Within the past two weeks, one email caused an uproar among the many students who once lived in The Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel.
On Jan. 31, Residence Life sent out an email to approximately 90 students residing in the HoJo, which said, “We will be consolidating all Howard Johnson Plaza residents to main campus this week.”
The University of Tampa gave students until Feb. 9 to move out of the Howard Johnson and into their new residence halls, according to the email. The University provided boxes and moving supplies as well as a team to move the students’ belongings.
Students said they didn’t understand why they weren’t told over winter break that this was going to happen so they could have prepared and bought the necessary things like twin-sized sheets, TVs and other supplies.
“We settled in and two weeks later we had to pack and unpack everything all over again. This was
so unorganized,” said Pedro Garcia, a freshman and biology major. “This whole thing was unnecessary and unfair. We were treated like pieces in a board game.”
Eric Cardenas, the director of Public Information at UT, relayed information from ResLife to The Minaret. When asked why the sudden move, they explained, “We had the space on campus to accommodate all of the residents so we brought everyone back to campus. Our goal is to house as many students on main campus as possible, and this semester we were able to accomplish that goal.”
Garcia stressed that the moves were not voluntary. “There was no consent from us,’’ he said, “and we were only given a few days notice.’’
“Of course we would preferred to notify students earlier. But, students moved back to campus from winter break on Jan. 16-17,” Cardenas said. “Residence Life may not have necessarily immediately known about students who decided to move off campus, or transfer, and Residence Life would have had to confirm that those students were not returning to campus housing. So, the 30th was the earliest Residence Life could make the notification to Howard Johnson residents.”
Students also wondered how this move would affect their housing payments, as the HoJo is $2,498 per semester for a double and a double in McKay or Smiley is $2,149.
“Students who were moving back to campus had the option of moving into housing that was equal, more than or less than the rate they were paying in the Howard Johnson,” Cardenas said.
Stephen Carse, a freshman pre- dental major, said there were other conflicts beyond the hurried move.
“The RAs of the HoJo decided to take it amongst themselves to kick out the third and fourth floor ten and a half hours early, leaving at least a dozen kids locked out of their rooms with none of their belongings,” Carse
claimed. Cardenas said he had no knowledge that this occurred.
Eliza Turril, a resident assistant at Morsani Hall and senior writing and English major, said students have been moved out of the HoJo in previous years, though not on this scale.
“All I know is that every year they try to get everyone out of the HoJo and on campus because it’s supposed to be a temporary living quarters. People didn’t get kicked out, they’re usually really happy to get a room on campus,” Turril said.
Howard Johnson employees were asked to comment but said they were not permitted to give out any information. Student Government was unaware of the situation.
ResLife staff stated they have not received any comments or complaints due to this move yet.
Additional reporting done by Lauren Richey and Katherine Lavacca.
Wow this is so weird to read! I was just at the Hojo pool a few days before break with some friends and we jokingly asked some of the staff that walked by how much they would miss the kids that used to live there. We were all giggling and didn’t at all expect them to answer, but they actually gave us honest responses. One was a younger guy and seemed really concerned that two female roommates he used to have relations with would no longer be easily at his will call. He seemed WAY more open to talking about it than we were so that got awkward. He also hinted at the fact that he was really bummed out about the dozens of girls that would no longer be at the pool for him to stare at. Quite the pig if you ask me. The other staff member was an older woman who was beyond relieved to have the students out of her hair because of all the remains of “illegal activity” that she would walk in on in the mornings. Apparently she never reported any of it?? Either way the two were an odd pair and I probably won’t be making a trip back to the Hojo any time soon.