Students find roommates through profiling software
By Yasmin Anwar, Media Relations | 21 August 2008
BERKELEY – Neat freak or slob? Early riser or night owl? Social
butterfly or hermit? Even the best of friends can feud over
such differences when rooming in tight quarters. That's why
hundreds of students moving into University of California,
Berkeley, residence halls this coming weekend (Aug. 23-24)
have used profiling software - along the lines of eHarmony
and Match.com - to track down compatible roommates.
UC Berkeley launched the StarRez room selection and roommate-finding
pilot program last spring for returning freshmen. But rather
than question students about their academic majors, backgrounds,
and likes and dislikes - as do other universities that use
the same student housing software - UC Berkeley's survey focuses
mostly on issues that go to the heart of roommate conflicts.
If the profiles get too detailed, campus housing officials
fear, students will end up rooming with clones of themselves.
"We want students to live with people from different backgrounds.
This should be a growth experience," said Dan Ocampo, UC Berkeley's
director of residential living.
In theory, many students on campus agree with that philosophy:
"You have to be able to get along with different kinds of
people, because that's what the world's about," said Alicia
McQuillen, a senior majoring in Native American studies and
political science and a Yurok tribe member from Crescent City,
Calif.
But McQuillen also believes that you need to set some boundaries,
otherwise, "rooming together can get awkward," she said.
Last spring, McQuillen submitted an online profile in her
quest to find a roommate in the Native American-themed suite
in Slottman Hall. She has since been matched up with Ashley
Pino, a member of the Acoma tribe in New Mexico. The two,
who met earlier this year, will move in their belongings on
Sunday.
In the past, UC Berkeley students who received housing assignments
were briefly surveyed via e-mail about their sleep schedules,
level of tidiness and whether they smoked. Those who hadn't
already requested a specific roommate were assigned one based
on that survey.
As of last February, however, students have been able to log
on to the StarRez portal to explore those and other issues
through more detailed profiles of potential roommates for
the 2008 fall semester. So far, responses show the top concerns
to be sleeping habits, partying schedules, hygiene and borrowing
without asking.
"We found a lot of roommate conflict around what time students
go to bed, what time they get up and level of tidiness," said
Michelle Kniffin, UC Berkeley assistant director for housing
assignments. "Being neat is a big criterion."
Among other things, the StarRez survey asks roommate seekers
if they mind living with a smoker; need quiet time for studying;
enjoy friends dropping by at all times; go home most weekends;
keep their living space tidy and are comfortable sharing their
belongings.
Users can use a screen name, make queries, direct folks to
their Facebook or MySpace profiles, and accept or decline
offers. If they don't find a suitable roommate, the StarRez
program can make a match for them.
Move-in Weekend precedes Welcome Days, when new students can
take campus tours and attend workshops, lectures and receptions
offered by UC Berkeley's schools, colleges and departments.
For many students, classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 27. For the
fall semester, UC Berkeley expects nearly 10,000 new students
to enroll, including more than 4,000 freshmen, 2,000 transfer
students and nearly 3,000 graduate students.
Welcome Days highlights include:
New Student Convocation, Monday, Aug. 25, 3:45-6 p.m.
All new undergraduates are invited to hear from Chancellor
Robert Birgeneau and other speakers at a picnic dinner at
Memorial Glade.
Chancellor's Receptions for New Undergraduates, Tuesday,
Aug. 26-Thursday, Aug. 29, 4-5:30 p.m. New undergraduates
can meet the chancellor at invitation-only gatherings at the
Chancellor's Garden, University House.
Sunset at the Campanile, Tuesday, Aug. 26, and Thursday,
Aug. 28, 7-9 p.m. After-hour tours of the Campanile will be
held for new students, who can enjoy the sunset from the observation
deck atop the 307-foot Sather Tower.
Calapalooza, Thursday, Aug. 28, 5:30-9 p.m. More than
300 student groups, campus services and performers will introduce
themselves to new students at this annual resource fair at
Upper and Lower Sproul Plaza.
Caltopia, Sunday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Monday,
Aug. 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Cal's Recreational Sports Facility
will host this entertainment festival at 2301 Bancroft Way.
For more details, visit the Caltopia
homepage.
Original
UC Berkeley Press Release 
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