More than 1,000 rising juniors to be denied housing

For many rising juniors who received their on-campus housing lottery numbers yesterday, it became clear that space in dorms is still limited, due to a large freshman class and a steady demand for on-campus housing.

There are 3,300 sophomores living on the campus, the majority of whom will not be placed in dorms next year. Though vacant apartments in South Campus Commons and University Courtyards will help house many students seeking a place to live, more than 1,000 rising juniors will move off the campus.

For rising juniors, who received their housing lottery numbers yesterday, things may be looking bleak now, but the future seems to promise better news: More than 300 rooms will open up in Commons 7 in the spring and more than 700 in Oakland Hall by fall 2011.

These new prospects, university officials have said, may help the university move toward guaranteeing student housing for three years.

Last year, many panicked students moved to Courtyards and Commons as early as the second semester of their sophomore year — just in case.

"I was afraid there wouldn't be space if I waited," junior fire protection engineer Kelly Kidwell said. "So I subleased a random apartment in Courtyards for the second half of my sophomore year."

The opening of Commons 7 only slightly reduces demand, because most of the spaces are reserved by juniors who will likely re-lease for their senior years.

"My friend tells me the only way to get into Commons is if you know somebody and you have them pull you in," sophomore communication and marketing major Akash Dua said. "Luckily, I do know a guy who will pull me in, because my lottery number is something ridiculous like 2,700."

Other students are considering more creative ways to ensure a space on or near the campus, hoping to vie for spots reserved for special programs or even responding to Craigslist ads.

"My lottery number was pretty good actually," sophomore neurobiology and physiology major Ryan Haq said. "But I also applied to be an RA, and if that doesn't work out, I'm applying to the Hinman CEO program [housed in Commons], too.  So I have all of these backup plans."

His friend Christopher Wolfram, a sophomore materials science major, wasn't so lucky.

"I am so far past the red, I'm waving to it," Wolfram said, referring to warning color Resident Life assigns to those with high lottery numbers. "I don't know where I'm going to go now. You may find me sleeping in Stamp next year."

"You know how there are those creeper ads on Craigslist? I might just respond to one," he joked.  "I'm a tall blond; I shower frequently, can I sublet your room?"

But the news isn't all bad. For those willing to wait it out, chances are they will find a space either on the campus or in Commons or Courtyards, Resident Life officials said.

Last year 65 percent of rising juniors were given rooms on the campus or in Commons or Courtyards, Assistant Director for Resident Life Scott Young said. He added that close to 1,000 of those remaining students sought other options entirely, many choosing to drop out of the running for dorms or public-private apartments.

Looking toward the future, Resident Life is pushing to keep even more students on the campus.

"We're anxious to gain more housing and look forward to getting back to a day where we can offer students some type of housing for four years," Young said. "I'm not exactly sure when that will be, but that is my goal and the desire of our department, certainly."

Resident Hall Association President Josef Mensah said in a meeting earlier this month that the addition of Oakland Hall could guarantee housing for all juniors by spring 2011.

But Young said it is too early to tell if Mensah's prediction will prove true. He added new housing options will better student prospects, however.

apino at umdbk dot com