Rising seniors will choose groups without knowing their individual numbers ahead of time in this year's lottery, just like all other students. A Residential Council vote approved the measure last week, and the Office of Residential Life has agreed to the change, according to Richard Bova, senior associate dean of residential life.
In past years, lottery numbers for rising seniors were published before group applications were due. "Historically, this was done because of off-campus permission, which was done at the same time," said Ben Lowell '10, chair of the ResCouncil lottery committee.
Students with poor numbers had the opportunity to seek permission and live off campus, or form groups and take their chances at lottery.
But with off-campus permission now granted in November, releasing senior numbers early is not relevant anymore, Lowell said. Instead, it has become "unnecessarily divisive and stress-inducing."
Lowell said ResCouncil knows of housing groups whose members panicked upon seeing the list and eliminated a potential roommate because of a poor number. But the alarm is unnecessary - even the senior group with the worst number was able to select a Young Orchard apartment last year, Lowell said.
Thomas Forsberg, associate director of housing and residential life, said the altered policy would encourage students to live with people who they feel would be compatible roommates, regardless of what their numbers are.
He said he thought the new policy would have very little effect on the lottery overall. The new policy does not affect the assignment of lottery numbers: Seniors will still receive the best numbers.
ResCouncil attempted to make this switch last year, but discussions did not take place early enough in the year, Lowell said.
