The Office of Residential Life operates on a separate budget from that of the College, funded by money from student housing payments, Redman said. During the Summer term, ORL supplements this money by hosting conferences and summer camps, as well as housing alums and student families during commencement and reunion activities, since students are not occupying most dormitories.
Although ORL's budget is separate, the office acquires loans through the College, Redman said. He added that the amount of funding available for loans through the College is in part influenced by the priorities of its president.
"I have heard that [President-elect Jim Yong Kim] has an interest in what he has referred to as gender-equity issues' on campus," he said. "As he sets his priorities and determines what is important the question of housing for Alpha Phi could move up or down on what I imagine is a very large list of things he would like to accomplish."
ORL postponed construction plans for the physical plant of Alpha Phi sorority, Redman said, because there is not enough cash available to fund the project. Kappa Delta sorority, which will begin recruitment in the fall, will not be given a physical plant until Alpha Phi's project is completed, he said.
"I had a very frank conversation with the national representatives [of Kappa Delta sorority] and told them that I cannot provide housing for them at this time," Redman said. "I would like to in the future, but I am not sure when or how."
Current construction projects, however, are progressing on schedule, he said. Major renovations to the Gold Coast and Delta Delta Delta sorority's physical plant should be completed by the fall, as well as renovations to 17 East Wheelock Street the site of the new physical plant for Alpha Xi Delta sorority.
"At this point I see no reason for either of those three projects to be delayed and delay students being able to get in," Redman said.
Tri-Delt is the final physical plant of a College-owned Greek organization to be fully renovated.
"It is the last in our cycle, because when we started 10 years ago it was the best in our cycle," Redman said.
The house is being freshly painted and carpeted, and the bathrooms are being renovated, he said. A new heating system and roof are also being installed. Redman said that the cost of the project will total approximately $1 million.
Smaller construction projects slated for this summer include repainting bedrooms in La Casa and the Latin American Latino and Caribbean Studies house, replacing furniture and carpeting and painting some smaller buildings. Residential Life is also remodeling the lounges and kitchens of Fayerweather Hall and Ripley, Woodward and Smith Halls.
"It's cycle stuff that adds up," Redman said. "With painting and carpet alone in a typical summer we'll spend about a million dollars."
Redman said that neglecting the necessary improvements to residential buildings would lead to a greater loss of funds in the future.
Summer term is typically when the College chooses to schedule construction projects, Redman said, but ORL is undertaking its first winter project in the upcoming academic year. Redman said that winter enrollment is low in comparison to Fall and Spring terms, allowing Residential Life to renovate inside the buildings. Last winter, there were 200 unused beds, Redman said.
Redman added that demand for on-campus housing is rising, but so far no students who wanted housing have been refused. This summer, housing is tighter than it has been in the past, with more triples housing three students instead of two, he said.
Redman attributed the rise in demand to higher prices in the local housing market.
Fall housing will also be "very full," Redman said, with more juniors and seniors signed up for room draw than in past years.
