University of Ghana Housing Information and Preference Survey

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1 University of Ghana Housing Information and Preference Survey Dorm options at the University of Ghana You are able to indicate a preference of your on-campus dorm accommodations at UG. All students are required to live on-campus. Review the dorm comparison from the Ghana study center. We recommend that you consult with returnees when determining your dorm preference. There is a video of the housing options on YouTube. Indicate your housing preference in our online survey. The Ghana Study Center will do it s best to place you in your preferred housing choice. Most students (male and female) live in the International Students Hostel. There are 10 spaces available at Volta Hall for females. There are about 8 spaces at Legon Hall for the males. Please note that the University of California is the only study abroad provider that the University of Ghana allows in the student dorms (other than ISH). Dormitory Comparison from University of Ghana Study Center The University of Ghana, Legon consists of 8 student dormitories: Akuafo Hall, Mensah Sarbah Hall, Legon Hall, Volta Hall, Commonwealth Hall, International Student Hostel (ISH), Pentagon Hostel, and Jubilee Hall. Each hall consists of a series of buildings, also known as annexes, which are grouped together forming a structure designed to meet the needs of the students. Each annex is a few stories high accessible by stairways, with at least two main entrances on the bottom floor. The following report compares and contrasts three specific halls open to UC students: Volta Hall, Legon Hall, and the International Students Hostel (ISH). UC students have a choice; all other international students live in ISH or off campus. Private internet is available everywhere on campus. Internet in Volta and Legon cafes is faster and more reliable than ISH or the internet of the university facilities. Like power and water, internet connectivity is subject to outages everywhere. General Information Volta Hall is an all-female hall located at the upper west side of campus and is open to UC female students. It s rectangular structure and three residential buildings is composed of a porters lodge, guest rooms, a small chapel, a dining hall, a library, a small laundry service, a hair salon, a small convenience store, and a computer lab with printing capabilities and free Wi-Fi for your laptop. The students who reside at Volta Hall are either first year students, fourth year students, students 1

2 participating on an on-campus athletic group, or international students. The UC students in Volta hall live in the hall itself (not the annex). Most of students in Volta will have another Californian student as their roommate. In the case of uneven numbers, they may be placed with an international or Ghanaian student. Legon Hall, open to UC male students, is also located on the upper western side of campus. It is composed of a main hall and three annexes. The main hall, designated for both men and women, consists of a porters lodge, a professors lounge, two dining halls, a library, a study room, two computer labs, a laundry service, a hair salon, and a convenience store. Behind the main hall are three annexes: Annex A, which houses men, Annex B which houses women, and Annex C which houses graduate level students. Similar to Volta Hall, Legon Hall is designated for students who are freshman, seniors, athletes, and international students. The UC students in Legon hall live on the fourth floor of an annex. Most of students in Legon will have another Californian student as their roommate. In the case of uneven numbers, they may be placed with an international or Ghanaian student. International Students Hostel (ISH) is located on the south end of campus and is available to all UC students regardless of gender. ISH is a co-ed hostel that is divided into two separate buildings: ISH 1 and ISH 2. Together, the building consist of a porter s lodge, an inhouse laundry service, a dining hall, an outdoor market, study rooms, on site tutors, and a computer lab with wireless internet access. It is a 10 minute walk from ISH to the study center. Security Students in all hostels are advised to lock all valuables any time they are not in their rooms, as thefts occur in all hostels. All rooms have desks or wardrobes with lockable drawers and chambers. It is possible in any hostel that these locks are ineffective or broken. While the porters are supposed to respond to and fix these issues, they rarely follow through, so students whose rooms don t have any working locks should furnish their own. While theft is common, violent crimes are rare. Volta Hall Volta Hall has three entrances that access the entire structure. Two of these entries are left unlocked and throughout the day. In the evening after 7pm the entry ways are locked by Volta Hall personnel. The main entry, which is located at the front of the hall, is accessed by most individuals entering and exiting the hall. No record is kept of students or other persons entering and exiting the building. No identification is required to receive room keys from the porters. 2

