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Res Life plans to make housing application exciting

by Margo Lipschultz

Monday marks the beginning of the nearly two-week long housing application period. This year, however, students will find a surprise in their mailboxes as well: An invitation to Residential Life and Services' first annual Housing Extravaganza.

The Extravaganza will present housing options for students by inviting current residents of dorms and co-ops to represent their homes to prospective residents. The event will be held next Wednesday in Wilder Main and the 'Sco. It's being organized by Housing Manager Sandy Hougland and all the campus area coordinators (AC).

"The purpose and goal of the Extravaganza is threefold," said Tracy Murry, Co-op Area Coordinator (CAC). "We want to provide more information to students about housing and dining options, to make Res Life more accessible to students and to encourage students to turn in their applications earlier." To help educate students about on- and off-campus housing and dining options, volunteers from every dorm and co-op will anwer questions about the general appearance and atmosphere of their home. A schedule of housing deadlines will be posted at the fair to help students organize their applications.

"We want students to learn about the type of community in each building, as well as about the uniqueness of each building structurally and internally," said Barb Mehwald, area coordinator (AC) for South, Dascomb, Fairchild and Talcott.

Plans for improving the application process don't stop with the housing fair. The ultimate goal of Extravaganza organizers is to rework the application process to make it more efficient.

"We're trying to turn the process into a more positive and personable experience," Mike Salois, AC of Langston, East and Barnard Halls, said. "In the past, the [housing application] process was mostly paperwork. Now it will be fun and get students more actively involved," Murry said.

According to Residential Life staff, many students in past years turned in their housing applications on the last possible due date, causing a backup in the system and a delay in relaying housing assignments back to the students. Currently, students are assigned housing based on class rank and a random lottery. This process will not change, but coordinators hope to be able to inform students of their assignments within two weeks after the application deadline, rather than taking months to decide.

"We believe that it's less confusing for students if we introduce the new system slowly and piece by piece. We'd like to see a merging of old systems and new within a couple of years," Murry said.

Though applications are not due until March 14 this year, students will have added incentive to turn in their selections on or before March 5. While students examine their options and listen to the music of conservatory keyboardists David Pier and Anthony Melone at the Extravaganza, coordinators will raffle off door prizes to everyone who completes and turns in an application at or before the housing fair.

Some door prizes are a mini refrigerator, towels, bedding and various dorm room necessities. A grand prize winner will receive a free vacation for two to an as-yet unspecified destination. Coordinators are working with Oberlin Travel, Inc. to plan a trip to Orlando, Las Vegas, San Antonio or New Orleans. "I think we're all really excited and enthusiastic [about the Extravaganza and accompanying renovations]. We hope it will get bigger and better every year," Holly Morgan, AC of Barrows, Noah, Burton and Zechiel Halls, said.


Oberlin

Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 16; February 28, 1997

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