The Expansion of Grainger Hall will soon evict 60 graduate students from the Rust-Schreiner House at the end of their lease May 15.
Additions to Grainger Hall will also push out departments in neighboring buildings such as the UW Counseling and Consultation Services. The departments will subsequently be relocated to the Rust-Schreiner House, forcing the graduate student tenants into other housing communities, according to Paul Evans, UW-Madison director of housing.
\We got a letter about a week ago saying we had to leave in May but none of us knew why,"" said Usman Khan, a current resident. ""I guess someone came over break, but we were all gone visiting our families. We weren't given much notice at all.""
The Rust-Schreiner House was established in 1953. The building was previously rented out by the university to a men's co-op, but without enough tenants the co-op closed and the Rust-Schreiner House was born. Since that time the house has become increasingly popular among international graduate students because of the co-op style of living. Each year the waiting list to join the house grows longer.
""I lived in the house for three years,"" Kuan Ju Liu, a former resident said. ""The Rust-Schreiner House was different from other UW and private housing because there was a sense of community. A lot of graduate students live like monks, but this house brought people together.""
Residents at the Rust-Schreiner House include both American and international students, helping newcomers find their place in Madison. Many residents live at the house for several years due to its acclaimed hospitality.
""We've had students from Pakistan, Thailand, England, Sweden, Greece. The list goes on,"" Liu said. ""There are other graduate student houses like Merit and Susan B. Davis, but none of them compare to Rust-Schreiner. They don't have a community atmosphere.""
The architecture of the house is one of the many reasons students enjoy their time at Rust-Schreiner. The house consists of two housing areas joined by a communal lounge and has only one kitchen. Students say this forced them to interact with one another, creating long-lasting friendships.
""I don't think I'll be able to find a place like it anywhere else,"" Khan said. ""This is the perfect example of bringing international and American students together. We came from all around the world, but it felt like a home.\
