October 2, 2003

CAMPUS

The Norwich Guidon

Housing shortage leaves students temporarily in lounges

Danielle Meunier
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

For some returning Norwich students this fall, the annual ritual of unpacking and setting up residency was a new experience: they didn't have a room. They learned they would be living temporarily in a dorm lounge, instead.

"Days before students began arriving at NU, the decision was made to put corps students in the Dodge Hall lounge," said Major Helen Bryan, housing and administrative official in the commandant's office. "There were too many beds designated for the civilian population." With the size of the incoming freshman class, this meant that the school would be short a number of needed rooms for upperclass corps students.

Seven corps sophomores were assigned to a room the size of two and a half dorm rooms. They set up wall lockers to act as dividing walls for privacy.

"It's hard to find privacy with the six windows on the main pathway," said John Lee, a sophomore criminal justice major from Long Island, N.Y.

By Sept. 14, however, enough students had withdrawn from Norwich that those who were living in the lounge were able to move into actual dorm rooms.

"It's no concern to me," said Tyler Piolunek, 19, a sophomore international finance and business management major from East Hartford, Conn., who was unaware some students were being housed in the lounge. "I never use the lounge."

The Norwich Guidon is a twice-monthly student newspaper distributed at Norwich University. It provides laboratory experience for students in the Communications program. Claims asserted by letter writers, editorials and other articles do not represent the positions of Norwich University. The Norwich Guidon welcomes signed letters to the editor. They should be no longer than 300 words. Unsigned letters will not be printed, but names may be withheld upon worthy request. All letters are subject to editing for length and good taste. Mailing address: The Norwich Guidon, Communications Center, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 056632. www.norwich.edu/guidon. If you have any questions or comments about the paper, please contact Professor Ken Bush at kbush@norwich.edu.