As freshman housing contracts come pouring in, Ohio University's Housing Office can't wait to install a new software program that will make assigning rooms easier.
Athletes, students with medical needs and those in learning communities are placed in rooms first. After that, dorms are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis according to students' green and room size preferences, as well as selections of substance-free and single-sex residence halls.
In the past, this has been done using a software program that assigns rooms automatically. The program, however, can only be run once each year and Housing staff must enter the system and make any changes that may come up by hand, such as if the student requests a different roommate.
Housing will install new software that allows the computer to run housing assignments more than once. This will better place incoming students according to their preferences of green and roommates, and take requests such as learning communities better into account, said Beverley Wyatt, director of Housing.
(The new system) will allow us a more customer-focused process
she said, adding that the software will ensure a good fit for the students.
The software will run several lotteries to match students' various preferences with where they are placed.
It will be really helpful to us to have this new system in place she said.
The new software system, produced by Adirondack Solutions Inc., is called The Housing Director. It will cost Housing about $30,000, though the cost of the entire program will total about $51,000 because parts of it, including a Web application, are shared with Judiciaries, Wyatt said.
The housing contracts themselves will also get a makeover. A group of Student Senate members have been working with Wyatt this year to change the contracts in order to improve roommate selection and compatibility. The group submitted 10 questions they would like to see on the contract, including whether students are early risers or late sleepers, and if the student likes to listen to music while they study. These questions will appear on the contracts for the incoming freshmen of 2009.
The (current) questions are more centered around living environment rather than roommate choice
said Wyatt.With the deadline for first-priority housing on May 1, many of next year's incoming freshmen have already submitted their housing contracts. These students will receive their housing assignments by July 15. Contracts submitted after May 1 are assigned on a rolling basis starting Aug. 1.
One major trend among freshman contracts in recent years is more freshmen requesting singles, Wyatt said.That's what they're used to at home
she said, adding that many students are used to living by themselves at home and aren't used to living with anybody else.
Last year, East Green was the most preferred green among freshmen on their housing contracts, followed by South Green and West Green. For returning students last year, Bromley and Adams were the most requested dorms.
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