<p>JasMAc,</p>
<p>I think parents would be more interested in dorm rules and codes of conduct if more students, other than Cadiumred’s daughter had issues with this. She is the only one to post any kind of problem.</p>
<p>Dear Jasmac:</p>
<pre><code> There apparently is no code of conduct. We spoke to the northside “area” director, after being given the runaround again to tell us our daughter must contact the resident director, who hasn’t started the job YET for this particular dorm. The “area director” said the r.a.'s are students, and are not allowed to do too much about conduct. He admitted that the r.a. on my daughter’s floor complained that she can’t handle the whole hall only watch the rooms immediately around hers. He said he gave her pointers like do a late-night walk-through. She seems to just to get free housing; that apparently is her job. He also would not say whether my daughter could be de-tripled. He just said they are working on de-tripling. My husband asked him, “This is what we are paying for?” No response.
</code></pre>
<p>Hello5</p>
<p>No one posts on this thread about conduct or much of anything else because of the bullying of those who complain. ): I have already said a number of kids have left the school or the dorms to live elsewhere like the expensive Archstone or Berkshires to get away from the conditions. That apparently is the more popular solution, though not everyone can afford this.</p>
<p>My son’s experience with his RA seems much more positive that Cadiumred reports-- We met him as we were moving son in-- he was welcoming and pleasant. Since then, the ra has arranged several hall meetings and activities. Son reports his floor is very quiet-- he is a bit envious of some of the more lively floors. He is tripled, but reports that his roomates are easy to get along with. </p>
<p>Frankly, I think CadiumRed is making up the whole bit about private messages from bullied parents, I have never noted anything like that on any part of cc. Cadiumred’s daughter has more problems (as reported here) than any student I have ever heard of anywhere.</p>
<p>Many students move off campus so they can have greater freedom to drink and party. </p>
<p>I’m less than convinced that ‘reds’ daughter even exists, or if she does, whether she makes things up to tighten up her codependent relationship with mommie. (I pity the kid, and deeply hope she doesn’t exist, as she clearly has more problems with her mother than she does with AU.)</p>
<p>I asked my daughter. She doesn’t know of one person who has either left campus for alternative housing or is even complaining about dorm conditions. How is it possible that that cadmiumred’s daughter has three friends who already moved out this early in the year? And is it believable that her daughter’s two roommates are actually rummaging through her possessions while she is out or that they yell at her when she gets up to go to the bathroom? I don’t know whether this is all totally fabricated or is some gross exaggeration of her daughter’s off-hand remarks, but I do know I’m sick of it. The purpose of this forum is not to demean the school with wild accusations and constant caviling. </p>
<p>Further to issues of credibility, I simply don’t believe that anyone has been discouraged from posting by the reaction to cadmiumred’s complaints. Anyone taking a few minutes to read a few of her posts can catch on very quickly to the real situation here. And if cadmiumred truly believes she is being “bullied”, why does she keep returning to the forum? It’s certainly not to seek help. She has never responded favorably to any suggestion that’s been made to assist with her endless discontents, and that includes the suggestion that she stop constantly calling multiple staff members to complain so she isn’t perceived as a crank and ignored. If that’s what has happened with the Residence staff, it should come as no surprise. She’s lucky anyone even takes her calls at this point. </p>
<p>Moving on, has anyone else’s kid already practically used up their Eagle Bucks? I get the impression D is foregoing the cafeteria for other options, but since I paid for a meal plan, I told her she has to use it.</p>
<p>Momma J:</p>
<pre><code>Does your daughter know everyone in the dorms? Is she a large sampling of the AU population? The very very few parents who post on this thread have kids that are seemingly happy there. Why is your daughter not eating in the cafe, not utilizing her meal card? Perhaps the food has become substandard? You would never admit that I guess. You deny all of my daughter’s problems because you don’t want them to exist at AU. Your daughter is one of the lucky ones with good roommates though I do recall you saying that the loft bed setup in her room was depressing with the desk and chair under the bed, and she wasn’t that thrilled with her roommates Well, you are so right about the loft bed; It Is depressing, and my daughter is feeling very claustraphobic on top of the problems with the disrespectful roommates. You complain about conditions there and then insinuate my daughter’s problems do not exist. The housing program is not well managed evidenced by all of us paying for the free rooms for the futile R.A.'s and the nonexistent resident director who they tell my daughter to call, and my husband and I to call. The fake obstacles and rules housing has created, is perpetuating a failed and dangerous system, healthwise. Other colleges have better controls as indicated by Jasmac with a child at Emory and my son, at his college.
