This Guy Could Be Expelled After Renting Out His College Dorm On Airbnb

A Massachusetts college student could reportedly face expulsion after renting out his dorm room on Airbnb.

Jack Worth, 19, is a sophomore at Emerson College, which charges $40,320 a year for tuition, according to Fox News.

Last month, the visual and media arts major listed his dorm room on Airbnb in an attempt to make some money off the school's location in downtown Boston.

Worth told Boston.com,

There's a high level of interest of travel in this neighborhood because it's so centrally located. I saw this as a way to make some money, but also help some people out.

Worth didn't specify how much he charged per night, but the cost was presumably much cheaper than the often expensive hotels in the area.

The room was apparently on Airbnb for just over two weeks when Emerson College ordered him to remove the listing on Friday.

Worth, who was fined $150 by Airbnb for deleting the page, hosted three guests in the time the room was available.

In a statement to Boston.com, the college explained subletting or renting a dorm room is in violation of school policy.

The school said,

The Emerson College Residence Hall policy and the housing contract that undergraduate residents sign prohibit students from subleasing or renting College housing units or beds to protect residents and the community from exposure to safety and security risks.

A petition on Change.org demands Emerson College cease its disciplinary action against Worth.

The petition states the college "is levying several charges of misconduct against" Worth and may resort to punishment "as extreme as his dismissal."

These charges will reportedly be brought against Worth in an upcoming hearing.

In the petition, Ari Howorth, a fellow Emerson College student, writes,

There is nothing criminal with providing cheap housing to travelers. Jack Worth gave travelers from far and wide a taste of Boston life and the Emerson experience simply because he wanted to help those who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford to stay in the downtown area. If the Emerson community is as inclusive as it claims to be, it should act it.

The petition garnered close to 300 signatures since Sunday, with a goal of 500.

Citations: Mass. college student faces disciplinary action for listing dorm room on Airbnb (Fox News), Emerson student could face disciplinary action after renting out his dorm room on Airbnb (Boston.com), Free Jack Worth (Change.org)