If this is your first time applying for housing, or you really want that new Silverstein apartment, read on to prepare for housing selection. Take a picture for when housing selection starts. Email us to let us know what else you’re interested in knowing how to do, but unsure who to ask.
ALINA PANEK, Editor-in-Chief—The question will no longer be, “Will I get an apartment?” but, “Do I want to live in an apartment?” for rising seniors.
These upcoming classes will have a luxury of options that recent alumni did not have. The promise of a new apartment building means that for the first time in several years, Denison will not have a shortage of housing.
Underclassmen can be hopeful for a variety of housing options, and could potentially live in Stone or Taylor apartments which were previously considered primarily senior housing.
The first round of housing selection will begin Thursday, April 9 for rising seniors. Each class year will be selecting their housing the following week, with the class of 2023 selecting on April 23.
Student Housing, Operations & Planning (SHOP) members Carianne Meng, Director, and Donna Davis, Student Housing Coordinator will be available for any questions through email, phone, and the following dates for information sessions on Wednesday, March 4, Thursday, March 5 and Wednesday, April 8 at the Slayter Auditorium.
Davis and Meng highlighted their availability for the students for assistance. Davis will be continuing her hall visits that began in fall 2019, coming to the students within their dorms to hear about their experiences with their housing and qualms about housing selection.
She hopes that this will make it easier for students who have questions but are apprehensive to come to Doane.
Students who are considering prices for rooms should be aware that the room rate for a single and suites have increased from last year to $9,210 and apartments with a single bedrooms are $10,810 and apartments with shared bedrooms are $10,140. Laundry fees are now incorporated into the room rate, making the machines free of charge to students living on campus.
SHOP is attempting to create more options for students to choose from so that all students can be comfortable with their room rate. For example for Shaw, where students are now required to live when studying abroad, SHOP is bringing in more beds for a variety of room rates.
How to select housing
The first step for housing selection is completing the housing application that can be found on MyDenison, under the tab, MyApps, within MyHousing.
The application opened Monday, March 2, where it is essential for students to complete so that SHOP can have the numbers of who is selecting, who has roommates, and their emergency contact information. Denison is required to annually collect emergency information, and this is the most efficient method.
“My advice is to pick who you want to live with for the whole year,” Meng said.
She noted that first-years and seniors have the highest amount of roommate conflicts. She credits the strife on the anticipation of impending graduation and not wanting to deal with the turmoil so they turn to ending friendships rather than saying good-bye.
Students being intentional with their selection of roommates can limit the amount of strife during their final year.
The application closes Wednesday, March 25 at noon. If you miss this deadline, please reach out to SHOP as soon as possible.
March 25 is also the date that students with medical accommodations must have selected housing at this point. This does not include students that require air conditioning.
After the applications close, rising senior roommate groups lock in on Monday, April 6.
Two days later, on Wednesday, class of 2021 will receive their time slots and the race for Silverstein will begin.
There are two different processes. The first is four person apartments, and all other spaces. Each following Wednesday, the next rising class will receive their time slots.
The time slot appointment for students abroad is still to be announced. A new change for the 2020-2021, all students will be living on East Quad in Shaw who are planning on going abroad during their semester on campus.
The SHOP staff said that they are excited for the new changes following the master housing plan to eventually overhaul all dormitory buildings on campus.
A new change includes an overhaul of laundry machines. Denison has a new contract and will replace all of the laundry machines, which will be no charge to wash and dry. Students will have access to an app that will have alerts for when their laundry is done and which machines are available.
“I hope for the students that it’s exciting to be a part of the moment,” Meng said, referencing the renovations and the major changes like the new Silverstein apartments. “It’s a new, exciting year ahead.”