An Overview of the Problem
Senator and Residence Life Liaison Chase Doremus opened the conversation by outlining three primary issues with Reed housing. First, the monthly rent for on-campus summer housing was raised from $350 to $500 with no notice to students. Although residence life has reduced the price back to $350 for this upcoming summer, future rent increases are still scheduled to happen.
Second, the compensation for House Advisors (HAs) was changed from room and board credits to one’s tuition account to a stipend equivalent of free room and board paid twice-monthly over the course of the semester. This stipend will be taxed and factored into the calculation of an individual student’s FAFSA, meaning that HAs will potentially have greatly increased expenses for the school year and less money to cover them.
Third, many students are raising concerns about the calculation of off-campus financial aid. Students who are on financial aid and live off-campus receive a housing stipend to cover or subsidize their cost of living. Many students feel that the housing stipends are inadequate given the high cost of living in Portland, and that the cost of off-campus living could be calculated in a more accurate way. “Our goal today is to get a written record of everyone’s thoughts,” Senator Doremus said.
In addition to these three main issues, many students have been anticipating housing problems because of the possibility of another large incoming class. Doremus explained that this won’t be an issue: “I want to clarify that the school is not expecting another huge freshman class.”
Increase in Summer Housing Rent
Although the price of summer housing was reduced back to the original amount of $350 per month, many students strongly objected to the idea of the business office raising costs without notice. Many low-SES students rely on affordable summer housing, and abrupt increases in the rent without input from the student body would leave some students without an option for housing.
“It seems like the administration [is] pulling levers and hitting buttons…and have no connection to the student body,” student Sandra De Anda said. Student Lee Belcher pointed out that with Reed’s minimum wage of $9.25 per hour and with students’ summer hours being capped at 35 per week, $500 rent isn’t affordable for students who support themselves with an on-campus summer job. “If [the administration raises] that price, it is no longer accessible at all,” Belcher said. Student Nico Terry also mentioned that summer rent is charged prior to the start of the summer, and students have to pay for all three months up front regardless of when their summer job starts.
Vice President and Dean of Student Services Mike Brody responded to student comments by explaining that summer housing was initially created as a way for students to engage in on-campus academic programs over the summer, either as a research assistant or doing thesis work. “We have been told the primary focus for residence halls for summer housing should be the academic program,” Brody said. If the primary purpose of summer housing is to be an affordable option for low-SES students, Brody thinks that “we have to have a different approach,” when it comes to determining costs. “We need to decide as a community what summer housing is and who it is for.” If the purpose of summer housing is not just to support the academic program, “then I’m not sure we need to charge anything for summer housing,” said Brody. “Maybe it should be a sliding scale…we aren’t making any money by charging $350 a month.”
Changes to HA Compensation
The revamped process of HA pay was another surprise. In the past, HAs had been comped room and board, but the new changes make it so that HAs will be paid in bi-monthly installments, like other student workers. The cumulative salary will be $12,950—the price of a dorm room and meal plan B—and the money is now automatically taxed. Consequently, the HAs will not receive enough money to cover the total cost of room and board. HAs are also now required to pay $6000 at the start of each semester to clear initial room and board charges.
Student and HA Cristobal Mancillas shared that being an HA was formerly an attractive prospect, as it was the highest paying job on campus that wouldn’t affect a student’s financial aid. Mancillas pointed out that the HA pay cut has a greater effect on low-SES students who rely on their HA job to provide housing, and the college’s decision to change HA compensation last-minute reveals, “a broader issue about helping marginalized students.”
Off-Campus Aid
Historically, some students who have ventured off campus—be it by force of circumstance or adventurous feeling—have been eligible for a housing stipend from Reed if their financial aid package covered room and board. However, student Jacqui Meadows points out that while Reed does provide aid for low-SES students living off campus, the aid is inadequate in face of rising costs of rent in the Portland housing market.
Meadows provided the estimated monthly budgets at other schools in the Portland area, which are all significantly higher than what Reed provides. For example, Lewis & Clark’s monthly budget is almost twice the monthly budget of Reed. While Reed uses self-reported numbers obtained through a survey to determine the cost of living, other schools in the Portland area use government statistics that track what it costs to live in Portland. These statistics are updated each year as the cost of living in Portland fluctuates, while Reed’s survey is updated only every few years. “I [have been] living off campus and I’ve never seen this survey.” Meadows said. Given the rising population of the student body and the subsequent lack of available dorm rooms, many students believe that Reed should cover a realistic cost of living for students who are forced off-campus. “It’s unreasonable for me to worry about this when I wouldn’t have to at another school,” Meadows said.
Students with Disabilities Lack Accommodating Housing
With a crisis in housing comes extra worry for students who have specific housing needs. Student Michelle Owens pointed out that in previous years people who needed specific housing accommodations had been put in favorable cohort numbers for the opportunity to select a room that fit their needs. This year, however, housing on-campus is not guaranteed for students who are requesting accommodations. “Housing on campus is no longer an accommodation that is afforded for those with documented disabilities,” Owens said.
