The Rocky Mountain Collegian

You may have the most magnificent view of the trash dumpsters behind Marchetti Towers, or neighbors who kindly compensate for your lack of a CD collection by blasting their stereo at all hours, but is squatting solo in your double apartment really worth it if you're only going to be matched up with a stranger anyhow?

The Student Government Association doesn't think so.

SGA passed a bill last night that gives the Department of Housing and Residence Life the ability to consolidate those students with others in the same situation, moving the pair to an equivalent space in the same housing complex or to an area they previously occupied.

This semester, 22 people squatted solo in their Marchetti apartments. If this resolution had already been passed and was in effect, those people could theoretically have been consolidated into 11 apartments and the remaining 11 units could have been given to students seeking to move into double rooms as pairs.

The resolution was a good move for SGA because, as described by senators, it provided a utilitarian effect, benefitting a greater number of students than the system that is currently in effect, which benefitted only those who wished to squat solo.

This resolution comes at the tail end of a series of resolutions concerning the housing assignment process. These previously passed resolutions dealt with the issues of sign-up priority, squatting and "pull-in" rights, and applying in groups.

Yet to expect these changes to perfect or revolutionize the current housing process is impractical. While there is little doubt that, together with the previously passed legislation, this resolution should help to improve the condition of the housing assignment process. As it is, students should continue to hold out hope that these baby steps are not the last attempts that we will see towards transforming the entire housing assignment process.

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