Grad students still lack place to live on campus

By Marcelle Richards
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

While graduate students spend practically all their time on
campus, they can’t sleep here, they don’t even get the
choice.

The last time they had a place to sleep on campus, the
university kicked them out for office space.

They’re possibly the most educated nomads in Los Angeles,
though most assume the title of perpetual commuter. (A lone closet
dweller in Bunche may be one of the few to escape such
existence.)

It’s a problem that’s persisted in the outpour of
lawyers and doctors and scholars: the availability and
affordability of housing.

“Housing is one of the top three reasons people choose
where to go,” said GSA President Charles Harless.
“It’s a concern across the UC system. UCLA in my
opinion has the biggest problem because we’re limited on
space.”

According to Jim Turner, associate vice chancellor of the
graduate division, the average graduate student travels 12 miles to
campus, coming from one of any scattered locations to the epicenter
that is their cluttered office.

Since Westwood is often avoided because of prices, said GSA
President Charles Harless, the solution is to push for university
housing.

This year, GSA’s focus is centered on the Southwest Campus
Housing Project, which may be delayed until 2010. Phase two of
construction was supposed to begin in 2005.

Mike Foraker, director of housing, cited “medically
related reasons” as the cause for the delay during a Daily
Bruin interview in March.

The site is currently occupied by Warren Hall, a medical
facility on Veteran and Weyburn Avenues.

Furthermore, Phase one of construction, which was to include a
“commons” area with study lounges and satellite student
health clinics has been drastically modified “”mdash; there will be
no common space, only beds.

Harless said the entire situation is
“unacceptable.”

“We will push the powers that be,” he added,
mentioning the chancellor’s office as the next step.

“The administration realizes that when they took Hershey
Hall away, it’s like they feel they owe us,” he
said.

Hershey Hall, former home to graduate students, ceded its
residential role at the end of 1997 to house academic
departments.

Currently, graduate students live in one of several university
complexes in Venice, Palms and other nearby neighborhoods.

The problem is getting in.

“There’s always a waitlist,” said Kerry
Muhlestein, University Apartments South Residents Association
representative.

Muhlestein, a husband and father, is a strong supporter of
living in a university apartment.

“It’s such a big deal, especially if you have
family, to know you can stay on campus late and know your children
are in a safe place,” he said.

He also studies with another student in his department who lives
in the same complex.

This sense of community is what candidates, namely Harless are
pushing to expand.

Harless has spent the last year meeting with housing officials
“”mdash; and will meet with them again Wednesday “”mdash; to deal
with housing limitations.

He seems to have his sights set on pushing up the opening date
for the Southwest apartments.

“They don’t need to be delaying it eight to 10
years,” he said. “Our enrollment is up and we need
places for graduate students to live.”

The availability of housing resources is also a project under
way.

The Campus Housing Office, located amid the undergraduate
residence halls, is out of the way for most graduate students,
Harless said.

He’s working to improve access to CHO, and also work with
housing and administrators to possibly purchase more
apartments.