Living it up
Nittany Apts. offer change of pace

By ALEXANDRA RODRIGUEZ
Collegian Staff Writer

After living in the residence halls, some students turn to Nittany Apartments to enjoy a taste of apartment living without leaving campus.

"Students want to have an apartment and want to be able to make their own meals and want a different type of living environment," said Lynn DuBois, assistant director of the Office of Housing and Food Service Operations. More living space attracts students to the apartment complex, she said.

Another feature students enjoy is the convenience of a meal plan at the dining commons and the availability of maintenance staffs seven days a week.

"I wanted to live in Nittany Apartments because I wanted an apartment in a convenient location, but I also wanted to get one where I could get my own room," said Margaret Balya (junior-premedicine). "Also, I could use an on-campus meal plan and eat at the dining commons more often."

The popularity of Nittany Apartments has made it difficult for students trying to find available spaces.

Barry Walsky (senior-microbiology) said students leaving the apartments before or during Spring Semester because of graduation or internships make finding available spaces easier.

"If you sign up for second semester, you are most likely to get in an apartment because most people do not think of it," Walsky said.

Kathy Krinks, manager of Housing's assignment office, said students are considered solely on semester standing. Low semester standings and roommate requests, however, cause difficulties in space availability, Krinks said.

The process of filling spaces in Nittany Apartments takes three days, she said. On the first day, students living in Nittany Apartments wishing to return to their apartment file contracts. Those wishing to change apartments can do so on the second day. On the third day of applications, students who have fourth-semester standing or higher can fill out a lottery card, she said.

Eligible applications are divided by semester standing and roommate requests, Krinks said. When roommates have different semester standings, the application will be considered according to the roommate with the highest semester standing.

When this process is over, the lottery process begins, starting with the group of students with the highest semester standing, DuBois added.

Graduate students do not enter the lottery. Although they must go through the same process of application, the election process is done on a "first come, first served basis," Krinks said. Students not currently living in residence halls are not eligible for apartments, she added.

"The reason we did it this way is because the number of people that apply is so high and our spaces are so few that this reduces the eligible population before we even get started with the process," Krinks said.

The application process for Nittany Apartments will take place Jan. 26 to 28.