A university under fire: TSU students continue to protest upperclassmen housing crisis

April 26, 2025 | Housing Crisis for the 2025-2026

Texas Southern University (TSU) students peacefully protested amidst the ongoing housing crisis, primarily affecting current and rising upper-level students.

On the TSU campus, there has been an uproar in student reactions concerning upperclassmen housing rates for the 2025-2026 academic year. Their petition and protest are the second outcry from the student body in the past month.

“We had a group of ten people really wanting to advocate for lowering campus housing. I took the initiative to make sure we had a petition, and everybody agreed on it so that we could get it out there [to] share it to the community, alumni, and the current students,” drum major and TSU student KamRon Hadnot said.

The group of students led by KamRon Hadnot, drum major for TSU’s world-renowned Ocean of Soul marching band, rallied in front of the joint leasing office of University Courtyard and Tierwester Oaks, the on-campus apartments in which they currently live and will soon be disallowed from being housed. 

Upperclassmen opting for student housing provided by TSU for the 2025-2026 school year will have two options: The Icon & The Lofts or Cullen Oaks. Both of these options have dramatic increases in rent and yearly prices compared to previous upperclassmen on-campus housing options, disenfranchising low-income and dependent students. 

“[My concerns are] for the less fortunate [students] and the future generations. Housing will continue to go up, but there are still many people who cannot meet those demands. The rising prices will make people not want to continue their education; they will want to transfer schools. It just causes a lot of disengagement with the university as a whole,” Hadnot said.

Students were made aware of the housing changes in early April and reacted immediately, prompting leaders within the Student Government Association (SGA) to organize a sit-in that developed into a petition signing in the Sterling Student Life Center (SSLC).

Housing Crisis petition signing orchestrated by the Student Government Association

This movement pioneered other action plans among students, leading Hadnot and other band leaders to create an online petition on Change.org, garnering over 600 signatures. 

“TSU has not reacted to the petition. It was more so the rally that we held today. It got a lot of good light, but at the same time, we want to ensure that we are progressing and not giving up just because there was no immediate reaction, “ Hadnot said. 

In a question-and-answer rally, band members raised concerns about pricing, housing availability, and the potential effects the housing crisis could have on out-of-state students. 

“The students would like more information on how everything works. We want more resources to pay for [housing],” Hadnot said.

Despite their complaints and protests, TSU students do not desire to leave the university but want internal improvements from the university that has been their home away from home, fostering them into their future professional endeavors.  

“I love my institution. I love Texas Southern University, and I know they have the resources and ability to accommodate everybody: incoming first-year and upper-level students. I want to see better from the university,” TSU student Evan Sander said.

Written and Photography By: Jourdan Mathis