After a long day in classes and at work, the last thing you want to return home to is a notice saying that you must vacate within 24 hours.
This happened to several residents in Florida A&M's Phase III Housing Complex last week. Due to apparent mold in the apartments, housing directors ordered fumigation to be started right away. Residents were left with only a paper warning instructing them to vacate the premises; leaving all their belongings on their bed.
Residents were left with nowhere to go.
"I was informed one day when I just walked to my apartment and there was a notice on my door saying we had to vacate the next day," said Brittney Dixon a nursing student from Orlando and a resident of Phase III. "So we had to pack up and leave between 8a.m.-6p.m. It was very inconvenient, but I did have a friend who lived in McGuinn, so I had somewhere to go. But a lot of my friends didn't have anywhere to go so they were stuck roaming around campus for the time being."
Students were even fined for not having their belongings vacated or items left behind organized as instructed.
"I wish there was some respect. My drawers were open and my stuff was all over the floor," said Asha Rizor, a freshman biology student from Stockbridge, Ga. "I didn't understand it. I wish they would have been honest about it and told us ahead of time. The whole thing was kind of a secret. No one really knows what it was for."
Many asked why housing did not give prior notice to students or giving them the time to find somewhere to stay for the time being, seeing that many residents are freshmen.
Residents said that they were not sure of why the fumigation was even necessary and were baffled by the way they were affected by the whole situation.
As listed on the housing departments' website, their core values are: collegiality, excellence, caring, integrity, diversity and respect. Their motto is "We treat others as we want to be treated. We teach caring by example with consideration, sharing, and kindness."
"They didn't give any apologies," said Dixon. "I think they should be more considerate, seeing that we had school the next day and homework. It was very inconvenient."
When contacted for their take on situation and information on why they did not warn students sooner, housing had no comment.