Boston University’s policies on dormitory opening and closing times for vacation periods often inconvenience those living on campus, especially when they are unable to get in and out of residences when they desire, a number of BU students said.
Kevin Choi, a College of Arts and Sciences junior, said he sat on the curb outside his dorm his freshman year until it reopened because his flight arrived too early.
“I didn’t know about the opening hours so I got back to campus three hours early,” he said. “Even if I had known about the opening it’s not like I could have changed an expensive flight.”
For BU’s 2013 spring recess, residences closed at 12 p.m. on March 9 and reopened Sunday at 10 a.m., according to the BU Housing website. Dining service was suspended after dinner March 8 and began operation again for dinner on Sunday.
BU spokesman Colin Riley said he was not made aware of any student or parent complaints regarding the residential life vacation calendar. Students living in dormitory-style residences on campus are the only students prohibited from returning to BU early after vacations.
“It’s not feasible to allow people to come and be in buildings where there is nobody else because of safety concerns and because of staffing needs,” he said. “You’d have to put security officers, you’d have to have dining — that would be required.”
If BU allowed students to return from break earlier than the Sunday preceding classes after a vacation, resident assistants would be required to return to school early, Riley said.
“It wouldn’t be fair to tell them they would have to take only a three or four day recess when all other students would have Saturday through Sunday off,” he said.
Riley said students who do not return home during vacation can choose to pay a total of $40 per night, or a $320 weekly fee, to stay at a hotel situated near BU. Students living in apartment-style residences are permitted to stay during vacations, as well as students who opt to live off campus.
Students cannot pay to live in dormitories during vacations because there is a law that states when university officials provide students with on-campus housing, dining options must also be available, Riley said.
Zuly Triblio, a first year School of Social Work graduate student and resident assistant, said students are often irritated despite having alternative housing options.
“I have never had any trouble, but I know a lot of students find it annoying that they can’t get into the buildings right away,” Triblio said. “But BU does offer alternative housing over the breaks so there are resources available to students.”
Julianne Lee, a College of Communication sophomore, said she was inconvenienced because on-campus dining services, such as the George Sherman Union, were not serving food while she was waiting for her flight.
Lee also said she faced difficulties with timing her departure from campus as a participating member of this year’s Alternative Spring Break.
“They [residence life officials] closed the dorms at 12 p.m. and my ASB group didn’t leave until 8 p.m. that night,” she said. “I was just put out for eight hours.”
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