Beginning in spring 2020, room selection will move online for all students applying to Columbia Housing, excluding special living community applicants.

This change comes as part of a collaborative effort between Housing, ResLife, and the Residence Hall Leadership Organization (RHLO) to streamline the housing selection process. According to RHLO, citing data gathered from residents, hall directors, and resident advisors, room selection is the most stressful time of year, and this change is meant to abate the stress many students face.

Students can now form groups as large as 10 people. In addition, regroup has been eliminated, with residents instead picking into rooms and suites that fit the number of individuals in their group. For instance, a 10-person group may pick into five doubles, 10 corridor-style singles, or an 8-person suite and a double across all floors and buildings. During housing selection, information on which rooms are still available will be updated every ten minutes on the housing website.

Lottery numbers will also change, as the previous weighting system has been discontinued. Groups will now receive lottery numbers according to class standing. Seniors will hold numbers from 1-1000, juniors from 2001-3000, and sophomores from 4001-5000, with mixed groups filling in the gaps. Each class will have around a week to select the room, with the lottery numbers coming out over spring break and online selection beginning March 31.

Each housing group will select one group leader who will enter the final decisions on behalf of the group, though RHLO expects that all students will be in constant communication throughout the process. RHLO also puts the responsibility of conflict resolution on students, whether issues arise before or after selection.

Though housing selection will no longer take place in the John Jay Lounge, RHLO stated that drop-in hours and help will be available throughout the housing selection process to assist students with the new system. Some aspects of the previous system will remain the same, such as the interchange between Barnard and Columbia seniors and SIC and LLC applications. First-years will also choose into their residence halls in the same manner as years past.

On November 19, RHLO will hold a meeting open to all undergraduates to provide students with a chance to ask questions and provide feedback. Registration will occur between February 28 and March 12.

Spring pic on a fall day via Bwog Archives