As students line up for housing assignments today, a University Housing official said the office is expecting an increase of about 300 students to live in Northwestern’s dorms next year.

As of Monday, 2,123 students were signed up to receive priority numbers in the university’s housing lottery, an increase of 294 students from last year. The university can accommodate as many as 2,325 returning students based on estimates for next year’s incoming freshman, said Mark D’Arienzo, associate director of university housing.

“The numbers will continue to grow as people realize they were supposed to sign up,” D’Arienzo said. “However, there is enough housing for every returning student who wants it.”

Housing selection begins tonight at 5:00 p.m. in the west room of the Foster-Walker dining hall and will continue through May 2.

Last week, any returning students interested in receiving a priority number were notified by e-mail of their registration standing. Rising seniors received numbers 1 to 659, rising juniors were given 660 to 1,120 and rising sophomores received numbers 1,121 to 2,123.

D’Arienzo said he expects Kemper Hall, the Foster-Walker Complex and 1835 Hinman to fill up quickly for those applying in groups of three or more. He also predicts Allison Hall to fill up quickly for doubles.

“I would like to believe that the increase is because students have the perception of living on campus as a good thing,” D’Arienzo said. “Last year, there was the belief that there would be more entering the freshman class thereby reducing the number of spots for returning students.”

The revamped housing process is in its second year and is still smoothing out some of its details. Last year 28 students remained on the waiting list at the end of the housing-assignment period but later were accomodated.

D’Arienzo said University Housing anticipated more freshmen last year and reserved more spots for them, causing some students to be put on the waiting list.

Last Spring Quarter, Lacey Pletcher signed up with a friend who had a high priority number, hoping to get a Kemper suite. When the two did not get the suite they had planned on, Pletcher ended up living in 584 Lincoln, formerly the fraternity house for Phi Kappa Sigma.

“Obviously I am less ticked now than I was a year ago,” said Pletcher, a Weinberg junior. “It’s nice to give seniors first pick at a room, but I don’t know how many sophomores will have to live off-campus because they got crappy numbers.”

Weinberg sophomore Nick Nordseth was one of the students who did not, at first, receive a housing assignment last Spring Quarter. Although he did not receive housing immediately, he got off the waiting list a few days later.

“We were really upset initially, because we made a lot of plans and stood outside for a couple of hours (to wait for housing),” he said.

But some students, like John Skogerboe, still had problems registering for housing numbers this year. Skogerboe received a false priority number because of discrepancies between his class standing based on his credit units and the number of quarters he has been enrolled at NU, he said. Students who experienced similar computer problems were notified by e-mail that they could obtain a higher priority number.

“My number got screwed up and they fixed it quickly,” said Skogerboe, a Weinberg junior. “Now that they know what the problem is and they fixed it, I don’t anticipate any further problems with housing.”

D’Arienzo urged students to be patient.

“Housing is now going through its growing pains,” D’Arienzo said. “It takes a couple of years to overhaul the system.

Remaining hopeful, he added, “We’re trying to make this great for everyone, and I am excited for the process to start.”