Students choose seniority room draw policy in campus-wide vote

Room draw will now be based on seniority, based on the results of a recent campus-wide survey conducted by Residential Education and Housing Services (REHS). Nearly 700 students participated in the survey, which was co-sponsored by the Associated Students of Occidental College (ASOC).

REHS sent out its “Room Draw Distribution Survey” Oct. 1 and let students choose from four policy options: the current system of thirds, a seniority option, a school-wide lottery system and an option for students to write in their own idea. REHS is required to put their room draw policy up to a campus wide vote every two years, according to ASOC President Chris Weeks (junior).

Out of a total of 680 student responses, 304 students chose the seniority option. Thirty six percent of students wished to keep the current system of allocating an equal number of rooms to each class, and 16 percent of students wanted a school-wide lottery system. Nineteen students offered their own policy suggestions.

The chosen seniority system is a change from the previous system of thirds. This new system means that all areas of on-campus housing will be open to seniors first, followed by juniors and then sophomores. Every student will still be assigned a room draw number within their year, however there will no longer be a third of each hall reserved for each class.

Despite the change in policy, classes will still choose their rooms on different nights, and there will be a separate room draw for triples and themed living housing, according to Associate Director of Housing Services Michelle Saldana.