UC wins $128,000,000 to build more student housing

The reason they build apartments under NRAS is because that is what it takes to get NRAS funding. NRAS wasn’t designed with student accommodation in mind, it was designed with the private rental market in mind, so dorm-style accommodation is out.

The other kicker with NRAS is that the rental contracts have to be for 52 weeks of the year to qualify for the on-going funding, where as the standard practice in student accommodation is ~40 ish week contracts which just cover the academic year so that those who go home for the summers don’t have to keep paying rent.

The NRAS apartments always seem to be swanky, expensive apartments instead of student dorms. Places like Unilodge and the big blocks of studios at ANU take the fun, collegiality and affordability out of uni accommodation. It’s really detrimental to student life… I hope they use this money wisely rather than building more privatised yuppie university villages.

LootenPlunder said :

Living on campus is supposed to be the affordable option for those of us who have to pay our own way through uni.

Isn’t it meant to be for people who don’t live locally? Interstate and international students…

I agree with LootenPlunder, living on campus at UC is incredibly expensive for what you get. On top of rent, utilities are $23 per person per week, add on phone line rental, pay per load washing machines (BYO washing machine are prohibited) and the list of charges add up, CLV are raking the money in. I can live much cheaper off campus, although it would be great to be close to lectures/tutes and the library. I couldnt get campus accom in my first year and found prices went up considerably when CLV took over so I was priced out of on campus accommodation by the time I was offered a bed. Classmates who managed to secure campus accommodation complained about how dirty it was. I took this year off to work and save for my last year of uni as I need secure housing and a minimum of financial worries to study effectively, student accommodation doesnt need to be five star: clean, basic, quiet and affordable is a good start.

This is ridiculous. I moved off ressies when I was there, because once it became privatised they stopped giving a crap about the quality, cleanliness and security of life on campus – but at the same time increasing rents to the extent that it was much cheaper to live off campus. Living on campus is supposed to be the affordable option for those of us who have to pay our own way through uni. Those days are long gone at UC, with CLV at the helm. It’s now only viable for those whose parents are paying, or the wealthy international students… whose parents are paying. Not to mention all the new accommodation they’ve thrown up where ressies car parks used to be. What I want to know is, where are these 1360 extra students all going to park?

Wow. When I was a student there on ressies at Reid House, Z Block, I’m sure the whole of Reid House could have been built for about $5000.

Students these days…..harrumph! 5 star uni accommodation. What’s next!? Expecting executive jobs when they graduate probably….