The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Pessimist / PESSIMIST: Residence Life charging rent to feral cats, forced to relocate
Tom being evicted from campus due to inability to pay new housing costs (Photo provided by cat activist)

PESSIMIST: Residence Life charging rent to feral cats, forced to relocate

March 31, 2023 by Special Contributor

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.

Filed Under: Pessimist

Other Pessimist:

  • PESSIMIST: Lego joins SGA to piece together Wessel kit

  • PESSIMIST: Fake News: Trump blames the Bean for missing campus cats

  • PESSIMIST: Fuzzy’s curse strikes Athletics once again

About Special Contributor

You are here: Home / Pessimist / PESSIMIST: Residence Life charging rent to feral cats, forced to relocate

Other Pessimist:

  • PESSIMIST: Lego joins SGA to piece together Wessel kit

  • PESSIMIST: Fake News: Trump blames the Bean for missing campus cats

  • PESSIMIST: Fuzzy’s curse strikes Athletics once again

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Women’s Division:

Vocals:
1. Ko Jo Kai
2. Sigma Theta Chi
3. Delta Theta

Entertainment:
1. Sigma Theta Chi
2. Ko Jo Kai
3. Delta Theta

Note: An earlier post included a spelling error, so we have since updated it for accuracy.

Reply on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Retweet on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Like on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Twitter 1906348770293317827
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Class Division:

Overall Award:
1. Freshman Purple
2. Freshman White
3. Seniors

Reply on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Retweet on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Like on Twitter 1906188185371034000 3 Twitter 1906188185371034000

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

10 months ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved