Who would’ve thought that after the government failed the city of New Orleans, Bobby and Whitney failed the ideal real black couple and Oprah failed to bring attention to hip hop that our very own school would fail to show remorse and gratitude to the Gentilly Apartments of Dillard University. Along with the residents of the Gentilly Gardens Apartments, students housed in the Gentilly Apartments recently renamed “St. Anthony Projects” by students have endured more than enough pain is assumed will continue into the next semester.

As the apartments are generally for Dillard University families, the warm family feeling is gone. Entering the school year with no cable, internet or telephone service, it was understandable that things were not up-to-date or ready. But how long can one last when the school is constantly pushing back dates for restoration. These students are facing an unequal opportunity to sustain a school year with the right technology, in-home entertainment and a phone line. Along with these broken assurances of necessities, the Gentilly Apartments seems to be forgotten as it is located closer to the University of New Orleans than the actual school location. Given delayed fixations after delayed fixations, the residents continue to face awkward silence and negligence.

After a big protest in the middle of the day at the school’s flagpole about the laundry facilities, the school supplied each apartment complex with free washers and dryers until the end of the active 2006 school year. Although the Gentillly Apartments received the given facilities, it still faced problems…the dryers did not work. Even in an event to beautify the outside of each apartment, the St. Anthony Projects were not touched with a speck of enhancement.

This neglect to residents has to be stopped. If the school would focus more on the people rather than the school itself, things would run a lot smoother. How it is that these apartments are commonly known for not having anything, as it sits in the middle of a half-deserted neighborhood? And how it that every time the residents are thought to have been given equality, they really receive more avoidance? Shouldn’t the residents be given reparations for this breach of housing contract?

After the majority of residents signed a petition requesting money back from its housing fee and technology fee, the school finally responded. Toward the end of the year, Gentilly Apartment residents obtained internet, phone and working dryers but this does not heal the issues that they have put up with the entire semester. Not only have these residents dealt with the issues of using the school computers in replacement of their own because of no internet access but they also tolerated a semester of complete boredom in their homes.

It is time for the “40 acres and a mule” to be given to these residents. Along with this, the school should extend the period for free laundry service and take the time to add that spacious green at the apartments. No one should have to go through the trials and tribulations of a Gentilly Apartment resident.

It shames students to say where they live. It makes the school look as if they don’t care. Carelessness is the last thing a student would want to find out about its school. Sure things are running slower than before and everyone is aware that the school is under construction, but when questions aren’t getting answered, it creates distrust and disappointment.

Dillard University does not want to be known to students, faculty and staff as the system that failed the Gentilly Apartments or any other apartment. It doesn’t take much to make people, who put their trust and hope into a system, doubt the effectiveness of an organization or business when they are ignored. Look at how much negative feedback Bush gets from America, especially after Hurricane Katrina took New Orleans to another level. Whitney and Bobby made plenty of people lose hope in having a real unconditional loving relationship. And Oprah creates confusion among rap fans as she chooses not to give credit to successful rappers.

Dillard could definitely lose it’s loyalty from the public if it continues to ignore the

importance of its residing students. It is certain that the school is trying to get things done but in

the end it seems like they don’t even care.