Auburn University announced its Masterlease agreement with 160 Ross, an apartment complex east of the core campus, in February after approval from the University Board of Trustees. This agreement stated that about half of the complex would be used for campus housing, while the other half would continue to be used for residents who signed leases with the apartment complex.
LaDarius Price, junior in early childhood education, is one of the new residents of the on-campus housing sector of 160 Ross.
“I think most of the campus housing residents are upperclassmen; I have yet to meet any freshmen,” Price said. “I really cannot tell the difference between who is a campus housing resident and who is an off-campus resident.”
Price said the dorm is set up with everyone having their own bedroom and bathroom. There is a full-size kitchen with a stove, oven, refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave. There is also a washer and dryer in a closet in the shared common space.
“I was originally signed up for South Donahue, The Village or the Quad,” Price said. “Then, they told me I had been assigned to 160 Ross, which I was fine with. They told me my assignment in either March or April.”
Price said that he really enjoys living in 160 Ross and that he feels like it has a lot of perks. He said his only complaint was the street noise that East Glenn Avenue brings into his apartment.
Price said the walk to campus is very doable and that it doesn’t bother him. He said he felt that housing approved by Auburn was a safer option because he is more comfortable with living in campus housing.
For students like Tucker Brant, sophomore in management of industrial systems, this transition came as a shock. Brant stated that he signed his lease with 160 Ross approximately a week before the announcement came that the University had paired with the complex.
“It’s interesting to know that I am in my apartment off campus, yet I still see resident assistants,” Brant said. “Although it is nice that the shuttle buses now come here.”
Brant said that 160 Ross was a definite improvement from his dorm that he lived in during the previous school year. However, he said he wished that the University had told students there was going to be campus housing at 160 Ross so that he could have saved money using the Alabama Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program. The PACT Program is used for tuition, housing and other college expenses.
“I was disappointed and annoyed that I did not know the University was pairing with 160 Ross,” Brant said. “I wish I had known because I could have used part of my PACT Program plan I have for on-campus housing.”
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