Fall Housing Lottery Details Announced

Garrett Kirk ’24

News Editor

The Tripod spoke with Director of Housing Operations Susan Salisbury on Thursday, Mar. 18 about the College’s upcoming plans regarding the housing lottery.

Salisbury told the Tripod that nothing major is changing procedurally this year, since housing does not convene collectively like they previously did six years ago. Since the selection process is regularly online, little is actually changing in terms of how students will select housing despite the pandemic.

Salisbury said she is fairly confident the College will return to pre-COVID occupancy numbers in dorms during the 2021-2022 academic year, although this is subject to change based on factors such as vaccinations, testing, and COVID cases.

Last year, the housing lottery was delayed until June because there were still questions regarding the study abroad students and the downsizing to single-person living. This year, the College hopes to hold the lottery at the end of April, although a date has not been announced yet as the College waits for senior administration members to make final decisions regarding study away students and occupancy. Salisbury indicated that the College hopes to have instructions for the lottery in the coming week.

Salisbury acknowledged the challenges of trying to satisfy every student with their living situation. She made it clear that if a student receives a non-optimal housing circumstance after the commencement of the lottery, this does not mark the end of the process, as the housing committee meets every summer to see to the needs of students.

Incoming first-year students at Trinity should take advantage of their various social media platforms, according to Salisbury. Facebook, Instagram, and Zoom should all be looked at as serious ways to meet potential roommates and connect with peers. Salisbury encouraged students to look toward the College’s various Gateway Programs and any other initiatives that allow students to socialize. Resident Advisors have also been encouraged to reach out to incoming students and build connections virtually.

Salisbury recognized that there may be limited availability for singles and quads in the upcoming year, as these are two areas that are notoriously over-applied for. Additionally, Salisbury foresees an increase in applications for these two living situations since many of the students received these accommodations in the 2020-2021 school year.