With the recent release of housing assignments, many rising juniors and seniors must find off-campus housing,such as The Gathering, a yet-to-be-completed apartment offering August leases.
Evi Houston
News Editor
Photo By Zoey Molina
Outside Margaret Nance
In the months since Winthrop University’s announcement that housing would not be guaranteed to upperclassmen students, student outrage and confusion has lessened and the search for off-campus housing has begun. Residence Life released housing assignments in late March, and on-campus options were offered to a select group of waitlisted students throughout the month.
Walkable apartment complexes, such as The Nest and The Gathering, have been attractive options to students, although their cost and availability may require some to look elsewhere.
Jarad Russell, assistant dean of students and director of residence education at Winthrop University, provided an update on the housing crisis now that students have received assignments. For students who were able to apply for on-campus housing (primarily underclassmen), 95% received their preferred housing and 100% were placed with their preferred roommate.
“The only issues were people that needed to join the apartment style waitlist because we could not fit everyone into the apartments that wanted it, but since initial assignments have gone out, we have been able to offer most of those people an assignment in apartments too,” Russell said.
While unable to apply directly for housing, rising juniors and seniors could join a waitlist, which offered housing based off of credit hours and availability. 469 students signed up for the waitlist, of which 290, or about 60%, have received offers as of April 7.
Russell shared that 191 of the 290 students accepted their offer for on-campus housing, and 179 remain on the waitlist.
Of those who have declined an assignment, most did so because they had already found off-campus housing, not because the assignment did not meet their preferences.
“We will continue to work our way down the list as we have cancellations, but I do not expect there to be a large amount of movement moving forward,” Russell said.
Russell noted that there are still misunderstandings on the use of student financial aid for off-campus housing.
“If your scholarships or loans exceed tuition and fees, the remaining balance may be refunded to you. These funds may be used toward off-campus housing and living expenses. Refunds are typically issued at the beginning of the semester, while rent may be due earlier. Students should plan accordingly,” Russell said.
Residence Life has made efforts to assist upperclassmen with finding off-campus housing, such as through a housing fair with local apartment complexes and a website with resources for students transitioning to off-campus housing.
“The off-campus housing fair DiGs hosted was enormously helpful in assisting students with finding affordable options. In particular, The Gathering, which is a new apartment complex located right next to The Nest, was able to speak with a lot of students worried about transportation issues,” Russell said.
Ali Salahedin, a computer science major at Winthrop, and Emin Aydin, a business administration student, are two such students who decided to commit to The Gathering following the housing fair.
“It helped us get an idea of what apartments are around Rock Hill, and we chose The Gathering to be the best one,” Salahedin said.
The Gathering will offer its first leases in August, with studio, two, three and four bedroom options. Rent prices range from $1500 to $910, including the coverage of furniture and in-unit washer and dryers. The complex accommodates students with amenities such as study lounges and roommate matching services, and has recently developed a presence on campus as they advertise to students.
Aydin and Salahedin’s decision to move to The Gathering involved a consideration of quality, cost and accessibility.
Prior to the housing announcement made in January, Salahedin was expecting to stay on campus. “I knew I wanted to get an apartment at some point for my last year, but I was still planning to be in Courtyard for a little bit longer,” he said.
Aydin felt differently. “I’m an international student, so I have some favor for the dorms, but I really don’t like the dorms. I was in Phelps, I was in Courtyard, and the cafeteria [has gone downhill] so I was 99% sure that I would go off campus.”
Salahedin and Aydin are both members of the Esports team at Winthrop, and shared that The Gathering came to their attention during their frequent walk past it on the way to the Esports facility.
“In February, I asked one of the builders and they said it [would be] finished in July,” Salahedin said.
Seeing The Gathering at the off-campus housing fair encouraged Salahedin and Aydin to apply.
“So that’s probably what convinced us that The Gathering would be the best option for us,” Salahedin said.
Living in a new build was a major perk of the complex, which Aydin compared to The Nest, its neighboring apartment complex. “At The Nest, everything is overused [. . .] like one hundred people sit on that couch, I didn’t want to pay that.”
They were drawn in by the appeal of having a clubroom lounge on the first floor, similar to The Nest, where they could make a free coffee and spend time with friends.
Being within walking distance of campus was important for the students as well, as they imagined socializing might be a struggle when staying in apartments a ten or twenty minute drive from university.
As a part of the Esports team, these students receive a scholarship stipend which will reimburse them for housing expenses. However, “There might be some out of pocket expenses now that we’re living off campus,” Salahedin said, though he hopes this is not the case.
Salahedin and Aydin noted that they might be an exception to the rule, as they benefit from a scholarship unlike some Esports players and fellow students. They shared that two potential roommates had backed out of The Gathering lease due to pricing and convenience, seeing the over $900 monthly rent for one room as too much.
“I feel like the school could have done something to help more with that transition, because, like, for us [it’s] not so bad transitioning to off-campus, but I can imagine for many other juniors or seniors that they’re gonna probably face a lot more challenges moving off campus, especially like financially, for just being able to support themselves and cook for themselves,” Salahedin said.
Regardless of where upperclass students decide to live next semester, moving off campus will certainly change the student life for juniors and seniors.
“I am curious to see how the transition affects other students,” Salahedin said. He worries that the stress of off-campus living could take away from the focus required by upper level classes.
Aydin added that socializing with other students may become harder due to distance and the lack of a shared meal plan and communal space.
“That’s the one thing that I think living off campus is gonna change, is like, we always go to the dining hall. So now it’s like […] where do we go?” Salahedin said.
Construction for The Gathering is ongoing, and while Salahedin and Aydin hope their apartment will be ready in time, they shared some concerns. “It does seem a bit rushed,” Salahedin said.
“Now the actual time [until July] is really short, even for the workers, you know, they may push them to work overtime, cut some corners,” Aydin said.
The rush among students to find housing in time may be just as tumultuous as this rush to build housing on time, as upperclassmen find new places to call home and say goodbye to their at times beloved, at times hated Winthrop residence halls and apartments.
