About 50 students continue to wait for university housingassignments almost a month after the housing process began. But allof the students should receive an assignment by early July, auniversity official said Thursday.
“Anyone who is on the waiting list should not be concerned,”said Mark D’Arienzo, associate director of university housing.
D’Arienzo said the number of students on the waiting list hasremained constant during the past two weeks, although officialshave accommodated 30 students on the original waiting list based ontheir priority numbers. But an additional 20 students haverequested university housing since then, adding to the list.
The 50 students awaiting housing is an increase from the 28students on last year’s waiting list. All were accommodated bymid-July, D’Arienzo said.
“There are so many different things that can happen that I’m notconcerned about spaces opening for the few individuals on thewaiting list,” he said, adding that apartments often becomeavailable in the summer and also sometimes students do not returnto campus for academic or personal reasons.
Officials will be able to locate vacant spaces late next weekwhen students will begin electronically signing housing contracts.This year’s electronic contract requires students to “accept” theirassignments before they sign it, allowing officials to more quicklyidentify vacancy spots than in the past, D’Arienzo said.
Some students who wanted to change their housing assignment lastyear decided not to sign the contract in hopes of canceling theirassignment, which slowed down the process, he said.
Although students might have to wait two months more beforereceiving a university housing assignment, some of those on thewaiting list said they are not worried.
Gerald Tang, a Medill freshman who has been on the waiting listsince early May, describes his feelings as “optimistic,” althoughhe said he’s still confused by some aspects of the housingprocess.
“I’m a little perplexed because I think sophomores should havemore priority over seniors and juniors,” Tang said. “I think itwould be more fair to expect (upperclassmen) to live offcampus.”
