Ohio University students living on campus might have to pay to house out-of-town visitors during fest weekends next quarter.
Similar to Halloween, when guests are charged $25 to stay the weekend on campus, Executive Director for Residential Housing Christine Sheets said that a focus group has been formed to possibly implement a similar fee during Spring Quarter.
The committee, which consists of five Residential Housing employees and three students, is looking at four particular weekends, Sheets said.
Targeted weekends include: High and Ark fest, Palmer Place fest and Palmerfest, Oak and Mill fests, and 8Fest weekends, which begin on April 22, May 6, May 13 and May 20, respectively.
“The reason Halloween was mentioned is so we have some consistency on events that are impacting the residence hall system but aren’t necessarily hosted by the institution,” Sheets said.
A recommendation will be made sometime next week, said Sheets, adding that she will pass on the recommendations to Kent Smith, vice president for Student Affairs.
Although administrators are unsure how much OU would charge, Sheets said the money would go toward educating on-campus residents on facility preservation and practicing “safe fun.”
“We want students to safeguard themselves from getting arrested or injured and just having safe fun,” Sheets said. “We want them to have fun.”
Charging out-of-town guests to stay on campus would take away from what makes the fests special, said Colin Rhodes, a sophomore studying human biology.
“It all depends on what the price would be. I think it’s reasonable to a certain point, but what makes the fests what they are, is the fact that (they’re) free and anyone can come,” Rhodes said. “I think paying would make it lose some of its value.”
Charlotte Gross, a sophomore studying nursing, said she plans to have guests during the spring fest season, but would think twice if the charge were implemented.
“This is not reasonable,” Gross said. “The spring is where all the fun is.”
Sophomore Elijah Neeley said after damage was done to the dorm he was living in last year, he can see where Residential Housing is coming from.
“I’m not planning on having anyone stay, but I can understand why they want to charge,” Neeley said. “Last year after Palmerfest, there was a sink and a drinking fountain broken in my dorm.”
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