March 20, 2011 - 4:35pm
MForward, 'U' Housing miscommunicate on use of lounges in residence halls
BY VALIENT LOWITZ
An event aimed at bringing attention to the issue of keeping University dining halls open on Saturday nights was forced to relocate after confusion between the organizing group and University Housing.
The event — sponsored by the MForward party — was planned to be held inside of the Stockwell and Bursley residence halls, but University Housing officials rejected the room reservation request for Stockwell Hall, citing conflicting information in the form submitted by event organizer Nathaniel Styer.
Styer said in an interview that he submitted the request last Tuesday, but that when he heard back from University Housing on Friday, he was told that his request had been denied.
And while Styer said he was disappointed that his request was denied, he said what he found most troubling was how University Housing went about denying the request.
“We were threatened and intimidated,” Styer said. “I was told that I would face disciplinary action if the event was held, and that we would be removed from the dormitories by housing security.”
But according to University Housing spokesman Peter Logan, Housing officials made the decision based on reasons unrelated to the subjects that would have been discussed at the event.
“I don’t find any of the e-mails to be threatening; they are pretty much straightforward and are pretty civil,” said Logan. “To call them threatening I consider to be somewhat careless rhetoric.”
Logan said the actions taken by University Housing were perfectly in line with their normal procedures.
In response to a Facebook thread in which a member of the leadership team at Bursley wrote that if MForward attempted to use the lounges in the residence halls, University Housing Security would be called, Logan said:
“That’s pretty much not an unusual statement to make to staff. If they feel that anyone refuses to leave a lounge, then the staff should simply request assistance from University security. It is nothing unique to this particular event.”
No reason was offered for the room request denial, other than “asinine loopholes” that were aimed at forcing MForward out of the residence halls, Styer said.
“I think the goal of the dorms is to help students build communities among students,” Styer said. “Housing actively worked so that we could not build it in the residence halls.”
Logan though wrote in an e-mail interview that “University Housing had no issue with the intent of the meetings. Rather, this was a matter of incomplete or conflicting information that hampered the process of reserving space in the residence halls.”
Logan wrote that student staff in Stockwell had submitted a form to use lounge areas on behalf of MForward on two occasions, but that the information on the forms didn’t line up. Additionally, Logan said student staff in Bursley had verbally requested permission to use a lounge for the MForward event but had neglected to submit a formal request in writing.
“In one instance, no reservation form was submitted, and in the other case, the information in the reservation form contained contradictory information that created some confusion to what would actually occur during the meeting,” Logan wrote.
For that reason, Logan said University Housing denied the request.
“Ultimately we decided that unless we had a better idea of what was going on at those events, we were going to decline the request,” Logan said of University Housing’s decision.
Nonetheless, the event went on, but was moved outside of the residence halls.
The event, according to MForward presidential candidate Chris Armstrong, was “very successful.”
Armstrong said students at the event “were very positive.”
“We still gave out pizza and discussed (how) there isn’t Saturday night dining,” Armstrong said. “The positive attitude is what kept members in MForward more mobilized. It was really motivating.”
Styer concurred with Armstrong, writing in an e-mail that despite the barriers, the event was still successful.
“Housing really has to pay attention to students when it comes to Saturday night dining,” Styer wrote, adding that more than 150 people attended the event. “I think that is pretty powerful.”
