Taking Advantage: Outrageous On-campus Housing Rates

It’s no big secret that this nation’s economy is in a really bad place. As prices increase people become increasingly weary of not getting exactly what they pay. People of all ages are having to make decisions on how to spend their finances, and need to make sure they are getting the best value for their money. This is especially true for the average family with college age children. If you are an out of state student, you will be paying $19,200 just on tuition. That means on every other amenity at University of Alabama you are required to buy (meal plan, housing, parking) you want to make sure that you are getting what you pay for.
At the University, housing is one of the biggest issues for students living on campus. For most freshmen as well as out of state students without a form of transportation, on campus housing is there only viable option. So what are your choices when it comes to on-campus housing? Riverside, Ridgecrest, and Lakeside are the newest housing communities on campus. All of which have single bedrooms for their residents, kitchen’s with efficiency, living room, two bathrooms and two vanities. They have a laundry room on every other floor of the four story building. These are the nicest options for those living on campus who aren’t athletes.
The polar opposite of these nice dormitories is Rose towers. Rose is a 13 story, 40+ year old building. It, in a word, is disgusting. Rooms tend to have rust, allergen, and mold issues. There are stains, holes in the wall, and exposed pipes. There is a major bug problem, cockroaches and silverfish infest the rooms. While living there, residents are instructed to keep the air conditioning at 67 or below to keep humidity in the rooms down and to help prevent mold growth. Air conditioning units have dust piled up on the vents and are constantly blowing out allergens. The bathrooms have mold on the shower curtain, the sink looks like its falling off the wall, and the medicine cabinet is a tetanus shot waiting to happen. There is one laundry room for the entire 13 story building.
When it comes to price, there is a lot to argue about. For instance Rose Towers is $2,850 a semester for a single room, a single occupancy bedroom with two other dorm mates. This includes a bed, desk, closet, and the number of problems that come with the room. A single room in Ridgecrest is $3,475, a single occupancy room with three other roommates. This includes a bed, dresser, closet with extra shelving and hanger room, desk with extra surface and drawer space, and a cable box, along with all the other updated features that come with a dorm just three years old. This difference in price is only $625 and as a student who transferred from Rose to Riverside I can tell you that what you gain in terms cleanliness, amenities, sanitary conditions, and peace of mind is way more than $625.
I feel that the amount of money a student living in Rose Towers is forced to pay is ridiculously overpriced. That building should be torn down, it is filthy and decrepit. It is entirely inadequate to supply such horrible housing for such an outrageous price. It seems though that the school is taking advantage of the average University of Alabama family by making freshman live on campus and therefore forcing them to pay these outrageous prices. It would be cheaper and nicer in most cases to rent an apartment off campus. For many, however, that isn’t an option. The school needs to be more cognizant of this and make it so students and families actually get what they pay for.