Students voiced concerns about the University housing system last Tuesday in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium, where Student Union members stationed themselves to record student opinions via video and e-mail, according to a March 18 e-mail sent by Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 to the undergraduate student body. Acheampong explained in an interview with the Justice that the videos and e-mails will be presented to Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer, Senior Vice President for Administration Mark Collins and the Department of Community Living.

The goal of the housing assessment was to receive student feedback and relay information about how to improve the housing process to the DCL, said Student Union Secretary Herbie Rosen '12 in an interview with the Justice.

Rosen explained that the responses received from students were not just about student anger but that they "[showed] a lot of honest words" and that students took "a well-thought-out approach" to voicing their concerns.

According to Rosen, eight or nine students recorded their concerns on video while about 50 students have expressed concerns via e-mail to the Student Union.

"I don't think that we are looking for a complete revolution [about the lottery system] because, quite honestly, I feel that the housing lottery is one of the better things [of the housing system, and] it works for the student body. . We just want to sit down and figure out how to better the system," Rosen said.

Rosen added that improving the system would include finding a better way to explain the housing process to students.

Acheampong said in an interview with the Justice that students are concerned about housing conditions and believe that renovations are necessary in residence halls such as East Quad, The Castle and the Foster Mods.

Senator-at-Large Beneva Davies '13 worked the Student Union housing assessment table and said that the process can be particularly difficult for first-year students.

"This is their first time around; . the emotional baggage was the biggest [issue] for them," she said in an interview with the Justice.

She explained that the emotional aspect includes tensions between friends because of the stress of the housing process.

Student Union Vice President Shirel Guez '12 also worked the Student Union table in the SCC. In an interview with the Justice, she said, "[The assessment project] was a good way to gauge the feelings about housing on campus."

"The general sense is that people are unhappy with the system the way it is. People didn't like the lottery system, people didn't like the fact that housing runs out pretty early and if you get like number 2,000 then you feel like there is no hope," added Guez.

Guez said that the Student Union will speak with the DCL and will hopefully discuss renovations of dormitories.

"We are hoping in the future, maybe a future Student Union will get another [residence hall], because as the years progress and as we have larger class sizes, . there [will be] less available housing," she added.

Acheampong's March 18 e-mail also listed dining, the pool and transportation as top concerns among students.

These data were collected from a survey that was included in a February 15 e-mail from Acheampong to the undergraduate student body.

The survey asked: "Which services would you like to see improve?", "What would you like [Fred Lawrence's] administration to focus on?" and "How can the Student Union better represent and advocate for you?"

According to Acheampong, about 285 students responded to the survey as of the March 20 interview, but he was unsure of the final number. He wrote in the March 18 e-mail that the Student Union has "heard your concerns about dining, and are working with the administration and dining services to increase food options and variety."

Student Union representatives are working to make improvements to the dining experience on campus, and new initiatives regarding dining will be announced in the State of the Union address, according to Acheampong.

According to Acheampong, members of the Student Union expressed student concerns about the pool to a Board of Trustees meeting last semester, and the administration has acknowledged the pool as a significant issue for students.

"We need a pool to support our athletics program and to provide a convenient and safe space for members of the community who need this important facility," noted Acheampong in his March 18 e-mail to the undergraduate student body.