University Runs Out Of Housing, Leaving Hundreds Prospectively Homeless
UNC Charlotte told students weeks before the start of classes that they overbooked dorms, as hundreds are now left without a place to live.
UNC Charlotte overbooked student housing. The college anticipated more cancellations than they received and now students do not have proper accommodations for the fall semester, which starts next month. The school sent out a notice to students, but many families are outraged at the university’s lack of proper planning.
440 students are now left without proper college housing. While UNC Charlotte has noted that they are seeking to find homes for their students, for now, those attending who have yet to be assigned a living space have nowhere to live for the fall semester. Both Queens University of Charlotte and Davidson College are competing universities in the area and have properly set up housing for the number of students attending this fall.
How UNC Charlotte could have made such a massive oversight is now being questioned. The college currently has 6,000 beds on campus but about 8,000 housing applicants. Some 1,560 students sought other housing options, dropped out of college housing programs, or failed to meet the June first housing deadline. This still leaves hundreds of students without a place to live next month.
Higher education is struggling. From enrollment drops to teacher shortages, tuition hikes, and students who cannot afford to enter degree programs because of financial strain increases due to inflation and economic uncertainty, many universities are facing unprecedented challenges. This UNC Charlotte mistake could cost them thousands of dollars if students withdraw and seek educational opportunities elsewhere.
This issue isn’t just affecting new incoming students. Sophomore Fizza Ibrahim is now left without a campus home and unsure of what her future looks like. Her father criticized UNC Charlotte for overbooking student housing and not doing enough to rectify the situation. In addition, he expressed frustration over the fact that the school took so long to notify students who now have less time to attempt to find their own apartments or other arrangements if they choose to remain enrolled.
The college’s housing agreement guaranteed that students who applied by June first would be guaranteed campus housing. By breaking this agreement, UNC Charlotte may also be facing legal repercussions, or forced to discount tuition rates. For now, hundreds of students are put on the school’s waitlist while school officials seek to remedy the situation.
Student Body President Tatiyana Larson spoke with the Charlotte Observer about students’ frustration and their fears that they may be forced to pay for housing they never received. To ease these concerns, UNC Charlotte has extended the housing cancellation deadline to July 29th. They are encouraging students to seek accommodations elsewhere but have admitted that that may be difficult this close to the start of the new school year.
Whether UNC Charlotte was able to properly predict housing needs this year, they have left hundreds of students homeless for the fall semester. This is likely to encourage dropouts and cost the school community support. Each student involved is now faced with not only the stresses of preparing for college, but also the fact that they have nowhere to live should they attend school.
