University House For VIPs Used So Far By Students
Last updated Saturday, August 23, 2008 9:08 PM CDT in News
By The Associated Press
CONWAY - Some houses owned by the University of Central Arkansas have been rented to students with connections to a board member or high-profile Arkansans, a newspaper reported Saturday.
A home purchased by the university for $235,000 three years ago is being refurbished for use by guest speakers and others visiting the campus. But so far no VIP has stayed there.
Four female students lived there for fewer than five months and a married couple related to university board member Michael Stanton of Wooster also lived there, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
In addition, the son and daughter-in-law of state Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway, live in a university-owned house, as does the son and daughter-in-law of Republican leader and businessman Sheffield Nelson of Little Rock, the newspaper said.
University president Lu Hardin dismisses allegations of favoritism regarding university housing. Hardin said probably 50 students live in UCA-owned houses, and the university tries to accommodate students who ask for houses. The houses are not advertised.
He said apartments run roughly $400 a month, while house rental rates are about $600 and $650.
"The perception that only well-connected students get a house is incorrect," he said. "We basically (rent them based) on whoever asks....There are innumerable examples of me helping students that ask. The situations involving Baker's son and Nelson's grandson were basically a case of students asking."
The houses also are used when there is not enough dormitory space available, he said.
But Hardin acknowledged that some students by virtue of who they are or where they work have better access to know and ask about the houses. He also said the school needs a systematic approach to the properties. But eventually, "our goal is to get out of the housing business totally," he said.
The university has made more than $50,000-worth of improvement on the 3,500-square-foot guest house, which has been vacant since the fall of 2007. Hardin says there is more work to be done on the house before it can be used for guests.
The university would not release the names of the four students who lived in the guest house. Jack Gillean, vice president for administration, said they paid what they would have for a student apartment.
Zachary and Molly Stanton, the son and daughter-in-law of Michael Stanton lived in the guest house a few months. They did not pay rent because of a scholarship Molly Stanton had that covered housing, her father-in-law said. Also, Zachary Stanton completed school at the university but did not use the housing portion of his scholarship, Michael Stanton said.
Stanton acknowledged his son and daughter-in-law had a better chance of learning about the houses by virtue of his board position.
"The bottom line is, to be honest with you, had I not been on the board of trustees or had I not known Lu ... would Zach and Molly have gotten to live in that house? The reality is no," he said.
But Stanton stressed no favors were exchanged or expected for the house. He said in hindsight, maybe it was not wise for his relatives to live at the house.
Baker confirmed his son, Stephen, and daughter-in-law, Kinsey, were living in a university-owned house after applying for married housing. Hardin and Baker said Kinsey Baker has a scholarship that includes housing.
In an e-mail, Baker said his son and daughter-in-law did not request any specific apartment or house.
"Stephen and Kinsey went through the same process as any other student applying for housing. Any allegation of favoritism is false and extremely unfair to my son and daughter-in-law," Baker said.
Nelson's grandson, Sheffield Clark, and Clark's wife pay $600 a month for the university-owned home they rent.
Larry Lawrence, university director of facilities, said Clark asked the university to build a fence on that property for his dog. Lawrence said Clark reimbursed the school $2,090 for the fence.
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recross1 wrote on Aug 25, 2008 7:49 AM:
In the real world,a house of any size and in any shape rents for a min.of $750 a mth,and a house such as the ones, I am guessing,they are talking about will rent for upwards of $1200.00 a month.So if these house are not advertised then just how did these people know they were available?
Lets face it,if it looks like a duck,and sounds like a duck,its a duck and I see Mallard written all over this situation.Its good to have friends in high places,or should I say family!
This stinks and as sad as it is to say,if daddy makes the money these guys do,you dont need or deserve to live in a house owned by the U of A .
There are lots of other students that deserve special treatment long before these do. "