The Avenue Shenkman
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Monday, January 14, 2019 I Vol. 115 Iss. 19 AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 WWW.GWHATCHET.COM GW charges thousands more for Students relaunch housing than nearby apartments black Greek-letter LIZZIE MINTZ, organization VALERIE YURK & ZACH SCHONFELD REPORTERS NIA LARTEY claps and spoken STAFF WRITER word, this semester. The University is charging “The council just students thousands of dollars GW’s six historical- allows all the black- more to live on campus than ly black sororities and letter organizations to they would pay for compa- fraternities will now be unite and have a com- rable off -campus apartments, unifi ed under one um- mon goal,” she said. an analysis by The Hatchet brella organization. “The diff erent chapters found. for The National Pan- on campus can come The University estimates Hellenic Council, a together and be able that students will pay the black Greek-letter or- to do great things for same price for on-campus ganization, returned our organizations, our and off -campus living and to GW last semester community.” requires students to live on after leaving campus Hunter-Hobson campus through junior year for at least a decade. said chapters in the unless they receive an exemp- SHENKMAN Student leaders and council make up a rela- tion or are drawn in a housing officials said the coun- tively small but “unit- lottery. But The Hatchet found About $15,100 per academic year* cil, which wrote its by- ed” community com- that nearby off -campus op- laws in the fall, brings pared to other Greek tions are often thousands of black Greek-letter councils. While she did dollars cheaper than rooms in chapters together un- not know how many DONNA ARMSTRONG | CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR at least 14 Foggy Bottom resi- der a body that can students are involved dence halls. fundraise and facili- in GW’s six black The Hatchet examined tate community ser- Greek-letter chapters, the cost and estimated square vice opportunities. about 20 to 30 students footage of singles, doubles The NPHC origi- regularly attend the and quads in residence halls THE AVENUE nally launched at council’s weekly meet- on the Foggy Bottom Campus About $7,800 per academic year* Howard University in ings because “we’re and three popular off -campus 1930, overseeing nine dedicated to the same apartment buildings: Varsity historically black so- cause of serving our on K, Residences on the Av- rorities and fraternities community.” enue and 2400 M Apartments. known as the “Divine Chapter and coun- To compare off -campus Nine,” according to cil leaders wrote the rent costs to GW Housing op- the council’s national bylaws and constitu- tions, The Hatchet calculated website. GW currently tion for the organiza- the cost of rent for off -campus has six active chapters tion during weekly apartments for 256 days, or of the Divine Nine: meetings last semes- about nine months, to refl ect sororities Alpha Kap- ter. The documents the costs for an academic year. pa Alpha, Inc., Delta allow chapter leaders For Residences on the Av- Sigma Theta, Inc., Zeta to apply for recogni- enue, 2400 M Apartments and Phi Beta, Inc. and fra- tion from the NPHC’s Varsity on K, utilities are not ternities Alpha Phi Al- national organization included in rent. For the Av- pha, Inc., Kappa Alpha this spring, she said. enue and 2400 M, a one-time Psi, Inc. and Phi Beta National recogni- amenity fee is required, mul- Sigma, Inc. tion grants the council tiple residents said. These ad- Simone Hunter- access to alumni in the ditional costs are not included * PRICES OF TWO-BEDROOM UNIT FOR FOUR RESIDENTS OLIVIA ANDERSON | PHOTO EDITOR Hobson, the president D.C. area and allows in the analysis. of the NPHC and a members to attend the Information about ame- which includes a combined nearly double that of the Var- ed less than a mile from cam- member of Delta Sig- organization’s national nity fees was not available on- bedroom and living space sity on K unit. pus, includes amenities like a ma Theta, Inc., said conference. line for Varsity on K, and the as well as an in-unit kitchen, rooftop swimming pool, a 24- the council has existed Oscar Barrios, the property manager could not spans about 340 square feet Residences on the hour concierge and an on-site intermittently over the vice president of the be reached for comment. – roughly 200 square feet less Avenue Starbucks, but amenity and past several years. Stu- NPHC and a member Here are the main take- than the Varsity on K unit Residences on the Avenue, utility