Staff editorial: Ways to improve housing process

The housing selection process for the fall semester has come and gone and, despite the efforts of the University Housing and Conference Services staff, some Penn students are left without a room for next semester. This is to be expected at a university with a student population as large as Penn's, especially when variables like fraternity and sorority rush and study abroad programs are taken into account. But there are ways the process could be improved.

Students sign up for housing and then change their minds; students wait to hear from their fraternity, sorority or study abroad program of choice before knowing if they will need to seek on-campus living. Housing no doubt does its best to accommodate these factors, and tries its best to grant students housing-related wishes.

However, for those who are, for one reason or another, not granted any on-campus housing at all, the consequences can be dire. By the time a student is placed at the mercy of a waiting list, most viable off-campus alternatives have been filled, leaving the student with little choice but to take an overpriced or dilapidated alternative.

That Penn does not guarantee on-campus housing beyond freshman year eliminates their culpability in this matter. But that doesn't mean Housing should ignore opportunities to improve the process, to their own benefit as well as to the students'.

First of all, Housing should move up the date of the first stage of the lottery: in-house applications. Since these people are presumably satisfied with their current college house, they are less likely to pick up and move off campus. Getting this out of the way earlier would allow Housing to focus more attention on the other rounds.

The later rounds should be moved up as well. While the aforementioned considerations complicate the process, most students are well aware of their standing in the Greek system by the end of January. Beginning the process earlier would afford students the safety net of more options should all their housing choices fall through. It seems logical that it would also aid Housing in the process, giving them more time to sort out the heterogenous demands that students lay at their feet.

Despite Housing's efforts, a small number of students are left out in the cold every year. While this may be unavoidable, starting the process earlier and thereby giving students the opportunity to seek viable alternatives would be beneficial all around.

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