In the first editorial of the semester, we argued that in light of the expanding class sizes, something substantial should be done about the student housing situation now so that we will not find ourselves knees deep in a housing crisis in the next few years. As was reported in an issue of The Observer from two weeks ago, the university indeed does plan on building new student housing in the near future, contrary to the information we had obtained for the aforementioned editorial. This is definitely a step to the right direction. However, it is merely a baby step.

It is difficult to deem a housing plan definite and bulletproof when it is “still very much in its planning stages” and there is no set date for the beginning of the construction of any new residence halls. The targeted year of completion is 2015, but right now, it might as well be 2020. The time when a new batch of students can walk through the doors of the new building and settle in their rooms is not set in stone, no matter how good the intentions of the university are. Until the date for groundbreaking date is announced in the Daily, we can all continue with our daily lives unsure of whether the future students will have a place to stay on campus or not, especially when CWRU certainly has no plans to get rid of the two-year requirement to live on campus or the link between financial aid and campus housing. There is still a need for a confirmation of which the university has no room to back out.

The editorial opinion takes a stand on a select campus issue that The Observer’s board of directors, the executive committee of the editorial board, considers relevant and consequently should be brought to the attention of the Case Western Reserve University community. The board consists of the executive editor and publisher, director of design, director of web and multimedia, director of print, director of business and marketing, and opinion editor. A member of the board meets with students, staff, faculty or any other persons who the board considers to be a subject matter expert. The board will then decide what stance to take on the issue, or if there are disagreements among the members, communicate them in the editorial. The meetings with interviewees occur off the record; no person will be directly quoted or referred to by their name. The editorial opinion does not in any way influence the work of the editors, reporters and staff of The Observer, nor does it represent the opinions of those interviewed for it.