THE BATTALlOi
NEWS IN BRIEF
nen in Time
rds presented
members of the Jeis
lommunity were awaid
in in Time Awards Fridai:
:koff of a week of activiii
ating Women's Histr
i.
oerly Brown, assistantfj
of English, and n -
port, associate p
icational psychology, w
ited faculty awards,
staff award was present!
le Hayes, a construrti
an in the physical pk
:ment.
ida Bethman, projii
nator for the Womei
, received the administti
and the student aw
to Sara Allenson, a seni
ss management major
wds gather
upport Bush
ISTON (AP) - Crow!
ed in two Texas citit
ay to support Presidf
e W. Bush's stand agaii
?ader Saddam Hussein,
owd of more than 7,00(li
Selma, while an aufa
ween 8,000 and 10,08
d and waved flags wki
ig to speakers at a dn
fouston plaza, accordinj
rers, who work for rai
s owned by Clear Chanrt
unications Inc.
awhile, thousands
ad into a
in plaza in support of Bus
Aggielife
The Battalion
Page 3 • Monday, March 3, 2003
tthews said she
reinsure of information!
its, admitting that!
herself up on the Pick-
Web site when it fits
But she said the sit
work best if every perse
.iss wrote a review.
Pick-A-Prof servit
as a pilot program
and the University
at Austin, and is now®
'ii more than 50 campus
wide.
= 1
itions
7,
Off-campus residents struggle
with maintenancey landlord problems
C
By Kellie Potucek
THE BATTALION
When Colleen Roney and her roommates moved into their
College Station apartment in August, they did not find the
home-away-from-home they had expected.
“We were pretty disappointed with the condition of the apart
ment when we first got there. The place was filthy and there was a
big hole in the bathroom ceiling where the vent should have been,”
said Roney, a junior accounting major.
Roney said she was driven to write letters of complaint to the
main managerial office in Houston and to the local office before her
requests were finally addressed by her apartment complex.
“It's ridiculous how you call the office everyday and they prom
ise to get the job completed, but nothing is fixed,” she said. “It was
three months before that fan was finally replaced.”
Leaky faucets, gaping holes, clogged dishwashers and pesky
rodents are just a few of the many problems faced by students who
live off campus. Home is supposed to be a place of refuge and com
fort, but tenants are often plagued by inadequate living conditions
compounded by unresponsive landlords. By signing a lease, renters
agree to pay for their dwelling and the service necessary to maintain
it. Unfortunately, some do not get what they pay for.
When Jonathan Graves returned from his honeymoon in August,
ns apartment was hotter than it was
outside. Graves said the College
Station landlord responded
quickly but inefficiently to
^his problem.
“The repairman rewired
the air conditioner, mistakenly
making it so the heater would run
all the time instead ” said Graves,
a senior marketing and manage
ment double major.
After additional visits from
the repairman, the heater was no
longer a problem and the air condi
tioner was up and running. Then,
winter came and Graves was in
need of warmth.
“It turns out that the heater
hadn't been a problem because
they had disconnected it all
together,” Graves said.
The maintenance department sent repair
men out four times before finally hiring an
A/C specialist who did the job correctly.
“We got our heater working just last
week ” he said.
Lucas Peterson, a senior psychology
major, said the problems at his College
Station fourplex are especially aggravating because his landlord
lives in Houston.
Peterson said some of his troubles are loose shower knobs, a toi
let that is rusted and consistently fails to flush and a leaky air con
ditioner that has flooded the hallway.
“Most of the time, I have to contact a repairman and then show
the receipts to my landlord if I want a job done,” he said.
“Otherwise, my landlord comes and rigs whatever is broken so it
will work for a week, and then it will break again.”
Wendy Merkel, an assistant manager at a College Station apart
ment complex, said her establishment recently underwent a mainte
nance reform after residents were not satisfied with work order
turnover rates.
“Since the change, work orders are knocked out every day,”
she said.
However, tenants who want exceptions from set rules are a regu
lar problem, Merkel said. While most common requests are for early
move-in dates or early breaks in leases, requirements are in place so
that business can run smoothly, she said.
“This is a very mandated business that requires (management) to
follow guidelines and red tape,” she said.
So what can students do to expedite repair issues? The Texas
Apartment Association's Web site, www.taa.org, answers renters’
and landlords’ questions. According to the site, one step to solve
repair issues is derived from this simple rule of thumb: proof mat
ters. Often students file grievances by calling their leasing office.
While quick and convenient, this method offers no evidence that a
complaint was ever filed. That is not to say students should not use
their phone to initially make a complaint, but they should record the
name of the person they spoke with and follow up with a letter. The
site also recommends that renters sign and date the document and
keep a copy on file.
TAA recommends that if the maintenance department says there
will be a delay in service, renters should demand to know why.
Tenants should also inquire about getting a specific date of comple
tion promised, also in writing.
Risa Bierman, director of Adult, Graduate & Off-Campus
Student Services, said student versus landlord conflicts are common
issues addressed by her department. Many Bryan and College
Station landlords use the standard TAA lease, which regulates that
immediate action should be taken by the landlord in the case of an
emergency, she said.
The lease defines an emergency as a problem that directly and
immediately endangers the property, health or safety of the tenant.
These problems include water leaks, electrical malfunctions and
missing locks.
