Citing tough economy, Northeastern shelves dorm plan

It's to bad. Where we are dealing with a bad economic situation and the University already has the funds for the project they should take a different stand and do the work to employ the people in that area. They need the dorm rooms and the people need the work . They could do it but they choose not to.

That makes ABOSOLUTELY NO s e n s e! Even our second tier safety schools are the best universities in the United States. Better than anyone else's. Our universities are our economic engines which will drive us into prosperity, while our unfortunate neighbors cling by their fingernails to the scaled back hours of their jobs.

They'll find uh way to pay! Pay. Pay. This all limited to subprime anyways!

this is the kind of project that should go forward as a way to spur the economy on, perhaps they could get some authority to issue government sponserd low incme tax free style housing bonds.

It's definitely troubling, seeing as Universities are the only ones with money to build anything these days. We're feeling the squeeze in the Architectural profession...

As a Northeastern alum who is loaded with debt, I truly applaud this. Northeastern is a good neighbor especially as compared to the other Boston and Cambridge schools, which despite having almost unlimited means, do very little in the Community (ahem, Harvard). For Northeastern to continue to build, build, build and keep passing those costs to students who lately are having trouble securing loans and paying their debts when they graduate disreguards the tough circumstances students and graduates find themselves in today.

Smart move!! This recession looks to be here for quite awhile and the bottom has even hit!

The larger issue going forward is this: What is the value of a college education? Stories abound of Harvard graduates washing dishes (or doing even less). The linkage between a college degree and a good career is not an iron-clad one. Also, loans are harder to come by. And if they aren't hard to come by, the credit scare will cause candidates to forgo the whole process. Third, colleges tend to be Liberal indoctrination camps. If your ideology sways in that direction, fine. Fourth, I see no evidence that colleges and universities are making college 'more affordable.' I see the onset of a deflationary cycle, yet are we seeing tuitions go down as well? Hardly.

The credit crunch is NOT limited to sub-prime mortgages. Mike apparently only checks the Daily Show for his news and doesn't bother reading the business section of a newspaper. All businesses large and small are unable to get credit and many depend on loans to pay wages and other expenses while waiting for receivables to be paid.

Hey Mike - Northeastern is far from a "second tier safety school"!

Only reading it off mainstream news bert. It's all limited to subprime. Whew that was close. Any RE not subprime is a seller's market. And we're all going shopping.

Once again those who are in a position to add to economic growth back out. The heck with the students they can live off campus or in sub-standard housing. The university must protect it's nest egg. Why doesn't the Commonwealth start taxing these endowments? The idea has been floted before. Lets all get behind the concept and see how long they hold on to their money then.

This is a project that should be shelved and here's why. I hope it's the start of a trend of responsible economic practices by schools. Northeaster, BU, Harvard, BC and others have all become bloated, expensive juggernauts with huge costs and the narrow minded expectation that students and parents will continue to dish out and borrow any amount of $$$ to attend.

God forbid they don't get to build a mega-complex and suck more money out of their students at subprime rates. They should encourage landlords to house their students to stimulate the local economy rather than use political clout to hammer down the local business and housing providers.

Thank you NU Alum... Northeastern has a lower acceptance rate than BU. Personally, I'm graduating with 3 co-ops on my resume totaling 1.5 years of experience that no other college students have, not to mention a job on lock.

It's about time Northeastern came to its senses! They don't need more expensive dorms. They need to accept more commuters! Commuters are all profit for the colleges and universities. They come to campus for their classes, and then they leave, so they don't cost the schools extra money , like residents, who waste heat and water by opening up windows instead of turning down the thermostats, or taking long showers.