Where do seniors go now?

The current 35 Williams Drive House. Photo courtesy of owu.edu.
The current 35 Williams Drive House. Photo courtesy of owu.edu.

When the news broke that the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) would be getting their house back, I was ecstatic. The men of Fiji worked hard and tirelessly to get their housing privileges reinstated. The house is well deserved, and Ohio Wesleyan is proud of the men.

But where am I going to live?

See, next year I’ll be a senior. 35 Williams Drive, Fiji’s (old) new home, is a senior-only housing option, as is 4 Williams. So starting in the fall of 2015, there will be only one senior-only residence hall to choose from. And there aren’t too many spaces available in 4 Williams as is.

One of my main problems with OWU is the four-year residency requirement. I understand the philosophy behind it, but that philosophy leaves seniors without the choice they deserve. Why aren’t there any exclusive places to live for seniors?

Especially for senior women. Fraternities have their houses,  which gives men the option to live in houses. But women, affiliated or not, do not have the luxury of living somewhere cool and exciting once they rise through the ranks of OWU. We have to live in the residence halls, which if you ask me, need a lot of work.

That isn’t fair. We deserve better than living in the grimy residence halls that we have lived in since our freshmen year. We deserve special treatment; we have earned seniority.

Most of my friends who do not attend OWU have the opporunity to live off campus in houses or apartments. Granted, there aren’t many places in Delaware for students to rent like there are in Madison or Milwaukee, Wis. Maybe OWU should designate certain off campus locations for senior living.

Now, I’m not advocating that OWU ship all students off campus, but I am recommending OWU let seniors off campus. OWU should buy some buildings or houses for the sole purpose of letting seniors live there.

These buildingswould still be considered OWU property and we would still pay OWU fees, but with the luxury of not living in the residence halls. Students look forward to living in 35 and 4 Williams throughout their college career. And now competition will be fiercer than normal to get one of those spots.

I’m sick of living in residence halls. No offense to OWU, but they’re gross. Yes, so are fraternities, but at least Greek men have the option to live there.

I don’t have the option to live anywhere else but the residence halls. As a rising senior, I think I should be able to have more privleges than that. I think I’ve earned it.

I’ve paid my dues at OWU.I don’t have any special privileges as a senior. Next year I could be living among freshmen for all I know.

OWU needs to have more options for senior living. Students are unhappy with the current status quo, especially me.

Even though I’m thrilled for Fiji and all they have accomplished, I’m upset at the lack of senior living options available to students, especially for female students.

OWU needs to make major changes in their housing policies in order to attract more students and to make current students happy. With the current policies in place, we cannot keep up with other schools our size, or bigger. It could turn potential students off, and I know it has left a sour taste in my mouth.

In order to satisfy the needs of students and meet the status quo of many other schools, OWU needs to let senior students, especially women, off campus. It’s only fair by that point in our college careers.