Problems vex Villagers

"I walked inside my room and found a maintenance employee taking a drink from my refrigerator," said a former Village resident who chose to remain anonymous. "The point is not about a drink missing; instead, I cared about the priority that should be placed on privacy and trust."A missing drink is not the only concern for University Village residents. Many students have complaints and unanswered questions regarding the convenience and safety of the University Village, an apartment complex located on campus and operated by American Campus Communities (ACC).One major issue among the residents is the increase in rent.For the past three school years, the University Village charged $376 a month for a four bedroom/two bath unit and $465 a month for a two bedroom/two bath unit. Students paid their rent in 10 installments.Now, for the 2008-2009 school year, the rent has risen to $450 a month for a four bedroom/two bath unit and $555 a month for a two bedroom/two bath unit. In addition, students now pay in nine installments."The average rental increase [is] about 5 percent; prior to this academic year, the rental payments were spread over 10 months, and this year they are spread over nine to more accurately reflectthe period of time students live on campus," Minita Ramirez, dean of Student Success, said. On average, rent increased about $300 a year per student. Students, however, are complaining because the condition of their apartments has not improved."My previous apartment was infested with roaches; I just got moved to another apartment which is in decent condition," said Kathy Macleod, a Village resident for a year and a hal Macleod is not the only resident complaining.Sandy Hernandez was a resident last year and just moved into her apartment for this new school year."I walked inside my apartment and saw cobwebs in every corner of the room; that, however, was not the worst thing," said Hernandez. "The worst problem with my room was a big, deep hole located by the front door entrance."Ramirez suggests students place work orders immediately and keep track of all their orders."If you don't see any activity on your request, come into the housing office and ask one of the assistant directors or send a follow-up e-mail to housing@tamiu.edu," said Ramirez.Another complaint from the students involved their safety. Even though most residents said they felt safe at the Village, many are concerned."I felt safe when we swiped the TAMIU One Card to get in and out, but the gate has not been working; anyone can come in and out, resident or not," said Mophat Chongo, a graduate student and resident at the Village.The residents' complaints are reflected in customer service rankings.According to a 2007 Bridge article written by Peter Villanueva, the Village apartments were ranked eighth in the nation among ACC in 2006-2007. They failed to make the top ten last year.With so many concerns, the question remains: Where is the money from the rent increases going?"Student rents fund all of the activities and operations of our housing facilities," said Ramirez. "During this past summer, University Village has spent approximately $100,000 on upgrades to the facility; the two largest projects have been the rebuilding of four balconies and exterior repainting."Ramirez also mentioned a previous process of "complete cleaning, service, and pressure testing of the Fire Suppression System," which cost approximately $15,000. These renovations have been completed throughout the years, but students wish the renovations had been made inside their apartments."The furnishings of the apartments have been the same for the last 10-12 years," said Jorge "Coco" Ramirez, a former resident and employee of the University Village.Minita Ramirez does believe the "furniture is original." However, she said, "these types of hard goods usually have a service life of ten to 15 years."When asked why they remain at the Village, residents stated they have considered moving out but are unaware of rates off-campus.One of the University Village's flyers says "Dare to Compare," and some residents took their advice.Coco now lives at North Village Apartments located on Jacaman Road. He has rented a two bedroom/two bath and pays "$720 for rent; $140 for electricity; $50 for satellite TV; and $25 for high-speed internet."All his expenses add to $935 a month.After splitting the total amount between two roommates, the total is $467.50 each, which is $175 less than the Village rate of $550 per person."As for location, one could say the University Village is the place to be when campus is only a short walk away; however, TAMIU is rather isolated from the rest of Laredo, and whatever gas is saved by walking is spent getting around the city for work, groceries, and getting away from campus," said Coco.Other nearby locations include Townlake Apartments, located on Hillside Road and charging $690 a month for a two bedroom/one and a half baths; Arechiga Apartments, located on Calle del Norte and running for $665 a month for a two bedroom/two bath; and King Arthur Condominiums on Del Mar, costing $895 a month for a two bedroom/two bath.The school's population has increased but a "demand for [living] on campus has not," said Ramirez. As a result, "At this time, there are no plans to build additional housing.However, she added, "I am proud to say that we have achieved a 90% renewal rate for University Village." Gutierrez, a high school senior."I think it's a good experience to come to talk to real representative from actual colleges. I'm a junior, but I can decide what college fit me," explained Michael Castillo, a Cigarroa High School student.Amongst those giving students financial information was Jorge Gonzalez, Falcon International Bank Executive Vice-President. Gonzalez stated that students should have the opportunity to get an education; however, a lot of them think they can't afford it, but they can through student loans.Another way to secure money for studies could be by joining the United States Army, Navy, or Marines. "The Army is more than a way to serve your country, but to further your education as well," stated SSG. Goos from the U.S. Army.Through the joint efforts of various people, TAMIU was able to hold this even once more. De La Miyar stated, "We're excited to host it. It gives students a chance to get to know about options in higher education."