Fewer freshmen walked away from GW’s housing selection homeless this year than previous years after the University changed the system allowing them choose first.
Sixty-four freshmen were put on the guaranteed waiting list for housing after Sunday’s eight-hour housing lottery for rising sophomores – 180 fewer than last year, when rising juniors and seniors chose first, according to Andrew Sonn, director of Housing Services.
GW also reduced the number of rising sophomores on the list by offering them more choices, including Munson Hall, a traditionally upperclassman building.
“Rising sophomores had more housing options to choose from than ever before,” Sonn said.
This year The Dakota, The Schenley, Riverside Towers, Aston, Fulbright and Munson halls were reserved for rising sophomores.
Rising seniors and juniors will select housing on March 31.
Other freshmen decided to take their chances with off-campus housing, as 21 freshmen took back their $300 housing deposit to explore other options Sunday.
Max Haivanis, who held number 3,245 and Sam Reggio, who received 3,352, opted to join the waiting list, which could place them just about anywhere that is open after rising juniors and seniors make their pick. The freshmen said they will forfeit their deposit and move off campus if GW places them at the Mount Vernon Campus.
Reggio said GW should fully inform students about housing shortages. He said GW should either decrease the number of students it accepts or build more housing facilities.
At 10 a.m. the first room of regular selection went to freshman Jennifer Hyon, who held number 2,000, the first number for rising sophomores. Hyon chose a Dakota quad, which she will share with three friends.
“We are very excited about our room,” Hyon said.
As Sonn said he expected, The Dakota closed first at 11:15 a.m, followed by Riverside Towers and The Schenley. Crawford Hall, which will also house freshmen next year, was filled at 5:10 p.m., ending the lottery.
Students who chose to live at MVC, which will house men for the first time next year, went first in the housing selection.
Freshman Jason Fisette became the first male to sign up to live at a Mount Vernon when he picked a Pelham Hall room.
“It should be a really good experience,” Fissette said. Nineteen women and eight men selected Pelham Hall rooms.
“With the GW World Community participants, this definitely shows a strong interest in housing options at the Mount Vernon Campus,” Sonn said.
The GW World Community, a program developed by CLLC earlier this year, offers students the opportunity to study abroad for the fall semester if they agree to live in Somers Hall during the spring semester, a residence hall currently under renovation at Mount Vernon.
Students who received numbers one through 10 at the Martha’s Marathon raffle and auction last week chose rooms after Mount Vernon students.
Josh Levine, Josh Greenbaum, Jeff Meisner and Steve Frank acquired New Hall 806 with the third pick, which they purchased for $2,300 at the auction.
“We are really happy that we did not have to go through all this (stuff),” Levine said.
Sonn said this year’s housing selection was well organized and communication was increased by a telecast of available beds and selection numbers on GW’s television station.
Sonn said he will get feedback from students who went through Sunday’s housing selection and staff members to find ways to improve the process for rising juniors and seniors.