What's Different and Why?

Overall, we want this process to be transparent with everyone being able to see what is available in real time as well as give as much autonomy as possible to empower students to pick a space that feels right for them. We recognize that housing selection may look different this year than it has in the past. Now that we are mostly through the trials and tribulations of COVID-19, we are able to shift gears to a new, friction-free version of housing selection. Plus, we have some great things happening to our buildings that go hand-in-hand with a streamlined selection process.

What's new with our residence halls? 

We are excited about the upgrades and changes we are making in the residence halls. Barring any unforeseen issues such as slowed supply chains, students can look forward to the following updates by fall move-in.

Alice Paul: Say goodbye to keys, because AP is getting OneCard room readers this summer. It will also get exterior masonry work and unique lounge updates.

Mary Lyons: Like AP, leave your keys behind because ML is getting OneCard room reader installation in addition to plumbing line drain replacement.​​​​​​

Palmer and Pittenger: The last few rooms that still use keys are upgrading to OneCard readers in addition to roofing working.

Parrish: Get ready to chill out as Parrish East and North get central air conditioning installation. Parrish West already has AC. Parrish East and West will also get new flooring. Plus the furniture is being updated to include dressers that can be stacked or separated and slid under your bed. And if you can believe it, there is more. Room chairs are being updated from two-position rockers to rolling chairs. Due to all these updates, for the Fall 2023, Parrish residence hall may not be available for some early return programs such as fall athletes. First-year students normally placed in Parrish who require early return housing may be placed in Dana or Danawell.

Wharton: The lounge in Wharton C is getting a whole lot of love with some general lounge renovations plus a new kitchen and bathroom.

Worth Residence Hall: To better meet the needs of our students, all Worth bathrooms are changing from communal to single-user as we add locks to the outer doors. In addition we are beginning our multi-year project on window replacement and masonry work. 

Beginning Fall 2023, the College’s cooling and heating policies will be updated so that cooling is activated in all residence hall spaces with central air capabilities during the cooling cycle. Residence halls that do not have individual room cooling capabilities will continue to have lounge cooling wherever possible. ​​​​​

Residence Halls with individual room cooling capabilities:  Alice Paul, Dana Kemp, Danawell, Mertz, Parrish, PPR Apartments

Residence Halls with limited lounge cooling capabilities:  Dana, Hallowell, Kyle, Mary Lyons, Palmer, Pittenger, Roberts, Wharton, Willets, Worth

The specific dates for cooling cycle for the College varies each year, but generally runs mid-April - early October. 

What's new with room selection?

In terms of receiving your housing lottery number, you will start fresh each year that you go through the lottery process. This means that the lottery number you receive this year has no impact on the lottery number you may receive next year. You have the same statistical chances of getting any lottery number each year.

There are fewer blocked rooms and different halls that participate in blocking than before. NPPR blocks will only be open to rising seniors. There are some apartments in NPPR up for blocking as well as multi-room units in Pittenger and Roberts. This gives students more opportunities to select into rooms that they may not have been able to select into in the past due to them being reserved in blocks. 

Rising sophomores get to participate in selection this year! Before sophomores had to send in preferences and get their space assigned to them by the Residential Communities team. This year, sophomores will be able to pick their own spaces before the spring semester even ends instead of waiting for their assignment until the summer.

For the Fall 2023-Spring 2024, we will be piloting a program that does not place first-year or new transfer students in Mary Lyon. First-year students who usually are placed in Mary Lyon will be absorbed into existing first-year heavy communities like Willets, David Kemp, and Wharton.

Over the summer, students will be expected to agree to a housing agreement and confirm their housing assignment.