The recent changes Quinnipiac University introduced to the sophomore and junior housing selection process for the upcoming academic year — where roommate groups now receive one lottery number instead of individuals receiving one — sparked anxiety amongst students during the whole process.
When lottery numbers were posted March 27, some roommate groups did not get a number and participated in a regrouping phase. This occurs if the number of roommates does not match the number of students needed to fill the suite. As a result, an unmatched room increases the chance that groups may be separated into different rooms.
This has caused concern amongst students.
Housing contracts were due by March 6, groups must have been matched by March 20 and numbers came out March 27. Housing selection for rising juniors took place March 31 and for rising sophomores took place April April 9, the new numbers for those who were regrouped will be posted. Regroup juniors will select housing April 13 and sophomore selection will be April 14.
Mount Carmel housing for rising sophomores includes Hill, Village, Mountainview, The Suites and Complex. Rising juniors will mainly be on the York Hill Campus, but others will be placed in The Hill or The Village on Mount Carmel.
Only 120 numbers were posted on My Housing for rising sophomores, leaving many with no number and a lot of anxiety.
First-year nursing major Gianna Platt explained how it felt to get regrouped.
“The new housing process had many challenges and at times was confusing,” she said. “After being regrouped, it caused me to panic because I wanted to find a group as soon as possible, but finding other groups was very difficult. Also, having to compete with juniors for the same housing caused added issues to the process.”
When Platt did not receive a number, she thought she would get separated from her group. Her group tried to find other rising sophomores in hopes of staying together.
“Trying to find other groups of four was difficult,” Platt said. “We had to turn to social media platforms to try and find groups, but we were faced with the challenge of finding groups of six, not four.”
Platt describes that being grouped made her feel like she had less control over her living situation. Her biggest concern was whether or not she would be able to stay with her original roommates or if the group would be separated for good.
Like Platt, first-year health science major Liana Osgood was regrouped for sophomore selection. She also feels overlooked with her health accommodations not being met.
“Not having my needs met, having direct access to a fully functioning kitchen, really made me feel overlooked and frustrated,” Osgood said. “My medical conditions make it hard for me to find safe foods to eat, and it is difficult to find food in the dining halls that worked for me and met my daily nutritional needs.”
Osgood expressed how she felt as though the school did not take her situation seriously. She explained the lack of support to be “annoying” since she’d had previous issues with testing accommodations in the fall.
“I wish that the school made it not only easier to schedule a meeting with an accommodations counselor, but I wish that the accommodations department listened and provided a more in depth plan for me and my academic and personal needs that allows me more leeway to deal with my conditions,” Osgood said.
For Osgood, the housing selection process was stressful.
Some students, like sophomore applied business major Hailey Bacon, had a much better selection experience.
“Housing went well,” Bacon said. “It was a little stressful because the rooms were getting taken up really fast, but I didn’t get regrouped and I don’t know anyone who did.. I have heard of some people getting regrouped and they were really upset and stressed about it.”
Bacon believes the process was easier than in previous semesters.
“I think the process was a little easier than everyone having different numbers and it made selection a lot faster and easier, but I also know people feel differently about it,” she said.
