Mark Braboy
Staff Writer
In an effort to meet overwhelming demand for on campus housing, Jackson State University leased the Travelodge Inn and Suites to become the new Tiger Plaza dormitory. Located on 400 Greymont Ave. near the Mississippi State Fairgrounds, the former hotel-turned dorm accommodates male students of all classifications with 120 rooms holding two or three students.
The facility, which had to undergo an extensive facelift, opened Saturday, August 24th.
Dr. Marcus A. Chanay, JSU Vice President for Student Life, said after on-campus residence halls reached full capacity due to enrollment, alternative housing was sought.
“We wanted to try to provide be best service we can for our students and accommodate their requests for housing,” said Chanay. “We had a challenge, but we are trying to make sure that students in Tiger Plaza have the same services as other students on the main campus.”
The univeristy will reevaluate the situation after the 9-month lease is up. “In the meantime, we are in a full-fledged search to obtain or to build additional housing,” said Chanay.
When entering Tiger Plaza, students and guests are greeted with a bright redecorated interior that includes new furniture and equipment. The rooms have been renovated into traditional dormitory fashion with twin beds, wardrobes, desks, and private bathrooms. A computer lab, Wi-Fi and cable are also included along with transportation via JSU shuttle buses and regular meal plans apply.
Security is also heavily enforced on the premises by JSU campus police with the help of the Jackson Police Department. The area also includes multiple cameras set up inside and outside the premises. Nearly $800,000 was invested to make the facility more livable.
The remodeling of the freshman dormitory, F.O. Alexander Hall and the proposed shut down of Stewart Hall, also impacted the demand for on-campus housing.
Tiger Plaza was originally planned to be a co-ed complex, but since its opening, the female students have now been assigned to Stewart Hall, which will be opened for its last year.
Tiger Plaza has been received by the residents with mixed feelings.
Adrian Appleby, a senior criminal justice major from Indianapolis, Ind., said “Tiger Plaza is pretty cool. It’s just they have to work on toning down the security in the front because they’re just kind of turning people away. Other than that, they need to get the internet running, get the washing machines running, and besides that everything is okay.”
Rondeshello Dotson, a junior accounting major from Vicksburg, Miss., said “The living conditions are good. As far as the room, it’s only you and another roommate; then you have a bathroom where you and the other person share it, so you’ll know who’s going in and out the bathroom. And then you get to know who’s using the facility personally. It would have been better if it was closer to the campus itself. The ride is a bit far, but it’s quiet and you don’t have disturbances in the middle of the night. It’s okay.”
Some students have been unsatisfied with living in Tiger Plaza, mainly saying that it is an inconvenience to class schedule as well as some of the utilities not working.
Alvin Perkins, a senior marketing and finance major from Jackson, Miss., said “Basically living on Tiger Plaza as a senior, I’m a part of a lot of research groups, so not having a car puts me at a hindrance for my matriculation at Jackson State. The shuttle bus stops at 10, but the library closes at 12 and that two hour gap is a major difference between me getting an A and getting a D. Also, we don’t have Wi-Fi yet, so we’re not able to do any work if we did have a computer. The shuttle services don’t always come on time either.”
Demeshun Jackson, a senior physical education major from Memphis, Tenn., said “It’s hard to get to stuff on campus, waiting on the shuttle bus. That’s a struggle because you’re on someone else’s schedule. Then it’s hot outside and you’re waiting on the shuttle while you could be in your room. Then you have to go from the hotel to the school just to eat and it’s not as convenient as living on campus.”
JSU is not the only Mississippi university facing housing issues. Mississippi Valley State reportedly had to move more than 100 upperclassmen to two different hotels in Greenwood, Miss., offering students similar features to those of Tiger Plaza.
Demand for Housing at JSU (YouTube VIDEO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kul2BC43JUw
