All 11 residences filled to capacity this fall

It will be a full house at McMaster this fall.

McMaster's 11 residences will be filled to capacity, the result of a
successful recruitment strategy introduced this year. First-year
students with averages of 75 and over were guaranteed a place in
residence in admission offers from McMaster.

“All incoming Level I students who met the residence application
deadline and criteria have been accommodated. But we do have a waiting
list of about 200 and we are advising these people to find other
accommodation,” says Mary Keyes, associate vice-president of student
affairs.

While there is some turnover in residence as students decide to move off campus, Keyes says it is unrealistic to think that all of those on the waiting list will be accommodated either by Sept. 3, the residence
move-in date, or later in the fall.

Keyes and other housing staff have been deluged with calls from
concerned students parents, and relatives. While she understands their
concern, Keyes says that “staff in housing services have worked hard to be fair and consistent in their application of criteria for admission to residence. Every available space has been filled and we do not have any extra beds.”

Keyes is asking the University community, particularly associate deans
who may be contacted by students and parents, for their support in
ensuring that the residence admission procedure remains fair and consistent. Letters have been sent to those on the waiting list advising them to find off-campus accommodation.

Some 2,700 students can be accommodated in the University's 11
residences. Currently, 1,800 of those spots are designated for
first-year students, with the remaining 900 allocated to senior
students. Keyes says they'll be looking at the numbers next year to see if there is a need to change the mix and provide more beds for
first-year students. Still, she favours having senior students living in residence because they provide good role models.

This is the first time McMaster has guaranteed residence to Level I
students with a 75 per cent average and over. The projected first-year enrolment is about 4,001, just above target. “We won't have any more students than in other years, it's just that more applied to residence,” remarks Keyes.

To secure a bed in residence, applicants had to maintain their 75 per
cent average at year end, submit their residence application by June 7
and include a $300 deposit. Applications were date stamped when
received. Those who did not meet the criteria and/or deadline will be
refunded their $300 deposit. The residence application clearly stated
that deposits were refundable if a student did not get into residence.

The Off-Campus Housing Office (OCHO) is aware of the housing need and is doing what it can to assist.

“We do have our Web site up and we are trying to arm people with as much information as possible about living off campus. We understand that first-year students are worried about not living in residence and we are assuring them that they will still be a part of the McMaster community,”says Jennifer MacLennan, OCHO co-ordinator.

MacLennan says many first-year students are visiting the office to post their requests for accommodation. She remains confident all will find housing. “It's still a very good time of year to be looking. The majority of our current listings are for rooms in family homes and rooms in student houses where there are five or six bedrooms, which almost provides a residence experience. We still have many listings posted and the neighbourhoods surrounding McMaster should be able to accommodate as many people as are currently on the residence waiting list.”

Most of the listings are in the Westdale area or in the neighbourhood across from the McMaster University Medical Centre.

MacLennan advises out-of-town students who are looking for housing to
visit the OCHO Web site first, contact landlords directly to arrange
viewing times, schedule as many viewings as possible before coming
to Hamilton, and to stop by the OCHO office for more information.

The OCHO office, located in Wentworth House, is open Monday to Friday
from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To
view the OCHO listings, visit http://www.macocho.com

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It will be a full house at McMaster this fall.<br />
<br />
McMaster&#039;s 11 residences will be filled to capacity, the result of a<br />
successful recruitment strategy introduced this year. First-year<br />
students with averages of 75 and over were guaranteed a place in<br />
residence in admission offers from McMaster.<br />
<br />
"All incoming Level I students who met the residence application<br />
deadline and criteria have been accommodated. But we do have a waiting<br />
list of about 200 and we are advising these people to find other<br />
accommodation," says Mary Keyes, associate vice-president of student<br />
affairs.<br />
<P><br />
While there is some turnover in residence as students decide to move off campus, Keyes says it is unrealistic to think that all of those on the waiting list will be accommodated either by Sept. 3, the residence<br />
move-in date, or later in the fall.<br />
<P><br />
Keyes and other housing staff have been deluged with calls from<br />
concerned students parents, and relatives. While she understands their<br />
concern, Keyes says that "staff in housing services have worked hard to be fair and consistent in their application of criteria for admission to residence. Every available space has been filled and we do not have any extra beds."<br />
<p><br />
Keyes is asking the University community, particularly associate deans<br />
who may be contacted by students and parents, for their support in<br />
ensuring that the residence admission procedure remains fair and consistent. Letters have been sent to those on the waiting list advising them to find off-campus accommodation.<br />
<p><br />
Some 2,700 students can be accommodated in the University&#039;s 11<br />
residences. Currently, 1,800 of those spots are designated for<br />
first-year students, with the remaining 900 allocated to senior<br />
students. Keyes says they&#039;ll be looking at the numbers next year to see if there is a need to change the mix and provide more beds for<br />
first-year students. Still, she favours having senior students living in residence because they provide good role models.<br />
<P><br />
This is the first time McMaster has guaranteed residence to Level I<br />
students with a 75 per cent average and over.  The projected first-year enrolment is about 4,001, just above target. "We won&#039;t have any more students than in other years, it&#039;s just that more applied to residence," remarks Keyes.<br />
<P><br />
To secure a bed in residence, applicants had to maintain their 75 per<br />
cent average at year end, submit their residence application by June 7<br />
and include a $300 deposit. Applications were date stamped when<br />
received. Those who did not meet the criteria and/or deadline will be<br />
refunded their $300 deposit. The residence application clearly stated<br />
that deposits were refundable if a student did not get into residence.<br />
<P><br />
The Off-Campus Housing Office (OCHO) is aware of the housing need and is doing what it can to assist.<br />
<P><br />
"We do have our Web site up and we are trying to arm people with as much information as possible about living off campus. We understand that first-year students are worried about not living in residence and we are assuring them that they will still be a part of the McMaster community,"says Jennifer MacLennan, OCHO co-ordinator.<br />
<P><br />
MacLennan says many first-year students are visiting the office to post their requests for accommodation. She remains confident all will find housing. "It&#039;s still a very good time of year to be looking. The majority of our current listings are for rooms in family homes and rooms in student houses where there are five or six bedrooms, which almost provides a residence experience. We still have many listings posted and the neighbourhoods surrounding McMaster should be able to accommodate as many people as are currently on the residence waiting list."<br />
<P><br />
Most of the listings are in the Westdale area or in the neighbourhood across from the McMaster University Medical Centre.<br />
<p><br />
MacLennan advises out-of-town students who are looking for housing to<br />
visit the OCHO Web site first, contact landlords directly to arrange<br />
viewing times, schedule as many viewings as possible before coming<br />
to Hamilton, and to stop by the OCHO office for more information.<br />
<P><br />
The OCHO office, located in Wentworth House, is open Monday to Friday<br />
from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from  10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To<br />
view the OCHO listings, visit <a href= "http://www.macocho.com">http://www.macocho.com</a><br />
<p>

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