This year’s housing draft will allow students to choose their rooms via individual, scheduled appointments.
Students who filled out an online housing application received the date and time of their meeting via email. The draft will last three consecutive days, with a day dedicated to each returning class. Appointments for incoming seniors will be scheduled for the first day, Monday.
Within each class, meetings are scheduled by random selection through Microsoft Excel. The online application was due March 21. When students turned it in, their names were automatically entered in the spreadsheet.
“The lottery system was put into place to make the process more organized,” said Kevin Culbertson, coordinator of housing operations. “Last year, within each class, we assisted them in the order they showed up, so students camped out in the office all night.”
At their scheduled time, students will enter the housing office in Methodist Hall and choose any available location to live next year. If students are unable to attend their appointment, they must fill out a proxy form to allow another student to choose their room for them. Proxy forms are available in the housing office.
The room retention process did not change from previous years. Forms from any student wishing to keep their same location next year were due March 13.
“The appointment method will help the draft system become less stressful and more effective,” said Erin Epperly, music education junior. “Personally, though, I enjoyed the utter chaos of last year because it was fun.”
The housing draft will change again next year, moving the entire process online, Culbertson said. Room retention will remain the same, and three days will still separate the three classes. Instead of going to the housing office, students will receive a link that allows them to view every available room and select the one they want.
“The draft will become a similar process to enrollment, but there will still be a lottery and staggered times,” said Michael Burns, director of residence life. “For instance, if we both needed housing, your link might open at 8 a.m., while mine opens at 9 a.m. You can choose housing as soon as it opens, but the site won’t close until you pick.”
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