Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU BG News (Student Newspaper) University Publications 9-23-1979 The BG News September 23, 1979 Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news Recommended Citation Bowling Green State University, "The BG News September 23, 1979" (1979). BG News (Student Newspaper). 3644. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/3644 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in BG News (Student Newspaper) by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. The G Slews Bowling T3rcen State University sun- Record freshman class creates crowding dsty 923-79 by Paula Wlnslow notified 4,000 students about the managing editor Thousands spent to convert lounges to rooms change, only about 50 students took advantage of the offer. News returns, THEY ALSO STRESSED that the The University's 21 residence halls when an unusually large number of Another factor in the freshman boom The largest freshman class in lounges-turned-sleeping quarters will and 29 fraternity and sorority houses upperclassmen requested on-campus was the summer transition quarter encourages input University history has overrun on- offer the students the same facilities as are designed to accommodate 8,066 housing. Realizing there might be a program offered for the first time last campus housing capacity, forcing more regular rooms. students, according to Robert G. Rudd, shortage of housing for new students, summer. The program featured high Wilh the start of another than 400 new students into impromptu The administration insists that the director of housing. But more than the University relaxed its rule that all school and college counselors and academic year, the BG News is living quarters. inconvenience of housing students in 12,350 of the total 16,200 students freshmen and sophomores live on teachers, offering an unusual learning gearing up to provide the most lounges should be minimal to other enrolled this fall have applied for on- campus unless their homes are within opportunity for freshmen, Eakin said. complete information and en- More than 3,800 freshmen have dorm residents since only half of the campus spots. 50 Tiiles of the University, and offered But the program was more popular tertainment source for the enrolled for fall quarter, up from aboui floor lounges are being used as student Eakin explained that the housing them the chance to move off campus. than the University expected, in- University community. 3,500 in faU 1978, according to Richard rooms. headaches began last spring quarter BUT ALTHOUGH the University continued oo page 3 Today's publication is our R. Eakin, vice provost for institutional annual freshman edition and planning and student affairs. The hopefully will serve as an in- unexpected increase in enrollment has formative guide for students left 250 students without on-campus unfamiliar with University life. accommodations and more than 400 on The staff at The News urges a waiting list. students to use our publication To alleviate the sudden over- and help us provide the campus crowding, 57 of the 113 floor lounges in with the best possible product. residence halls have been converted to Your input is essential in four or six-person rooms, housing 242 assuring that standard. persons of the overflow. The lounges The first regular edition of the are being equipped with the same News will be in the newstands the furnishings as regular two-person first day of class, Wednesday, rooms: beds, wardrobes, chests of Sept. 28. drawers, desks and a phone. Thirty-three male resident advisors also were notified that they would have inside to share single rooms, which are traditionally offered at a discount to R.A.'s. Some students will be housed in vacant fraternity and sorority house Housing history 3 rooms. Activities 5 THE REMAINING STUDENTS who have been promised on-campus ac- Music building 6 commodations will be housed in the University Union Hotel and Falcon Hall directors 7 Plaza Motel, 1450 E. Wooster St., until early October. Histories 9 University administrators insist the housing predicament is not because of Transportation 10 misplanning, but is the result of a number of unsual conditions. Energy 11 "There's a number of wacky Groundscrew 13 variables at work here," Vice President Richard A. Edwards said. ID'S 14 "People say, 'Why don't you plan?' But we've tried to do the best we could.'' Rec Center 16 University officials said they expect few new students to withdraw because of their unsual accommodations. With Sports 17-23 stsff photo by Frank Brelthaupt the help of hall directors and resident Hall director John Vautier fluffs a pillow In what used to been converted Into four- or six-person rooms to handle the Life 24-28 advisors, they said they are hopeful that most parents and students will be the third-floor lounge In Har thm an-Ander son residence overcrowding resulting from the record-size freshman understand the situation. hall. F Itty-sevsn of the University's 113 floor lounges have class. Overcrowding causes apprehension, aggravation by Pat Hyland "I think it's a raw deal," said an trying to make it sound peachy by While the majority of the freshmen "Being an RA means two things," they would have and they had all editor aggravated Stephie Eaton, a freshman telling us we're lucky to have a room interviewed were apprehensive about Tamburro explained. "First, you need summer to plan for'fall quarter," ex- assigned to a four-person lounge room. and that they're so big. But I'd rather the situation, many of the RAs ap- a room to talk to individuals, and plained John Vautier, hall director at "I think a lot of people are going to be have a smaller room and more privacy. peared to be adjusting to the cir- second, it puts his roommate in a hard Harshman-Anderson. "Then two days Confused, miffed, frustrated, hapless really mad when they get up here. I Just And the six-man rooms are even cumstances. Some feel it is part of the spot with the other guys on the floor. before coming back they change it, and and downright aggravated are reac- can't understand how they (the responsibility of their Jobs, while others Nobody wants to live with the RA that's a lot to ask. Then they come in tions that have been registered by University) could overbook that many see no recourse but to make the best of anyway." here and they have to deal with angry students and resident advisors (RAs) people." EATON EXPLAINED that having a touchy subject. kids and parents." who are bearing the brunt of the fall only three electrical outlets, two "MY PHONE RINGS off the hook and Vautier said programs would be set quarter housing dilemma. EATON IS A member of the Bowling dressers, one light and no shelves, "THE FIRST FEW weeks we'll have people are always pounding on the up with the RAs to deal with rules, Although the great bulk of University Green women's cross country team and mirrors or medicine cabinet for four to go down to the lounges and make door," said Mark Johnson, an RA in expectations and future problems students have yet to settle into their on an athletic scholarship from persons makes the lounges sure everything goes okay so the guys Harshman-Bromfield. "I don't think associated with the new setup. lodgings, there Is little doubt that the Swanton, Ohio. When she was told the significantly poorer than the dorm don't feel like they were Just stuck it's fair to ask a freshman to ha ve to put Nobody can predict how emotional crowded conditions will be the focus of scholarship meant free room and rooms. there," said Lenny Tamburro, a Junior up with that. I'd feel like I have to pay the housing issue will get before all concern for students and ad- board, she foresaw a two-person room Some future lounge residents said RA in Harshman-Anderson "They're the kid |10 Just for answering the problems are ironed out, but most RAs ministrators during the first week of like most students live in. they aad been advised not to complain going to need extra attention is what it phone." seem to realize that most complaints school. publicly about the rooms, and asked not amounts to." Most RAs contacted are not upset will get dumped in their laps. Freshmen assigned to converted Would she hare enrolled at the to have their names printed. But their Although the converted lounges mean about sharing their rooms, but many "I think the general attitude s to lounges, RAs who have been given University had she known what her aggravation was apparent. more student responsibility for some said the problem could have been eased make the best of the situation," roommates and freshmen currently living quarters would be? "Absolutely "What kind of social life can you have RAs, the biggest change in housing had they known earlier that they were Tamburro said. "People are picked to living in hotel rooms at the Falcon not," she says. with five other guys living in one patterns falls within the rooms getting a roommate. be an RA because they are able to Plaza and the University Union are "Some people around here are calling room?" asked one male freshman. themselves. Assigning roommates to confront difficult situations. This is one being directly affected by the the lounges "suites" and I'm "We'll probably have five stereos, six RAs will have many ramifications, "Last spring the guys (RAs) got an of those situations that they will have to makeshift housing arrangements.