Parents of the HS Class of 2023 (Part 2)

[tsbna44]

The reality is you will see more and more asking for money. Schools need to ensure optimal revenue.

I say you will see more and more because guess what - many of these new dorms are done in partnership with private entities. They have bond holders who need to be paid back.

No different than your city selling off its parking meters for a payout or a toll lane , colleges are also privatizing.

In fact I lend money to fund the building of dorms - UNC Wilmington, App State and yes I want them to pay me interest on time and my principal at the end. And yes I review the financials to ensure they have ample debt coverage.

[dfbdfb]

@tsbna44

hmmmm - they should function as businesses.

No.

Seriously, no.

And I suppose that that may mean we have a completely fundamental difference of opinion on the structure and purpose of higher education, particularly publicly funded higher education.

[tsbna44]

Appreciate your perspective. I’m not sure it’s as publicly funded as one thinks….

[ColdWombat]

I don’t have a problem with schools offering the option to pay the housing deposit early. I think most schools do. I just don’t like the ones that have an early deadline to get priority (or guaranteed) housing. It does seem that big publics are the ones that most often have the early deadlines. I know they’re juggling a lot of moving parts, but so are the applicants.

[tamagotchi]

The Oregon State housing application opens in February, but they don’t charge a deposit. (You also don’t need to confirm enrollment in order to apply for housing at OSU; you can wait until May 1 to decide where to attend.)

About the Housing Application

We do not require a deposit or fee to apply for housing. We do this in an effort to make the process easy and accessible for all students. The first charge for housing will be a $50 non-refundable housing contract fee that will be assessed when you select or are assigned a room. For fall students, this $50 charge will be assessed in conjunction with fall term housing charges and will appear on your university bill.

[sevmom]

First year students at UVA have an enrollment deposit but UVA doesn’t require a separate housing deposit at all. You are just billed later in the summer for housing before classes start.

[xcskimom]

Heading down to a nearby admitted student day for his selected college, I asked my son how he feels about going off to college in only 5 months – then I immediately recalculated to say it’s only 4 months, since he leaves in mid-August. He’s headed to the opposite coast. His reply was, “That’s sooo long.” I guess we are coming at it from opposite viewpoints!

[socalmom007]

Yikes, it is four months away. My kid will be a 6 hour drive or a 1.5 hour flight away. That’s not too bad, so I shouldn’t complain. One would think it would get easier as I’ve already done this twice, but nope. I also think it’s going to be really weird to have only one of four children still at home. We don’t know how to be only child parents. We’re going to drive our son nuts. We’re all used to noise and chaos.

[Mrspuma]

My kid is only going to be 15 min away (who knew?) and I’m still freaking out! Lol 4 months….

[dfbdfb]

I looked it up, we’re sending ours 3,014 miles away.

So she’ll be right nearby—her older siblings went 3,272 and 3,320 miles away for college.

[bethy1]

2911 miles. (I admit I might like the space)

[alaskajo]

2,950 for my S23 . 2,320 for D19 . Of course if D24 has her way she’ll be 4,418

[gpo613]

If education is like other parts of the economy then let them pay taxes especially property taxes.

[tsbna44]

Well they do pay tuition (unless there’s a low income grant program).

[cmublue]

Does the deposit mean no housing or no priority in line to choose what dorm they want? Are their freshman who don’t get housing at the school?

[Gatormama]

I need advice on how to stop being angry at Pitt. Looks very much like kiddo is heading there. And I am so mad at them. It’s just me. Somebody there needs to tell me they love my kid, dammit.

[beebee3]

Well, tell us what they’ve done or not done so we can be both properly mad at them (how dare they!) and also be able to give you counsel.

[Momof3B]

Twin 1: 29 miles away
Twin 2: 219 miles away

Big Brother is 310 miles away

The nest will be empty

44 days until graduation!

[gpo613]

I don’t get what you are saying. Colleges don’t pay tuition. The tuition among other things are their revenues.

[tsbna44]

The comment from you said maybe they should pay property tax.

We all pay property tax (but we all have property) - and then our kids in our states/cities go to public schools (or have the opportunity)…

College is different - you pay to attend. If you are in state, you pay one rate. Out of state another - in theory to cover costs.

Yes, governments - federal and state help fund. Tuition helps fund. Housing is not for subsidy and may make profits. As I noted, housing and other portions of college today are being privatized. One may not realize it but it’s happening, slowly but surely.

There’s a lot of private money flowing through college campuses - I was just saying funding works differently than “paying property taxes” but people are still paying - differing amounts depending on how the colleges or board of regents for their state determine it.

Here’s an example of what’s taking place on the dorm front - since this discussion about deposits mainly emanated from dorms. I lent money (bought a municipal bond) to fund the project. As I noted, colleges are businesses - from staffing to budgeting to borrowing and credit ratings to labor challenges to being impacted by commodity costs to other things. They actually might be more difficult to operate and many are getting creative to lessen their reliance on necessary funding to keep up. To say it’s not a business is silly. Now if one doesn’t think they should be a business - i can appreciate that. But they are - and because they have to fill the rooms in projects such as this one below - that’s perhaps why they charge the app fees and start earlier. I’m not saying that it’s right - I’m just saying - I can understand why. We’ve seen other examples others posted that don’t - and I prefer that. But my point the entire time has been - if you want to play with someone, you need to play by their rules.

In mid-February 2019, App State and RISE: A Real Estate Company (RISE) signed final paperwork required to develop the multiphase, $191 million housing project in a public-private partnership (P3).

The university selected RISE through a competitive procurement process in 2018. The development of the entire project was planned in three phases, with completion dates of fall 2020, fall 2021 and fall 2022.

In phase one, RISE constructed two residence halls —Thunder Hill Hall (Building 100) and Raven Rocks Hall (Building 200) — on what had been Stadium Parking Lot, totaling 912 beds. Both opened for residents in August 2020. Also part of the project, a parking deck with 477 spaces opened August 2019 at the site of the former Winkler Hall, which was demolished in 2014, adding 250 more spaces to that area of campus. This phase also included replacement of a steam line in the area. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony for Thunder Hill and Raven Rocks halls was held Sept. 3, 2020, as part of App State’s Founders Day events.

As part of phase two, the construction of Laurel Creek Hall (Building 300) began Feb. 14, 2020. The building was dried in a year later. By June 2021, all apartments and corridors were completed and inspected, and the HVAC, sprinkler and elevator systems were all working. The building opened for students in August 2021 with 640 beds.

As part of phase three, site work and the pouring of foundations and footers began in February 2021 for New River Hall (Building 400), which has approximately 750 beds. New River Hall replaces Justice Hall, which was demolished during summer/fall 2020. The building received its certificate of occupancy during the last week of July 2022 and the first resident assistants began moving in. Approximately 6,100 students moved into New River Hall and 17 other residence halls at App State for the fall 2022 semester.

Demolition of Gardner and Coltrane residence halls was completed in September 2021, and this area has been developed as surface parking with approximately 140 spaces. Work for the final component of the P3 project — the demolition of Eggers and Bowie residence halls — began in May 2022 and was completed in fall 2022. This area is being developed into surface parking that will offer approximately 150 spaces; paving is anticipated to begin in late March 2023, weather permitting, and this work is scheduled for completion in April 2023.