she inquired at Porter housing, only 30 beds within Porter were going to be available for her year for those who file on time (that’s between dorms and apartments). I have no idea how accurate this is since I wasn’t told myself, but I do know there were more people who filed on time for housing than there are beds in the college. Whether all beds will be taken remains to be seen, though. Some are picky like me and refuse to take anything but a certain type (in my case: a single). You’re wanting a triple or quad if I recall right, yes? I can see there being less demand for those.</p>

<p>Housing at Porter is severely limited even if you’re Porter affiliated, but you might get lucky since doubles appear to be more popular (and singles). I consider myself lucky I got my room for next year, but I also had one of the very first registration times due to my class standing. I don’t know the current status of room selection (it ends tonight at 11:59pm), but it’s very likely everything is gone or mostly gone. Empty spaces left over after frosh and new transfers have been placed will go first to those on the waitlist who filed their housing request on time. I imagine many of those will look to the housing fair to hopefully get housing somewhere on campus, though.</p>

<p>Good luck. I mean that sincerely.</p>

<p>I was told that they expect to be able to house all students who want on campus housing. You have such a gloom and doom view of this.</p>

<p>I am still wondering what the availability of the LGBT floor is though, I wouldn’t think “the gay floor” would be one everyone is vying for a spot in. Who’s going to apply to it? Just us small percentage of people who want to be in it. And hopefully I’ll get dibs since I’m a junior.</p>

<p>P.S. I have nothing to do with the transfer housing, I’m not required to live in it nor do I want to.</p>

<p>Ah crap, I just got invited to the Housing Fair… which is in 12 hours… and I’m not anywhere near Santa Cruz right now.</p>

<p>You’re misreading what I’m writing. I am not saying on campus housing will be an issue. I’m saying Porter housing specifically will be an issue. This is not “doom and gloom,” but a fact. Porter students who had housing guarantees were displaced to other colleges because Porter is missing an entire dorm building due to the TC. We have been so full this year at Porter that people are sharing mailboxes. Other colleges have plenty of room because they no longer house their own transfer affiliates from the beginning. You’ll find space on campus, but your chances are slim with Porter and we have been warned by the housing office that there were a lot more applications for Porter housing than they anticipated (this was shared with Porter students via email from the Porter Housing Office). I am only trying to prepare you for the reality that is Porter housing right now.</p>

<p>Also, others and myself were told that Building A would be all Porter upperclassmen. Then we were told it would be half transfers, half Porter upperclassmen. Then it was mostly transfers, but one floor set aside for Porter upperclassmen (this was the day before room selection). The day room selection opened last year? “Oh, yeah, sorry… it’s now considered new transfer housing only.” My point? Take what they tell you with a grain of salt. All of those promises I mentioned were in writing for us, but none of them were followed through on and no one was alerted until the last minute of a major change.</p>

<p>Another thing they told us? That all Porter affiliates who wanted to live in Porter would be able to because there would be plenty of room. This was a verbal promise told to parents at a Parent Day event. A lot of Porter affiliates could not get housing in Porter, though.</p>

<p>Remember that UCSC in general is fairly accepting and people will take a room where they can get it. Some housing themes do require a separate application, but the LGBTQ and Allies theme is not one of them. Honestly, people will go to whichever hall on whichever floor they can get a room on that meets their needs. For example, I avoid certain room numbers because I know they face west and get exceptionally hot by evening due to the setting sun. But I also care little for hall themes (although I quite enjoyed my substance free hall and I am very sad they’re reserved for frosh initially :(). I just care that I have respectful hallmates.</p>

<p>Oh, and before they changed my hall’s theme, it was originally an LGBTQ and Allies hall. While I had other options, I chose it for various reasons (beyond just location since I don’t particularly like the floor I’m on as it’s one of the older floors). It became a general coed hall by the time I moved in. </p>

<p>And while as a junior you will receive higher priority points than a sophomore or frosh, you will not receive the affiliation points they will receive. Frosh and sophomores who are affiliated with the college will have higher priority than you. Especially those who turned their application in on time.</p>