In most cases, a -malfunctioning air conditioner does not qualify
as an emergency. Likewise, mice and cockroaches, though irritating,
do not generally pose immediate threats, Bierman said.
Bierman also said it is important to refer to one’s lease and fol
low its proper procedure before jumping into legal actions.
For more infomation on legal options, students should contact
Off-Campus Legal Services at 845-1741 or visit its Web site at
www.studentlife.tamu.edu/ocss. The Web site offers draft letters of
maintenance requests and lease termination notices. The service is
free for currently enrolled students.
DRIVING RANGE+FULLY STOCKED PRO SHOP+PAVED CART PATHS+TWILIGHT RATES-f STUDENT DISCOUNTS
Friday during the fall and spiipK
University holidays and exam peiKdiT
X 77840. POSTMASTER: Send adds
ation.TX 77843-1111.
A&M University in the DivisionolSltf'
14 Reed McDonald
:e: http://www.thebatt.com
endorsement by Tbe Battalion. FottH
d advertising, call 845-0569, Adwii
. Monday through Friday, faxes'
\&M student to pick upasin|leco((l
are $60 per school year, JBOforfc!
large by Visa, MasterCard, DiscowT
Make your mark on the A&M campus before you graduate!
Aggies get your discounted Walk of Champions brick for
$100 before you leave Aggieland. For more information on
ordering your personalized brick, visit our web site at
http://recsports.tamu.edu. Order forms are available.
Live the Excitement with Sports Clubs
Upcoming Events
Rock Climbing 201
Women's Rock Day Trip
Kayak Roll Clinic
TAMU Outdoors is located
Olsen Field. Call 845-451 1
Registration
Jan. 21-March 19
Jan. 21-March 1 8
Jan. 21-March 24
behind the Rec
for information.
Event Date
March 22
March 23
March 25
Center, facing
}|TI
CONGRATULATIONS to the A&M Handball Teams! The men's
team won their 2nd consecutive National Championship in
Portland, Oregon and the women's team took home 3rd
place! The combined teams finished 2nd in the nation.
• W. Rugby vs. Baylor, March 22, 1 1:00 a.m. @ Rugby Pitch
• W. Lacrosse, League game, March 22 @ 12:00 p.m., Penberthy 8
• W. Lacrosse, League game, March 23 @ 11:00 a.m., Penberthy 8
Play a round at the A&M Golf Course
1 It's a great time to play! So many changes are under way at
your A&M Golf course-paved cart paths, full practice facilities,
improved course conditions, and a new driving range to open
soon! Come by and find out why this tradition will continue on
for another 50 years. Student ana twilight rates available, along
with a full line of golfing apparel in the Pro Shop. OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC. Call 845-1723 for tee times.
PRIVATE LESSONS—Whether you want to learn the game or
improve your stroke, our golf pro can get you on track with pri
vate lessons for one or many. Discounts available for larger
groups. Call 845-1723 for more information.
SPRING BREAK TRIPS
• CLIMB HUECO TANKS—-Join TAMU Outdoors on a climbing
adventure in one of the top US bouldering sites. Registration
ends March 3. $265*/$31 8**
• CANOE BIG BEND'S RIO GRANDE—Canoe the scenic
wilderness of the Rio Grande River, hike through side
canyons, explore the desert and sleep under the stars.
Registration ends March 3. $364*/$419**
• HORSEPACK THE TEXAS FRONTIER—Join TAMU Outdoors
on this horseback adventure as we explore the Big Bend
area. Registration ends March 3. $471 */$542**
SUMMER BREAK TRIPS
• SEA KAYAK ALASKA—Explore a portion of the northern wilder-
ness-Alaska's Prince William Sound and Harriman Fjord.
Registration ends April 1. $1,765*/$ 1,950**
• SAIL & SCUBA the Bahamas—Sail on Blackboard's cruise
and trace the historic route of pirate ships and treasure
galleons. Registration ends June 9. $819
reesports. tarn edu
Sports CLOSING:
SWIM MEET
Sports OPENING:
Program
Goff
Penberthy CoRec
Softball Tournament
Registration ends
March 4
Registration
March 1 7-March 25
March 17-March 25
Cost
GreensCharge
$2 0/team
Get Fit-Fitness & Classes
FREE Healthy Living Lecture: RISKY BUSINESS—Safety Issues
for the College Student. Wednesday, March 5 at 5:30 p.m.
in room 281 of the Rec Center. Every college student will
benefit from this seminar about identity theft, as well as care
less use of credit cards, cell phones and alcohol.
FITNESS INSTRUCTOR TRAINING—Registration begins
now for this 6 week program that starts March 1 8. Sign up
until March 17th at Member Services.
AQUATICS-make a splash
Program Registration
LIFEGUARD TRAINING Jan. 13-March 24
LIFEGUARD CHALLENGE Jan. 13-March 27
BASIC SCUBA Jan. 13-March 31
ADULT LEARN TO SWIM Jan. 13-March 31
AED/PDT/OA Training Jan. 13-May 3
Water Babies Jan. 13-May 12
CPR-Pro Rescuer Challenge Jan. 1 3-April 3
Masters Swimming All semester
Polar Bear Club All semester
Cost
$110/$130
$25/$35
$225/$245
$25/$35
$50/$75
$25/$35
$25/$35
$50
FREE