FEMA forces Mod closure

As students prepare to select living arrangements for the upcoming school year, Tulane announced a major shift in housing options, including the removal of Modular housing units and a new apartment complex available to upperclassmen.

PHOTO | LEE SAXON | PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

The Modular housing units, which FEMA supplied in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, will close after this semester in accordance with federal regulations.

“Their useful life was five years,” said Mike Hogg, interim vice president for student affairs. “It’s just like what the city did for FEMA trailers. We were granted a slightly longer time period of temporary housing and that period is set to expire so we are obligated to remove them.”

The Papillon Apartments, a Garden District apartment complex that primarily houses graduate students, will now be open to upperclassmen to help alleviate the demand for on-campus housing.

“Tulane University purchased the Papillon on Josephine Street after Hurricane Katrina in order to house faculty, staff and graduate students,” assistant director of housing Celena Trahan said.

Trahan said the addition of the 116-unit apartment building will afford upperclassmen the opportunity to remain close to campus.

“We started to make the Papillon an option for seniors last year,” Trahan said. “There was not a lot of interest because most students wanted to stay Uptown rather than live in the Garden District. It is truly an apartment complex with spacious living conditions and can be leased for 12 months.”

Because of its off-campus location, students who choose to live in the Papillon Apartments will be given the ability to commute by bus to Tulane.

“We anticipate that maybe 25 seniors or juniors might join the Papillon community next year,” Trahan said

Freshman William Paxton said he supports the addition of new housing options but believes that  the university must be committed to providing adequate transportation to off-campus residents.

“Housing off-campus is feasible if the university is willing to offer adequate transportation to campus,” Paxton said. “This would negate the distance. I think it is a positive development to have another dorm for upperclassmen, but that is only helpful if they provide some assistance.”

Despite the addition of the apartment complex, the closing of the modular housing units and the transition of the Willow Residences to an all-sophomore building will decrease the available housing for upperclassmen in the near future.

“We will have fewer bed spaces available for juniors and seniors next year until the new Residential College opens in August, 2011,” Trahan said.

Freshman Nick Cox said that the acquisition of the Papillon Apartments has not alleviated his concerns about housing for upperclassmen.

“Tulane should be doing more to provide housing for juniors and seniors,” Cox said. “Now we have one dorm for upperclassmen on campus and another one several miles away. I don’t think that is good enough.”