Fewer students retain high rise rooms for next fall

Approximately 900 residents applied to remain in the high rises, and 815 students applied for community living. The number of students retaining or changing rooms in the high rises next year dropped slightly from last year's record, Associate Director for Occupancy Administration Ellie Rupsis said yesterday. During last week's two-day retention period, approximately 900 students applied to live in the high rise apartments again next year, down from 973 students last year. "Everybody who wanted to retain their rooms was able to," Rupsis said. Retention took place last Monday and Tuesday in High Rise North's upper lobby. Students who signed occupancy agreements Friday were still unsure of whether rent would increase next fall. Rupsis explained that a new room change option -- introduced last year -- offered additional incentives for rising juniors and seniors to participate in the retention process. The option enabled students to request other rooms within their current high rise before the housing arena option begins, according to Assignments Counselor Mark Griswold. "This way, students can try to get room types that they really want, as early as possible," he said. In addition to retention, 815 students applied this week to live in the high rises under the community living option, Rupsis said. She added that community living assignments, which are completed in a "manual" process, will be available to students Monday. Many students said they found the room selection process confusing. "There are so many things going on, and it's so spread out," College sophomore David Hyman said. "If you don't get the room you want, and you don't want to live off campus, you'll be persuaded to live some place that's not your first choice," Hyman added. According to Residence Life Acting Director Chris Dennis, his department is operating without "key high level staff" this year, including former Residential Living director Gigi Simeone, who left the University last August. But Rupsis said the recent shakeups in the department "haven't impacted room selection at all." And College freshman Stefanie Allister, who applied as part of a community living group of 16 freshmen, said she is not concerned about her group receiving rooms. "We're waiting to find out next week," she said. "But things went pretty smoothly, and I'm not too worried about getting what we asked for." To ease future room selection periods, Dennis said the department is looking into computerizing more aspects of the assignment process. Currently only the assignment of arena lottery numbers is computerized. "We're looking at possibilities for automating the process," Dennis said. "The current computer system is so old, that it's really hard to manipulate it in any modern way." In the past, the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life has released rent information before students had to sign occupancy agreements, Griswold said. But the office has not yet finalized rent information for next year. "If there are going to be made rent increases, people should definitely be aware before they sign their agreements, in case they need to find off-campus housing that's cheaper," College sophomore Rachel Belkin said. "You should be aware of what you're paying ahead of time." Students can sign up March 3 and 4 to compete for rooms during the arena option.