By Briana J. Brijmohan
Give us a reason as to why we’re saying goodbye to just say hello. Plastic containers that were emptied now filled again; the warmth of a room packed away in a small box. But not for long. Never for long.
Give us a reason as to why we couldn’t have an easy year. First-year students, who are new to the college scene, new to the overwhelming classes, new to the dorm halls, new to everything – forced, to endure stress upon stress building to the forsaken day of December 15.
Give us a reason. We’re dying to hear it.
It was two weeks before moving-in day when the class of 2027 received that email. All supplies were bought and ready to be packed, the excitement building every day. Eager talks with roommates about their future dorm rooms and the fun ways to decorate them were floating about, plans being set in motion for a year full of perfect memories. These jubilant talks were soon turned into panicked worries as Student Life decided to get the first-years in the loop.
They were moving us out. For winter break, the break right after final exams, most of the first-year class were being forced to pack up all their belongings in their dorms and either take them home or store them away. Hundreds to thousands of dollars spent on decorations and clothing, all to be taken down within three months for students at another school to move in. But that’s not the best part, the best part is that after winter break, the glorious class of 2027 will move back in their rooms and redecorate and unpack everything they had to move out. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
Two weeks before moving in, two weeks before adjusting to a new life, two weeks before the official stress of school, and the first-year class were already losing their minds. It doesn’t help that there’s no definitive answer as to why this is happening. According to some upperclassmen, this partnership was made a year in advance, but the first years weren’t told anything about it because the school wanted to prevent any students to defer from attending. Counselors claim that there was no certainty about the partnership and the school did not want to give false information towards the students. There is a different response for every person asked about the situation, leaving the first-years simmering in irritation and anger. The common denominator in every response is that it is due to a program; the VCFA program. But what is the VCFA program? Malcolm Derk, the man in charge, has graced the class of 2027 with some answers.
“The VCFA (Vermont College of Fine Arts) program is a low-residency MFA (Master of Fine Arts) where students gather twice a year for intensive 9-day residencies. The residencies include workshops, lectures, discussions, critiques, exhibitions, and performances. After each residency, students continue their studies at home, working closely with program faculty,” said Derk. “The VCFA program hosted a summer residency at Colorado College in summer 2023 and has selected Susquehanna to host the upcoming winter residency in January 2024. Susquehanna will host around 400 students, faculty, and staff. VCFA selected Susquehanna to host the residential experience because of our complementary academic programs, state of the art facilities, and collaborative learning spaces.” The VCFA decided to use Susquehanna University as its host in early March 2023, but housing plans were not verified until August 2023, when SU received the official enrollment count from VCFA. Students were then notified immediately after the plans were made on August 3.
“VCFA staff arrive on-campus on January 2, 2024. Participants arrive on January 4. All VCFA students, faculty, and staff depart no later than January 14. Students take part in a 9-day residency. All rooms will be cleaned and ready for when Susquehanna students return on January 21,” Derk continues. “This is the first time we have partnered with the VCFA. We have occasionally hosted other nonprofit institutions during the winter and summer months. This is the first partnership with another college or university as a residency site. We hope there will be long-term academic opportunities that come out of this initial partnership. There will also be incremental revenue generated from the VCFA residency that will support Susquehanna’s educational mission.”
Now the class of 2027 has the why, but the worries do not end there. There are many students at SU that come from different states, states that are nowhere near PA. There are some students who come from Florida, Kentucky, even Alaska. Then we have our international students. Students from the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and other foreign countries all flew their belongings over for the year and are expected to move them out for the month-long break. While there are rumors that SU will assist in storing items that cannot be brought back, many students affected are still concerned considering how there is little to no information regarding this storage plan.
Derk said: “Rooms within the residence halls will be held to securely store belongings. In the event additional space is needed, the University will store items at secure areas on-campus. Students may leave select large items in their room over winter break. This is currently limited to rugs, lamps, personal mini-refrigerators, and plastic drawer totes. Individuals that have unique circumstances related to travel and specific items of concern are encouraged to contact the SU hotline at 570-372-3333.”
Will this information appease the class of 2027? Maybe. Or their burning annoyance and frustration will prevent them from any form of satisfaction. This partnership may potentially be a good thing for the school overall, but what about the students affected? What about the future students affected?
“I understand why we must, though it is an inconvenience. For me personally, I live only a few hours away, but I know for others that it is much longer of a distance to travel back home. Then again, all of life will have challenges and inconveniences,” a member of the class of 2027 said.
Understand? Maybe for this specific student and a few others, but not every first-year student feels that way. Especially the ones who do live farther than a few hours away.
“Pissed,” a student said when asked about their feelings regarding the move out. “I don’t want to move in, then move out, and move back into the same room. That’s way too much packing and unpacking. Also, they had time, and I didn’t want to go home for break.”
While Derk claims that the first-year students were informed as soon as possible, it still was not soon enough. Even though plans were not officially finalized, there still should have been a notice given out to the first-years about the potential partnership and how it would affect the students. At least then, they would not have been completely blindsided when that email was sent out and would have had a better idea on what to buy and bring to college with the idea that they might have been moving out during the winter.
“I don’t even know how to elaborate on it,” another first-year speaks. “But I think a heads up would have been nice because it was August when they told us. That way we would not have to get a fridge or a microwave, ya know?” If you do not know, the first-years affected were given a free micro fridge unit as compensation for having to move out in the winter. This information was included in the email sent out in August and it did nothing to soften the blow upon the class of 2027.
However, by that point in time, many students who were planning to get a mini fridge or microwave had already purchased or rented one for their dorm rooms. Receiving the information that a micro fridge will automatically be provided for them only angered the students who had spent the money on one and either had to go through the struggle of returning the mini fridge or could not return it, their money going straight down the drain.
But that’s all irrelevant now. There is no point in mulling over this inconvenient circumstance anymore because it is going to happen. The plans have been set in motion and the first-year students have no choice but to comply and move out of their dorm rooms. No opinions, no say, no choice.
