The Hofstra
HEMPSTEAD, NY Volume 84 Issue 5
Chronicle
Tuesday
October 23, 2018
Keeping the Hofstra community informed since 1935
Housing prices cause students to consider alternatives By Gabby Varano The cost of on-campus housing increases annually at Hofstra, and some students cite this as a contributing factor as to why they opt to live off campus. On average, housing prices increase between three and four percent according to the Office of Residence Life. Some complexes and rooms experienced higher increases for the 2018-2019 academic year than anticipated. Jon Butterworth, a senior math and education major, moved off campus a year ago in response to the increased costs of living at Hofstra. “[The cost] was definitely a factor, because living in this house, even though it’s still expensive, it’s cheaper in the long run than paying to live on campus,” Butterworth said. He lives off campus in Uniondale,
about two blocks away from Hofstra, with five other people and pays $800 per month. For the 2018-2019 academic year, the average increase in housing prices was $506, which is well over a four percent increase of $440. The price of a tower quad for the academic year grew $2,240 – about 26 percent – from $8,640 last year to $10,880 this year. The University attributed this spike in pricing to a reevaluation of the quads, determining that they “were undervalued for years and [this] brought them to a comparable rate.” Victoria Conway, a senior journalism major, lives off campus in Uniondale, less than two miles from the University. “I wanted to have some more freedom and have more space,” Conway said. “It’s actually cheaper than living on campus. That was a big factor. I’m saving almost $8,000 living off
campus, and I just have more space.” Conway currently pays $800 a month for her room. After talking with multiple students who, like Conway, live off campus, typical rent is about $800 per month for 12 months, or $9,600. Students reported that their utilities for one month are about $50. Additionally, a renter may be asked to pay one month’s rent as a security deposit. With these numbers taken into consideration, the average cost for an individual to live off campus in a single room are estimated to be about $11,000 for a full year (12 months). In comparison, living on campus in a tower single costs students $13,740 for an academic year (nine months). Many students, however, choose the cheaper option of sharing a room in a tower double for
a situation like this involves calling Public Safety, notifying them of the location and having a Public Safety officer wait with the individual until emergency services arrive. Leto suggests that fire safety procedures for students who have mobility impairments be printed in class syllabi. “Not only will students with disabilities be aware, other students will be aware and the professors will be aware,” Leto said. “What we want to make sure of is that we know how everybody’s getting out and that there’s a plan for that,” Yindra said. “We work with [Public Safety] and the local emergency response folks so we know how everybody’s getting out of a particular space.” Escaping in a crisis is something that Brian Cox, associate
professor of psychology, thinks about daily. Cox has cerebral palsy and uses two canes to get around. Once, while Cox was teaching a class, the fire alarm went off. “[It took] way too long to get out,” Cox said. Hauser Hall, where Cox teaches, had a ramp built for wheelchair users. “[The ramp was] for many years crumbling. I always had to look down to avoid falling” Cox said. “The experience of a disabled person, generally, is of waiting for stuff to happen.” Hofstra is planning on renovating the student center and adding new ADA-compliant walkways and ramps. They are also adding more ADA parking spaces in the parking lots in the near future. The newly renovated Frank G. Zarb School of Business will
have accessible features, including automatic doors in both entrances. All other doors in the building will not require great force to open. The building was also designed with areas of refuge – places where students can go during emergency situations and wait for help to arrive. Jason Levy, a senior marketing major, feels that Hofstra does a good job of accommodating his needs and the needs of other students with disabilities. “I would say be more aware that the automatic doors tend to short out a lot,” Levy said. The SAS task force compiled a report that will be sent to Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz later this semester.
A SSISTA N T C O PY C H IEF
Peter Soucy / The Hofstra Chronicle
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Task force works to make campus more accessible for all By Leo Brine STAFF W R I T E R
In an effort to make campus accessible to all faculty and students, Hofstra University has developed a plan to update older buildings and design new facilities that follow the tenets of universal design; however, individuals still remain concerned about the lack of accessibility during an emergency situation. During the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years, Director of Student Access Services (SAS) Julie Yindra, along with SAS and members of the Hofstra community, formed the SAS Task Force with the goal of, “assessing the experience of the Hofstra University community with focus on the needs of, opportunities for and support of students with disabilities.” The Americans with Dis-
abilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990, is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. Emergency situations such as fires emphasize why buildings need to be accessible for all. Felicia Leto, a senior community health major, was on the second floor of Roosevelt Hall when a fire alarm went off. Students began to evacuate, but Leto couldn’t leave without assistance because she is in a wheelchair. Leto had a panic attack while waiting to be evacuated from the building. “The reason for my panic attack was because I knew the elevators would be locked and I was unaware of who I should contact for help or where I should go in the building,” Leto said. The evacuation process in