SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — A housing survey sent to students by Syracuse University last week outlines the potential to extend the undergraduate on-campus living requirement from two years to three.
The survey introduced potential dorm layouts for future dorms and questioned students about their support of living in dorms for another year.
Mandy Marcell, a freshman at Syracuse, says she fears the move would restrict the amounts of options students have for housing.
“I think it’s just more limiting to live on campus if you’re a third year,” Marcell said. “You’re less likely to get, more particularly what you want.”
According to Syracuse University’s website, the average cost for a student’s housing and meal plan is $15,910 each school year. The university recently raised tuition at the start of the year by 7.9 percent with a $3,300 tuition premium, making tuition over $50,000.
Monthly rent proposed in the survey ranged from $900 to over $1,300 which is slightly more expensive than most off-campus houses or apartments which typically range from $500-$800.
Senior Peter Mignacca says continuing to raise prices while not offering cheaper alternative options is taking advantage of students.
“You have to change the cost or the price because it’s got to be affordable,” Mignacca said. “You don’t want to be hurting the pockets of students who are already paying for tuition and now all of a sudden you’re gonna be paying too much for living too.”
Many students like Mignacca choose to live off-campus in order to save money.
“I know for a fact a lot of people are itching to get out of the dorms, I knew I was,” Minacca said. “For some of the kids that go here, the cheapest living option is the best living option and not having that choice would hurting those people.”
The survey closed at midnight on Monday and SU is currently analyzing student feedback. It is unknown at this moment what course of action the university will take.
