We all know East Lansing is looking to throw students into housing farther away from campus — it is no secret. With the continuation of plans for the East Village project and the proposed City Center II project, we have begun to hear more and more grumbling from students and a handful of East Lansing residents. However, the university has been silent.

It is more than past time that student groups on campus begin to do more than just talk about their displeasure regarding these new developments and take a more active role in fighting alongside property owners against the destruction of cheap student housing (I use the term “cheap” loosely). Being a current resident of Waters Edge Apartments, I can tell you the place is no paradise. However, it is a place near campus where students can live at a relatively reasonable price and walk to classes — no need to go into the environmental impact of the extra vehicles that would be required if we all lived farther away. East Village would replace the apartments with more retail space and fewer apartments, no doubt at a higher-priced rent.