by Rivkela Brodsky
Daily Lobo
Melanie Sparks started the meeting for Student Family Housing residents on Tuesday by apologizing.
"I took over the position July 1, and I've been doing a balancing act," she said. "Quite frankly, I haven't been down here."
Sparks became the director of family housing in July 2004. She is also the director of the Bookstore, the Lobo Card and Campus Housing.
She said she will do a better job of communicating with residents in the future.
Sparks said she has an open-door policy and encourages residents to e-mail or visit her in her office.
"I hope you never feel like you can't touch base with me," she said.
After she apologized, she said she wanted to concentrate on the future of the facility, starting with a rent increase.
The rent for Student Family Housing apartments will go up 4 percent on July 1.
Sparks said the hike covers an increase in compensation approved by the regents April 12.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
She explained to residents that campus housing is an auxiliary, meaning they do not get any money from the state, and they do not get any tuition funds.
"The University doesn't expect us to make anything," she said. "They expect us to be at zero."
She said in order to break even next year, they had to increase rent.
"We want to make it affordable to you, but the fact of the matter is we had to raise rates to put money back into Student Family Housing," she said. "We're trying to maintain a level of even."
Sparks said the increase works out to an extra $25.25 on average.
Resident Adel Saad asked if rates will continue to increase.
"I would think we would have to at least maintain salaries," Sparks said.
She said the increase did not cover an increase in the cost of utilities, but she was hoping city utilities did not go up.
Student Family Housing uses city utilities, while dorms use UNM utilities.
"I'm basically on a hope and a prayer that utilities don't go up," she said. "If they do I'm going to eat it."
She also told residents there was a break-in at the complex over the weekend and a coin machine and a computer were stolen.
Residents were concerned because the computer had social security numbers and addresses of residents on it.
Monica Valdez, coordinator of Student Family Housing, said the computer is locked by password.
"This isn't a criticism, but maybe we should have heard about this earlier," Resident Rashida Andrews said.
Sparks said they are considering putting in an alarm system.
Sparks suggested not replacing the coin machine, but wanted to ask residents first.
Andrews said it is vital to replace the machine so residents can do laundry.
"I depend on those machines for the washer and dryer," Andrews said. "It's essential."
Saad suggested Student Family Housing get connected to the University network.
If Student Family Housing was connected to the UNM network, it could get UNM utilities and Internet access. Sparks said they could connect to the UNM alarm system.
She said she will look into connecting Student Family Housing, but she has to ask CIRT if it is even possible.
Sparks also said they are systematically fixing the apartments, starting with the ones in the worst condition.
She said they are offering La Posada meal plans to residents.
She asked residents at the end of the meeting how often they wanted her to come out and talk to them. Residents and Sparks agreed on four times a year.
Resident Heba Saad said it has felt in the past like they were not connected to UNM.
"It's the first time we've ever talked about anything around here," she said.
