UAB students are voicing frustration over a new policy requiring residents to pay between $200 and $350 to stay in on-campus housing over winter break. This service had previously been free. A student-led petition asking the university to reverse the charge has gained significant traction online, revealing widespread concern among residents who depend on campus housing during the long break.

In an interview with Kaleidoscope, Marc Booker, Executive Director of Housing and Dining, explained why the department introduced the fee this year and how the funds will be used.

Booker said that the change is not connected to an increase in conduct issues but to what he described as “isolation and distress” among students who stay on campus while many of their peers leave. Booker also emphasized that the charge is tied to operational needs and the rising number of students who remain on campus when the university closes for the holidays. In the past, fewer than 50 students typically stayed in the residence halls. In recent years, that number has climbed into the hundreds and, according to Booker, now exceeds a thousand.

“When you start getting numbers north of a thousand students staying on campus, you have to make different decisions for everybody’s safety and security,” Booker said. “At a minimum, you have to know who is here and who isn’t.”

He said the fee goes directly into housing’s general fund, which is supported entirely by student fees rather than state or federal funding.

“We get no state support, no federal support. Everything that we make comes from student fees,” he said. “There are additional costs during the break, like staffing the front desks and keeping buildings at a comfortable temperature.”

Last year, winter break housing was free but required students to sign up in advance. Booker said the voluntary system “did not go well,” as many students returned to campus without registering.

“This year, there’s a small fee,” he said. “Next year, it will be in the contract from day one.”

Some students have criticized the timing of the announcement, noting that the housing handbook says fees should be communicated at least 30 days in advance. Students received the winter break housing fee email less than a month before the break period.

Booker said the possibility of a winter break charge, not the specific amount, was included in the housing contract students signed earlier this year.

“Technically, it was put in the contract,” he said. “It wasn’t specifically $200, but it said there may be a fee associated with staying over the break.”

He acknowledged that most students likely did not notice the clause and said next year’s contract will include the exact fee, which students will initial when signing.

There is an online petition opposing the new charge, titled “Remove additional fees for staying on campus during Christmas break,” arguing that the fee places an “extremely difficult” financial burden on students who have no choice but to remain on campus, especially those who work in Birmingham, cannot afford to travel or do not have another safe place to go.

The organizer of the petition, Landon Gertsman, a sophomore psychology student, said he created the petition out of concern for students who rely on campus housing during the holidays. He said the fee could disproportionately affect international students, out-of-state students, those employed in Birmingham who cannot afford to lose their jobs and students who do not have a stable or safe home to return to. Gertsman added that his decision was also rooted in a belief that “solidarity and community can bring about change,” and that he does not want “complacency and submission” to take hold among the student body.

Braden, a student who signed the petition, wrote that the fee “is absolutely outrageous.”

“There are many students at UAB without a job or the means to pay an additional fee,” he wrote. “This has not been mentioned in any capacity up until recently, and the UAB dorms have been free over the Christmas break for years.”

Jeremiah, another student who signed the petition, criticized the new charge.

“No one should have to pay extra for staying on campus for a holiday,” he wrote. “You never know anyone’s situation. For them to say we have to pay money just to stay is ridiculous and selfish.”

Hannah, a student who signed the petition, questioned why residents should have to leave or pay extra at all.

“We pay and live here for months,” she wrote. “If we don’t need to move our things out, we don’t need to move out either.”

Miriam, who previously stayed on campus during winter break at no cost, said the new charge feels unfair to students who rely on campus housing.

“I was able to live on campus for two years with no fee for winter break,” she wrote. “On-campus fees are already so high, especially with the required meal passes. UAB does not need this, and it discriminates against those who can’t go home for breaks or for those whose home is UAB’s campus.”

As of Nov. 24, the petition had more than 900 verified signatures and calls the fee “absolutely ridiculous” for students already paying thousands in housing costs.

When asked about the petition, Booker said he respects students’ right to voice concerns.

“You absolutely have the freedom to express your opinion and your voice,” he said. “For those who have serious issues, come and talk to us. We’re reasonable.”

He added that students with “extreme circumstances” can request a case-by-case review and may be exempt from the charge.

Booker said he expects the fee to remain in place in the future.

“Everybody hates change,” he said. “But in order to continue to provide that level of safety and security when there are no classes or a routine, there have to be changes that are made.”

Housing expects to refine the process in the coming years and will include clearer information in future contracts.