By Menahel Khan
On December 10, 2020, a wave of happiness ran through the student body of LUMS as they received the much dreamed-for email by the OSA Dean Adnan Khan about housing on campus. With a reassurance of calling everyone back on campus as long as the government orders stay in favor, the Dean OSA also raised the major issue of accommodating the hostelites while remaining COVID compliant.
Preference has been given to the female student body and hence, the Junior and Graduate male batches have been relocated to Askari XI. This is done in light of accommodating the female students in M5 as no more than two residents are allowed per room. All hostel facilities with a 3-time-a-day shuttle service, no curfews, and 24/7 access to the campus is being provided to the relocated students.
Hostel applications have been opened through the 10th to 15th of December. However, it is interesting to note that while applying, Zambeel shows an applicant cap of 1250. As of the night of the 10th of December, 600 applications had already been submitted. Clearly, the number of female residency applicants exceeds the 1250 cap. So, the question rises, considering all out-station female students have been guaranteed on-campus residency, whether the administration plans on increasing this number later. The matter becomes further relevant considering the Student Council’s email regarding the administration’s plans of bringing desiring students with a Lahore address to the hostels as well.
In any case, the student community is requested to not let their guards down as the COVID situation develops in the country. A collective effort made at an individual level will ensure health and safety for all. This, together with the developing vaccines, gives the LUMS community a hope of having a full capacity, offline semester by Fall 2021.