3 The main entry way is usually guarded by two porters 24 hours a day. During the evening hours and early morning, the porters may be found sleeping and unaware of individuals entering and exiting the building. The main entry is usually closed during the late evening and reopened in the morning. The Volta porters and Volta students are very strict on visiting hours. No students may enter or exit between set hours (11pm to 8am) and even if the porters are asleep and don t notice, other students will notice and will likely do something about it. Porters and security guards have amazing memories and will find and kick out visiting students in the late evenings. There are rotating security guards that usually set up post on the second level (N Block) of the rear annex. Normally during the day, two security guards are on watch. These guards have been known to respond to incidents very slowly and are unarmed. The guards may be found sleeping at their post. Only one guard is on duty during the evening hours. These men can be found periodically walking around the perimeter of the building checking on students. Legon Hall Legon s main hall has three main entry ways during the day. Two of these entrances are monitored by rotating porters. During the evening hours, only one entry is left open for both entry and exiting the hall. Like most halls, porters and security personnel are expected to constantly monitor the hall for activity and keep a log of individuals entering and exiting the premises. In Legon Hall, however, porters and security guards are known to doze off during their shifts and allow individuals to enter and exit without question. The response time of both the porters and security guards to incidents are inefficient by university standards. Legon Hall s Annexes A through C are also poorly guarded and criminal activity (i.e. theft) is not uncommon. International Students Hostel (ISH) In each of the International Students Hostels, there is only one main entry way. Each entrance is tended by at least two security guards 24 hours a day. They remain alert at all hours and make sure to keep a revolving shift. Each entrance is also headed by at least two porters. These porters require all non-residential persons to log their name, their host name to which they are visiting, their name, time in, time out, and a signature. ISH porters require that an ISH resident is present when a visiting student enters the hostel. Like Volta, ISH has strict visiting hours. Again, porters and security have great memory and will actively seek out visiting students after hours. 3

4 Water and Power Power outages occur equally in all halls. They are almost always shorter than one hour and students get used to it. Water on campus is more plentiful during wet periods, but definitely does not run continuously. Volta Hall Ghana s water level is raised during the raining season and lowered significantly during the dry season. During the dry season, water outages appear more frequently in Volta Hall. During the 1011 academic year, Volta Hall rarely had running water, but the three water reservoirs are very nearby the students rooms. Tanks are located on the ground level as well as on the subsequent floors providing for easy access for students who live on the upper floors. Toilets in Volta are private and are flushed by carrying water from a reservoir. Bathrooms in Volta have stalls or curtains. Power outages occur frequently as well during the dry season. Power is usually expected to be out at least once every two weeks. During this time, no backup generators are supplied to the student halls. Students are expected to supply their own rechargeable lamps and flashlights when blackouts occur. This could present a danger to students who walk during the evening hours through poorly guarded halls. Legon Hall Though Volta and Legon reside on the same side of campus, Legon has more frequent water outages. Therefore, it is mainly during the dry season that Legon has massive water outages. These outages typically last at least 12 hours out of each day of the week. On the premises of the main hall exists 14 water reservoir tanks easily accessible to students on the ground. In addition to the tanks in the main hall, each annex also supplies the students with at least two additional tanks. When water stops running, students fetch water from the ground floor and carry it up to their rooms up the flights of stairs. Students in Legon should expect to take mostly bucket showers. Toilets in Legon are locked and shared between two rooms. There are some unlocked toilets open to anyone. These toilets are flushed by the custodians every few days when water is running; otherwise they are not able to flush. Students can use water from the reservoirs to flush their toilets, though this is frowned upon by other students who believe the water should be saved for showers and laundry. Bathrooms in Legon are very large and very open. They offer no privacy. 4