The lack of guaranteed on-campus housing is a big issue for students with disabilities. For example, living off-campus presents a transportation issue, while living on-campus means access to on-call CSOs in the event of a medical emergency. “For me, housing accommodations are not for my comfort but for my own safety,” Owens said. Owens expressed that without accommodating housing, some students with disabilities may be unable to continue their education. Freshman Leilani Ganser also expressed this sentiment. “I want to be here,” Ganser said. “But the way that this school has been treating me I feel like the school doesn’t want me to be here. I worked just as hard to get here and I’ve worked just as hard to stay here.”
Senator Miranda Mishan asked where the change in policy was coming from. Owens said it was not a matter of residence life doing an about-face regarding disability accommodations, but of legality. The Department of Social Services no longer allows for students with disabilities to be given favorable cohort numbers, “because it makes those with disabilities have an unfair advantage in the housing lottery,” Owens explained.
Lack of Institutional Support for Low-SES Students
The issues with housing have brought a larger conversation about the lack of support for low-SES students into the spotlight. Many students who spoke at the meeting shared experiences of feeling like their problems with housing and financial aid weren’t adequately addressed or acknowledged by the administration. De Anda voiced feelings of frustration at Reed’s business decisions that have harsh consequences for low-SES students. “I wanted to say that there is a face to the people who get affected by this. We are not just pawns of some administrative agenda,” De Anda said. Student Mason Kennon also expressed a feeling that the administration is removed from the experiences of low-SES students. “There is a serious issue of the people being affected being nameless to the people controlling this,” Kennon said. Belcher shared that although “on paper Reed is doing so much for me,” there is a serious disconnect between what students need and what is being provided. “I don’t want to say this is the case, but I feel like I’m not wanted here and that I’m not really supposed to be here,” Belcher said.
Show Us The Money
Budgeting has been an ongoing concern this semester. With news like the Renn Fayre budget slash and the funding cuts for Top 30, the recent price hike of summer housing leads one to wonder where the money is going. According to Brody, “There have been no budget cuts. It’s just things cost more money. This is what happens at institutions all over the country when the cost of things goes up.” Brody also explained that Reed spent more money than expected on financial aid this year. “There were way more students who we wanted to give financial aid to and we overspent the budget.”
Senator Chase Doremus has had consistent conversations with residence life over the past few years, frustrated over the same thing being parrotted every time. “I have been told again and again and again that [the financial aid office is] working on it, that they’re thinking about it, that they’re committed to making a change, but I think that there’s a disconnect…”
Mancillas agreed with Doremus and added that going to the administration for help is potentially chaotic and hard to navigate. “We have student services, we have life beyond Reed, we have residence life, we have institutional diversity…I end up getting a patchwork of resources and hopefully I will be able to get what I need.” This poses an additional roadblock to low-SES students because, as Senator Alex Boyd put it, “being able to navigate bureaucracy and having the time to deal with all the different levels of the administration…can frequently be a function of socioeconomic privilege.”
Many students were unimpressed by the absence of Financial Aid or Business Office members at the meeting. Senator Mishan cited the lack of a representative from either of these departments as evidence of the “horrific lack of communication” between students and the administration.
What Now?
Student Liat Kastner wanted to work toward a productive conversation about possible student action. She added, “Housing issues are representative of a larger issue at this school. It’s really worrisome, not just for student workers, but also for people who benefit from programs like community wellness, like Sexual Assault Prevention and Response.”
Brody announced immediate plans to create two new working groups comprised of both students and staff—one to look at HA compensation and one to look at summer housing. In addition to creating working groups, some students and staff discussed the idea of creating a new student position. This would be a paid position, and could help students with little knowledge about Reed’s administration navigate the complex network of resources that are available. “I am super curious about looking at that as an option,” Assistant Director of Residence Life Julia Nicholson said.
Senate Potpourri
Even in the darkest of Spring Crises, Senator Asher Groh was able to make my day with the announcement that murals applications are available online! I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since my first Senate Beat back in Spring of ’15!
Senator Miranda Mishan announced that the Committee on Diversity discussed a report from Mike Brody regarding the grades and graduation rates of students belonging to historically disadvantaged groups. Mishan also announced that the Sports Center is soon to undergo renovations, which will include gender-neutral changing rooms.
Senator and SAPR Liaison Audrey Dannar made an advertisement for a SAPR-sponsored art show which will take place on April 22 and 23. Also, as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Liaison, Dannar will be coordinating the placement of sharps containers in residence halls; students can contact her or Senator Groh for specific suggestions on where containers should be placed.
Treasurer Rachel Kennelly is continuing to work with conference and events planning to create an online integrated calendar system for on-campus events. In the meantime, you can still submit your events to the Quest calendar! Be a part of Olde Reed print media while you still can!