2008 Woodie Awards
Hillsdale evictions present outrageous obstacles
Jennifer Harris
Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Opinion
Almost everyone has been affected by the increase in the cost of living that has been so noticeable these past few years. People are scaling back and trying to cut unnecessary expenditures to keep ahead. It is especially difficult for many college students, some of whom are juggling jobs with classes and some with families who are trying to finish their education. It can be difficult to have enough money to make ends meet. Fortunately, the University of South Alabama provides low-cost housing for just such students.
Until now.
As many already know, the University has made it known that the Hillsdale Heights subdivision will no longer be an option to students for inexpensive lodging. Residents on two of the subdivision's streets got a letter on March 10, stating they must be out by May 15. Everyone else is being afforded the courtesy of September before being driven out.
There have been rumors that the mass vacating is to make room for the brand new football field. Way to initiate school spirit! USA's director of public relations has claimed that is not the reasoning, though. They are going to use some of the land to build a field house. Could it be possible for a football field to find its way beside a field house? It sounds feasible to me. Or, maybe this is just a convenient excuse to enact what has apparently been a desire of the University for a while.
A source at the department of housing says that the University has been trying to get out of the housing business for a few years. Neither explanation probably gives the soon-to-be ex-residents much consolation.
Regardless of why the University's housing in Hillsdale is being done away with, the University should take notice of all of the people who will be negatively affected. Consisting of graduate students, married students and students with children, most, if not all, of the people living in this subdivision depend on the low rent as an aid while they fund their education.
The convenient proximity to school is also helpful with today's extreme gas prices. When people are faced with rents that are more than double what they have been paying, there are going to be those who have to consider other options, possibly preventing their continuing on at the University.
I spoke to one tenant who is being forced to consider other cities due to the loss of his affordable housing. He asserts that "between football and education, education is going to lose out every time."
That is a terrible concept to consider, but is there some accuracy to it?
I thought the main goal of the school was to do their best to help as many people as possible receive an education. Not only is this making it more difficult for these residents to receive their education, the school has offered no sort of options or suggestions to ease this blow.
Whether it becomes a football field, a field house, a storage facility or just an empty plot of land, it means the same thing for Hillsdale Heights residents: eviction and financial burden.
Until now.
As many already know, the University has made it known that the Hillsdale Heights subdivision will no longer be an option to students for inexpensive lodging. Residents on two of the subdivision's streets got a letter on March 10, stating they must be out by May 15. Everyone else is being afforded the courtesy of September before being driven out.
There have been rumors that the mass vacating is to make room for the brand new football field. Way to initiate school spirit! USA's director of public relations has claimed that is not the reasoning, though. They are going to use some of the land to build a field house. Could it be possible for a football field to find its way beside a field house? It sounds feasible to me. Or, maybe this is just a convenient excuse to enact what has apparently been a desire of the University for a while.
A source at the department of housing says that the University has been trying to get out of the housing business for a few years. Neither explanation probably gives the soon-to-be ex-residents much consolation.
Regardless of why the University's housing in Hillsdale is being done away with, the University should take notice of all of the people who will be negatively affected. Consisting of graduate students, married students and students with children, most, if not all, of the people living in this subdivision depend on the low rent as an aid while they fund their education.
The convenient proximity to school is also helpful with today's extreme gas prices. When people are faced with rents that are more than double what they have been paying, there are going to be those who have to consider other options, possibly preventing their continuing on at the University.
I spoke to one tenant who is being forced to consider other cities due to the loss of his affordable housing. He asserts that "between football and education, education is going to lose out every time."
That is a terrible concept to consider, but is there some accuracy to it?
I thought the main goal of the school was to do their best to help as many people as possible receive an education. Not only is this making it more difficult for these residents to receive their education, the school has offered no sort of options or suggestions to ease this blow.
Whether it becomes a football field, a field house, a storage facility or just an empty plot of land, it means the same thing for Hillsdale Heights residents: eviction and financial burden.
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