Residence life move-out policy raised concerns for students facing the challenges of getting home, especially students who reside out of state.
As final exams and graduation approach, students feel more stress with this year’s move out policy. A few weeks ago, the Res Life staff sent out an email to all students regarding how the move out process will go at the end of this semester. As a result, not many students were happy with the contents of this email. Such as the requirement that stated, “All residents must vacate the
residence halls twenty four (24) hours after their final exam.” Junior Dario Hammond, who is from Tarrytown, New York, has found it especially challenging. Hammond stated, “I have to put my fridge and microwave in storage beforehand, then pack my clothes and other stuff into my suitcase. It takes me two days to get back.” Hammond continued, “48 hours would be better because it gives everyone a full day to pack. Especially when I am tired from classes.”
Junior Madalyn Duncan who is from Nevada, has more challenges when dealing with getting back home. She stated, “With everyone so busy, it is hard to get all of my stuff packed for the airport plus having to get certain things to a storage locker to hold over the summer. On top of that, not a lot of flights are going out of Mobile to Nevada and if they do, those flight options aren’t really convenient. Last year I almost didn’t have a ride to the airport to make the one flight I could get.”
Head of Res Life Rapunizal Boykin stated, “The Res Life team that consists of myself and Lexus, help facilitate and create the policy and procedures. We also do a lot of research to pull from other schools on what the standard procedures are and also look at what we have done in the past and adapt to fit the current student body. Late stay requests are approved on a case by case basis. We just ask the students that they send an email to the Res Life inbox and we reply to let them know if their request is approved or not.” For the graduating class, it is not an ideal process to move everything out the same day as they walk across the stage. Boykin responded, “I understand the stress. It is a lot going on at once which is why we wanted to give the checkout process out to the students a couple of weeks before so people can plan ahead.” Boykin added, “It’s 24 hours after the last final because we have summer housing that starts almost immediately following checkout. We hope to get a lot of the rooms turned over, cleaned and maintenance repairs and things done like that before we move students around for summer housing.” Boykin ended, “The move out process is intended to not be super complex for the students. I’m excited for the senior class and for graduation, it should be a fun week, but we hope to help alleviate as much stress as possible.”
If anyone has any questions about this year’s move out policy email residence life at [email protected].
