Posted by Taylor Dafoe
It is that time of year again: the puzzling process we call room selection. It can seem to be a straining time for everybody, but in an attempt to curb unwanted stress, this is a walk-through of the process and an attempt to clear up some commonly asked questions.
There are four basic requirements you will need to meet before being eligible to choose housing.
First, your tuition bill must be paid. Second, you must be free of outstanding sanctions within the college. Third, you must be a current student on the Skidmore campus. You will not be able to select if you are traveling abroad or living off-campus. Fourth, you must complete a preliminary application, available online on the Res Life website, before the selection process.
Additionally, there are a few changes in the housing selection process this year. Maybe the biggest change is that there will be no adjoining singles in the dorms. That means regardless of your own number you will not be able to pull lower-numbered friends into your suite. Everyone will choose their living arrangements individually at the time they are assigned to do so.
Substance-free housing will once again be offered as a living option next semester, occupying the third floor of Rounds Hall. There will be an application process for living on this floor, and the most appropriate candidates will be selected.
Finally, there has been a change in the number system that positions students' time slots for selecting housing. It is now one rotation of numbers, spanning from one to 2300. Classes are divided roughly into sectors of 700, with seniors being the first (number one through 700), juniors the next (701 through 1400) and so on. The lowest numbers will have the first time slots.
In regard to the process of choosing your respective living situation, there are a few things you should know.
The housing selection process will not be online this year; you will have to do it in person during the timeslot you are assigned. It will take place in the basement of Wiecking Hall.
Those in charge of the housing selection ask that you take care of questions and ameliorate any potential problems before the morning of your room selection, so as not to delay the process for others. More times than not, most questions can be answered simply by visiting the Res Life webpage on the Skidmore website.
Of course it is simply not possible to satisfy the individual wants of everybody within the student body, and though the Office of Residential Life is more than willing to help in any way it can, keep in mind that there is always a possibility that you do not end up with your first housing choice.
Remember that the Office of Residential life is a resource at your disposal – feel free to stop in to the office at any time during the week with questions or concerns. Hopefully the housing selection process will be a painless one for everybody this year.