Graphic by Hayleigh Colombo

Several rising sophomores and juniors found themselves on a 2012-13 housing wait list after last week’s housing selection nights.

The lists contain a total of 90 students—36 sophomores and 54 juniors.

“We’re going to go through those wait lists as quickly as we can to get everyone into a place where they are pleased,” said Karla Cunningham, director of residence life.

Cunningham said the wait lists aren’t an unusual circumstance.

Twenty-four students were placed on wait lists for Apartment Village last year.

Dean of Student Life Irene Stevens said the housing shortage always gets worked out over the summer.

“Unfortunately I know it’s disconcerting to the students, but we will find a space,” Stevens said. “Once we get an idea of the incoming class and the numbers there and the numbers of the returning students, we juggle things around a little bit and see what comes out.”

Seniors were given first priority in room selection at Apartment Village. Seniors have the option of living off campus. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors have to live on campus.

Stevens said this year’s wait list is longer than last year’s because a few more seniors than usual signed up to live in Apartment Village. She also said next year’s junior class is bigger than usual.

“It may very well be that most of University Terrace will be juniors, where in the past it’s mostly been sophomores,” Stevens said. “UT is our flexible space that allows us to move people around a little bit.”

She said residence life doesn’t want to have to limit the number of seniors allowed to live in Apartment Village.

“Our philosophy has always been to reward seniors for being seniors, and if they want to live on campus in the village or in UT, we try to accommodate that,” Stevens said.

Sophomore pharmacy major Caroline Hedrick said she is waitlisted for AV but was assigned an apartment in UT.

“Hopefully I’ll get AV as a senior,” Hedrick said. “It’s not that big of a deal for me, but it’s definitely an inconvenience.”

Cunningham said some sophomores who didn’t get a room in Residential College have already been placed in Ross and Schwitzer Halls.

Freshman marketing major Allison Altenberger said she and three roommates put ResCo as their first choice and UT as their second but still were placed in Schwitzer. She said they are on the wait lists for Resco and UT in case a spot opens up.

“I am very disappointed in what has happened, but I am simply sharing my situation and the facts,” Altenberger said. “I think in doing that it will make the whole Butler community aware of a crucial problem that needs to be fixed.”

Stevens said on-campus housing is a numbers game that will continue for a while.

“I think the trustees have looked at whether or not we need another residence hall on campus, but no decision has been made in that respect,” Stevens said. “It probably won’t be made until the trustees and administration set some goals for student enrollment, as far as the numbers they think are ideal for Butler. It’s a combination of enrollment and facilities.”

Stevens said that she is asking waitlisted students to be patient.

“There’s no need to be too concerned,” she said. “There will be space come fall.”