<p>And good to know on the post-script :). Like I said, we were discussing this in a previous thread of yours and I never saw an official answer whether they would require reentry to follow the same silly rules they’re forcing new transfers to follow. Considering they plug the fact STARS is near the TC, I would not have been surprised if they held reentry students to the same guidelines as new transfers (especially considering a reentry can also be a transfer who is over the age of 25 for undergrad).</p>

<p>Seriously, dude, chill. I’m only telling you the reality of the housing situation at Porter. I live here, I know how pressed for space we’ve been all year. Another user by the name of rectangleshorts (I believe I got that right) who also lives at Porter currently could tell you the exact same thing. I do hope you get the housing you want, but only after all affiliates have had a chance to get housing within Porter. It’s only fair, right? ;)</p>

<p>Just saw your second post you made while I was typing mine. I’m sorry you’re no where near Santa Cruz right now :(. That housing fair is quite important to go to if you want a real shot at campus housing without sitting on the waiting list and keeping fingers crossed.</p>

<p>How far are you right now? Is there any way for you to make an emergency trip here?</p>

<p>I am affiliated with Porter.</p>

<p>And I’m not the one writing huge rants over one or two sentences. You seem like you need to chill more than I do.</p>

<p>There’s no way in hell I’m making it there in time for the fair, unfortunately. By the way, I do appreciate your info.</p>

<p>Why didn’t you mention that in the first place? That makes a huge difference! Yeah, your chances are definitely higher then (junior standing priority points + affiliation points). Only thing hurting you is that late app. I don’t even have a housing guarantee anymore and I was able to choose my housing before most everyone (although I did turn in my housing request in during the priority period). Senior standing is awesome.</p>

<p>And I disagree. My long-winded posts are also imparting information you seem to be misinformed on :D. I really am honestly just trying to give you a bigger scope of the picture and, unfortunately, that does require quite a bit of information that you seem to see as me being “doom and gloomy” ;). But we all do interpret things differently when we can’t hear each other, right?</p>

<p>I’m really sorry to hear you can’t make it here in time :(. I really feel for you on that. I wish there was some way I could help out. Perhaps call the housing office (Porter or main? Or both?) and ask if there’s anything you can do or what they suggest? I have a feeling this might be an SOL situation, though.</p>

<p>On the plus, perhaps someone will cancel their contract or there will still be housing available even after the housing fair? I’d imagine there will still be spots left. I just don’t know what sort of spots will be left.</p>

<p>I wish I could make it too, but unfortunately, I’d have to be speeding to Raleigh right NOW if I wanted to make it to SFO in the morning. I honestly don’t know if I could make it.</p>

<p>There’s a possibility they’ll see that I was a late applicant for fall quarter and they’ll assign me earlier than August. And even if not, I’ll probably get something in Porter for fall, even if it’s a double on a regular coed floor.</p>

<p>I’ll try calling tomorrow about the situation, and how I can’t make it. Maybe they’ll be sympathetic, although I doubt it.</p>

<p>I really want that LGBT floor though, with an affordable triple or quad. It would make my transition back to UCSC so much easier. :(</p>

<p>My fingers are crossed for you! I also hope if you get into one of that hall that they’re active :)</p>

<p>Thanks man, you’re the best.</p>

<p>It doesn’t matter whether your on a LGBT floor or not to be active or near the LGBT scene. I just heard personally the floors are kind of gross (hooking up with one another etc). Also, the gay scene at UCSC isn’t that great in my opinion either. I know a lot of the community and they are all nice, but a lot of them are gross as well. I had my hopes set far to high when I came here so I’m just warning you. Also, you really don’t need to live in LGBT theme floors to be apart of the community it’s quite easy to just meet other LGBT people if thats your goal/ And for the UCSC student body as a whole I have never felt more accepted or welcomed no on cares that your gay or whatever it’s great.</p>

<p>Also, it’s a good thing you didn’t make it to the housing fair it was a mess. Extremely long lines, people waiting forever and still not getting housing etc. But good luck with everything! :)</p>