Nearly 200 juniors and seniors remain on the housing wait list for next year. Though juniors and seniors are not guaranteed places in residence halls, in recent years every student who remained on the list has been accommodated. Many students are wondering whether this year will be the same. "In past years the wait list has been a lot higher than (200)." Quad Director and incoming Director of Residence Life, Rob Andrews, said.

"I think because folks understand the room selection process this year, a lot of people chose not to participate," he said he was guessing regarding the lower number.

Andrews said he expects the wait list to continue to shrink as the summer progresses. "Once they get on the wait list, people come into the office and ask to be taken off," he explained.

He is hopeful everyone who remains on the wait list will be offered housing. When students are notified is uncertain, however.

"We do our best to house everyone on the wait list that we can, but we can house them only when people decline," Andrews said.

"Some people say, 'When can we know?' it's not a science, it's when someone pulls out, that's when we can let you know," Andrews further explained.

The process of placing unaccommodated students will probably begin shortly. Andrews said placing students would only be able to gain pace after commencement.

He said even if all students are offered housing, many will still decline. Andrews said the quality of the housing offered is often the reason.

"We try very hard not to put seniors in singles in Deroy, but obviously we'd rather put someone somewhere than (not) off the wait list," Andrews explained.

"Every year that we've had a waitlist, we've been able to offer everyone that has stayed on the waitlist something," he said.

These kinds of housing woes may, however, be put to an end by new developments around campus. The university plans to open a new dorm in Fall 2003 for 220 juniors and seniors.

"Next year we're really excited because we'll have a new residence hall, and that's 220 new spaces," Andrews said. He said the number of new spaces approximately equals the number of unaccommodated students, which is a promising prospect for the future of housing at Brandeis.

Andrews said that as Brandeis becomes more popular, housing will continue to be an issue of concern, but he does not anticipate it to be a long-term problem.