<p>The student needs to contact someone higher up in Housing to find out what the deal is with NMF students who live “off campus” (like in a Greek House) for one year. If necessary, I will call to get the answer. </p>
<p>Since their scholarship is for 4 years of on campus housing, no where does it state in the scholarship offer that the student loses that housing option forever if he/she goes off campus for one year.</p>
<p>^ I agree that the student should pursue the highest authority on the matter. Here is a link to the UA Housing staff page with contact information [Student</a> Affairs | Housing & Residential Communities](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/hrc_staff/staff_list.cfm]Student”>http://housing.ua.edu/hrc_staff/staff_list.cfm)</p>
<p>And…frankly…if Bama housing is going to insist that a NMF kid who goes off campus for Greek or private apt housing can’t come back…then NMF kids will just book their honors dorms, do a pretend move in, and live off campus for one year and return. If schools don’t create a work-around, smarter kids will figure out another way to skin the cat.</p>
<p>Heck, why wouldn’t a NMF kid keep his dorm room…use the closet for out-of-season clothes and a place to escape a Greek house or wherever when desired?</p>
<p>^I would hope that they wouldn’t do so because it is an abuse. Gosh, these kids are being giving a great scholarship and all that is being asked of them is that they stay in the free housing provided by the scholarship. To take up space that UA could provide to someone else would be the height of selfishness and an entitled attitude.</p>
<p>That’s why the school needs to come up with a solution. If the school wants to be able to get money for that dorm, then they need to come up with a solution.</p>
<p>This isn’t much different from when the T-town local kids have a NMF scholarship and sometimes stay at their free dorm, and sometimes sleep at home…or maybe they never/rarely sleep in their dorm, but use it for daytime nap/study time…who knows…it’s no one’s business.</p>
<p>And, it isn’t any different from when a NMF kid lives in his dorm for fall (or spring) semester, and then does a study abroad for the other semester…that student isn’t using his dorm during the semester that he’s gone and he doesn’t lose campus housing.</p>
<p>These kids have been awarded 4 years of housing…whether they actually sleep there isn’t part of the contract. I don’t think it’s the height of selfishness or anything. There isn’t a requirement that the student “sleep there.”</p>
<p>I agree that UA should come up with a solution.</p>
<p>While I understand the appeal for Greek organizations to require officers to live in the house, but what is preventing them from simply providing office/study space for the officers and renting out the rooms to other members?</p>
<p>Sea-tide…nothing literally prevents them…they make their own rules. If they want to change them, they can. They must think that by having officers live in the Houses then they’re more easily contacted and more quickly respond to house issues.</p>
<p>At one time (don’t know if this is still true) a number of the sororities req’d each girl to live in the house for at least a semester or a year…many chose junior year to do this. This may no longer be the case.</p>
<p>Students are required to sign a form twice a year stating they actually live in the dorm, but those who don’t just sign it anyway. This is not exclusive to those on housing scholarships, there are those whose parents are paying and have no idea their little darling is living off campus. This may not be the most considerate thing as far as others who want housing are concerned, I don’t see much more the UA could do to prevent it. I’m wondering if this student discussed this with Housing beforehand, and if so, what she was told.</p>
<p>I can understand it if kids move off campus (private apt) then it would/should be more difficult to get back into campus housing (even with housing scholarship). However, if there’s a legit reason (req’d Greek living, study abroad, etc), there should be some kind of arrangement.</p>
<p>For study abroad, the student simply cannot live on campus. For Greek living or electing to live in a private apt., I think each case would have to be looked at to see if it is “legit”, and I think the determination of “legit” may become very difficult. I wouldn’t automatically assume that Greek living is more legit than any other student’s decision to live off campus.</p>
<p>I am glad to see UA asks the students to sign a document stating that they are actually living in the housing. If a student wants to lie on the document, so be it. I suspect there are many students who would choose not to be dishonest. In addition to protecting the students own integrity, being honest is “the most considerate thing as far as others who want housing are concerned”.</p>
<p>I agree, integrity is important and we wouldn’t sign it, nor would our daughter. Unfortunately, sometimes people think whatever suits them is okay without regard to the impact on others or their integrity. The UA is providing an awesome scholarship for our daughter, so we in turn want to be a good recipient just as you would expect a house guest to be.</p>
<p>As far as the reasons for living off campus and returning to on campus, if the UA considers Greek houses off campus, I see no reason to treat that decision differently than a non Greek who chooses to try off campus housing since both situations are a result of personal choice. Moving to a Greek house would be a personal choice just as moving off campus into an apartment to avoid an additional dorm move for summer housing would be. Neither is more “legit” than the other.</p>
<p>I just think Bama needs to come up with a solution so this isn’t an integrity issue or anything else.</p>
