Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Students Arrive at Ga. University to Unfinished Housing

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/18/21

On the campus of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Ga., nearly 500 students arrived to move into their dorm last weekend—only to be told that the building was still under renovation.

Construction delays at CAU Suites and Heritage Commons left the university scrambling to accommodate 464 students with cars packed full of moving boxes and nowhere to unload them. University President George T. French released a statement on Sunday taking responsibility for the situation and asking for forgiveness.

“It is indefensible. As the ‘Buck stops’ with me, I prefer to acknowledge this dereliction and ask your forgiveness rather than making excuses,” said French. “Right now, we are speaking with students and families to listen to their concerns and to let them know we understand. We are working diligently to resolve this issue and are offering temporary housing and transportation solutions until the renovations are complete.”

The university has moved most of the displaced students to off-campus student housing at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center, about 5 miles away. Others were placed in hotel rooms up to 20 minutes away from campus. In addition to paying for the hotel, French said that the university will pay for parking and shuttle service for students to go to and from campus for classes, meals and other activities.

The university said that affected students will receive a 50% refund for the entire semester’s room fee. According to local news, last year’s housing costs ranged from $3,000 to $4,750 per semester.

French also said that construction crews are working “around the clock” to get the building ready for move-in, but the university has not provided a timeline for when the work will be finished. Renovations include replacing damaged pipes, ceiling tiles, floors and water heaters, as well as adding new furniture for individual rooms. No explanation was provided for why the project ran behind schedule. The university declined to name a price for the renovations, but they did say that no federal pandemic funds were used.

Students and parents have expressed frustration at the lack of communication from the university more than the delays in construction. “It’s an error that Clark made, and they need to own it,” said Tewana Nelson, a parent who drove from North Carolina. “They never gave us the indication that the building that the dorms they were supposed to stay in were under renovation.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.