University confirms no residence closures this year

Jacqueline Perlin
Assistant News Editor
Though students are beginning to settle on and off campus for the new school year, the university is seeing a decline in student residence applications, raising questions of further potential residence closures.

“It’s clear that residence applications are dropping, so the number of students living in residence is decreasing heavily,” says vp students Rob Tiffin. “Which is, of course, what happened with Founders [residence].”
After the closure of Founders residence last year, the university commissioned a report dealing with housing at York. This report will be available to the public mid-September.
With the construction of the York subway stop, he explains, students would have even more housing options available to them on and off campus.
“[Our next step] is a consultation process that will review the demand of housing at York and housing in general from every angle possible,” says Rob Castle, senior advisor to the vp finance and administration at York.
He elaborates that a consultation process must occur before any decisions are made regarding residence closure.
Castle confirmed no residences will close this year.
“The rumors that residences will be closing is really just a case of bad broken telephone,” Castle says.

President Shoukri also confirmed that the university was not considering any residence closures.
“Just to be clear here, this rumour is totally unfounded.” he says. “I don’t know where this rumour is coming from. That said […] I’m concerned with the long-term interest of the university. Residence is very important, and […] we need to create an environment that will keep the students here.” He explains that he has asked finance and administration to complete a long-term review of residences at York.
Nevertheless, assistant director of residence life Ian Crookshank, who reviews residence life at York, admits residence closure “might be something [the university] is considering.”
“The complex one area residences [like Stong and Winters] have a high deferred maintenance cost,” says Crookshank, referring to the high costs associated with keeping the residences open.
However, he cites the importance of residence buildings in student experience and student life.
“If the university does close residences it will have a huge impact […] students receive a network of friends and support from residence dons and co-ordinators,” says Crookshank.
Various housing options will continue to become available to students as the subway construction continues, says Chris Wong of the York University Development Corporation (YUDC).