WCC Housing Deposit Notice and a Letter

Students / parents,

Anyone that gets a similar letter in to cashier - please  contact bwitanek@igc.org - confidentiality if requested will be honored.

UPDATE February 14, 2017

Still no reply.  I might give it another day or two and then go all Michael Moore on the cashier's office (and wherever they send me) - going there with a video helper and ask the question - can Rider guarantee that 2017 - 18 will be 100% at Princeton?

I am thinking that suggestions that the announcement of the sale might be delayed into March might be to accommodate the Housing deposit collection which is due March 1 - ever think of that?

UPDATE February 13. 2017

After one full business day, the cashier's office has not answered the inquiry as to what exactly the deposit is for - what housing in what location.

That could mean:
1. She did not get to it yet.
2. She is checking with legal / administration to see how to answer the question carefully.
3. The administration could be withholding the information since it wants to keep all options (including immediate vacate of Princeton property) open.
4. Perhaps administration will simply ignore the question since I am the only one who has asked it in connection to the housing deposit - and if they lose our deposit it is less of a burden than if the student body were to know what the true plans are for 2017 - 2018 WCC location.

Hopefully at least one other student or parent will write a similar letter very soon!

Did you get your request for housing deposit yet for Westminster Choir College 2017-2018 school year?

Please check out the template for a letter below.  I have sent this letter and will share the information I receive.  No answer I will assume to mean that Rider is not making any guarantees for 2017-2018 school year.

It would be awesome for sure if other parents or if students were to send a similar letter.  This is one 

language the administration might understand – the language of housing deposits possibly being delayed and the idea that students and families might be evaluating their options. 

I hereby invite others to join me in sending a similar letter – you can borrow the text, change it as you like or write your own letter.  I strongly recommend that the suggestion of not fulfilling the deposit in your letter to catch the attention of administration.  Of course the other bills will soon be trickling in – I recommend that everyone know exactly what they are paying for and to ask administration.

If you decide you want to stay even if the campus moves – there is nothing wrong with that – but it is best to know what you are deciding upon when you start plunking the deposits down.  When you are ponying up, it might just be the best time to ask!

Activist Approach to Fighting the Move, JOIN:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1820836201505158/ 

LETTER TEMPLATE:

Sent to: melas@rider.edu CC: mshaftel@rider.edu; president@rider.edu ; gdellomo@rider.edu

Dear cashier’s office,

Recently, I received a bill for a deposit to reserve a housing spot for the 2017- 2018 school year at Westminster Choir College.

Given the tenuous position the campus and college, as well as Rider University currently is in, before we make any commitment to housing on the Westminster Campus, we would like to know exactly what will be the housing situation.

Does Westminster Choir College and Rider University guarantee that the housing will be on the Princeton campus for the complete 2017-2018 school year?

Is it possible that 2017 fall will not be  in Princeton?

Is it possible that 2018 spring will not be in Princeton?

Is it possible that there could be a mid-semester move during either of those two semesters?

Will all the classes, programs and services, at the current service levels, be provided on the Westminster Choir College Princeton Campus?

If you do not know the definite answer to any of these questions, an answer that you can commit to, please let me know that you do not know or you can not commit to a Yes on any of those questions.

Basically you have asked for payment and I am asking, payment for exactly what?

That is certainly a reasonable question.

Please answer as soon as possible so that I can consider exactly what we are paying for before submitting the housing deposit.

Sincerely,

cc. President Dell Omo
Dean Shaftel