ON-LINE RESIDENCE HALL LOTTERY FAQS:

What Is Housing Lottery And Am I Required To Participate?

Housing Lottery is the process by which our current registered students select their housing accommodations for the next academic year.  Students are required to reside in Wittenberg housing the entire time they are enrolled.  Students with fewer than 60 credit hours must live in a residence hall; students with over 60 earned credit hours after the spring semester may live in a Witt rental property.

For the purposes of the Housing Lottery, current students with fewer than 60 credits are sophomores; 60-92 credits are juniors; and 93+ credits are seniors (based on earned credits at the end of the Fall 2012 semester plus all registered credits for Spring 2013, as recorded by the University Registrar as of February 7, 2013).  Sophomores are required to live in residence halls.  Juniors and seniors may select residence hall rooms or houses and apartments. 

The only students who would not be required to participate in housing lottery are students previously approved to do one of the following: 1) Commute from the principal residence of their parent/legal guardian that is within a 30 mile driving distance; 2) Live privately; 3) Live in the Campus Ministry House, Eco House, Geek House, Polis House, Fraternity or Sorority House; 4) Select housing as a non-returning RA 5) Fill an RA position for the 2013-2014 academic year.

How Are Housing Lottery Numbers Assigned?

Our on-line system uses computer-generated random numbers to determine housing assignments, but these lottery numbers are not assigned until near the end of the process, so they will not be announced.  Students organize into groups and submit housing preferences first.  Then, on lottery day, the system sorts all participating students into three pools - seniors, juniors and sophomores - and randomly assigns lottery numbers to each person in each pool.  Finally, the system moves through each pool in lottery number order, matching housing preferences with the properties that are available when each number comes up.  The system assigns groups together based on the person it encounters first, i.e., the person with the "best" lottery number.

Is There Anything I Must Do In Order To Participate In The Housing Lottery?

YES!  Log onto MyWitt and click on “Student Academic Information” and then on "Registration Priority and Holds".  If you have any type of hold/restriction, such as an unpaid balance on your student account, Dean of Students hold, library fine, etc., you must contact the appropriate office to correct the restriction(s) before proceeding through the housing lottery module.  You will not be allowed to proceed if any holds or restrictions exist.  If you want to be included in a group of 2, 3, 4 or 5, a hold will prohibit your group from entering preferences.

How/When Will I Know What My 2013-2014 Housing Assignment Is?

You will be sent an e-mail with your housing selection results by 5 p.m. the day your lottery runs.  If you have not received an e-mail by the following morning, please contact us at 937-327-7800 or e-mail housing@wittenberg.edu.

May I Stay In My Current Room Next Year?

Although there is a possibility that you will be placed in your current room, you will not have an advantage over other students' placement there.

How Does The On-Line Residence Hall Housing Lottery Process Work?

At important stages in the Housing Lottery process, you will receive messages to your Wittenberg e-mail account confirming details and asking you to take certain actions.  It is essential that you check your e-mail frequently.  Here's how the process works:

• Students organize into housing groups of 1-4 people according to the size of the room they want to live in.
• One student creates a housing group on the system and invites the others to join it. 
• Individual students accept or decline their membership.
• Students clear any holds on their accounts.
• The primary member creates a rank-order list of the rooms the group prefers to live in, preferencing all of the floors or sections in which you would be willing to live. Only the primary member is able to create the preference list, but the other members may view it on the system at any time.

We recommend that you preference as many sections as possible, as this will increase the likelihood of a match between your preference and specific room availability.

• In the event that larger groups are unable to be matched with a room in the floor/section they preferenced on April 3, they need to re-organize into groups of 2 and try again at the double room lottery on April 8.
• In the event that a student going through lottery on April 3 to obtain a single room is unable to be matched with a single, the student will need to go through lottery on April 8, either with a roommate or by themselves, and secure a double room. 
• Housing assignments are final and moves cannot be made for at least 2 weeks after the double room lottery has concluded on April 8.  Those wishing to have an opportunity to change their housing assignment, may complete a wait list form and submit to Connie Manes in the Student Development Office, located directly across Alumni Way from the New Residence Hall. You can also find the form on the previous page. You will be notified after August 1, 2013 if space becomes available. If you are not contacted, you will also be able to work with your Area Coordinator after the first 2 weeks of class and if a space in the room and/or hall has opened, you may coordinate a move with him/her.
• For the purposes of the Housing Lottery, sophomores have 59 or fewer credits (including credits from current semester), juniors have 60-92 credits, and seniors have 93+ credits
• Room assignments are made in order according to computer-generated random numbers
• These computer-generated random numbers are generated in three pools - seniors, juniors and sophomores
• Seniors are assigned before juniors and juniors are assigned before sophomores
• Groups are assigned together based on the individual whose random number comes up first (e.g. a roommate pair with one junior and one sophomore will be assigned when it is the junior's turn because juniors go before sophomores)
• Students who fail to participate in the on-line process will be assigned to any open rooms that remain at the end

Do Earned Credit Hours Affect Housing Assignments?

