The new housing selection changes leave students unsettled
Mike Walsh - Director of Residence Life (The Beacon)
By Sarah Hansell, Staff Writer -- hansell14@up.edu
Students can anticipate drastic changes in the upcoming housing selection process, including a lottery system based on seniority, a limit on the number of returning students allowed, the elimination of the squatting option and the conversion of Kenna Hall into an all-female dorm.
These changes are in response to student feedback about the housing selection process, which students rated as the worst at the University in assessments done by the Educational Benchmarking Incorporation (EBI). EBI is a university assessment service UP participates in annually.
"So we've spent (the last two years) reviewing the housing system in response to student feedback," Walsh said.
In the lottery system, each returning student opting for on-campus housing will receive a number, which will be higher based on the student's year, giving seniority to higher grade levels. Students trying to attain housing in their current hall will also have a higher number.
"I feel like it's going to put a lot of kids on edge and have a lot of people worried about where they're going to live next year," sophomore Chase Calvi said.
The point system gave students who had lived in UP housing longer and had taken more credits preference in attaining their desired housing.
"I just don't get the point for the change," freshman Facima Dominguez said. "The original system seemed good because it gave motivation to people."
By reverting to the lottery system, which was in effect in 2009, Residence Life is attempting to simplify the process for students. The selection process will also take place in the halls that the students are trying to attain housing in, rather than all together in the Chiles Center.
"We've gotten two years of feedback that the process is overwhelming," Walsh said. "I think the point system is hard for people to understand. Year after year students would complain about the point system."
Since squatting is no longer offered, students will be unable to remain in their previous room.
"Most of us stay because we like specific communities, like Villa," sophomore Raphael Ramos said. "But if you don't squat you're not even guaranteed to stay in that community."
However, squatting causes extra work for Residence Life.
"We're changing it mostly to make it easier for us," Walsh said. "The reality is you don't need to squat to get a room. It's a lot of work on our end to get the squatting done."
This year Residence Life is imposing a limit on the number of returning students, which, according to Walsh, is going to be about 985 this year. Returning students who do not get housing as a result of this cap will be put on a waitlist for housing. Unless housing opens up, these students will be forced to find housing off campus.
"But I don't think we're going to have to go on any waitlists this year," Walsh said.
Making Kenna Hall an all-girls hall will "balance" each side of campus, Walsh said, giving the East Side of campus a female, male and coed hall each, just like the West Side and the Village.
"Part of it is the fact that we have more women than men, and nearly all of our overcrowding is with women, so we're trying to reduce those numbers," Walsh said.
Some Kenna residents acknowledge the rationality of the change.
"I think it's frustrating since a lot of girls won't be able to get out, and they didn't know it would be all girls, but I understand too, since our campus had become so girl heavy," sophomore and Kenna resident Caitlyn Forinash said.
The multiple changes to the housing selection process may leave many students unhappy, but Walsh thinks the majority of students will like the changes.
"What I know about housing selection is that whatever we do we'll have unhappy students," Walsh said.
