hLast semester, several AUBG students ad an unpleasant experience with their university accommodation because there were not enough rooms in the dormitories for everyone. As a consequence, these students were forced to stay at Hotel “Merida”. AUBG managed to deal with that problem, and from the start of the Spring 2023 semester, no AUBG students are living in the hotel. However, that issue only raised more questions about what the future holds for AUBG and the university’s plans for the next academic years. David Evans, the President of AUBG, and Ilko Drenkov, the Residence Life Director, gave more information on the important questions regarding housing and the future of AUBG. What is the reason behind the increase in the student body of AUBG? Th e AUBG strategic plan 2022-2027 includes an increase in the university’s student body by 50% within those fi ve years. Evans pointed out two main reasons behind that decision. Th e fi rst one is the university’s fi nancial independence. Th at is why more and more students will be accepted in the next fi ve years. “We are fi ne fi nancially, but we want to have more fi nancial fl exibility,” he said. Th e other reason is linked with America for Bulgaria Foundation. “America for Bulgaria Foundation would like us to be less reliant on them,” Evans said. In the past, America for Bulgaria was giving AUBG nearly $2M in scholarships for Bulgarian students, which was about 15% of the university’s total budget, but they are not doing that anymore. “We had to replace this money with money from somewhere else,” Evans said. Evans also commented on the criteria for acceptance: “To be clear, we are not going to lower academic standards, the goal is to keep the academic standard as high as it is now or increase it,” and said that it would be easier fi nancially if the university is larger. How is AUBG going to accommodate its students? AUBG is going to implement a completely new housing policy to deal with the acceptance of more students. Th e old policy was seniority-based, while the new one will favor the younger students. 6 Spring 2023 | AUBG Daily Can the hous semester occur o AUBG higher a from the mista last semester a strategy to pr r a e Th ere will be a fi r students. “It is p space for new fi 20 spaces,” Eva d t m is p w fi e va id. Drenkov said t the fi xed num at . First and secon a chance to s be obliged to li Juniors and senio line for a place in t o ce in t “My clear mess any one of th giving preferen fi rst-year studen and we are r coop ng ad in the s f s ence bd o den d sh re r their understanding a most optimis development, w be able to m their desires , w ll m es accommodat Drenkov said. He wants t convince t students that A learned its les from the last s housing problem. wa n t AG s les lem. “I hope we wil anyone who wa campus,” Dren July or early A stating that lat “A student wh to join AUBG should be ready to digest the inconvenience of no housing,” Drenkov said. His advice for every student is to pay the needed deposit on time to ensure they have their promised bed. What will be the university’s approach to fourth-year students who want to stay on campus? “We would probably have around 1100 students in the fall. We have about 710 spaces in the residence halls and, let’s say, around 450 fi rstyear and second-year students in the residence halls,” Evans said. “Th at leaves us 375 people and 260 spaces.” So, most probably, there will not be enough rooms in Skapto to accommodate all seniors who want to stay on campus.
7 Publizr Home