UCI On-Campus Housing Problems

Following the uproar about rent increases and his meeting with students, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Manuel Gomez has sent this email to Verano residents:

Dear Verano Place Residents,

I write regarding the recently proposed budget and rental rate increases for Verano Place. I have reviewed the budget with Housing managers and have had the opportunity to dialogue with many graduate students. These interactions provided valuable insights.

I understand the financial pressures facing students and ask that the resident community understand that Student Affairs must operate fiscally sound housing operations. I am committed to finding a balance that will continue to provide affordability for residents.

As was communicated earlier, the cost of utilities and the in-sourcing of landscape maintenance are the two drivers of the proposed 8% rental increase. While the increased energy costs must be applied to next year's rent, I am pleased to inform you that the Verano Place increased costs related to the campus in-sourcing of landscape maintenance will not be implemented for 2006-07.
Therefore, the rental rates for Verano Place will increase by 4%, rather than 8%.

Additional issues raised during recent discussions are not addressed in this message. Please look forward to a future communication that will more fully articulate how Student Affairs and Housing will address a fuller range of graduate resident concerns.

Sincerely,

Manuel N. Gómez
Vice Chancellor
Student Affairs

While this is a first step in the right direction, it does not address the wasteful spending that the Housing administration engages in, which needs to be addressed ASAP.
The Housing Administration is spending tons of money on duplicate administration for Verano and Palo Verde, for example. Combining the PV and Verano housing offices would eliminate waste, and create a lot of synergy effects.
Another big money-wasting pit is the misuse of rent money for non-housing purposes, e.g., the so-called first-year initiative, which attempts to (badly) duplicate the established efforts of the International Office, the Career Center, and departmental Graduate Student Affairs offices. Housing's practice of misusing rent money for such misguided "programs" has to stop.