Hundreds of computer cursors stood at the ready to competitively click for the one-person housing options on campus.

Monday marked the first day of room selection for the Syracuse University housing lottery. With all SU students required to live on campus for at least two years, many said they are anxiously awaiting their housing lottery results for next semester.

“I’m really concerned that I am not going to get my first choice in room,” said Madison Lieberman, an undeclared freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. “I don’t totally understand the system or my number, just what upperclassmen have told me.”

Lieberman said her first choice is to live in Watson Hall, but she is concerned she might end up in a South Campus apartment because she thinks she has a bad lottery number.

In addition to location preferences, students also have to consider the price of their living arrangements. An open-double room in Watson costs $3,435 a semester, while a two-person apartment on South Campus costs $4,475 a semester, according to SU’s housing website.

“Students are in complete control to accept a room or not,” said Eileen Simmons, director of Housing, Meal Plans and I.D. Card Services, in an email. “We strongly encourage students to discuss their housing budget with those responsible for their bill.”

South Campus apartments are more expensive because they are fully furnished, include heat, utilities, private kitchens, baths shared by the occupants and do not close for the semester break, Simmons said.

“We hope the student has done their homework before selecting,” Simmons said. “We would do all we could to assist with a cheaper room if they have made a mistake.”

Gil Maher, a sophomore policy studies major, said he did not want to live on South Campus, but was reassigned to the location when he got a bad lottery number last year.

“I initially didn’t want to live on South, but when I saw my lottery number, I ended up doing what my roommate wanted,” Maher said. “The price wasn’t a factor in my decision and it turns out that I love it here.”

There are 731 two-bedroom apartments and 156 three-bedroom apartments on South Campus. In comparison, there are 398 two-person rooms, 70 two-person suites and 27 three-person suites available through campus housing on Main Campus, according to SU’s housing website.

Sal Salerno, an undeclared freshman in Arts and Sciences, said he is still trying to weigh the pros and cons of both locations. But with a lottery number in the high 8,000s, he said doesn’t think he has a great chance of getting his first choice of living arrangement.

“The averaging of your lottery numbers with your roommates is stupid,” Salerno said. “It makes it hard for me to find someone to room with me and also to get our first choice in room.”

The next round of the housing lottery, open to people who have not yet fulfilled their two-year housing requirement, begins March 27 at 3 p.m.,according to SU’s website.

Salerno and other students will be hoping the odds are in their favor to get their ideal rooms.

“The process is pretty complicated, but if you look into it enough, it is comprehendible,” Salerno said. “I’m going to be on my A game to try and snag a quality place to live.”

 

Published on March 5, 2013 at 11:07 pm

Contact Kelvin: kbread@syr.edu