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There’s a price you have to pay if you apply late for housing. Not only will you not be able to move into a residence hall right away, you’ll have to live in a previously condemned building.
Approximately 65 students were placed into that situation because they submitted their housing applications late, according to residence life and programs director Barbara Smith. Late applicants were faced with the reality that no rooms were available on campus and were placed in York Village, on the south side of campus.
After 25 years of serving as a living alternative for upper class students wanting to be more independent, it was decided it would be too expensive to renovate and maintain these apartments, according to Housing Director Andy Matthews. The area also wasn’t needed because of the newly renovated residence hall, Colvin.
It strikes some residents as odd that all 65 or so residents of York Village are male, but Matthews said this is because of a recent shift from a demand for female housing to a demand for male housing, making housing readily available to female students applying late.
“Folks that are in there are not being punished,” said. Matthews. “But they are very late.”
In order to avoid denying students housing on campus, York Village has been used as a temporary living center until more housing space opens up, Matthews said.
Last year a simillar situation arose when students who applied for housing late as well as those waiting to move into Balentine Hall, which was still under renovation at the time, were placed in York Village.
Another factor contributing to the housing crunch this year was the high demand for double-single rooms – 156 this year. Matthews said he plans to only assign double-single rooms when everyone has been accommodated in the future.
Smith added that there has been an increase in students wanting to live on campus and that there is a high retention rate.
“UMaine has become a very positive place,” she said.
Students are put on a waiting list and are moved into campus rooms in the order their applications for housing were submitted, according to Matthews. However, he explains, first-year students are given higher priority than older students and are sometimes bumped up the list.
“You’re at a loss if you’re a freshmen,” said Kevin Oulette, assistant resident director of York Village. “[They're] missing out on a lot.”
Smith agreed, and said York Village is “not a good environment for new people.”
York Village was intended for upper class students and new students living there do not have as much guidance adjusting to campus life as a first-year student in a residence hall would, she said.
Ouellette and another experienced resident assistant, Steve Fortune, as well as Justin Amorosa, resident director of Estabrook Hall, were put in charge of the complex.
“Make them comfortable, safe, and move them into a permanent place; that’s what they really want to do with them,” said Smith.
Even though it isn’t as easy to supervise students at York Village, Ouellette says behavioral issues are “the same as every other residence hall” and that is a goal to “make sure people are held accountable for their actions.”
Students at York Village, which they’ve nicknamed “Shakedown Street” according to resident Samuel Glover, generally have a positive attitude about their situation.
“It’s a little rundown, but a good environment, ” said Tyler Manning.
The most often heard complaint among residents is the cleaning of York Village. Though, in the past, students choosing to live at York Village were responsible for their own cleaning, assistance has been assured to the students once a week.
As of yet, however, cleaning services have not arrived and one student’s request for a mop has not been fulfilled, according to resident Ryan Guillemette.
All students should be moved out by the end of the semester into residence halls on campus and Matthews said in the future he wants to “not have York Village part of our building inventory.” He intends this to be the last year York Village will be used for housing.
