Students, neighbor pose questions, criticisms at Campus Life Panel

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Thursday’s Campus Life Panel, organized by the Inter-Hall Council, brought together a dozen students, four staff members and one neighbor to air concerns about topics ranging from alcohol policy to third years being allowed to live off-campus to the proliferation of forced triples. The Inter-Hall Council asked Assistant Director of Residential Education and Housing Services (REHS) Juls White, Assistant Director of Housing Services Michelle Saldana, Director of Student Life Tamara Rice and Resident Advisor Spencer Szabo (sophomore) to attend the event in order to answer student questions and address student concerns.

ASOC officers Jennifer Canales (senior) and Alex Miller (junior) decided to organize the event after noticing the frustration students had with policy, particularly the outrage at the small number of juniors who were approved to live off-campus.

“We wanted students to voice their concerns and increase transparency,” Canales said.

Forced triples was one of the first topics brought up.

“There’s been a trend of students forced into triples that were supposed to be doubles. I lived in a triple in Chilcott my freshman year, and it was extremely crowded. How can you justify keeping the on-campus living quota if you can’t fit everyone in a comfortable way?” philosophy major Nick Wright (sophomore) said.

Saldana responded by citing a decision that, according to her, was out of the hands of the immediate professional staff.

“There was a decision three years ago that we would move to be a more residential campus. The Board of Trustees dictates how many juniors are allowed off-campus any given year. It’s not up to us,” Saldana said.

Caroline Aguirre, a long-time Eagle Rock resident who lives adjacent to campus and has befriended a number of students, attended the panel and argued on behalf of the students.

“Why are you taking double rooms and converting them into triples? Health and safety and comfort outweigh residential atmosphere. You’re not answering these students’ questions.” Aguirre said.

White maintained that forced triples were up to fire codes, but the topic of why the three year on-campus requirement persists when it causes such cramped conditions was left unanswered.

Students continued to pose questions to the administrators on a number of different topics.

One student asked why the financial status of students was not taken into consideration when choosing which juniors would live off campus, as living off-campus is often cheaper than living on-campus. White responded by explaining that there are other criteria that REHS considers when making the decision.

“You need to look at both sides. The goal is not to pick any groups out more than others. We wanted to encourage students who have met success levels in grades, on-campus involvement and disciplinary records to expand out into the community,” White said.

Students also questioned the alcohol policy.

“What’s the incentive for writing a student up for being in the presence of two beer cans?” Wright said.

White responded by saying that it is a necessary precaution.

“The idea is to address the issue before it gets out of hand. If you know what the policy is, and you know it’s against the law, that’s a choice you make,” White said.

Many of the grievances aired by students extended beyond the control of REHS. White, Saldana and Rice defended the school’s policies when possible. They reasserted that all students consented to a three year live-on policy when they enrolled. White reminded students that Occidental’s alcohol policy was no different from almost any other school in the country, and that these decisions are not within the jurisdiction of REHS but within the higher levels of the administration’s.

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