The housing selection process is once again on the radar of every student at Otterbein. When it comes to forms, priority points and lots of emails, this process can be daunting and confusing.
Tracy Benner, director of residence life, said that students should have already received an email containing a link to an online housing form that will replace most of the paper forms of the past.
"No matter where a student wants to live, they should do the online Current Student Address and Housing Request form," Benner said.
However, it isn't as simple as filling out the e-mailed form. Priority points are another aspect of the housing process that are important in choosing where to live in the following semester.
"You gain points by living in the residence halls within on-campus," Benner said, "you get one point per semester. If you live in the residence halls, you can gain an additional point per semester by taking the residence life survey each semester." The point totals are tabulated in January before the housing selection process begins.
Benner also said that transfer students, students who study abroad or students who serve in the National Guard have other ways to gain priority points. A transfer student can gain a priority point by showing proof of residence at their former college. Students who study abroad can gain priority points if they lived in campus housing before and after studying abroad.
"We try not to penalize folks, especially if you go study abroad," she said.
While this might seem simple, some current Otterbein students find the process confusing and very hard.
Bella Brennan, a junior music education major, found the forms complicated. She had to ask upperclassmen for help.
Noah Clever, a junior zoo and conservation science major, said there are separate forms for Greek housing and theme housing.Clever also said that the timeline between committing to a theme house and getting into the residence life system is very narrow. This could cause students to get stuck in a housing contract.
New Common Applications and Current Student Address and Housing Request forms are due by Feb. 25. For updates, check the residence life page on O-Zone.
