UW insists demand for housing real
University of Wisconsin-Madison officials were circulating a memo to lawmakers today to back up their contention that they need more on-campus housing space.
The memo contradicts a letter Madison landlord Steve Brown sent lawmakers last week, disputing the need for housing projects that were included in the Senate version of the budget. He insists the school has enough space to provide housing to all freshmen if it wanted to.
See more on Brown's letter below.
But according to the UW memo, the school was not able to provide housing to 679 new students for the 2007-08 academic year. Of those students, 494 asked to be put on a waiting list for fall housing, while the other 185 weren't even given that chance.
The school also argues even if its plans are completed, only 7,368 students would live on campus with the other more than 32,000 living elsewhere. It also argues that students who live on campus do better and pay less for their housing needs than some private residence halls.
See the memo:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/uw_housing.pdf
