Comments on: 1,992 students not offered campus accommodation this year; OSA’s explanation dissatisfying

By: nubeals

nubeals — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:42:11 +0000

As the next semester arrives, I imagine hordes of people with their luggage, occupying the spaces at lounges and the foyer in PGPR, around YIH and everywhere. It will be a sight.

I might be one of them too if my appeal doesn’t get through. So see you there! Hah!

Why can’t they just build a block with double occupancy rooms and house everyone there? Or those huge, discriminating Type A rooms in PGPR - convert them to double occupancy. I mean, we need solutions now, why can’t OSA see that? I don’t want a room in 2010 after I graduate (although that could be nice :P).

I hate the way they have better tiles, curtains, chairs and services for Type A residents. Sure they pay more - but they pay more for air-con and attached washroom. What are the other benefits for? And apparently, they forced students out of other residences that were being shut down, but although Residence 2 (type A rooms) was being shut down too, they didn’t force students to vacate rooms. If you go there you will see the rooms being occupied.

By: d3ject

d3ject — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:06:17 +0000

Has anyone looked at the trend of the acceptance rates for local students? I expect that less local students will be staying next semester due to the fee hike, so is it a matter of the university taking in more international students that it can handle?
Also, I believe that the statement regarding rooms reserved for USP students is incorrect. The rooms are not left empty till a USP student decides to live in the residences. The allocation is done around the same period as the allocation for everyone else. I’m not going to argue about whether USP students deserve such rights, but it’s not going to be fair to suddenly tell them that they have no rooms either.

By: DA

DA — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:59:31 +0000

It seems like everyone conveniently forgot that numerous rooms are “reserved” for USP students in campus. These rooms are left empty until a USP student decides to live in the residences.

By: mushroom

mushroom — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:02:51 +0000

i think the system which guarantee all international students on-campus accommodation for 1st and 2nd year is one of the contributing factors of the problem. Many 1st yr international students with zero CCA point get to stay which is unfair for those 2nd & 3rd yr international students who worked hard for CCA pts but cant get to stay. I am an international student myself but i think it is fairer if every1 is competing based on what they have contributed throughout the year.

By: no place to stay

no place to stay — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:12:47 +0000

camp outside OSA, University Hall, in the Forum, SRC Field… no choice lah~

By: chinapower

chinapower — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:52:05 +0000

I do think the priority should be given to overseas students. I am personally an international student. Frankly, I will stay in my home if I studied in my home country. However, here, we do not have a choice. The housing fee around NUS is damn high now. I do not think international students can not afford it.
The CCA system also has problem.

By: fabs

fabs — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:40:21 +0000

loopholes? i think rather loopholes in OSA answers/replies. i may get accommodation for my 2nd year but i may affect me in the next two years. OSA pls find off-campus accommodation for those not allocated fast, i mean really fast within the next 2-3 weeks so they have the peace of mind to have their break back in their home country.

By: carlzeisser

carlzeisser — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 10:23:30 +0000

how about auctioning the rooms on ebay.sg LOL

By: tj78

tj78 — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 07:48:24 +0000

so what are the student suppose to do now? go back to our home countries and wait till 2010? It seems to me at OSA has not put ‘emselves into the students’ shoes and consider our welfare. all the talk of 2010 is meaningless to those who are without housing this year.

the use of cca points is a vicious cycle itself. Everyone is aware tt some org are giving out cca points a in more unregulated manner, just so that whoever their members get higher cca points. isnt this a reason strong enough to abolish the cca system?