Editorial: H&D needs better communication, transparency

By Thresher Editorial Board     4/12/17 8:00am

Rice Housing and Dining’s failure to clearly communicate this year’s change in the move-out date for nongraduating students is disappointing. Yes, students must read every contract in full before signing, however, the reality is that a major change was included in an eight page legal document without any explanation from H&D. (That a college coordinator did not pick up on this change initially either is also telling.) As Jake Nyquist, who co-sponsored SA legislation with H&D, correctly said, the administration makes an active effort to notify students of major changes in policy. H&D would do well to follow suit in future with simple steps: For example, the Thresher is an accessible platform by which the administration can convey changes to students.

Furthermore, H&D has stubbornly resisted providing the Thresher with clear answers as to why this change is happening. H&D says that it is “aligning” the move-out date with the academic calendar, but when the Thresher asked as to why this change was happening this year specifically, H&D gave a confusing nonanswer about “refund percentages.” H&D’s persistent refusal to provide clear answers for why this change is happening, along with their refusal to acknowledge that the change could have been more adequately communicated, is frustrating and disappointing.

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