Todd Vanderwerff

The recent decision to close Bailey Hall to non-sophomores and make double rooms out of the traditionally single Wecota Annex rooms has some students up in arms.

“It is a very emotional issue for us because we love living on campus,” international student Mohammed “Ozzie” Ahmad said.

Ahmad convened with several other students at Monday night’s Students’ Association Senate meeting to register their complaint with the decision.

Some students went so far as to hang up parody signs in a form of protest.

A Bailey Hall student took Outback Jacks’ poster for the off-campus housing fair and changed the names of the several apartment complexes attending to off-beat suggestions for those who have been forced off-campus by the residential life decision.

Among the off-beat suggestions were “live in the Campanile” and “beg your professors to let you live with them.” The posters were hung up around campus, according to SA officials.

Some Bailey Hall residents are not as mad as others.

“I’m all for it. I’m happy that there’s a bigger class than ever,” said sophomore agronomy major Nick Sturm.

The decision to make the single rooms in Wecota Annex into double rooms has angered more people.

“That room is too tiny for two people. There’s no way two people could function in a room that small,” said senior political science major Hallie Thomas, a former resident of Wecota Annex and current resident of Bailey Hall.

The Annex decision also provoked the most debate at the Senate meeting.

Ahmad, who is from England, said that the Annex provides a perfect place for international students, who may not want to live off-campus.

“Coming here from abroad, we have a zero credit rating. Who is going to lease us a house? Where are we going to get a car?” Ahmad said.

Ahmad feared losing the informal mentoring system that occurs on a floor where older international students and American students live together. He said the American students help mentor the international students in American culture, while the international students teach Americans about their culture and also help younger students with classes.

Dean of Student Affairs Marysz Rames said that international student housing options will continue to be available in family student housing, which is located on campus to the south of Binnewies Hall.

Ahmad, however, warned that the consequences of residential life’s decisions may be dire.

“If upperclassman who have invested time and money into their education at SDSU and can’t afford off-campus housing, it will make it difficult for them to finish their degree,” Ahmad said.

Additional reporting on this article was done by Jared Clark.