38150 YEARSBS PC H OBSERVER Thursday, September 9, 1993 • Vol. XXVI No. 9 NOTRE DA M E IN F INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY'S Students find off-campus living an attractive alternative Quest for freedom sends BBBSEffififfifBiTniHETnM Advantages ND students off campus Number of students living in Off-Campus housing draw SMC during the Fall Term. By SARAH DORAN and JULIE don’t have to deal with any­ BARRETT one,” he said. “The freedom is off campus News Editors _________________________________ g rea t.” Yet administrators do not see By BERNADETTE PAMPUCH the number of seniors living off A greater sense of freedom News W riter ____________________ ___________ and laid back atmosphere, in campus as representative of an addition to a reprieve from en­ increasing trend, but rather as O ff-campus living for stu­ forced parietals, continues to contributing to a constant that dents at Saint Mary’s provides fuel the decision to move off has remained at roughly 85 the advantages of increased campus for many Notre Dame percent of undergraduates liv­ freedom, but these students seniors. ing on campus, according to also face a decrease in finan­ The number of seniors mov­ William Kirk, assistant vice cial aid funding and a feeling of ing off continues to grow each president for residence life. isolation from many school ac­ year as 927 seniors presently “There has been no indica­ tivities. reside in non-University hous­ tion of a consistent trend other Presently 153 Saint Mary’s ing, up from 788 during the that a greater number of se­ students reside in off campus same period last year, accord­ niors living off than juniors,” he housing, according to the regis­ ing to figures obtained from the said. trar. This number is about Offices of the R egistrar and Off- However, Jackie Enderle, a equal to last year’s 151 stu­ Campus Housing. rental consultant at Castle Males Females dents off cam pus. “For my senior year, I want­ Point Apartments, has noticed ed to focus on other things such an increase in student While this year’s numbers apart from the dorm and gain interest to move off campus. Breakdown of those living Off-Campus in the Fall are consistent with the past the independence that Notre “We have had more students Term of the 1993-1994 school year. years the number of Saint Dame does not allow when liv­ this year interested in living at Mary’s students living off cam­ ing on campus," said Kendra Castle Point than we have pus has been decreasing over Pickens, who lives at Castle places available,” Enderle said. the last four years. Point Apartments. “And every year the number The decrease in the number “1 was so involved in Lyons as increases.” ■ Freshman of students moving off campus hall president last year that as There are currently 75-100 may be due to the financial sit­ time went on, I realized I want­ ND, SMC and IUSB stu dents liv­ uation that off campus students ed to spend more time with the ing at the complex, roughly 10 ■ Sophomore face. five people I live with instead of percent of the tenants, she 300 girls in the dorm,” she said. Students are often misin­ said. “The price of living off cam­ formed about the differences in “Freedom and lack of pari­ pus is less expensive than that ■ Junior financial aid packages for on etals are the reasons I moved of on campus,” she added, ex­ and off campus students, ac­ off," said senior Ryan Lake, plaining why students desire to cording to Mary Nucciarone, who lives in a house on Notre live on their own. “And many Senior director of Financial Aid. Dame Avenue. of the students are sick of living “Both (on and off campus) “We have five bedrooms in the dorms because they have students are eligible for finan­ here, which is more space than no privacy and less freedom.” cial aid, which I think is an im­ we would have in a dorm, and see OFF CAMPUS / page 4 The Observer / Christopher Mullins portant but misunderstood piece of information,” she said. On campus students pay $19,000 in tuition and living St. Mary’s increases financial aid Senate vote expenses for a year, while off- campus totals are closer to By LAURA FERGUSON tutions is that when financial personalized academic counsel­ favors Service $17,500 since a food plan is News W riter __________________________________ aid is awarded to students, ing and advising , we must not included. grants and gifts are utilized be­ match these costs. We will not “So obviously, the student Keeping the financial aid bud­ fore loans and work study, ac­ sacrifice quality in education to Program who lives off campus would be get in equal proportion with cording to Osberger. Most hold down costs. In addition receiving less grant money,” said Nucciarone. increasing direct tuition prices, other