As many of us know, the Hamilton College housing situation is not at its best moment right now. Many rising sophomores will be placed in the so-called “forced double” in Bundy. These rooms were meant to be single rooms, but an increase in the number of students attending led them to be turned into double rooms. Many rising sophomores will be placed in these rooms, and many feel discontent with the situation. Daniel King ’27, a sophomore next semester, got put in a forced double and was unhappy that he now has to live down the hill for a year. Even though King will live with his friend next semester, some rising sophomores will not. Those who want to live single next semester but got unlucky in the time slot will have to room with someone else. Another problem with Bundy is the location. The dorms are far down the hill, which can pose a problem when the winter is in full swing.
Although many sophomores did get placed in Bundy, some did not. Depending on the time slot one got, you could get a dorm with a good location, which was made to be a double room. According to me, this is an unfair situation. Students who were excited to live better than they did in their freshman year might get even worse housing because of the over-enrollment caused by the admissions office.
While it is understandable that, in certain years, more students than expected will accept their offers to the College, the school should try to account for those unexpected events. Since there is a policy that requires all students to live on campus, investing in better housing could be a good idea. While this policy creates a good college environment, it also comes with responsibilities for the College. I understand that the College cannot have every student live like a senior every year, but it should aim to have students get better housing every year.
Furthermore, since housing is a big part of one’s college experience, I find it important that the College spend whatever necessary to make the student experience as good as possible. Of course, schools in the middle of a large urban area, no matter how much money they have, will have problems making housing much better. However, that is not the case for Hamilton.
I believe a housing scenario where students enjoy better housing every year is important at a college. Understandably, everyone during their freshman year did not get their first-choice room/roommate; therefore, one could think they should live better as sophomores. Putting some freshmen in South Hall, a housing sought after by many, might not be the best decision.
Hamilton College’s housing situation illuminates yet another area in many areas affected by over-enrollment, from long queues during lunchtime to classes filling up. While these are important, housing is also important, and having to build the generally unpopular Glenview, putting people in Bristol, and forced-double in Bundy might be a sign that the school needs to invest in housing for today and tomorrow’s students at Hamilton.
Some have discussed with me that people should pay different housing costs depending on where they live on campus. I believe this is wrong and would create a divide between people who can and can not afford better housing. A college is a place where everyone undergoes the beautiful experience of attending College, learning and living all under the same roof.
The housing situation at Hamilton is one area worth improving. While I understand the College has many areas it wants to improve, building new housing could be something that would help our next generation of Hamilton students.