<p>Choosing to study abroad is…a choice…yet Bama allows that to be an exception. I don’t think it would be that hard for a NMF student to provide documentation from their Greek house that they have to live in the House for the following year …there probably aren’t that many with housing scholarships with this issue…certainly less than those who are doing study abroad. Keep in mind I’m talking about those with housing scholarships who are REQUIRED to live in a Greek House for a year.</p>
<p>Bama seems to have the means to know that a frosh is in the Greek system which allows them to have the cheaper meal plan, so it’s not like the concept is far-fetched. </p>
<p>I think some of the criticisms aren’t necessarily deserved. If a person is given a company car and instead chooses to drive his own car for several months, he’s not acting entitled or spoiled or whatever…even if the car sits in his driveway during that time. He may have legit reasons…such as his own car accomodates more people and he has to drop a bunch of kids off at school before going to work and he has to do that for a few months. He’s just using what’s best for him at the moment. The company policy may be that if he returns it during that time, he loses it completely…so why do it? When his situation changes and he goes back to using his company car, there shouldn’t be any ethical issues or whatever.</p>
<p>It doesn’t really bother me whether someone lives in a room or how it is being financed (privately or scholarship), but I would think someone who might have wanted to live in that room or even the others in that room might feel differently. As far as integrity, signing a document saying you are living in a room when you are in fact not because it suits you is a matter of integrity. And although I am not trying to step on anyone’s toes, being Greek or not should play no part in this. Being Greek or not is a personal choice. If anyone needs to make allowances it would need to be the student or the Greek organization. Housing should have the same rules for students moving off campus. I don’t see studying abroad to be the same as moving to a Greek house.</p>
<p>^ agreed,
I know there are exceptions for co-op as well as study abroad, but IMHO those fall under academic reasons. Greek house rules do not.</p>
<p>That was my thought. Otherwise it is sort of the tail wagging the dog. All students leaving campus housing for other reasons should play by the same rules if they want to try to return. Again, I’m not trying to be harsh, but everyone thinks there reason is legit.</p>
<p>Contracts to live in Greek Housing are due for most houses by the end of this month. As far as I know…I do know of any Greek women who at NMF, are keeping a room at a dorm and living in the house. In most cases if you are on Exec you are required to “live in”. I realize that it’s a choice to run for office but of course a sorority would want a student who gets good grades, is organized and who can budget their time well to hold an Exec position. Correct me if I am wrong but those are qualities that many honors and NMf kids have! It would be ashamed if they felt they could not take a leadership position because after living in for a year they could not return to University housing. We ran into a situation with DD. She had signed a 12 month lease on an apartment and then was elected VP of her house. She had to live in for this Exec position. We were lucky enough to find someone to sublet but if not we would have had to pay apartment rent and house rent ( the total for both would be close to $8000). There probably needs to be conversation between housing, Panhellenic and Chapter presidents and some sort of compromise worked out, especially since appx 40% of Greek freshman women are part of the Honors College.</p>
<p>I agree these are qualities anyone would be looking for in a leader and I’m glad this worked out for your family not to incur this financial hardship. That would be awful. And the situation someone suggested of students reserving rooms and not living there is happening…I can’t speak to whether they are Greek. It doesn’t bother me, but my student has on campus housing. It may bother some who don’t and want it. The point I disagree with is in previous posts about leaving for this reason being more legit than leaving for other reasons. I’m not against Greeks being allowed to return to on campus housing or anyone else returning to on campus housing whether or not they have a scholarship, but this reason is not more legit than a student trying an off campus apartment…for instance to allow for a required summer semester for their major. If there is room for students to return that is great news for all, but if there isn’t room it wouldn’t be fair to other students for the Greek houses to dictate a different set of rules for Housing than other students are held to.</p>
<p>I agree that there should exclusivity just for Greeks if they want to return. I do think that there needs to be a consistent and specific policy in place that covers a variety of scenarios. I do not think just because a student gets a wild hair to move to an apartment and then the situation is not favorable that they should just get their spot in housing back. This is #4 child for us to college and we have not had this housing issue before. Our Greek children moved into the house and the other two lived on campus for 2 years and then moved off. Our Ivy girl actually lived in an apartment that was funded by the University. It will be interesting to see what happens as the new sorority houses go up and are ready to be occupied. Many parents who have girls in those 4 particular sororities are getting quite a sticker shock at the price for living in. What used to be somewhat economical is now pretty pricey (over $7000 a semester in some cases). The house bill for Fall '12 is already beginning to reflect the uptick even though the houses won’t be done until spring '13 (except DG…it will be ready fall '12). In addition there will be more beds to fill…it’s an interesting situation.</p>
<p>How is housing handled if a student studies abroad for a semester?</p>