2008 Woodie Awards
Housing lottery shelters students
Brittany Raine
Issue date: 4/6/06 Section: News
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As the end of the spring semester rapidly approaches, students across campus are discovering and uncovering their housing selections for the next academic year.
Residential Life prides itself on campus housing as being an "experience," not merely a place for students to eat, study and sleep. As stated in the housing pamphlet distributed by the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services: "Your Residence Hall is a cohesive living and learning community designed to help you grow in all aspects of your life. It is, in short, an extension of the Sacred Heart classrooms." But finding this "cohesive living and learning community" is all about lottery's and random luck.
The residence halls range from doubles to suites and townhouses of all sizes. According to Allen Machielson, Director of Residential Life, Chicago, Ill. the location and setup of housing close and far from the center of campus is relevant to academic standing and year.
"About 2,100 students are living within campus housing as of the beginning of this academic year in the fall of 2005," said Machielson. "Living locations and situations depend on your G.P.A. and the number of credits you have in relation to your academic year and living situation. After your academic standing is determined the rest of the housing lottery is random."
Perfection does not exist in the world of housing lotteries. The random lottery system that Sacred Heart uses to assign housing for each year is designed to eliminate the possibility for discrimination in relation to housing and student preferences. The setup of student housing, from Merton Hall to Park Ridge, are located in places relevant to a students year and level of independence.
"The Office of Residential Life has a philosophy concerning 'graduated housing,'" said Machielson. "Freshmen in Seton and Merton Hall are located closest to the heart of campus life. As you become a sophomore and junior, students start to have more freedom while moving farther from campus to dormitories [such as Roncalli Hall, Scholar Commons and Taft Commons]. The graduated separation from the heart of campus allows students to go more out on their own and to establish themselves while still living in Sacred Heart facilities."