By Sarah Metcalf

In addition to other changes in store for Housing Services next year, the squatter policy will no longer be available to upperclassmen on campus.

The policy stated if a person received a lottery number and would be in residence for the spring quarter, summer quarter of the current year and fall of the upcoming year, then that student would be able to remain in his or her current room for the following quarter, said Assist-ant Director of On-Campus Housing Carrie Lemasa.

The policy is being erased due to the lack of upperclassmen actually taking the opportunity to claim squatter’s rights.

“Less than 3 percent of upper-class students took advantage of squatter’s rights because of student transition in and out of co-op and study abroad, which made them ineligible,” Lemasa said. “In addition, every summer, different buildings close due to deferred maintenance and summer construction and inevitably, students must move anyway, therefore negating what ‘squatting’ was.”

If students have been assigned a lottery number, they will have a chance to pick the same room they currently occupy if it is still available when their lottery number is reached. However, if they do choose to stay here for the summer and their building is closed, they will have to move out.

“As we look at new initiatives each year in review, we also continuously examine current policies and make decisions on what priorities impact the greatest number of students,” she said.

Some students believe the policy should be kept in place for the convenience of those wishing to remain on campus through the summer sessions.

“I think they should keep it because it’d be a pain to have to move again and again, and people shouldn’t have to move if they don’t want to,” said Stephanie Santisteban, a junior chemical engineering major.

It still has not been determined which buildings will be closed this summer, but all students living in those buildings will be forced to move out by April 23.

“I think it’s a bad idea to get rid of [the policy],” said Brian Bais, a middler environmental sciences/geology major. “That policy has been in place since I’ve been here. If they’re there, they should keep it. It’s also how you get a lot of students to stay on campus.”

Current freshmen will not have the opportunity to ever take advantage of the policy.

“It would be such a hassle to move around,” said Brian Gracia, a freshman business major. “[The policy] definitely should be kept.”