</code></pre>
<p>Thank you Momma J for a change in topic! I just got off the phone with my son and he is “BROKE” as are all his roommates… “Send Money Please for my birthday”. He said he may have been a bit too “excessive” when he first arrived on campus. He has been busy spending cash though, all over town–soccer games, baseball games “Go Phillies”, dining out with friends,etc. In a way I’m glad that he is so comfortable in his new environment, and I think he realizes that he needs to “take it down a notch”.
He’ll be spending alot more time at the dinning hall–TDR. Is that what its called?</p>
<p>Here is the non-existent student code of conduct:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.american.edu/ocl/vp/documents/student.conduct.code.pdf[/url]”>www.american.edu/ocl/vp/documents/student.conduct.code.pdf</a></p>
<p>Mini:</p>
<pre><code> Thanks for the conduct code link. However, what’s the point if nothing is watched (useless R.A’.s) and nothing in enforced, i.e. loud sound levels in dorm rooms , drunks in halls, and disrespectful roomies etc.?
</code></pre>
<p>I don’t believe a word of it. There hasn’t been an alcohol violation reported at McDowell since August 22nd, which likely means your d. (if she exists) hasn’t reported any. There hasn’t been a single disorderly reported at McDowell either, which also means that your d. (if she exists) hasn’t reported any. </p>
<p>If she exists, she makes things up for your benefit, and does not take action on her own behalf. You might want to ask yourself why (if she exists) she does that. (and why you are on this forum either making things up, or repeating those of your d. (if she exists) on the Jewish New Year.)</p>
<p>Mini,
Also be aware that the Berkshires is now used as dorm housing for just (I believe) Upperclassman.</p>
<p>How have posters on this forum been designated arbiters of one’s religion or their devotion to it?</p>
<p>This thread has melted down into a version of " The Real Housewives of (fill in the blank) "</p>
<p>Sad, humorous … like a train wreck you can’t turn away from…</p>
<p>Lets just get back to the task at hand…AU parents questions, comments et cetera. :)</p>
<p>I don’t have a horse in this race, as my son graduated AU in 2007, but I still like to read the boards here. After wading through this thread, as well as the “Distraught Parent” thread - and being mildly amused by each - I am increasingly convinced that this is all a big prank by someone with too much time on his or her hands. No other parent here has even heard of the issues this person is carping about. Everyone should just ignore cadmiumred. On the off-chance that she is for real, please say a silent prayer that her daughter doesn’t turn out to be the hovering busybody that her mother is.</p>
<p>The posts about “wild dorms” and regular partying until 2:30 a.m. make AU sound like a large state U, rather than a selective university. I certainly wouldn’t spend 48K to have my child experience that, especially for a school that barely cracks the top 100 in the rankings. If my high school freshman wants to go to school in D.C., I hope she’ll have the stats for Georgetown.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t either. Luckily, she doesn’t have to experience the significantly higher binge drinking rates at Georgetown.</p>
<p>AU is a wonderful university!!! nothing comparable with a large state U!! small classes, beautiful campus… concerning my D she has a graet advisor and great RA! she is always busy and her friends are nice people! it could not be better! Georgetown is full of “abercrombie” kids and the drinking problem is way higher than in Au!!</p>
<p>Mini & ginger2-- Just out of curiosity, where do you find the stats on “binge drinking rates”? Gtown is top 25 in US News and AU is 84, with lots of ties in the middle. That’s a big difference, as is the difference in their respective median test scores. Without knowing the source of your alcohol consumption stats (and their accuracy) I would suspect that the Gtown student is focused when it counts, but perhaps cuts loose on the weekends, as opposed to the all week parties at AU as this forum seems to suggest.</p>
<p>spktruth,
Once again, the only parent who is posting that there is a problem on campus with drinking is our infamous Cadiumred. Please take the time to read some of the other posts from parents whose children are having positive experiences on campus that do not involve alcohol. Let’s not turn this into a debate over the merits of one school vs another. Gtown is a excellent school and I hope your child can get in there.</p>