schools tend to provide there are costs covering new By ROBERT NAYLOR JR. Saint Mary’s College awarded loans and work study programs technology and safety modifi­ Associated Press ____ more financial aid to more stu­ first and grants and gifts as a cations.” As for aid available directly dents this year than in past secondary alternative, he said. “Board costs for this year did WASHINGTON from Saint Mary’s, Nucciarone said that “the college doesn’t years, according to Dan not increase from past years. The White House says it feel we should be using institu­ Osberger, vice president for fis­ Saint Mary’s believes in a Students are currently receiv­ can have President Clinton’s tional (resources) to support cal affairs. friendlier philosophy than this, ing more services, specifically National Service program in living off-campus.” according to Osberger. By tak­ M arriott’s Carte Blanc pro­ place by the middle of next Students who reside off cam­ “This year more than 50 per­ ing students interests in mind gram, for no increased fees,” year, allowing college stu­ pus in general feel that the cent of all Saint Mary’s students first, the administration stays in added Osberger. dents to begin swapping pub­ costs outweigh the benefits. received scholarships, grants, line with the College’s mission lic service for tuition money. “It’s a lot quieter. No con­ student loans and work study statement and, as an insti­ Despite these increases, fi­ The Senate on Wednesday employment opportunities,” tution, Saint Mary’s has a large nancial aid has increased at a voted 57-40 in favor of a $1.5 gested halls and students talk­ said Osberger. commitment to giving financial higher rate than costs for the billion compromise version of ing on the phone at three o’clock in the morning,” said “In comparison to past years, aid, he said. past five to six years, which fa­ the plan — the Clinton this figure has undergone a vors students, according to administration’s first entirely Ann Mercarella, a senior living fairly large increase. On the “Although available financial O sberger. new program — sending it to off cam pus. average, 75 percent of students aid has increased, the work Most of the grants given to the White House for the pres­ One of the nicer advantages at other colleges and universi­ study opportunities for students Saint Mary’s students are taken ident's signature. The House ties are eligible to receive some has not dramatically increased from College resources, and not had passed the bill before is the ability to get cable T V., she admits, a limited resource form of financial aid. Saint this year,” said Osberger. so much federal or state re­ Congress took a month-long on campus. But, she said driv­ Mary’s is moving toward this One of the factors for the in­ sources. recess in August. ing time to and from class and no rm .” creasing student aid is because Eli Segal, who heads a feeling of isolation from some the increasing costs of private “Recently, the federal reserve Clinton’s Office of National “Perhaps one of the most education. of grants has shrunk and the Service, said he expects the school activities are a few of commonly misunderstood facts bulk of the burden shifted to program to be in place by the drawbacks. regarding financial aid is that “A reality of private education the individual institutions and next June and the first partic­ Keeping off campus students many middle income families is that we do not have a huge students,” said Osberger. “For ipants at their jobs by next involved in school events is a do not realize that they are eli­ endowment to help defray the example the Pell Grant, given to September, The law creating major concern for Carrie gible for aid. Families earning costs of tuition and room and many students, was legislated the National Service Trust up to $70,000 have received board fees,” said Osberger. “In to increase to approximately program takes effect Oct. 1. Piercy, an off campus advisor for off campus students. assistance. It all depends on April, Saint Mary’s tuition in­ $3,700; however, the maximum Most details remain to be Mercarella, who is the off cam­ the individual’s circumstances,” creased to balance operating funding available in reality was worked out. A public he said. costs and faculty’s salaries. In only $2,300, but that is still a pus representative for the One difference that sets Saint order to maintain the close stu­ dramatic increase for the Pell Mary’s apart from other insti­ dent/faculty interaction and G rant.” see SERVICE / page 8 see SMC OFF / page 4 page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Thursday, September 9, 1993 INSIDE COLUMN WORLD AT A GLANCE Welcome to Literacy Findings Called ‘Shocking’ Skill levels in the U.S.