Housing woes bring rocky start to fall semester

November 4, 2024

By: Makenna Mincey, Staff Writer

Student housing at Xavier has been a tense issue in recent years as housing constraints has been a point of major contention between students and administrators. Students have stated in town halls that the university has fumbled attempts to provide opportunities to stay on or near campus through the housing system. However, administrators say the reality is there are more students who want to live on campus than beds available, and much of the student frustration comes from a lack of understanding the entire picture. Students have also lodged other grievances include housing conditions in non-renovated dorms, the housing application process, and the last-minute changes in accommodations. But administrators believe students often rely on word-of-mouth, rather than official information as their source. Therefore, not receiving clear and accurate information. 

There is one thing students and the university can agree on: there is, in fact, a problem with housing.  

“I think one of the biggest challenges we may have…we have a good problem, which is students want to live here,” said Anitra Calvin, the associate dean of Students, “A high percentage of our student population are from out of state, so they need to, and they want to live on campus. They’re not familiar with the city, so this is their preference.”  

When housing selection came around last spring, political science junior Aarinii Parms-Green said her main concern was being able to live somewhere that had the proper accommodations for her disability. She initially selected the Parkway NOLA housing option to fulfill her needs, while allowing her to have her own space. 

However, her situation quickly changed when the apartments were no longer available as a housing option very close to beginning of this semester. She feels, if it were not for her continuous efforts to reach the school, her situation would have been very different, with both her housing and disability accommodation. While everything did work itself out, Parms-Green told The Herald that this round of housing selection was the worst experience of her nearly 3-years at Xavier.  

“Really just transparency and communication would’ve been…the best way of doing things. The fact of the matter is that they basically overpromised and severely underdelivered… they weren’t telling students what was going on,” Parms-Green said.  

“Anitra Calvin… she helped me out a lot to make sure I had a place here and thank God it worked out.  However, I do feel that if I hadn’t come up here with my grandmother, it would’ve been a totally different discussion,” Parms-Green continued. 

The administration has become familiar with this frustration over the past year: they would even say that frustration is shared.  

“We could not comply with what they wanted, and the government would not allow them [Parkway NOLA] to master lease it…  For instance, how we master lease at LSU [The Residences] as well as at UNO [Privateer Place] …we can’t do the same thing at Parkway,” Calvin said. 

“Initially Parkway thought that everything would work out and so did we…but until they talked to their attorneys as well as ours, [and] they were like ‘no’ at the last minute, it’s not something that could move forward. So, it wasn’t anything that Xavier did because we were ready to move students to Parkway,” Calvin explained. 

Tough calls had to be made, like moving students to different housing locations. Though these changes were not part of anyone’s initial plan, administrators remain firm in them, commending students throughout the entirety of the process. 

“My appreciation for the patience that students have displayed – because I understand that it has been very challenging for some of you…specifically, those upperclassmen that were housed in St. Martin DePoress, to then have to move, be shifted and all of those things…just the level of grace I think you all have afforded the institution and the office is always appreciated,” Calvin said. 

So, what’s next for Xavier University regarding housing? For now, housing arrangements will remain the same for this school year. There are plans for a new dormitory, though there is no set date for groundbreaking. Xavier will also welcome a new Director of Residential Education, Jarelle Miller, on Nov. 1. 

“He comes with loads of experience. Right now, he’s currently at Tulane in the Assistant Director of Resident Life role. He’s excited, I’m excited for him. He is full of enthusiasm and just ideas and for him it [Residential Education] will be his sole thing,” Calvin said.  

 With the centennial year quickly approaching, Xavier remains committed to the work of its founder, St. Katharine Drexel, and service of its students.  

“I think the most important thing is that…students need to be in these rooms when they [Xavier] are making these decisions. We shouldn’t be an afterthought,” Parms-Green said.