This issue of opinions is going to be centered entirely around our university’s lack of addressing problems.
Are you a student at Samford University? Are you paying a lot of money to go here? Do you work hard every day in order to keep your scholarships and earn your degree?
If you’re one of the 12 people reading this, then the answer to these questions is most likely yes.
Because it is a private university, Samford is inherently an expensive school. The meal plans are grossly overpriced and not fulfilling whatsoever, and the fees for books and extracurricular activities can be brutal.
For now, I’m going to focus on on-campus living expenses.
Living on campus is a mixed bag from the start. For most freshman students, the first move in day is in Smith or Vail. This is a smart location for new students, with the library and university center just a small walk away (although Smith could use a renovation).
After moving out of freshman housing, students are faced with new challenges.
One might think that a prestigious university such as Samford would prioritize the well being of its students and their grossly overpriced on-campus living.
The unfortunate reality of the situation is that our university has developed a tendency to dodge many pressing issues that affect their students.
I will use some of my recent experiences to demonstrate these challenges.
I, along with some friends, recently moved out of Beeson Woods and into Thorne Hall in West Village.
Let me be clear here. I really enjoy West Village. It is a significant improvement over Smith and Beeson Woods, and having individual rooms is a game changer.
This being said, since move-in day, our dorm has had a ridiculous amount of problems.
For the first month, the air conditioning system in the dorm was completely broken. Since then, every light in the dorm has simultaneously stopped working twice. I still don’t have working lights in any room of the dorm.
I wish I could say the reason for these recurring challenges was entirely due to lack of communication, or even ignorance.
I’m not quite sure why Samford is so bad about not acknowledging the problems of its students living situations, but this needs to change.
We are paying too much to live in outdated halls, infested and repurposed houses, and unreliably conditioned dorms.
Thomas is a staff writer here at the Crimson. He writes his weekly column, Tommy’s Music Corner, where he dives into the local underground music scene.