costs are not available dents involved in the of Phi Beta Sigma, Inc., aways from The Hatchet’s – and costs $13,300 per aca- located on I Street, includes online. Divine Nine wanted said the council was analysis: demic year for one resident. access to a rooftop pool, deck One two-bedroom unit at to revive the organi- “necessary” for his- Students also have access to and grills as well as a club 2400 M, which off ers about zation to ensure all torically black sorori- Varsity on K free Wi-Fi, an HBO subscrip- room, lounge, fi tness center 1,200 square feet and two black Greek-letter or- ties and fraternities to Apartments at Varsity on tion and a gym when they live and yoga studio. bathrooms and would cost ganizations can plan be “recognized and K, an off -campus complex lo- on campus. One layout for a two-bed- a resident with three room- collaborative fundrais- respected” by students cated on K Street, include an Two-bedroom units at Var- room apartment at the Av- mates about $10,300 per aca- ing activities and pro- and administrators. He in-unit kitchen, dishwasher, sity on K span roughly 840 enue off ers about 1,100 square demic year. gramming, she said. said the council also washer and dryer and access square feet and would cost a feet and costs a resident about An example quad in Am- She said the coun- gives black organiza- to high-speed Wi-Fi, cable, a resident $7,812 per academic $7,800 per academic year if sterdam, which includes a cil’s purpose is two- tions a representative game room and a fi tness cen- year if they had three room- they have three roommates. living space, kitchen, two bed- fold: to bring together body that can elevate ter. mates. An example quad in On campus, two similar rooms and two bathrooms, black students in- students’ voices to of- An example one-bedroom Lafayette Hall spans about rooms have less square foot- spans about 880 square feet volved in each chapter fi cials. unit in Varsity on K off ers 565 the same square footage and age and a higher price tag. An and costs a resident $15,120 and plan community “We wanted to square feet, and a resident includes two bedrooms and example Guthridge Hall quad per academic year. The unit service opportunities show everyone on our would pay about $10,500 per a full kitchen, which are con- includes roughly 700 square at 2400 M is about 300 square because “all of our or- campus that we are academic year if they had one nected by a bathroom. The feet and costs each student feet larger and about $4,800 ganizations have a fo- unifi ed and are com- roommate. At the same time, unit costs each resident $11,450 about $11,600 per academic less than the example quad in cus on service.” mitted to serving the an example double in Amster- per academic year. year, while a quad in Shen- Amsterdam. Hunter-Hobson community through a dam Hall is about 620 square An example quad at The kman Hall averages about added that the council combination of service feet and has one bedroom, Dakota includes two bed- 800 square feet and costs a Some exceptions will host a Chipotle and events,” he said in costing each resident $16,350 rooms, two bathrooms and resident about $15,100 per aca- An example Guthridge fundraiser next month an email. each academic year – about a kitchen, spanning a total demic year. Hall single, which includes a and is hoping to or- The six NPHC chap- $6,000 more than the off -cam- of roughly 840 square feet. ganize a step show, ter leaders declined to pus apartment. The room costs each resident 2400 M Apartments See RENT Page 3 a form of percussive comment, deferring to A double in Munson Hall, $14,700 per academic year – 2400 M Apartments, locat- dance that uses hand Hunter-Hobson. Goodbye CI: New student orientation to take place in August JESSICA BASKERVILLE, First-year students will all groups will feel more NIA LARTEY & also participate in Freshman integrated with their class. SARAH ROACH Day of Service and their class’ Previously, transfer and inter- REPORTERS convocation ceremony on the national students attended a last two days of orientation “shorter, not as comprehen- The Class of 2023 will at- instead of participating in sive” CI session in August, tend orientation just days be- those events after the semes- she said. fore they walk into their fi rst ter starts. “By bringing the class to- class. Offi cials enlisted the help gether in a shared experience First-year orientation will of more than 100 students, for several days, we’re facili- be held over fi ve days in late faculty and staff to plan the tating an opportunity for stu- August this year, replacing new orientation.