The Cal Poly Humboldt student body filled the campus quad this morning to speakout and protest against the university’s questionable housing arrangements for returning students.
Frustration and concern sparked last weekend when the school updated their housing options for returning students–having them choose between three local motels for housing–each only offering about 100 beds.
Many took to the microphone to voice their thoughts on this highly stressful issue; speak about their experiences with homelessness; share their support; and express their overall frustration with Cal Poly Humboldt’s administration.
“It’s not right to put your students who have been committed here before the name change, it’s not right to just kick them out,” Cal Poly student said.
“The only other thing I have to say to the administration is what would your mother think?” Cal Poly student said.
Students are also concerned about students with disabilities getting to and from campus when the motels are located in the Valley West area.
“How are disabled students going to be going from the hotels to campus?” Cal Poly student said.
The California Faculty Association (CFA) came out in solidarity–knowing that this housing crisis will greatly impact the lives of students and faculty.
“We need to support them,” Marisol Ruiz, a member of the CFA and a Prof. in the School of Education said. “I am always about free education, free housing for our students, so we support them so that they get their education.”
“Value the people that are committed to the institution, value our counselors; they are committed to the institution; value the students we have here, they are committed to our situation,” Loren Cannon, the Chapter Pres. of the CFA at Cal Poly Humboldt said. “They are right here in our residence, value the people that are here; I think that’s an important lesson that I think the administration needs to hear.”
With an increase in enrollment–concerns for safety and housing security are running through thoughts of the continuing students. Arcata already has a limited housing supply and with a housing project set to be finished near the Fall of 2025 the threat of homelessness or even returning back home is a rising concern.
“If you don’t have one basic need met, which is housing; we’re not here to learn, we’re here to survive.” Chelsea Rios, an Intern at the Students for Quality Education said.
Administration has not followed up with any more updates.
