Because Aquinas Hall will be under construction next year due to renovations, upperclassmen are being asked to apply to live there for a 20 percent housing discount, according to Vice President of Student Services Tracy Gottlieb.
Gottlieb added that residents can reserve a new third-floor dorm room once they are finished for the second half of the semester.
"Our thoughts are to give older students the first option to go into Aquinas and get a discount," Gottlieb said. "We know that our current students have financial needs."
Gottlieb said that the University also does not want to throw freshmen into a building that is undergoing construction because they are already homesick and in an unfamiliar environment.
"(Upperclassmen are) already content at the University. The construction noise is just one less thing to worry about," Gottlieb said.
Freshman Kenny Spudic said the discount paired up with the construction noise is a "double whammy."
"I suppose with a discount, I could try to put up with it," Spudic said. "And I could switch during (roommate switch day) if I really couldn't handle it."
Sophomore Bob Scussel was not exactly warm to the idea of living in Aquinas, but he said with a 20 percent discount and judging on how "annoying" the construction would be, he would consider it.
"I don't like the smell of (Aquinas), the basement is a dungeon, but a 20 percent discount is not a bad idea," Scussel said. "It depends on how annoying the construction would be there."
According to Gottlieb, the University knows that construction is not going to be pleasant, but all of the really loud construction will be done over the summer, which will be the framing of the building.
"A lot of the heavy noise will be done during the summer," Gottlieb said. "I know it's annoying to hear hammers and saws."
She added that construction would only be going on during the morning, so residents may want to consider taking early morning classes.
Gottlieb said she wants to hear feedback from students for this idea, and to have upperclassmen who want to be helpful apply for this housing.
"If a student has an idea, I would love to hear it," Gottlieb said.
Junior Chris Kosmyno said he still considers Aquinas to be freshmen housing, so he would not want to live there.
"I still think it's a nice idea that they're renovating it," Kosmyno said.
Gottlieb said,"this is really a win-win for a student who wants to save money."
Gottlieb added that the University is handling this construction in the best known way so as to not cause detriment to any student.
Lindsay Rittenhouse can be reached at lindsay.rittenhouse@student.shu.edu.
