SAN ANTONIO – Nearly 100 Texas A&M San Antonio students called a hotel room this semester because there weren’t enough dorms on campus. Your suitcases must be packed and removed by the check-out on Saturday morning.
TAMUSA student Lily Reimherr Buckert first broke the story in an article published in the student newspaper The Mesquite.
“To be honest, it was a bit personal because I live in the dormitories,” said Reimherr Buckert. “I was wondering what my options would be for next year.”
Students staying at the hotel do not have a meal plan, but their stay, like other hotel guests, includes free breakfast and housekeeping.
“We definitely enjoyed the free breakfast, but everything else was the same (compared to the dorms),” said Bernice Correa. Correa is a junior at TAMUSA and lives in one of the two hotels on the south side of the city.
A lack of planning and space mean that 120 students live in the hotels.
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“We didn’t take any more reservations in late summer, but we already had around 150 students who want to move in,” said Don Albrecht. Albrecht is a special assistant and chief of staff for academic success and commitment.
Currently that number has dropped to 97.
Hotel life for students is $ 1,500 cheaper per semester than living in Esperanza Hall, the university’s only dormitory, which has approximately 375 students.
Each student shares their small room with an assigned roommate. Similar to the dormitories, every hotel has a designated Resident Advisor or RA.
“It’s pretty neat,” said Michelle Irving. Irving is classified as a junior. It is her first year at TAMUSA. “The RAs are very (approachable). You can talk to them anytime and they will give you contact information and everything you need. “
Other students like Janie Serna say it’s an unusual setup.
“Of course not the meal plan and the shuttle (it’s heavy),” said Serna.
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Freshmen will be returning to the hotel for the spring semester and hope that the university will clarify some questions.
“Only the shuttle, because the (shuttle) times would change a lot,” said Serna. “So sometimes we missed (the shuttle) or just waited a long time.”
Both hotels are about a 15-minute drive from the campus.
“You leave (campus) on the hour and leave the hotels on the half hour,” said Albrecht.
For other students, hotel life has influenced their college experience.
“(I want) more space and more privacy,” Correa said. “Also, I thought I connected more (with students) than I was in the dorms. You know more about events at school when you’re in the dorms … (because) they put it up everywhere. “
In contrast to the dormitories, all students have to check out of their hotel rooms by Saturday.
“I think that’s kind of an offset,” said Irving. “It’s not a dorm (where) you can just leave your things, but I mean, it kind of prepares you (for the future). If you live in an apartment, you have a rental agreement and then have to move out by a certain date. “
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Irving is scheduled to move back into the hotel on January 7th. So far, TAMUSA is expecting 69 more students who will live in a hotel room in the spring semester.
According to the university administration, some Esperanza Hall students have chosen to add a fifth person to their dormitory for a reduced price. However, the actual solution should only come after about a year and a half.
“The A&M System Board of Regent meets in February and again in May,” said Albrecht. “We plan to come up with suggestions and details (for a new dormitory) at these meetings. The system works with us to develop these plans and inquiries (for) the financial part of it. “
If approved, construction could begin in summer 2021. According to Albrecht, the aim is “to have the new plant in operation by autumn 2023”.
The new student dormitory would also accommodate around 375 students.
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