Franklin & Marshall College

Below is information about the upcoming Room Selection process for the 2012-13 academic year intended to give everyone a broad overview of the phases of the room selection process that will begin in the Spring semester within the context of the College's four year residency requirement adopted by the Franklin & Marshall Board of Trustees in 2006.  Additional specific details will come in follow up email messages (and posted here) in the coming weeks.

The information below is structured in the chronological order of the room selection process with some additional information toward the end.

Phase 1 (rising Seniors-'13 and rising Juniors-'14 only)

The first phase of room selection will allow for students already living within the College Row, College Hill, and/or James Street Properties (JSP) to renew leases for next year.  These individuals will be contacted with details on how to renew leases and the various deadlines for renewal.  Students who resided in the College Row and/or College Hill apartments, or in James Street Properties (JSP) in the fall and are now going to study abroad in the spring will also be given priority to reserve a non-specific bedroom in the College Row, College Hill, or JSP facility they lived in during the fall.   In addition, those who decide to stay in College Row, College Hill, or James Street Properties for next year MUST fill their apartments/units with rising seniors or juniors of their choosing as space permits (note: this is a condition of lease renewal.  Students MUST fill apartments with eligible students in order to renew their lease).  We expect this phase of room selection to be completed by the end of February.  Apartments remaining available in College Row, College Hill, and James Street Properties after this phase of room selection will be offered to rising seniors and juniors through a lottery-driven room registration system described below (Phase 3).

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Phase 2 (rising Seniors-'13 and rising Juniors-'14 and some rising Sophomores-'15)

The next phase of the process will be for rising seniors and juniors who wish to live in one of the College Theme House options (Please note that some changes are likely in these options and they will be announced at the beginning of next semester but they will likely include an Arts House, French House, Sustainability House, International House, West James Street Apartments, and Quiet Living.)  

Students wishing to apply for beds in these locations will have an opportunity to do so prior to the general room selection lottery system.  Any changes in Theme House options will be provided to students prior to the application process.  Also during this phase, rising sophomores wishing to be considered for Theme Housing will be permitted to apply.  Students will be contacted in late January or early February about this option.  Concurrent with this phase, we will also be working with the Greek organizations that have bed spaces available to determine which students (rising seniors or juniors only) will be in those spaces for next year.

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Phase 3 (rising Seniors-'13 and rising Juniors-'14 only)

The third phase of room selection will be an online room selection system.  All rising seniors and juniors who have not already procured a bed in one of the earlier phases will be assigned a random lottery number (rising seniors will have a higher priority than rising juniors).  The online system will then allow students (or a designated proxy) to register a room selection in order of lottery number from the menu of approved housing options.  Students will be able to select from available spaces in the College Houses, Theme Houses, College Hill Apartments, College Row Apartments, and the James Street Properties (JSP).  Students participating in this phase MUST "pull in" other rising seniors or juniors to fill out a given room, apartment, or JSP unit (note: this is a requirement for choosing an apartment via the lottery. Students MUST completely fill apartments with eligible students).  Students will, in the alternative, have the option of placing their name on a wai! t list for a space if that space is no longer available by the time they register.  We anticipate this phase to take place by the end of March.

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Phase 4 (rising Sophomores-'15 only)

The next phase of the room selection process will be for rising Sophomores.  This phase will take place concurrently in each of the College Houses and will be overseen personally by the House Prefects on a lottery basis.  Bed spaces for rising Sophomores are reserved within the College Houses.  This final phase will take place in March or early April.

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Important Note (rising Seniors-'13 and rising Juniors-'14 only)

Please be aware that all students choosing to reside in College Row, College Hill, or the JSP Houses, MUST fill their apartments with eligible students when they make their choice.  We will have a system in place, via the room selection website, to search for other students who are seeking rooms.  That way, you will be able to more easily find others to "pull in" to your apartment with you.  Please remember that the requirement that you fill your apartment applies also to those who are renewing leases.  For example, if you renew your lease in College Row, but some of your current apartment-mates do not, you MUST fill their places with other eligible students (members of the Class of 2013 or 2014).

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Summary (all students)

Students will select housing options in phases, beginning with lease renewals in College Row, College Hill, and JSP, followed by Theme House applications, the general lottery for rising Juniors and Seniors, and the House lotteries for rising Sophomores.  Students, if renewing a lease or choosing College Row, College Hill, or JSP, MUST fill their chosen apartment or unit with eligible students.  Students will have access to an online system to identify others who are seeking a room, and will be able to join wait lists for options that are full at the time they choose housing.  

Finally, we'll continue to keep everyone updated and do our best to provide everything necessary for you to make informed decisions about your college housing for next year.  As we go through the selection process this spring, please know that we will continue to do our very best to make sure this entire process is as fair and equitable as it can possibly be.

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