Dear Editor,
My name is Eric Pinteralli. I am a senior at Texas State University, and I am the President of the Young Americans for Liberty chapter here. I am writing because I would like to let The University Star and the student body know about our chapter’s mission to end the forced housing of freshmen on campus.
Before I continue, let me cite the policy in question. I am referring to UPPS No. 07.03.01, Section 02.01, which states, in part:
“New students under the age of 20, with fewer than 30 credit hours, are required to live in on-campus university housing. All students who graduated from high school within the preceding 12 months of the semester of their admission are also required to live on campus.”
Three automatic exceptions are included, those being: married/parenting students, those living within 60 miles of Texas State and those with a documented disability which the university cannot provide for.
Over the past few weeks, The Star has released several stories about the subpar living conditions in the dorms. Notable incidents include students having to relocate from Falls Hall due to flooding (reported Sept. 20), and RAs being forced to live with freshmen (reported Sept. 25). We also have heard how RAs are silenced from speaking out about these issues (reported Oct. 8).
We have been tabling on the Quad to collect petition signatures, and multiple RAs have approached us. They indicate that they want to sign the petition and speak out about the issues, but can’t because they’re afraid of the backlash. All of this is unacceptable, and it only reinforces our chapter’s desire to end this anti-freedom mandate.
I have met with the University, namely President Kelly Damphousse and VP of Student Success Cynthia Hernandez, and they want to keep the policy in place. When I questioned them on how they are resolving the problems regarding overcapacity, namely putting students in hotels and putting three students in two person rooms, they mentioned how there are no more students in hotels and that they’re converting lounges and other common areas into rooms. Damphousse and Hernandez also mention that Blanco Hall is the only hall with three students per room.
As for the RAs living with other freshmen, they mentioned that they’re working to resolve it, and that RAs used to have to live with freshmen anyway. I guess the situation is not as bad as it was at the beginning of the year, but it still doesn’t mean things are okay. The university is trying to put a bandaid on an arterial wound. This is happening because they are admitting more students than they have dorms, and they know it, yet they force them to live “on-campus”.
With all this being said, these are the secondary reasons for why we are fighting this policy. Even if the dorms were in perfect condition and only half full, we would still campaign for the mandate’s abolition.
At Young Americans for Liberty, we believe in financial and individual freedom. You should be able to spend your money how you want; you should be able to live where you want; and you should not have to tell anyone why. The university cites certain benefits as their reasons for living on campus, including the claims that it may raise retention rates and grades. We do not deny that there are benefits to living on campus.
We simply argue that each freshman should be able to weigh the benefits and costs of on-campus housing and off-campus housing, apply it to their own situation, and go with what works for them. Additionally, you shouldn’t have to explain to the university why you want to live off-campus and hope they give you an exemption. The best person to make decisions about where a student lives is not President Damphousse or any lower-level bureaucrat, but the student themselves.
I cite my own story as one of the things that motivates me in this campaign. I was forced to live on campus my freshman year, despite the fact that I had an off-campus alternative that was considerably cheaper. I submitted an exemption based on financial need (I came here on scholarship), and they denied me with little reason for it. I was forced to drain my 529 account, and the next year I had to take out a sizable student loan to pay for tuition, rent and incidentals. Financially speaking, this mandate set me back significantly, with relatively minimal benefits in return.
As of Oct. 25, we have had over 700 students sign our petition, with more signatures accumulating every week. If you, the reader would like to join our effort, I ask you to go to our Instagram (@yal_txst). Follow our account and click the link in our bio to sign the petition. I will then send you a link to our GroupMe. I also invite you to our Tuesday evening meetings, which occur at 6 p.m. in the LBJ Student Center. Come by and get involved!
In conclusion, this situation we face regarding housing is completely avoidable. Let students choose where they want to live. Let’s give financial freedom to EVERYONE, regardless of grade level.
Best,
Eric J. Pinteralli
