Students unhappy with housing selection procedures

New housing selection procedures have triggered the anger of some students, who say that incoming first-year students are being given preferential treatment over currently registered residents. Resident Life Director Catherine Caulfield, however, says that the procedures were decided upon by a committee of students and is optimistic about the new point system.

by Anne C. Miller assistant managing editor

With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, many residents are debating where to live and who their roommates will be for the upcoming term.

However, their main concern should be if they will get housing at all.

Resident life has capped the number of students in each class who are permitted to live on campus.

year students when we've been here longer and have already paid several year's tuition?" asked sophomore James O'Neil.

"Resident life should take care of those who have been here longer and cap the acceptance of new students," O'Neil said.

Caulfield explained that with the system." and on-campus organizations, GPA and the distance from Cabrini to a student's home, Caulfield said. st- ear stu- re, all upper class studen anteed on campus housi is is a change from la ar' s system, which re number of spaces for first-year students only.

The points system is based upon the following qualifications: class status, semesters lived on campus, residence hall probations, residence ball suspensions and residence hall damages.

The Resident Life Office will calculate each student's score and add together the total for all students wishing to live together.

A lottery will be utilized if a tie occurs.

Next year's seniors will be allotted 110 spaces on campus; juniors, 134 spaces; ear.

The remaining spaces were distributed through a class rank and lottery system to determine who received the remaining spaces.

Several students will be left without residential housing 1due to the new capping process.

"A number of people who don't make the cap go on a waiting list and later will be accommodated for," said Catherine Caulfield, director of resident life.

The idea of capping has most of the campus residents in an uproar.

"Why is housing only guaranteed to first- opening of the new dorm in the fall of 2000, the capping system may be terminated or, at the very least, limited.

Also, unlike previous years, off-campus housing will not be offered.

"Financially, the school loses money," Caulfield said.

The first step for students wishing to live on campus is to submit the housing deposit of $250, paid to the Business Office by March 26.

Secondly, students must register for the fall semester of 1999 prior to the housing selection.

Lastly, students should determine their points according to the point system established by the Housing Committee.

''Two scenarios were considered," said Caulfield, "one being the traditional lottery system and the second being a points system. The committee chose to use the points