Planning to stay in the city over winter break? If you’re a Barnard student, it’ll cost you.
All Barnard students will now be required to pay a fee to live in Barnard housing over winter break, according to Matt Kingston, associate director for housing operations.
Prior to the policy change, seniors, international students, and other students with extenuating circumstances were exempt from the fee. Now, all students living in Barnard housing during the three-week winter break period will be charged $100.
“I don’t think the $100 fee is fair, regardless of class year,” Dueaa Elzin, BC ’11, said. “It is especially unfair to seniors who have to stay on campus due to research, internships, and other important things they need to do before they graduate.”
On the other side of Broadway, students in Columbia College housing can stay in dormitories without paying an additional fee.
Kingston said that the change was made after Barnard administrators noticed the rising number of students staying on campus during break, as well as the corresponding financial impact.
“Although revenue from the fee does not come close to covering actual costs, it does offset the expense of essential services provided by desk attendants, public safety officers, facilities staff, and other campus workers,” he wrote in an email. “The money also helps with the high energy costs of maintaining all of the residential buildings during a time when they are only partially occupied.”
While the policy change is new to Barnard, Kingston noted that colleges nationwide have been assessing similar fees and housing restrictions for years.
While some students said they were upset, Mattie Snider, BC ’14, said the change makes sense given the cost of housing students during vacation.
“It just seems consistent with the changes that they’ve made recently with meal plans and this [winter break housing],” Snider said, referring to the new requirement that all students buy dining plans. “When they’re trying to pay for desk attendants and upkeep, it’s hard to let students stay on for free.”
Though Malu Gatto, BC ’11, who goes home to Brazil during winter break, is not affected by the change, she said she understands that it may affect the plans of other students.
“It’s not going to affect me directly because I go home,” Gatto said. “But I do know that a lot of people would like to stay in the city for academic and financial and other issues.”
Fee waivers may be made available to students who demonstrate financial need, and Barnard Residential Life and Housing will continue to work with the Office of Financial Aid to accommodate students, Kingston said.
Noor Al-Husayni, BC ’11, said that though the fee is an additional cost to students, it is just one of many that students are already expected to pay.
“Basically, they charge us for everything at Barnard,” Al-Husayni said. “I wouldn’t want to pay the $100, but if I have to, I have to.”
But Elzin maintained that, ultimately, the fee creates a financial burden for students. “We pay so much for tuition,” she said, “that we should be allowed to stay on campus during winter break if we want to, instead of being forced to pay an additional $100.”
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