Oct. 6, 2014

RE: Petition for the opposition of the increase in dormitory fees and the deplorable living

conditions of the dormitories

To the Vice President of Student Affairs Prof. Edmund Grzeskowiak

Dear Prof. Grzeskowiak,

We are submitting this petition in opposition to such high increase in dormitory fees, considering the appalling living conditions of the dormitories.

The sudden increase in monthly fees for dormitories is not justifiable for a number of reasons. Primarily, there has not been sufficient notice prior to increasing the dorm fees. The first official announcement communicated to the students was on 22/08/2014 via school email. Majority of the students rely on financial support from both bank and government loans. As such, any adjustments made to dormitory fees should be done before the end of the last academic year, in advance, in order to allow both institutions to adjust the current loans to accommodate the changes in the fees. In addition, the percent of increase is significantly too high. Student housing is meant to be affordable – 40% increase of fees does not maintain that definition. Though an increase in dorm fees is expected, it should be gradual and correspond to the current inflation rate, and not arbitrary decisions.

Besides, this increase in rent has now made living in dormitories more expensive than private rent. For example, in City Park, one of the most expensive areas in Poznan that is proximal to the main campus, two students can jointly rent a place for approximately 1000 PLN each, which is now cheaper than having a single double room in Karolek (1020 PLN). If students were able to afford living in a luxurious apartment, whether by themselves or with a roommate, they would not choose to live in dormitories. It is absurd that student accommodation rivals the prices of prime real estate. One can only wish that the university authorities were more considerate with regards to the well-being of its students.

Moreover, students have not been provided with sufficient time to find alternate accommodation in the light of affordability. This is especially true for students doing electives abroad who have no choice but accept these conditions since they have no means of finding alternate housing during a very stressful and time consuming period. This is definitely unethical and we are considering bringing it to the attention of the Ethics Board of the Ministry of Education if this situation is not rectified immediately.

Furthermore, for students to pay more for accommodation, a proportional improvement of the facilities is expected. As of yet, the dorms have not been fully renovated during the allotted summer holidays. This timeline for construction is deplorable since the number of washrooms designated for repair annually is low. Regardless, the task has not been completed during this period and has, unfortunately, continued into the school year. With the ongoing state of repair, interference with student studies is inevitable. It is not normal to have shelving units, cement, paint and other construction supplies in the hallways of student dormitories, not to mention the hours of construction, which continue into the night with workers still on campus around midnight. In this state of disarray, it is not possible for the porters to fully account for trespassers with the constant inflow of construction workers that change on a daily basis; which is a direct safety concern.

It is also important to note, that there has been a number of incidents at the dorms, specifically relating to Medyk and Aspirynka. Land mine scares resulting in loss of accommodation for a number of hours, brown water running from taps, flooding of rooms due to the power outage that lasted for an obscene amount of time, and consequently no access to internet are just a few situations among many that have occurred at the dorms within the last couple of days. How is it possible then to justify an increase in dorm fees with these kinds of “living” conditions? It seems as if none of the authorities have visited the site. Otherwise, how could this hike in fees be even approved?

Last but not least, the guidelines for single vs. double occupancy rooms are confusing. The distinction from the last academic year does not correspond to the current one. A clear division of the prices in the sub-categories is necessary in order to understand the fees for which the student is responsible. If a "reclassification" is going to happen then it should not affect returning students who have already been living in the dorms for a couple of years. It’s simply not fair.

Thus far, our attempts of bringing the dorm situation to the attention of the Dean have not been successful. We hope that this time around, we will be treated the way we deserve – in a more serious manner. It is absolutely essential that the matter be resolved immediately, so we can resume our education instead of having to look for a different accommodation.

PS. Included in this petition are pictures and video footage of the current state of the dormitories.