The Y (which is very much not the YMCA).

Plimpton residents, you could have it worse. Barnard really, really, lacks space. A tipster forwarded us this “email [that] students received who are returning from time off, and (possibly) all transfers also.”

The email opens ominously:

Thank you for applying for on-campus housing and for your patience as the College waits to see if any additional space opens up for the Fall. At this point, we are still not able to offer you a room assignment.

Barnard Housing subsequently encourages these students to find an off-campus apartment, then a room at the 92nd Street Y. Finally, it bumps an old-fashioned SRO at the Brandon Residency for Women, whose rules read that male visitors are allowed “[o]nly on the first floor, in the main sitting room.”

We’re wondering whether students forced to live off-campus lose some financial aid, and we’re looking into it. (especially since the Brandon requires residents to buy breakfast and dinner every day.)

N.B. This is for students who took time off, and possibly transfers. Students who went abroad keep housing.

Update, 1:07 pm: We contacted Barnard Financial Aid, but they said that the director isn’t in, and will get back to us on Monday.

Update, 2:38 pm: Though Barnard Financial Aid hasn’t told us anything, we did find the below on Barnard ResLife. (emphasis ours)

Please note that housing options like The Bayit and International House are not considered part of undergraduate housing and are not part of the Barnard/Columbia Housing Exchange. Students who move into these locations would cease to be eligible for participation in the Room Selection process and would loose their guarantee of housing for future semesters. Additionally, students who choose to live in these locations would be classified by the Barnard Financial Aid office as living off-campus and would eligible for less financial aid.

Full email:

From: “Residential Life & Housing” <housing@barnard.edu>

Date: August 10, 2012 10:45:43 AM CDT

To: [redacted]@barnard.edu

Cc: [redacted]@gmail.com

Subject: Housing update

Dear [redacted]:

Thank you for applying for on-campus housing and for your patience as the College waits to see if any additional space opens up for the Fall.

At this point, we are still not able to offer you a room assignment. While the College may receive a few additional cancellations prior to the start of the academic year, we cannot predict if or how many spaces would open up for assignment. You remain on our Wait List (unless you contact us to let us know you’ve made other arrangements) and we will contact you via email if we are able to offer you a room assignment.

Students without a housing assignment are still encouraged to look for off-campus housing. Resources for finding off-campus housing include the Columbia Off-Campus Housing Assistance office (http://columbia.edu/cu/ire/ocha/) and the Roommate Finder on the Res Life Web Portal (http://barnardreslife.org/roommate-finder/).

The College has been able to confirm availability of housing at the 92nd St. Y (http://www.92y.org/Residence.aspx). If you contact them and let them know that you’re a Barnard student, they can offer you a special price. The Y offers flexible stay lengths, 24-hour security, kitchens on each floor, laundry, WiFi, maid and bed linen service, and access to the Y’s gym facilities. We have attached a brochure.

There is a limited amount of space available at the Y; so if you are interested, we encourage you to contact them as soon as possible. Please note that you would contract with and pay the Y directly (i.e. it would not be billed through the College). If you have questions about how this would work with financial aid, we encourage you to contact the Financial Aid office (finaid@barnard.edu).

Another option for off-campus housing that you may want to contact to inquire about availability is the Brandon Residence for Women (http://www.thebrandon.org/), which is located on the Upper West Side.

If you have already made other arrangements for housing this Fall and/or no longer wish to live in campus housing, we would appreciate you replying to this email to let us know.

Thank you,

Barnard Residential Life & Housing