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Alpena Community College Oct6ber28, 1987 Doors Are Being Locked Since ACC closed the Russel H. Wilson. dormitory in 1985, there has been quite a problem with out-of-district students finding suitable housing. ACC used to have an off-campus housing policy which required all landlords, wishing to rent to ACC students, to register by filling out an ACC Registered i,andlord Application Form. There was also a $10 annµal fee to cover the cost of printed materials sent to interested out-of-district students. At present, ACC just updates their listing of available housing and sends it to the students and the landlofcls are back to advertising in the Alpena News. The dorm was closed due to lack of students. To increase dorm residency, Dean of Students John McCormack required all out-of-district freshmen to live in the dorm, this brought about a negative.response from prospective students. The dorms were designed to house 240 students, and they have never been filled to capacity. It is now the students' responsiblility to find suitable housing. One of the major problems for the students is the lack of knowledge about tenant/landlord rights. Some landlords aie also violating tenant Dorms Should the Dorms Should the dormatories be opened or remained closed? When I. thought about this question I decided that I would ask some of the students and faculty here at ACC what they think about this que~tion. Dick Miles, Physical Education Instructor: "When the dormitories were open, they were the heart of the campus and a catalyst for student activity. The dorms definitely generated a lot of enthusiasm among the students." Miles also noted that when the dormitories were open more parents were apt to let their kids come to ACC because the dormatories provided proper supervision. Miles stated,"There were also many foreign students who attended ACC because there was a place to stay. We had Arabs, Micronesians and many others." Frank Mccourt, counselor and career guidance advisor was the supervisor of the dormitories before they were closed two years ago. He also had some insight to offer. "I do not nitcessarily feel that reopening the dorms would help . but," he added, "I do think the ultimate solution is to get some kind of student housing on campus." Mccourt does feel that renovation costs would be much too high to get the dormitories back into operation. Here is what some of the students had to say ·about the · dormitories: Marla Spring: "When you first get out of high school it is hard to pay the rent, the bills and ( ' rights by not following proper eviction procedure. ~ In one case, there was no , written · agreement between the tenants and the landlord, just a Be Open? go to school at the same time. It would be easier for the student if the dorms were opened." Mark Larson: "A friend of mine is thinking about coming to ACC from Oscoda, but he might change his mind because there is no place .for him to stay on campus." Kathy Riggles: "I weiuld not use uhe dormatories because I :Feally have no need for them. I have a place to stay in Hillman." Patricia Keleman: "Yes, because I came up to Alpena from downstate and, I had no place to live. I think opening the dorms or some kind of student housing would be beneficial." Amonymous Student: "Yes, ,, because apartments are hard to find and in addition to the do1 ms being opened, there should also be some type of child care." verbal one. The city police answered a cal! to one of the housing developments where . a disturbance was being created. The tenants were warned that if they did \ not quiet down or stop the disturbance altogether, they would be given a violation for distrubing the peace. The tenants complied, ·but the landlord changed the locks on the doors the ne~t day while the tenants were in school,' which violates statute, "Statute forbids unla'wful interference with force or threat of force, dealing with the tenants personal prope~y, changing locks, boarding of the the premises, removal of doors, causing interruption pf services or · introduction of nuisances." A court case is still pending. On the other hand, landlord rights are also being violated . At the end of the school year landlords are finding much of their property damaged due to the carelessness of many students. It is this carelessness that is prompting! many landlords to refuse rental from coll~ge students. Until these disputes are ironed out, the availibility of student housing will continue to dissolve in the years to come. ACC's Flourishing Enrollment Alpena Coinmunity College students is cost. Because financial boasts the largest enrollment in its aid requirements have changed, history at both· the Alpena and students are not getting Wurtsmith camp.us. the money they need to a.ttend a The coll'ege's present four-y.ear institution. Therefore, enrollment has ~increased 12.7% Alpena students are switching to a from last year's fmmber to reach a lower-costing s.chool and also high of 2,284 students. A total of saving money by living at home . 1;550 students are attending the Student enrollment is evenly Alpena campus, and W AFB split between men and women. students 734. Men account for 1,108 of ACC What is so-impressive about students while women number these enrollment figures is that 1,176 .. This is a change from otfier while the number of students years when men outnumbered attending ACC· has increased by women. more than 12%, ' the number of College officials are pleased students graduating from area high with the increase in enrollment and schools ha<; decreased by 20%. are working on fund-raising According to Max Lindsay, projects so that they can expa_nd Assistant Dean of Students, the college facilities in order to handle main reason A,CC has more the 2reater numbers of students.