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'We were forced off campus' | Spelman students frustrated by housing problems

Students say the administration sent a letter telling them there wasn't room to house them on campus.

ATLANTA — Spelman College students are sending a demand letter to administrators, asking for better support after they claim hundreds of young women were forced to live off campus.

Students said the administration sent a letter out to most sophomores, juniors, and seniors on June 4, telling them there wasn't room to house them on campus. 

"A lot of students are facing stress and anxiety for not knowing where their next meal will come from, not knowing if they will be able to afford it," said Spelman senior Larnee Satchell. "Having to choose between living and having our basic needs met at this $55,000 a year college that we all know and love and want to be at." 

Other students, like Taylor Dews, claim they didn't get much support from Spelman. 

"Many of us were unfamiliar with the Atlanta area and uncomfortable with moving into a metropolitan city," she explained.

Dews teamed up with her classmates to send a demand letter to Spelman administrators, asking the school to provide a monthly transportation stipend for all students, a lower-cost meal plan, free on-campus COVID testing, expanded virtual learning options, and technology resources, like laptops. 

"We love our institution, we want to protect it, but we want to hold it to the highest esteem as they hold us to the highest esteem," Satchell added.

According to RENTCafe, the average price for a 900 square foot apartment in the city is $1,600, that's up 12% from last year and students said they can't pay those prices on top of tuition and food.

11Alive reached out to the school about the situation. We are waiting to hear back. 

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