Housing releases room selection changes for fall

This week, the Department of Housing announced changes to the room selection process that will be implemented in the fall 2000 semester.

The new process now guarantees housing to rising sophomores (those who matriculated in Fall 1999 or Spring 2000) as well as new freshmen and transfer students. This change was implemented in order to protect those who were unable to find on-campus housing last fall.

Other eligible students will have the option of entering a random lottery. Those who make the apartment number cut-off will then be assigned a number based on class and credit hours. The protected sophomores will be included in the assignment of selection numbers.

Therefore, upperclassmen will have the first choice of available apartments. Students not falling within the cut-off will retain their lottery number as a waiting list number.

In previous years, problems arose with students who were only in their second year of school, but because of Advanced Placement credit hours, were not considered as sophomores in the process.

Another change is a new policy regarding block housing. Students will now be able to move in groups of four if all students have a number that meets the apartment cut-off. The selection number for block rooms will be determined as the average of all students' numbers.

Students who receive a room selection number will have the option to stay in their rooms, and pull-ins will be allowed if the students meet the apartment cut-off.

Groups such as President's Scholars and athletes who are promised housing will not lose their priority status in the selection change. Housing policy for the new Honors Recognition students has not yet been determined; housing officials are currently meeting with student representatives of the program in order to determine the best procedure.

These changes were determined with significant input from students. Groups involved in the discussion include the Parents' Association, a student committee, and individual students, as forms were distributed for feedback in the residence halls. The student committee, headed by SGA Campus Affairs Committee Chair Eric Hollins, was able to reach an agreement based on student opinion and needs.

Michael Black, Director of the Department of Housing, and Wanda Norwood, who also oversaw the process change, laud the group for reaching a consensus, calling their input "invaluable."

"I was impressed with the input of the students. They are to be commended," commented Black in an interview Tuesday.

The ability of the new process to protect those students who are "at risk" is one of the most significant and major improvements.

Also, the Housing Department hopes that the establishment of a $300 deposit to enter in the lottery will lead to greater availability of rooms, preventing students who may not stay in campus housing from holding rooms.

"Our concern is to make sure that the freshmen and sophomores don't have to worry about housing problems and can concentrate on academics," said Black. "If we're going to recruit the best, we need to make the best successful."

Black expects a mixed reaction from the student body. The department feels that most sophomores will be happy with the change, but as with any process, those who do not get rooms will disagree with the change.

Some students have decided to take the new policy with a grain of salt and some hardened Tech cynicism. "Whatever the process, housing selection will always be a question of the lesser of many evils," said Brad Mauney, an AE freshman.

Many other freshmen are ecstatic, or at the least relieved, to discover they will not be searching off campus for an apartment in the fall.

"I was planning on having to find housing off campus this semester, but now with the new housing selection I will be able to live on campus without having to pay a lot of extra money. 'Yea!' for sophomores who don't have any money!" said freshman Sam Hale.

However, discontent is already arising among older students.

"So basically they're going to shaft the same individuals that were booted last year," commented one junior under the condition of anonymity.

As next week's deadline for a fall housing deposit rapidly approaches, those who desire housing will be entering the random lottery in the hopes of making the apartment cut-off.

Detailed information on the new selection process is available for students on the Department of Housing website.