Housing accomodation at UWI Mona built by 138 Student Living
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UWI has entered into an arrangement with 138 Student Living - an entity that provides housing on campus.
But with one hall, Irvine, demolished, and students moved into a high rise apartment complex, problems have already surfaced.
The new hall fees are almost three times the cost of accommodation on the traditional halls.
The 138 Student Living fees are US$395 or $50,560 jamaican dollars - a monthly rent that would be difficult for many working people to afford. This works out to more than half a million dollars annually.
Although students who were previously residents of Irvine Hall will be allowed to pay at or near the old rates, the new rates will be implemented for new students.
Mikeila Gonzales, President of the Guild of Students at UWI Mona, says the charges are too expensive.
"Yes, there is the option of a payment plan, but you have to make a down-payment and my students cannot even afford to make the down-payment to start the payment plan. They simply cannot afford the cost of accommodations," she lamented.
According to Joseph Perreira, former deputy principal of the university, the original plan was for the new halls to target international students, although, he agreed that the price for accomodation on the new structure was "very steep for anybody, much less university students."
Professor Archibald Mcdonald, Principal of UWI Mona, has accepted that the halls are indeed expensive.
However, he said, "What we are doing is developing an alternative funding arrangement for teritiary education in Jamaica and hopefully the Caribbean, that will benefit the people...This is capitalism in action."
Contract
Concerns have also been raised about the contracts that students are asked to sign to reside on the new structures.
When questioned about the clause, Professor McDonald said that had been changed.
However, John Lee, Chairman of the board of 138 Student Living said something different.
He said the 51 week contract still stands for residents of who live on Phase One of the project - the Leslie Robinson Hall. However, residents on Phase Two, including students from Irvine Hall, who were displaced, are under a nine and a half month contract.
The former Irvine Hall students for the time being, are paying the same rate as before.
Additionally, there is no clause allowing students to terminate the agreement with 138 Student Living if they wish, for example, to move to another hall.
If a resident is unable to pay, Mr. Lee said their access cards are blocked, but they may speak with the hall manager. He said the majority of residents have no problem with the arrangements.
Outsiders allowed
But the residents are not all university students. Under the agreement, persons from other teritiary institutions, like the University of Technology (UTech) and Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, as well as recent university graduates and non-graduates, are allowed.
The President of the Guild of Students said this arrangement is a cause for concern for some students, who worry about how the outsiders will be monitored.
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