Petition Against Tufts New Winter Housing Charge
November 18, 2010
Yolanda King
Director of Residential Life and Learning
Office of Residential Life and Learning
Tufts University
Medford, MA 02155
Dear Ms King:
Re: New Winter Housing Charge
We are a group of international students who are staying on campus from
December 23, 2010 to January 2, 2011. We are petitioning against the new
charge of $100 for winter housing during this period of time.
After receiving the notice sent by ResLife on November 15, 2010, many of us feel that the decision does us an injustice based on the following
reasons:
1. Internationals with financial difficulty and no alternative accommodations are most affected:
The burden of the new charge falls mostly on those international students
unable to return home for financial reasons, and without alternative
accommodations in the States. It is unfair to charge those of us for
whom the decision to live on campus is a necessary evil.
2. Source of the International Center’s subsidy:
On November 17, 2010, the International Center (I-Center) sent an email
saying that they will subsidize the charge for affected students on
financial aid. While we are glad that the neediest students will be
exempt from the charge this year, we are concerned about the source of
the subsidy. If the money comes from our financial aid package for next
year, then the subsidy is self-defeating. If it comes from the
I-Center’s funds, then the decision, by imposing a cost that seems to
have no basis whatsoever, drains funding that could have benefited us
otherwise.
3. Winter housing was free in previous years:
Winter housing had been free for at least the past two years, and we have been given no reason to believe that it cannot continue to be so.
4. No explanation was given by ResLife about the new charge:
Till now, ResLife has given us no explanations for their decision. ResLife
made it without consulting the students it will most affect, assuming
that we will accept their conclusions. As we do not know ResLife’s
reasons, we cannot predict if the charge will hold in the future, if it
will rise, or if the I-Center can continue to subsidize it for
international students on financial aid.
4. Abrupt announcement disrupts travel plans:
Since winter housing was free in the past, we booked departure dates after
December 23rd well in advance for our convenience and for cheaper
tickets. Therefore, we feel very frustrated with the abrupt notice from
ResLife, and the prospect of paying more in the end anyway -- either by
changing travel dates or by sticking to the original plan, but bearing
the housing charge.
Given the four major reasons above, we strongly feel that ResLife’s sudden,
unexplained announcement regarding the new winter housing charge is
unfair. Tufts is a diverse and tolerant school; we know that the college
cares about the welfare of international students. We appreciate
ResLife’s efforts in making Tufts a “home away from home” for the entire
Tufts residential community. However, ResLife’s conduct, in this
occasion and in the past, has been lamentable.We have three requests:
1. Revoke the charge:
As the charge is unfair and was announced too abruptly, ResLife should revoke the charge.
2. Give the international community an explanation for their actions:
If we are to pay a charge for winter housing, we want to know where our
money is going, why the charge is newly implemented, and how our
interests have been taken into account.
3. More transparency and student involvement in future decisions:
ResLife should change the way they make decisions. ResLife should (a) provide formal and informal channels for student feedback, such as focus groups
or feedback boards, (b) explain to the student body any decisions that
they make, and (c) announce these decisions in a timely manner.
At this point, 129 Tufts students, both American and international, have signed this petition letter online here. We would appreciate it if you could take a moment to read comments from students who signed the petition here. In addition, we have a Facebook event regarding this issue that has
attracted the support of more than a hundred Tufts students. This number
is growing.
We would like to reach an agreement in this matter as soon as possible before the coming winter break.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Xiaochong Yao and Vivien J. Lim on behalf of
the Tufts international students staying on campus during 2010-2011 winter break
and the Tufts student community
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