With many incoming and returning students at Grand Valley State University debating on whether they should live on or off campus, Oct. 27 marked the beginning of the room selection process for the 2016-2017 school year.

GVSU’s Housing and Residence Life Office have been working since the end of September to establish that living on campus would give them opportunities to make their college experience more enjoyable and successful.

Dena Willis, the occupancy manager at the housing office, said her role is to place students into their housing assignments – freshmen or returning students – and direct the entire selection process to make sure that a student’s needs are being met.

“(My job) is to make sure that students are getting the right and accurate housing that they can afford and that they want,” Willis said.

With the various housing options on campus, ranging from the traditional living centers to Laker Village, Willis noted that some of the needs that students express to be fixed are whether or not a student can have their own room, live with their friend or live in the building of their choice.

She indicated that the process can be strenuous at times, more so when the housing office starts to manage room and housing selection for the following school year. Every student’s needs are different, she emphasized and the housing staff tries to accommodate those requests.

“If you applied by Oct. 23 you would be placed in what we call the lottery,” she said. “Each student would be assigned a number and a time associated with that number and they can go in and go select their rooms based off of availability.”

For those students who applied after the initial selection process, they will then be placed in a room selection process so that if one student decides to cancel their application then they can take the room.

Willis also indicated that rooms are always available for students who want to live on campus and know that while the process started on Tuesday, housing will work with students all the way until the student is situated.

“To apply is not going to hurt anything,” Willis said. “You can apply and select a room and cancel your application up until May 1, but sign up. We will be in constant communication to make sure that those students who want housing on campus may get it.”

Natalie Whitmer, a sophomore at GVSU, said housing at GVSU needs to be more involved and personal when students – especially freshman students – begin choosing their roommates and housing.

“The questions they ask you are helpful, but needs to be a little more in-depth or it could be hit and miss,” Whitmer said. “It really does build a close sense of community as well because I am glad I lived on campus because it is a great way to meet people and gain that college experience of getting along with people, which helps translate how you later interact with future coworkers, which could also lead you into finding lifelong friends.”

For more information GVSU’s Housing and Residence Life, visit www.gvsu.edu/housing.