Credit hours (Fall 2012 earned credits plus Spring 2013 registered credits as of March 1) are only used to specify which lottery you will be included in.  Students who have 60-92 credits will run in the junior lottery.  Students who have 93 and above credits will run in the senior lottery.  Those students below 60 credits will run in the sophomore lottery and will be required to go through the residence hall portion of the housing lottery.

Why am I not receiving e-mails regarding my group membership?

Your Wittenberg mailbox may be full.  Please check and delete old messages to make room.  If this does not correct the problem, please contact Residence Life at 937-327-7800.

Is there an advantage to getting my preferences submitted early?

No.  As long as your preferences are entered by 8 a.m. the day of the lottery you will be participating in, your chances are just as good as the person/group who submit(s) preferences early in the process.  Lottery numbers are assigned randomly at 8 a.m. on each lottery day noted below.

Residence Hall Housing Lottery Dates:

• Single rooms, triples and quads - Wednesday, April 3
• Double rooms - Monday, April 8

How Will I Know Which Rooms Are Available?

Based on your group size and qualifications to reside in certain halls, the list of available residence hall sections/floors will appear on the housing preference page as you proceed through the lottery process.  Go back to the previous page to view all of the rooms that are included in the sections/floors of each hall.  Click on the residence hall link you wish to view and then click on the floor.  Click on the "Room Dimensions" link for a list of all approximate room measurements.

How Will I Know Which Specialty Rooms Are Available (Singles, Triples Or Quads)?

Click here for a comprehensive list of all available single, triple & quad rooms.  Specialty rooms that are included in each section/floor of each hall can also be found by clicking on the link for each hall on the previous page. Click on the residence hall link you wish to view and then click on the floor.  Click on the "Room Dimensions" link for a list of all approximate room measurements.  

How Much Will My Room Cost?

Where Can I View Hall Floor Plans And Room Dimensions?

Floor plans of each residence hall are located on the previous page.  Click on the residence hall link you wish to view and then click on the floor.  Click on the "Room Dimensions" link for a list of all approximate room measurements.

What If I Will Be Going Abroad For A Semester Next Year?

If you will be going abroad for the Spring semester of 2014, you should participate in the lottery and secure a room for the Fall semester (make sure your future roommate is aware of this).  Once your name is made known to our office as going abroad for the Spring semester, your room and board plan will be canceled and you must move out of your room by the end of the fall term.  If you know that you will be going abroad for the Fall semester and wish to secure a residence hall room for the spring semester, you should not participate in the lottery at this time.  Please contact the Residence Life Coordinator at 937-327-7827 toward the end of the fall semester in order to secure a room for the Spring semester.

What If I Can't Find A Roommate Or Wish To Be Assigned A Random Roommate?

You may go through lottery without a roommate and select your housing preferences.  On the "Create/Join Group" page you will see three bullet points.  You should follow the instructions for the 2nd bullet point.  On lottery day, the system will automatically match you with another student who has also gone through without a roommate and has entered their housing preferences that are like yours. 

NOTE:  If you are not assigned a roommate during the lottery process, a new transfer, readmit or another student without a roommate in your hall will most likely be placed with you over the summer (check your Witt e-mail often) unless you inform Connie Manes of your housing plans.  Connie can be contacted at 937-327-7800 or cmanes@wittenberg.edu.

May I Go Through The Residence Hall Portion Of The Housing Lottery Even If I Have Earned Over 60 Credit Hours?

Yes!  You are more than welcome to secure a room in a residence hall.  Your status as a Junior or Senior will greatly increase your chances of obtaining the floor/section that you desire.

I Am An Athlete/International Student Who May Need To Stay On Campus During One Or More Break Periods.  Which Halls Should I Preference?

Our designated break halls are Polis, New Hall and Tower.  Over the Thanksgiving, Winter or Spring break periods, these halls are only accessible to international students and athletes who are authorized by their coach to remain on campus for at least 24 hours during the break. 

During these three break periods, all residence hall outside door locks are changed to prevent unauthorized access and except for the international students and athletes who have been cleared to remain, all students must vacate their room and residence hall before they close.  Authorized student athletes and international students who live in Polis, New Hall & Tower will be issued a break key to access their hall.

