Lottery for rooms completed

College senior Max Lai put off the inevitable last night -- checking his mailbox for his Residential Living Grand Arena ticket. Lai, who plans to stay for a fifth year at the University, holds lottery number 622 -- the last official number in the Saturday's Department of Residential Living room lottery. "Oh my god, I'm really surprised," said Lai who was unaware of his standing in the lottery prior to being contacted for a comment on it last night. All 622 groups of applicants for the Arena process received their lottery tickets in the mail yesterday. The Arena will take place Saturday in McClelland Hall, where students will choose their rooms in the order of their lottery numbers. Lai, who said he may move off-campus if he does not get the single apartment he wants, said he thought rising juniors and seniors should be given priority in the Arena over freshmen and sophomores. "I think they should have advantages for us," he added. "I think the Arena should take the student's year into account." But College sophomore Katherine Bierma and Wharton freshman Dan Nunn will most likely not complain about this year's process. They were allotted the first and second spots, respectively. Although Bierma was unavailable for comment last night, Nunn was glad to hear the news, of which he also was unaware of until contacted for comment in this story. "That's wild," he said. "I'll definitely get the room I want -- that's wonderful." He said he wants a one-bedroom apartment in the high rises. And given the number of apartments available, his wish will most likely be granted. Nunn is one of 342 applicants for singles and according to Residential Living estimates, 25 one-bedroom apartments are available in the Arena. Groups of one to four students applied for rooms in the Arena, with a total of 1,078 students involved, Ellie Rupsis, associate director for Occupancy Administration said yesterday. In actuality, there are groups formed beyond the 622 that applied. Those that did not meet deadline and were allocated numbers at the bottom of the list. Last year, 715 groups of students applied for Arena -- almost 100 more than this year. Rupsis attributed the decrease in students participating in the Arena to an increase in retention and Community Living. When College freshman Casey Smith, who drew number 587, found out that he and College freshmen Richard Lee were near the bottom of the list, he appeared concerned. "It's going to be horrible," he said, adding he is not sure if he and Lee will find a double available when they have the opportunity to select a room. Smith said he wished he had had more time to decide what to do about his living situation -- if he had, he said he would not be in the Arena at all. According to Rupsis, students with higher numbers should not be concerned, adding that many rooms are only partially occupied and a waiting list forms after the Arena for students who do not find a room Saturday.