A new HyperCard stack containing the floor plans for College residence halls was put onto the Public File Server this week by the Office of Residential Life.
The plans should simplify the room assignment process for Fall term and eliminate problems created by students who would cheat by marking their desired rooms as reserved for freshmen so nobody else would request them.
After Fall term cluster assignments are made, students file a second application for specific rooms within their assigned clusters. Previously, floor plans were posted in each cluster to assist students with these selections.
The new plans will eliminate the need for this.
Associate Dean of Residential Life Bud Beatty said the main impetus for the change was to provide a service to the students, but problems such as cheating and people stealing the posted plans were also taken into consideration.
"We can't post a sentry by the floor plans," Beatty said.
Tony Lipp '94, a former Undergraduate Adviser and the current Area Coordinator in the Fayerweathers, said, "people would rip the plans down because they would want a certain kind of room, and that way nobody else could see them."
The new computerized floor plans include individual information about each room, including room type, number of rooms, gender designation, room dimensions and special features such as bathrooms, fireplaces and carpeting.
Also included is information about rooms that are designated for freshmen only or are used for Undergraduate Advisors or Area Coordinators.
The idea was developed by an ad-hoc committee of upperclass students that is formed each fall to evaluate the housing-assignment process. But the idea originated from Beatty, and he worked on the plans for the past six months.
Beatty said making the plans was not difficult, "it was just time consuming."
"Its just a lot easier to have it on Public, that is the bottom line," Lipp said. "It's just a great thing."
The plans are on Public in the "Residential Life" folder, which is in the "Organizations" folder. The cluster folders should be copied to the hard drive before being used.
HyperCard can be found in the "Official Apple Software" folder inside the "Organizations" folder.
Instructions are in a "Read me" file in the folder with the plans.
Floor plans for affinity programs and College-owned coed, fraternity, sorority houses will not be completely finished until early next fall, according to Beatty.
ORL expects to have Fall term cluster assignments finished by the end of May. Summer term housing assignments were mailed last Friday and yesterday. Only Fall term has a separate room selection process.
