Following the release of the most eagerly anticipated email of the school year, long lines of perturbed students snaked around the Barone Campus Center and into the Office of Residence Life, patiently (or impatiently) waiting for clarification on the 2025-26 housing lottery.
Two weeks have passed since this initial outburst from Fairfield students hoping to gain insight into what housing may look like for them in the coming year. Those anxiously awaiting students placed in Round 2 of the housing lottery learned more information about their fate on March 28, yet those placed in the dreaded Round 3 will not know until mid-April.
On Feb. 10, housing applications for all Fairfield students opened on the new online program, StarRez Student Portal and on March 17, specific lottery housing rounds were announced by ResLife. While some students were pleased with the housing lottery email they received, others felt very unlucky with the chance outcome.
Allison Corris, a first-year student placed in Round 2 of the housing lottery, says she is “going through it right now,” in comparison to those who have already chosen housing. “It is not the most ideal of situations,” Corris says.
As for myself, after experiencing the repercussions of receiving Round 2.5 last year, my rising junior group and I prayed that a higher power would bless us with Round 1 this year. At best, Round 2.5 of the lottery got us a triple room with bunk beds, half furniture, and communal bathrooms.
In order to accommodate the largest class in Fairfield University’s history, some rising sophomore students will be housed in newly renovated rooms inside the pre-existing Conference Center. According to the CT Post, 186 beds will be allocated for sophomores in an attempt to reduce overcrowding in the residence halls on campus.
One floor of Gonzaga currently houses sophomore students, a residence hall traditionally reserved for first-years. Looking forward, many students are saying Gonzaga will house only sophomore students to accommodate the unprecedented class size. The Mirror has not been able to independently verify if Gonzaga will be only for sophomores in the future.
As of now, Corris does not believe sophomore dorms such as Kostka, Claver and Faber Hall are completely filled, as ResLife may have set aside an unknown number of slots for rising sophomores in Rounds 2 and 3. Surprisingly, Corris says, “Round 1 kids got into Gonzaga,” assumed a last option for most sophomores.
On March 28, Corris and those first-year students placed in Round 2 were sent an email from ResLife explaining the negative feedback they received from Round 1 individuals and their plans to fix it; this “fix” would mean a longer waiting period for those choosing housing in Round 2. “Most of my friends and I just want to get it done with already,” Corris says.
In response to the outpour of unhappy students residing on campus in forced triples or underclassmen housing, Fairfield admissions may cap the total number of admitted students for the coming years. The admissions rate for the Class of 2029 was 25%, a staggering reduction of 8% in comparison to the previous year’s 33%.
Taking a shaky breath, I carefully clicked on the ResLife housing lottery email I received in my inbox and could only hope for a miracle. Peeking through my squinted eyes, the email’s heading read: “Housing Lottery Update – Round 1.” Our prayers were answered, and my group of 6 thankfully secured a townhouse for what will surely be an exciting junior year.
No matter your current living situation, roommate grouping, or class year, choosing housing is stressful for everyone. Fairfield students can continue to advocate for a fairer, less overwhelming housing process in the future.
