Graduate On and Off-Campus Housing Issue

In the beginning of this academic year I got an e-mail from a graduate student looking for legal services through the GSO over a tenant-landlord issue. I replied, "I'm sorry we don't offer those services but I will look into that option for future services that could be offered." I checked out other universities and colleges in the SUNY System and noticed that some structure for legal services were available to graduate students. Then I got another e-mail from a different graduate student requesting legal services again. I asked around to see who serviced graduate students with legal issues, but found that those services didn't exist for graduate student. This time I brought it before the E-Board and mentioned that it should be something to let the next E-Board consider since our fiscal budget was already set for the year. Then I got another e-mail, and another... All of them had to deal with tentant-landlord issues.

Spring semester, I was in the GSO office speaking with an international graduate student at the end of January, beginning of February and once again another individual was having a tenant-landlord issue and was seeking legal services. I thought to myself, well, sure GSO will definitely consider having legal services (legal clinic to advise, not represent), but the fundamental issue in each of these cases had to do with housing!

Though a good number of graduate student do not have difficulty finding off-campus housing I was concerned especially for the International Students. They have a limited time to find housing when they arrive since their visas only allow them to come a number of weeks before the academic year starts. Many of them don't have cars which makes it even more difficult to go to different neighborhoods to see if the area is right for them. Some of them pick the first thing they find and then find they aren't happy there but have already signed a lease. Their issues with OCH is amplified as they're not only getting used to a new University, but also a new country, new language.

I started investigating this. For On-Campus Housing currently there are over 50 spots available for graduate students in Empire Commons. This coming academic year 2007-2008 only 48 spots will be made available to graduate student. By the 2008 - 2009 academic year on-campus housing will be completely phased out for graduate students. Graduate Students looking to live on campus will not have that option to do so. Whether or not they are planning to build graduate student housing for the future I'm not sure, I hope so, but at the moment nothing I know of is planned.

The reason for this is because there is inadequate housing available on campus. In fact because of this delema, as of this year sophomores are not required to live on campus anymore either. It wouldn't be as big of an issue, but UAlbany doesn't have an Off-Campus Housing Office. There is a virtual "Off-campus housing" listing by a third party linked to the ResLife webpage, but as far as an actual Off-Campus Housing Director and Off-Campus Housing office that was phased out over 6 years ago. Where the other 3 SUNY University Centers, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook have Off-Campus Housing Services Albany doesn't. Graduate students are the most affected by not having these services!

So, what is being done about it? I had meeting with University Life Council last Thursday with Off-Campus Affairs and Safety, International Student Services, ResLife, along with the rest of the faculty and staff on the committee and discussed this issue. After presenting them with a service comparison between the 4 SUNY University Center's the problem on our campus and the solution was clear. We need Off-Campus Housing Service for all UAlbany students and a legal clinic for graduate students.

And I found out that information on tenant rights and moving guides are available through the Off-Campus Affairs and Safety office as Tom Gephart had presented at the meeting, but since their office is called "Affairs and Safety" most people would not think to ask them since they're looking for the word "Housing" instead of "Affairs and Safety". ULC will be working toward centralizing the information on the Off-Campus Housing website and it is on the table to discuss a position for an Off-Campus Housing Director.

The meeting left on a very positive note that we can do something about this issue and we must. The number of incoming students have increased these past few years and the projections is for the trend to continue. Building new housing facilities will take at least a few years. Renovating housing on campus will also take a few years. It only make sense for the University to provide Off-Campus Housing Services.

For many students a service like this will help smooth the transition of living off campus and allow us to concentrate more on our academics rather than struggle with tenant-landlord issues.