5 Despite the frequent water outages, Legon s power remains constant during both the rainy and dry season. Students still equip their room with flashlights and rechargeable lamps in the event that there is a mass power outage on campus. During this time, the main hall s restaurant, Time Out, supplies a power generator to dining students. Porters are also expected to have a backup light in the porters lodge to inspect students entering and exiting the premises. International Student Hostel (ISH) Students in ISH have fewer water outages in either hall than either Legon Hall or Volta Hall. However, students should plan to experience utilities inconsistencies no matter where they live. In the event that there is a water outage there are water reservoir tanks on the roofs of both ISH 1 and ISH 2. Each tank has a pipeline that is easily accessible to students on every level in the hall. Toilets in ISH generally have running water. Bathrooms in ISH have stalls or curtains. Power shortages occur and students equip their room with supplies. Backup generators are also available. Dining Options There are many dining options all over campus at a short distance from all hostels. Students are not limited to their own hostel s options for dining. Volta Hall Although the service in Volta Dining Hall is better than most others on campus, food options are limited to local dishes, and the prices are more expensive than you can find elsewhere on campus. These dishes, usually consisting of rice and fried vegetables, are served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Legon Hall There are two dining areas in Legon that serve dishes from 9 a.m. to the late evening. The main dining hall serves local dishes, while the hall s restaurant Time Out serves mostly Chinese food. International Student Housing (ISH) ISH supplies students with a main dining hall that serves a variety of foods appropriate for breakfast and lunch. We do not encourage students to eat at the Night Market, even though it is cheaper. Many students have gotten sick from eating there. 5

6 Cultural Advantages and Disadvantages Volta Hall/Legon Hall Students residing in Volta have expressed gratitude for being able to interact and live with Ghanaian students. Exchange of cultural values has allowed students to adapt to the society with confidence and reassurance. Such interactions include expose to new ideologies, beliefs, traditions, and ethical considerations. Though there is much to gain from the blend of cultures, students living in either Volta and Legon are not surrounded by other international students and may at times appreciate visiting ISH 1 or 2 to feel a bit at home amongst more foreign students. However, living in either Legon Hall or Volta Hall is a wonderful opportunity to make more Ghanaian friends and have late night conversations and bond over fetching water or doing laundry. Living in Legon or Volta Hall, students have the opportunity to participate in hall pride events, like the Volta Hall Fashion Show or the Legon Hall Week. Living in Volta or Legon greatly impresses local students and makes them more comfortable with you. It is normal when meeting someone new on campus to ask where they live. Ghanaians meeting you will be pleasantly surprised you don t live in ISH. Legon and Volta are generally louder than ISH. Students can expect to be awoken by preachers with megaphones as early as 6am. Students living in Volta and Legon can expect many people to come by their room every so often, whether or not they personally know the student. People selling goods, advertising religion, or looking to borrow something are common. It s acceptable to refuse any of their requests. International Students Hostel (ISH) Despite the title, ISH is composed of international students from neighboring countries, countries all over the African continent, as well as Ghanaian students. These students also exchange cultural values amongst each other and live in harmony. Though ISH does not have Ghanaian students in great number as other halls do, a blending of culture still occurs amongst the students and all are able to genuinely gain some type of cultural experience. Students have noted that the Ghanaian and other foreign students who live at ISH are wealthier than the ones who live in a room with 5 or more students in the other hostels on campus. Living in Volta or Legon can expose students to a wider range of Ghanaians. Accommodation for International Students 6

7 Provision of housing on Campus for our international guests is key in the University's bid to enhance the Ghanaian experience for our international students while exposing the Ghanaian (students and staff) to international cultures. International Students Hostels I & II The International Students Hostels (ISH I and ISH II) have been purposely built to cater to the increasing numbers of international students at the University of Ghana. They are located on the southern part of the campus, off the road leading to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. ISH I opened for the 2000/2001 academic year while ISH II opened in International Students Hostel (ISH) I Each Hostel is made up of 4 floors with rooms of single and double occupancy. Each floor has a laundry room, 2 kitchenettes and a T.V. lounge. In addition, the ground floor has two Reading Rooms. A few Ghanaian students are residents in the hostel. There are two resident assistants who serve as the first point of call 24/7. These four resident assistants work directly with the Office of the Dean, International Programmes. There is a Porters' Lodge at each entrance monitoring for security and safety 24/7. The Hostel maintains a "Travel Log Book" for students to register their travel plans so that the Office may take appropriate action should a student not return on the specified date. No visitors are permitted after midnight. All visitors must sign in and out of the Visitor Book. Visitors who have not signed out are tracked down by the Porters and escorted out of the Hostel. Students are advised to bring along, or acquire on arrival, basic toiletries and other basic essentials to outfit their rooms (including a pillow). Laundry services are available on the ground floor for a fee. There is also a restaurant. An internet café and convenience store are available on the first floor of ISH I. o Wifi is 1 cedi for one hour and 5 cedis for 24 hours. 7