Access to Woodlawn, Firestine, Ferncliff or Myers is not allowed at any time during the break period.  International students and athletes who reside in one of these halls will need to make arrangements to stay with teammates or friends in off-campus housing/apartments during the entire break period.

May I Have A Loft In My Room?

For quality control of safety standards, the only lofts permitted in the residence halls are those available through Open Space Concepts (www.openspaceconcepts.com).  Lofts can be rented only for residents of Tower or Firestine Hall.  Beds in the other halls, however, are designed to bunk.

May I Have A Refrigerator, Microwave Or MicroFridge In My Room?

Only one MicroFridge or very small refrigerator per room is permitted in all of the residence halls.  Stand-alone microwaves are not permitted. To request information about renting a MicroFridge unit, contact Open Space Concepts at www.openspaceconcepts.com or call 937-322-7000.

I Belong To A Fraternity/Sorority.  How Do I Obtain The 85 or 45 Meal Plan?

You must pick one of the three meal plans on the housing contract.  After that, if you wish to change to the 85 or 45 meal plan, you may contact Cathie Kuss in the Student Center office (next to the bookstore) and she will help you to switch your meal plan.

What If I Want To Live With A New, Transfer, Readmit Or Current Commuter Student Next Year?

Contact Connie Manes at 937-327-7800 or cmanes@wittenberg.edu by Friday, March 29 to reserve the space for your roommate and then proceed through the housing lottery, adding that person to your group.  If that person is an incoming new or transfer student, he/she must send in their tuition deposit and enter your name in question #4 of their online housing survey before June 1.  If that person is a current commuter student or readmit, he/she must contact Connie Manes by Friday, March 29 in order to reserve the space in your room.  If for any reason your friend does not commit to the space, another student will be assigned with you during summer or fall consolidation.

What If My Roommate Withdraws After Lottery Or Over The Summer?

Check your Witt e-mail!!  A transfer, readmit or another student without a roommate will most likely be placed with you during the summer.  You will be notified via your Wittenberg e-mail with your new roommate's information.  Students who choose triples or quads should also understand that if a roommate withdraws, the potential exists for them to be moved into another room to accommodate students on the triple/quad waiting list.

NOTE:  If you know of someone with whom you would like to be placed with or placed with you, please contact the Residence Hall Coordinator immediately.  You may call 937-327-7827 or e-mail cmanes@wittenberg.edu.

What If I Don’t Get The Hall and/or Room I Really Wanted?

Housing assignments are final and moves cannot be made for at least 2 weeks after the double room lottery has concluded on April 8.  Those wishing to have an opportunity to change their housing assignment, may complete a waiting list form and submit it to Connie Manes in the Student Development office, located directly across Alumni Way from the New Residence Hall.  Notification will occur after August 1, 2013 if the desired space becomes available. If you are not contacted over the summer, you may work with your Area Coordinator after the first 2 weeks of class, and if a space in the room and/or hall has opened, you may coordinate a move with him/her. 

Contract Signing

Once you have received notification that your housing has been assigned, you will be e-mailed the electronic  housing contract link. Once your contract is electronically signed and submitted, your housing for 2013-2014 will be complete. IMPORTANT NOTE:  Your housing assignment depends upon your submission of this contract.  You will be in danger of losing your housing assignment if the contract is not received by the deadline.

When May I Move In To My Hall/Room?

Residence Halls will open from Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25, 2013 for returning student move-in/check-in. Please begin making arrangements now to arrive on campus for move-in/check-in during these dates/times.  Please note: Meal plans do not begin until dinner Sunday evening, August 25. 

Unless you are required to arrive early by a coach, faculty or staff member and are subsequently placed on the official early arrival list, you may not arrive on campus before Noon on August 24.  Absolutely no students, other than those on the early arrival list, will be allowed into the halls before then.  NOTE:  An approved early arrival by your roommate does not entitle you to also arrive early; you will be asked to leave and assessed the maximum disciplinary fine.  

If you are authorized by your coach, faculty or staff member to arrive early (Athletics, OA, RA, Peer Mentor/Helper, ITS, etc.) you should make plans to arrive on the day and time set by that person.  You must contact the coach or faculty/staff person who authorized you with any arrival change requests (please do not direct your request to the Area Coordinator or the Residence Life office).  If the coach/faculty/staff person approves your request, they will inform the Residence Life office and the change will be made on the official list.

If I Have More Questions Or A Concern About Residence Hall Housing Lottery That Hasn’t Been Addressed, Whom Should I Contact?

Please feel free to contact Connie Manes Coordinator of Residence Hall Housing at 327-7827 for assistance.