Housing Lottery

The 2009-2010 Housing Selection process begins in January and continues throughout much of the Spring 2009 Semester.  These pages contain information pertaining to all areas of the selection process and Housing Lottery.  Housing Selection has many exciting aspects to it, hopefully making the process easier, faster, and more transparent.  In addition to technology like My Lottery which allows for completing forms online and process updates, you will also find tools like Roommate Finder, Rooms Available For Lottery, and Lottery Number status tracking.

Housing Changes for 2009-2010

There are some housing changes that you need to be aware of for next year. For 2009-2010:

• Housing Lottery will be held March 23, 24, and 25 at 8:00PM each night in the Dining Hall. Please note these dates are different than the dates listed in Synergy.
• Clark University intends to designate Johnson Hall as a primarily First Year/Transfer building.  Returning students will still have an opportunity to live on the Johnson Wellness (3rd) floor and likely in select Suites, but returning students will not be able to Same Room Sign-up into Johnson.
• 926 Main Street will be converted from Undergraduate to Graduate Housing.  Students living in 926 Main Street will be unable to participate in Same Room Sign-up.
• 112 Woodland Street will become the Quiet House.  Students living in 112 Woodland Street will be unable to participate in Same Room Sign-up.
• 2 Downing Street will be converted to an apartment style building.  There are 5 apartments available for groups of 5 or 6.  Each apartment features an eat in kitchen and 4 season porch which can be used as common space.
• For the first time rising sophomores will be permitted to live in Blackstone Hall.  Blackstone Hall selection remains priority based so Seniors and Juniors still have the best shot of acquiring housing there.
• Theme Housing will no longer be offered as a priority housing option.  Students are encouraged to pursue their own thematic living arrangements and are welcome to program in the halls, but RLH will no longer be selecting and tracking these Theme Groups.
• Notable changes to the 2009-2010 Housing Contract include the ability for students to arrive or depart up to 48 hours early or late for $50.00 per day (if RLH is notified more than 7 days in advance), for additional travel flexibility.  Also there is now the option for students to cancel their housing contracts for $1000.00 for reasons which would previously have not warranted a granted housing appeal (see contract for details).
• In order to ensure that all students take Housing Lottery seriously and are not using their academic standing to pull students into rooms that they would not otherwise be able to get, we have increased the Housing Contract Cancellation Fee from $100 to $300.  Of course if you are serious about living in Clark Housing you will not need to pay to enter Housing Selection or Lottery.  However, students who elect to apply for Housing Selection but do not select a room or are granted a Housing Appeal will be charged the $300.00 at that time.

You should also be sure to note the following about the 2009-2010 Housing Selection process:

• The number and availability of specific spaces and configurations (for example "how many 6 person suites are available for lottery in Maywood Street Hall?") are available online.  You will find this information and more on our real time Rooms Available for Lottery page.
  
  
• Current students participating in a 5th year or graduate study program can participate in the undergraduate room selection process for Blackstone Hall only. These students will need to be part of a group of students in order to select a space in Blackstone Hall, and will have to apply using My Lottery and will need to sign, abide by, and agree to the terms of the Undergraduate Housing Contract..  They may also apply for Graduate Housing.  Graduate Housing Applications will be available in March.
  
  
• Lottery Class standing is projected by adding 4 credits to the number of credits accrued at the conclusion of the Fall 2008 Semester as reported by the Registrar's Office. The total number of anticipated credits is used to find Lottery Class.  To obtain Junior status you must have 16 or more credits.  To obtain Senior Status you must have 24 or more credits.  Lottery numbers are non-transferable and Lottery Class standing is final.  .
   
• Each year a number of students are waitlisted for the fall.  These students are guaranteed a space on campus, and every effort is made to assign them with the roommate of their choice when possible.  The housing waitlist is an essential part of our housing process and is needed to ensure that we can make the best possible housing placements for First Year and returning students during the summer when students withdraw from housing and/or Clark, or decide to study abroad, etc. This year RLH has a number of rooms withheld for first year and transfer students which we expect will be transitioned into returning assignments for waitlisted students as the summer progresses. This allows us to assign more students to their preferred hall and room type than we could by offering all of our rooms at Lottery.
  
  
• Please remember that all students are required to live in housing for four semesters. All sophomores are required to live on-campus unless participating in a study abroad program.

If you have questions about the Room Selection Process, please contact Kevin Forti, Director of Residential Life and Housing at 508-793-7453, or via email.