ACU is struggling to find solutions to pay for the rest of the construction process causing on-campus housing costs to rise with NEXT Lab and Wessel Hall coming to completion.
However, ACU residence life has found a solution in our furry friends on campus.
The Feral Cat Initiative will begin charging rent to the cats on campus every semester to curb the ever rising housing costs for students.
“We have found that in order to curb us going into debt, and keep the housing costs at the minimum for students, is to charge the cats on campus,” Shannon Kaczmarek, dean of community living and wellness said. “Despite the effects of this on the cats’ living situations, our students are struggling to find our campus affordable. Cats can totally handle providing rent during this tough time.”
This is the right call to cover the rest of the construction debt, Kevin Campbell, senior vice president for operations said.
“It’s only natural that if the cats are choosing to live on campus, we charge them some sort of rent to stay on campus,” said Campbell. “They are using our amenities and charging them to create profit in order would pay for our new buildings.”
Despite housing costs coming down for students with this solution, feral cats have found themselves in a housing crisis. A new cat filled tent city has popped up in front of Dillard Hall as some cats now remain homeless.
“Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meoooow,” said Tom, the cat.
Tom has found himself living in the tent city during the heat of the summer despite efforts of looking for employment, McDonalds on Judge Ely Blvd is now at hiring capacity.
However, other cats working at various fast food restaurants and on campus jobs, cats still cannot come up with rent money.
“Meoww, Meow Meow,” said Mr. Chunks, the cat.
In order to curb cat homelessness some students have created cat sanctuaries to house and provide meals.
“With this new rule, these cats will remain homeless which is just completely unfair,” Eleanor Abernathy, senior animal science major from Catsburg and owner of Cat House of Sanctuary, said.“ACU has many other solutions to help students instead of putting these cats to work just to eat the World Famous Bean chicken.”
As cats continue to move off campus due to the rising rent students and faculty now wonder who will provide that Wildcat spirit.
“How can we be a school of Wildcats without the having any actual wildcats?” Katrina Frisk, senior animal science major from Mew York said.
